Hitman 2

The Intel Core i5-10400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Comet Lake architecture, built on Intel's 14 nm process. It has a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. For a stealth title like Hitman 2, which relies on simulating AI routines and maintaining consistent world state, the CPU's multi-threaded capabilities are relevant. In the benchmark data, the i5-10400F scores 10,283 points in Cinebench R23 multi-core, placing it at the 68th percentile among all CPUs. Its single-thread performance is also solid, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1,451 points.

When examining how this CPU handles the game's measured FPS, the data shows that at 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves 152 FPS average, while at 3840x2160 Ultra, it drops to 22 FPS. This pattern suggests that at higher resolutions and settings, the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck, but at lower settings, the CPU's ability to feed frames is sufficient to reach high refresh rates. The processor's 12 MB of shared L3 cache helps with the game's asset streaming and NPC logic. Compared to its nearest rivals in the CPU benchmark database, the i5-10400F's average score of 14,185 is essentially tied with the Intel Xeon 6756E (deltaPct 0.2), while it sits slightly behind the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C (deltaPct -0.6). This indicates that while not a top-tier performer, it holds its own in synthetic tests. However, for Hitman 2 specifically, the 6-core/12-thread configuration is well-suited to the game's engine, which scales reasonably across multiple cores, ensuring that frame pacing remains stable even when the action heats up in crowded locations.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture, utilizing TSMC's 5 nm process. It comes with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 320.0 GB/s. The card's boost clock is 2572 MHz, and it features 2,560 shading units. For Hitman 2, the GPU's role is critical, as the game features detailed environments with complex lighting and shadowing. The data shows that the GPU's memory capacity becomes a limiting factor at higher resolutions; at 3840x2160 with High settings, the average FPS is 29, while at 2560x1440 High, it rises to 55 FPS. This suggests that the 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for 1440p but struggles to maintain playable frame rates at 4K with higher texture quality presets.

The RTX 5050's benchmark scores reflect its mid-range positioning. It achieves a Passmark G3D score of 17,326, placing it at the 66th percentile among all GPUs. In the gaming context, its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT, which scores 20,713 (a deltaPct of 1.6, meaning the RTX 5050 is about 1.6% slower), and the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL at 21,153 (deltaPct -0.6, meaning the RTX 5050 is slightly faster). The RTX 5050's 13.17 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power is adequate for DirectX 12 Ultimate workloads, and its support for Vulkan 1.4 ensures compatibility with Hitman 2's rendering API. The card's 20 ray tracing cores are present, though their impact on this particular game is minimal since Hitman 2 does not heavily utilize ray-traced effects. The 300 W suggested PSU and 130 W TDP indicate that this is an efficient card that does not require an extravagant power supply, and its dual-slot design with a single 8-pin connector makes it a straightforward installation for most builds.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Hitman 2 at 4K resolution?

A: At 3840x2160, the best measured result is 52 FPS average with Low settings. With Medium settings, it drops to 39 FPS, and at High it falls to 29 FPS. Ultra settings yield only 22 FPS. The data indicates that 4K is playable only at Low settings for a smooth experience.

Q: What is the ideal resolution for a 60 FPS experience?

A: At 2560x1440 with High settings, the combo achieves 55 FPS average, which is close to 60 but slightly below. For a consistent 60 FPS or higher, 1920x1080 with High settings delivers 86 FPS average, while Medium at 1080p reaches 114 FPS. The 1440p Medium setting also gives 73 FPS, which is above 60.

Q: How does the RTX 5050 compare to its nearest GPU rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 5050's average benchmark score is 21,035. Its closest competitor, the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL, scores 21,153, which is a 0.6% difference. The RTX 5050 is also 1.6% faster than the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT, which scores 20,713. These are marginal differences in raw compute performance.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU at 1080p?

A: The data suggests the CPU keeps up well at 1080p. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo reaches 152 FPS average, and even at Ultra settings, it maintains 64 FPS. The i5-10400F's 12 threads are sufficient to drive the RTX 5050 to high frame rates at this resolution, as the GPU's workload is less demanding.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, switching from Low to Ultra settings reduces the average FPS from 97 to 41, a drop of 56 FPS. The Medium setting provides a middle ground at 73 FPS, while High sits at 55 FPS. The scaling is consistent with the increasing GPU load.

Q: Is the 8 GB VRAM enough for Hitman 2?

A: The measured data indicates that 8 GB is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p across all settings. At 4K, the card still functions but shows significant frame rate drops at higher presets. The 128-bit memory bus and 320.0 GB/s bandwidth appear adequate for the game's texture load at these resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-10400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 ranks 2,291 out of 3,711 tested combos in Hitman 2. This places it in the lower-middle portion of the database, indicating that while it is not a top-tier pairing, it is far from the bottom. The percentile rank of the CPU (68th) and GPU (66th) individually suggests that both components are above average in their respective categories, but the combo's overall ranking is dragged down by the game's demanding nature at higher settings and resolutions.

When compared to other combos, this pairing is likely outperformed by systems with higher-end CPUs like the Intel Core 7 160UL (which is 0.3% faster in synthetic CPU tests) or GPUs like the NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile (which is 1.6% faster in synthetic GPU tests). However, the combo's strength lies in its balanced performance at 1080p and 1440p. The data shows that at 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from 64 (Ultra) to 152 (Low), which covers all common gaming scenarios. At 2560x1440, the range is 41 to 97 FPS, meaning that users can still achieve playable frame rates with adjusted settings. The rank of 2,291 out of 3,711 suggests that for a mid-range system, this combo provides a competent experience for Hitman 2, though users seeking 4K Ultra performance would need to look at higher-tier components.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the best experience for this combo depends on the target resolution. For 1920x1080, the High preset is the sweet spot, delivering 86 FPS average. This is well above the 60 FPS threshold and provides a significant visual upgrade over Medium (114 FPS) and Low (152 FPS). The Ultra preset at 1080p drops to 64 FPS, which is still playable, but the visual gain over High is often marginal in a game like Hitman 2, where the environment detail is already high.

For 2560x1440, the Medium preset offers the best balance, achieving 73 FPS average with a minimum of 62 FPS, ensuring smooth gameplay. The High preset at 55 FPS is near the playable threshold but may result in occasional stutters during busy scenes. Low at 1440p yields 97 FPS, which is excellent for competitive play, but sacrifices visual fidelity. The Ultra preset at 41 FPS is not recommended for a smooth experience, as it falls below the 60 FPS target.

For 3840x2160, the data is clear: only the Low preset (52 FPS) provides a playable experience. Medium at 39 FPS and High at 29 FPS are below the acceptable range for most players. Ultra at 22 FPS is essentially unplayable. Therefore, for 4K, users should stick to Low settings or consider lowering the resolution to 1440p for a better visual-to-performance ratio.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo performs admirably across all presets. The Low setting yields an average of 152 FPS, while Medium produces 114 FPS with a minimum of 97 FPS and a maximum of 131 FPS. High settings drop to 86 FPS average, and Ultra brings it down to 64 FPS. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the RTX 5050 is the primary driver, and the CPU does not bottleneck the system at any setting.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance scales as expected. Low settings deliver 97 FPS average, Medium achieves 73 FPS with a minimum of 62 FPS and a maximum of 84 FPS. High settings are playable at 55 FPS, but Ultra falls to 41 FPS. The gap between Medium and High is 18 FPS, which is notable for a single preset step, suggesting that the High preset introduces more demanding effects like increased shadow resolution or ambient occlusion.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the limiting factor. Low settings produce 52 FPS average, which is the only playable option at this resolution. Medium settings provide 39 FPS with a minimum of 33 FPS and a maximum of 45 FPS, indicating that frame times may be inconsistent. High settings drop to 29 FPS, and Ultra yields just 22 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 4K shows a 30 FPS drop, highlighting the RTX 5050's limitations with 8 GB of VRAM and a 128-bit memory bus at higher pixel counts.