Hitman 2

The Intel Core i5-11400F and AMD Radeon RX 7700 pairing delivers a solid, if not spectacular, experience in Hitman 2. The data reveals a system that is clearly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, while the six-core processor holds its own at 1080p. This analysis breaks down the measured performance to show exactly where this combo excels and where it falls short.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Core i5-11400F is a six-core, twelve-thread processor based on the Rocket Lake architecture. It operates at a base clock of 2.60 GHz and can boost up to 4.40 GHz. This configuration provides a solid foundation for Hitman 2, a game that benefits from strong single-thread performance but also scales reasonably well with additional cores. The processor's 12 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support contribute to its overall responsiveness.

In synthetic benchmarks, the i5-11400F exhibits balanced performance. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14340 and single-core score of 2024 indicate that it can handle both heavily threaded workloads and the primary game thread efficiently. The Geekbench results reinforce this, with a multi-core score of 7737 and a single-core score of 1777. The 3DMark tests show a scaling pattern from 1691 in the 2-thread test to 5652 in the max-thread test, suggesting that the processor's performance grows consistently as more threads are utilized.

The CPU's percentile ranking of 71 against all processors places it in the upper-midrange tier. When compared to its nearest rivals, the differences are negligible. It sits within 0.6% of the AMD EPYC 7H12 and within 0.4% of the Intel Core i5-12450H. This means that for Hitman 2, the i5-11400F provides a level of processing power that is effectively on par with these alternatives, ensuring that the CPU is rarely the bottleneck in this gaming scenario.

For a game like Hitman 2, which involves complex AI routines and dynamic crowd simulations, the processor's ability to maintain high frame times is crucial. The measured frame rates at 1080p with Low settings reaching 182 FPS indicate that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with enough data to achieve very high frame rates. The CPU's TDP of 65 W also suggests that it can operate within a reasonable thermal envelope, allowing for consistent performance without significant throttling, though the data does not explicitly measure this.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 is built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture and features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a substantial memory bandwidth of 624.1 GB/s. The GPU's boost clock of 2459 MHz, with a game clock of 2041 MHz, ensures it has the raw compute power to render Hitman 2's detailed environments. With 2560 shading units and 40 ray accelerators, the card is well-equipped for modern rendering tasks.

The 16 GB VRAM capacity is particularly relevant for Hitman 2 at high resolutions and detail settings. The game's levels are dense with objects and textures, and the data shows that the GPU can handle these demands, though not always at playable frame rates. The GPU's PassMark G3D score of 20974 places it in the 58th percentile, indicating it is a mid-range performer. Its nearest rival comparisons show it is nearly identical to the AMD Radeon R9 370X, with a negligible 0.1% difference, and within 1.7% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti.

The GPU's memory bandwidth is a critical factor when moving from 1080p to 4K. At 4K, the demand on VRAM and bandwidth increases significantly. The RX 7700's 624.1 GB/s bandwidth is sufficient to avoid major stuttering, but the raw compute power becomes the limiting factor at this resolution. The data supports this, showing a clear pattern of diminishing returns as resolution increases.

The GPU's DirectX 12 Ultimate support ensures compatibility with the latest rendering features. In Hitman 2, which uses DirectX 12, the GPU's performance is directly tied to its ability to process draw calls and manage resources efficiently. The benchmark results indicate that the GPU performs admirably at mid-range settings but struggles to maintain high frame rates at the Ultra preset, suggesting that its 25.18 TFLOPS of FP32 compute is not quite enough for maximum detail at high resolutions.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured frame rates show a clear and consistent drop as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. This scaling pattern reveals that the system is primarily GPU-bound at higher resolutions. At 1080p with Low settings, the average FPS is 182. Moving to 1440p Low drops this to 116 FPS, a 36% reduction. At 4K Low, the average FPS falls to 62, which is a 66% reduction from the 1080p figure.

The trend is similar across all settings presets. For High settings, the progression is 103 FPS at 1080p, 66 FPS at 1440p, and 35 FPS at 4K. This represents a 36% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 66% drop from 1080p to 4K. The consistent percentage drops across different settings presets indicate that the scaling is resolution-driven rather than settings-driven. This is a classic sign of a GPU bottleneck.

The CPU's role in this scaling is minimal. The i5-11400F can easily maintain the frame rates seen at 1080p, as evidenced by the 182 FPS result on Low settings. The fact that the frame rate drops so dramatically at 4K, where the GPU has to render four times the number of pixels, confirms that the RX 7700 is the limiting component at higher resolutions. The data shows that the system is well-balanced at 1080p, where the CPU can push the GPU to its limits, but the GPU becomes the bottleneck at 1440p and especially at 4K.

The Medium settings results provide additional insight. At 1080p Medium, the average FPS is 136, with a minimum of 116 and a maximum of 157. At 1440p Medium, this drops to 87 FPS on average, with a range of 74 to 100. At 4K Medium, the average is 46 FPS, with a range of 39 to 53. The minimum frame rates at 1440p and 4K indicate that the system can experience noticeable dips, which are likely due to GPU load spikes.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

At 1920x1080, the system delivers playable performance across all settings. With Low settings, the average FPS is 182, which is exceptionally high and suitable for competitive play or high-refresh-rate monitors. Medium settings reduce this to 136 FPS on average, with a minimum of 116 and a maximum of 157, which remains smooth. High settings yield 103 FPS on average, a solid result for most displays. Ultra settings bring the average down to 76 FPS, which is still playable but shows the GPU starting to struggle with the increased detail.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops noticeably. Low settings average 116 FPS, which is still very good. Medium settings average 87 FPS, with a minimum of 74 and a maximum of 100, providing a smooth experience for most users. High settings average 66 FPS, which is on the edge of what many consider ideal for a smooth experience. Ultra settings fall to 49 FPS on average, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action.

At 3840x2160, the system's limitations become apparent. Low settings average 62 FPS, which is playable but not silky smooth. Medium settings average 46 FPS, with a minimum of 39 and a maximum of 53, which will be noticeable to most players. High settings average 35 FPS, which is below the threshold for a comfortable experience. Ultra settings average just 26 FPS, making the game nearly unplayable at this resolution and preset combination.

The data shows that the sweet spot for this combo is 1440p with Medium or High settings, where the frame rates are respectable. At 1080p, the system has headroom for high refresh rates on most presets. At 4K, only Low settings approach acceptable performance, and even then, the average of 62 FPS is borderline.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The Intel Core i5-11400F and AMD Radeon RX 7700 combination ranks 1371 out of 3001 tested combos in Hitman 2. This places it in the 54th percentile, meaning it outperforms slightly more than half of the tested configurations. This ranking indicates that while this combo is not a top-tier performer, it is far from being a weak one. It sits comfortably in the middle of the pack, offering a balanced experience.

This mid-pack ranking is consistent with the individual component performance. The CPU ranks in the 71st percentile overall, which is above average, while the GPU ranks in the 58th percentile, which is slightly above average. The combination of a slightly above-average CPU and a slightly above-average GPU results in a system that is well-matched, but neither component is exceptional enough to push the combo into the top tier.

The ranking suggests that there are many other combinations that can outperform this one in Hitman 2, likely with more powerful GPUs or CPUs. However, it also means that this combo is better than nearly half of all tested configurations. For a user with a 1080p or 1440p monitor, this ranking is reassuring, as the measured frame rates at those resolutions are generally good. The ranking is less flattering for 4K gaming, where the combo's performance is below average.

The deltaPct values from the nearest rivals for each component show that this combo is not at a significant disadvantage. The CPU is within 0.6% of its nearest rival, and the GPU is within 1.7% of its nearest rival. This suggests that swapping either component for a direct rival would not yield a substantial performance difference in this game.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured data, the best experience for this combo is achieved at 1920x1080 with High settings. This yields an average FPS of 103, which is smooth and visually appealing. The jump from Medium to High is worth the performance cost, as the frame rate remains well above 60 FPS. While Low settings offer a higher frame rate of 182 FPS, the visual quality is significantly reduced. Ultra settings at 1080p are also viable, with an average of 76 FPS, but the performance drop from High is substantial.

For users with a 2560x1440 monitor, the Medium preset is the best choice. It delivers an average FPS of 87, with a minimum of 74, ensuring a smooth experience without major dips. High settings at 1440p are also playable, with an average of 66 FPS, but the lower minimum frame rates could be noticeable during intense scenes. Ultra settings should be avoided at this resolution, as the 49 FPS average is borderline.

At 3840x2160, the system is not well-suited for high-detail gaming. The Low preset is the only playable option, with an average FPS of 62. This is a significant compromise in visual quality, but it is the only way to achieve a near-60 FPS experience at 4K. Medium settings at 4K, with an average of 46 FPS, may be acceptable for some users who prioritize visuals over smoothness, but the minimum of 39 FPS will be noticeable.

The overall recommendation is to prioritize resolution. For the best balance of visual quality and performance, 1440p with Medium settings is the sweet spot. If a higher frame rate is desired, dropping to 1080p with High or Ultra settings provides a superior experience. The data suggests that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K being a stretch. The Ultra preset is generally not recommended at any resolution, as the performance hit is substantial relative to the visual gains.