Hitman 2

The Intel Core i5-10400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti delivers a compelling, if lopsided, experience in Hitman 2. The data shows a configuration where the GPU is the dominant force, but the 6-core/12-thread Comet Lake processor imposes a clear ceiling at lower resolutions. This analysis breaks down the measured performance across resolutions and settings, using only the benchmark data provided.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate progression from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic GPU-bound scaling curve, but with a notable inflection point. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 133 at 1920x1080 to 85 at 2560x1440, a 36% reduction, and then to 45 at 3840x2160, a further 47% reduction from the 1440p figure. This steep decline as resolution increases is the expected signature of a system where the graphics card is being pushed progressively harder.

However, the pattern shifts when examining Low settings. Here, the 1080p result is 224 FPS, which falls to 150 FPS at 1440p (a 33% drop) and then to 80 FPS at 4K (a 47% drop from 1440p). The 1080p Low result of 224 FPS is disproportionately high compared to the 1440p Low result, suggesting that at 1080p with low graphical load, the CPU begins to limit the frame rate. The data indicates that the RTX 3080 Ti is fully capable of pushing far beyond 200 FPS in this scenario, but the i5-10400F cannot feed it fast enough to go higher.

The Ultra preset shows the most consistent scaling, with 98 FPS at 1080p, 63 FPS at 1440p, and 33 FPS at 4K. This is a linear progression where each resolution step costs roughly one-third of the previous performance, indicating a well-balanced load on both components at this extreme quality level. The Medium preset follows a similar curve, with 176 FPS at 1080p, 113 FPS at 1440p, and 60 FPS at 4K.

The data suggests that the limiting component shifts based on resolution. At 1080p, especially with lower settings, the CPU is the bottleneck, capping performance in the 200 FPS range. At 4K, the GPU is the clear limiting factor, with even the lowest settings only reaching 80 FPS. The 1440p resolution appears to be the sweet spot where the balance between the two components is most even, with a wide spread between Low (150 FPS) and Ultra (63 FPS) that reflects pure GPU scaling.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-10400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Comet Lake architecture, built on a 14 nm process. Its base clock is 2.90 GHz with a boost clock of 4.30 GHz, and it has 12 MB of shared L3 cache. In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU scores 10283 points in Cinebench R23 multicore and 1451 points in single-core, placing it in the 68th percentile among all tested CPUs.

In Hitman 2, the CPU's role is most evident in the 1080p Low preset, where the average FPS of 224 suggests a hard performance ceiling. This is a stealth game that relies on complex AI routines and crowd simulations, which can be demanding on processor resources. The data shows that the 12 threads are sufficient to maintain high frame rates, but the single-thread performance, as indicated by the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1451, limits the absolute maximum FPS.

The CPU's influence diminishes as resolution increases. At 4K, the difference between Low (80 FPS) and High (45 FPS) settings is 35 FPS, which is purely a GPU workload difference. The CPU is not the limiting factor at this resolution. The 4K Medium preset shows a minimum FPS of 51 and a maximum of 69, which is a tighter range than the 1080p Medium (150-203), suggesting that frame pacing is more consistent when the CPU is not under as much relative stress.

The i5-10400F's performance relative to its nearest rivals is marginal. It scores 0.2% higher than the Intel Xeon 6756E and 0.5% higher than the AMD EPYC 7552, while trailing the Intel Core 7 160UL by 0.3% and the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C by 0.6%. These are negligible differences, indicating that the CPU's compute capability is well within the expected range for its class, and the measured in-game performance is more likely dictated by architectural efficiency than raw core count.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is a high-end Ampere architecture GPU built on Samsung's 8 nm process. It features 10240 shading units, 320 texture mapping units, and 112 ROPs, with a base clock of 1365 MHz and a boost clock of 1665 MHz. The 12 GB of GDDR6X memory runs at 19 Gbps effective on a 384-bit bus, yielding a massive 912.4 GB/s of memory bandwidth.

This GPU is the primary driver of performance in Hitman 2, particularly at higher resolutions. The 4K High preset yields 45 FPS, which is a playable but not smooth experience. The 4K Ultra preset drops to 33 FPS, which is below the threshold for a fluid stealth game where precise timing is often required. The GPU's compute capabilities, measured at 34.10 TFLOPS FP32, are clearly sufficient for this 2018 title, but the memory bandwidth of 912.4 GB/s becomes a factor at 4K with high-quality textures.

The RTX 3080 Ti's benchmark scores are strong, with a Passmark G3D score of 26896 and a Geekbench Vulkan score of 192697. It sits in the 83rd percentile among all GPUs. Compared to its nearest rivals, it is 0.8% faster than the AMD Radeon Pro 5300 and 2% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070, while trailing the NVIDIA Tesla M40 24 GB by 1.2% and the Tesla M40 by 1.7%. These deltas are small, but they indicate that the 3080 Ti is a top-tier performer for its generation.

The GPU's 12 GB VRAM is not a limiting factor in this game's measured settings. The 4K Medium preset reports a minimum FPS of 51 and a maximum of 69, suggesting that memory allocation is not causing stutters or frametime spikes. The data shows that the RTX 3080 Ti is consistently able to deliver playable frame rates at 1440p across all settings, ranging from 150 FPS on Low to 63 FPS on Ultra.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the Intel Core i5-10400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti ranks 1038 out of 3711 tested combos for Hitman 2. This places it in the upper 28% of all configurations, which is a strong showing for a mid-range CPU paired with a high-end GPU. The ranking reflects the overall capability of the system, but it also highlights a potential imbalance.

The rank of 1038 suggests that while this combo is faster than a majority of systems, it is not at the very top tier. The data implies that many higher-ranked combos likely pair the RTX 3080 Ti with a more powerful processor, which would eliminate the CPU bottleneck observed at 1080p Low settings. The i5-10400F's 68th percentile CPU ranking is lower than the GPU's 83rd percentile, indicating that the CPU is the weaker link in this pairing.

This imbalance is not necessarily a negative for all use cases. At 4K, the combo's performance is almost entirely GPU-limited, meaning the CPU's lower rank has minimal impact. The 4K High result of 45 FPS would likely be identical with a faster CPU. However, for users targeting high refresh rates at 1080p, the 224 FPS cap on Low settings is a direct result of the CPU's limitations, and a higher-ranked combo would likely exceed this figure.

The ranking data shows that the combo is well above average, but it also reveals the ceiling imposed by the CPU. For a game like Hitman 2, which is not particularly demanding on CPU threads beyond a certain point, the i5-10400F's 12 threads are adequate, but its single-thread performance is the primary constraint on maximum FPS.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The benchmark data provides a comprehensive matrix of frame rates across three resolutions and four quality presets. Here is the exact breakdown:

At 1920x1080, the measured average FPS is 224 on Low, 176 on Medium, 133 on High, and 98 on Ultra. The Medium preset includes a minimum of 150 FPS and a maximum of 203 FPS, showing a spread of 53 FPS. This wide range indicates that the frame rate fluctuates significantly during gameplay, likely due to varying scene complexity and CPU load.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS is 150 on Low, 113 on Medium, 85 on High, and 63 on Ultra. The Medium preset reports a minimum of 96 FPS and a maximum of 130 FPS, a narrower spread of 34 FPS compared to 1080p. This suggests that the GPU is taking on more consistent workload, and the CPU is less likely to cause sudden drops.

At 3840x2160, the average FPS is 80 on Low, 60 on Medium, 45 on High, and 33 on Ultra. The Medium preset has a minimum of 51 FPS and a maximum of 69 FPS, a spread of just 18 FPS. This tight range indicates very stable performance, as the GPU is the sole bottleneck and it operates at a consistent utilization level.

The scaling between settings at each resolution is consistent. At 1080p, Ultra is 56% slower than Low (98 vs 224 FPS). At 1440p, Ultra is 58% slower than Low (63 vs 150 FPS). At 4K, Ultra is 59% slower than Low (33 vs 80 FPS). This consistent percentage drop across resolutions confirms that the quality presets impose a uniform graphical load increase, independent of resolution.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate.

For 4K (3840x2160), the Medium preset is the only viable option for a consistently playable experience. The 60 FPS average with a 51 FPS minimum is the threshold for smooth gameplay. The High preset at 45 FPS is borderline, and the Ultra preset at 33 FPS is too choppy for a stealth game that requires precise movement. The Low preset at 80 FPS is an option for maximum smoothness, but it sacrifices visual quality significantly.

For 1440p (2560x1440), the High preset at 85 FPS is the best balance of visual fidelity and performance. It provides a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS target and looks significantly better than Medium. The Ultra preset at 63 FPS is playable, but the 22 FPS drop from High may not be worth the visual gains. The Low preset at 150 FPS is overkill for most displays and not recommended unless chasing maximum refresh rates.

For 1080p (1920x1080), the Ultra preset at 98 FPS is the recommended choice. It delivers near-100 FPS performance while showcasing the game's best visuals. The High preset at 133 FPS is also excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors, but the Ultra preset offers the most complete experience. The Medium preset at 176 FPS and Low at 224 FPS are only useful for competitive play on 240 Hz or higher displays, as the visual quality degradation is severe.

The data indicates that the Medium preset at 4K is the most balanced experience overall, providing 60 FPS with a minimum of 51 FPS. The High preset at 1440p is the best quality-per-FPS ratio, with 85 FPS and no reported minimums below 60. For users with high-refresh monitors, the High preset at 1080p provides 133 FPS, which is above the 120 Hz threshold.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Hitman 2?

A: The 2560x1440 resolution offers the best balance. At High settings, it delivers 85 FPS average, which is smoother than the 45 FPS at 4K and more visually detailed than the 133 FPS at 1080p. The 1440p Medium preset also shows a stable frame range of 96 to 130 FPS.

Q: Can this system run Hitman 2 at 4K 60 FPS?

A: No, not with the measured settings. The highest 4K preset that achieves 60 FPS is Medium, with an average of 60 FPS and a minimum of 51 FPS. The High preset drops to 45 FPS, and Ultra falls to 33 FPS. To maintain 60 FPS at 4K, the Medium preset is the maximum.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck at 1080p?

A: The data indicates the CPU is the limiting factor at 1080p Low, where the average FPS is 224. The GPU is capable of higher frame rates, but the Intel Core i5-10400F's single-thread performance caps the output. At 1080p Ultra, the CPU is still a factor, as the 98 FPS result is lower than what the GPU's 83rd percentile ranking would suggest.

Q: How does the RTX 3080 Ti compare to its nearest rival in this game?

A: The GPU is 2% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 and 0.8% faster than the AMD Radeon Pro 5300 in synthetic benchmarks. It is 1.2% slower than the NVIDIA Tesla M40 24 GB and 1.7% slower than the Tesla M40. These differences are minimal and unlikely to cause noticeable in-game performance gaps.

Q: What is the frame rate stability at different resolutions?

A: The data shows that stability improves as resolution increases. The 4K Medium preset has a frame range of 51 to 69 FPS (18 FPS spread), while the 1080p Medium preset has a range of 150 to 203 FPS (53 FPS spread). This indicates that at 4K, the GPU maintains a more consistent workload, whereas at 1080p, CPU-related frame drops are more common.

Q: Is the i5-10400F a good match for the RTX 3080 Ti?

A: The pairing is adequate but not optimal. The CPU ranks in the 68th percentile, while the GPU ranks in the 83rd percentile. This imbalance is most visible at 1080p, where the CPU limits the maximum frame rate to 224 FPS on Low settings. At 4K, the CPU is not a limiting factor, and the combo performs as expected for the GPU.