Hitman 2

The Intel Core i5-11400F is a 6-core, 12-thread Rocket Lake desktop processor with a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. Its 12 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support position it as a mid-range part, and its 3DMark scores—868 single-thread and 5,652 max-thread—suggest balanced performance for gaming. In Hitman 2, the measured FPS rows show that at 1080p Low, the combo reaches 159.9 FPS, which is high enough that the CPU’s single-thread strength (the 3DMark single-thread score is 868) becomes relevant for frame pacing. The CPU sits at the 75th percentile among all tested CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 17,181, placing it near rivals like the AMD Ryzen 7 5700U (17,189, delta 0%) and Intel Core i7-1260P (17,212, delta -0.2%). For Hitman 2, a stealth game with crowd and AI logic, the 6 cores and 12 threads handle the simulation load, but the data shows that at higher settings and resolutions, the GPU becomes the limiting factor, as seen in the FPS scaling below.

The GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER, with 2,560 shading units and 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus (448.0 GB/s bandwidth), is a Turing-architecture card that sits at the 65th percentile of all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 22,206 is within 2.5% of the AMD Radeon RX 5700 (21,670) and 0.5% below the NVIDIA RTX A400 (22,307). In Hitman 2, the GPU’s raw throughput—9.062 TFLOPS FP32—drives the resolution scaling, but the game’s engine also stresses CPU threads for NPC behavior. The combination of this CPU and GPU ranks 1,112 out of 1,795 tested combos in the game, indicating a mid-pack position that is neither top-tier nor entry-level. The measured data shows that at 1080p Low, the combo hits 159.9 FPS, which is above typical 60 Hz displays, but at 4K Ultra, it drops to 21.2 FPS, suggesting that the GPU is overwhelmed by the pixel count and settings load.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-11400F’s role in Hitman 2 is defined by its 6 cores and 12 threads, with a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. This clock speed is critical for the game’s single-threaded tasks, as evidenced by the 3DMark single-thread score of 868, which is lower than the multi-threaded scores (e.g., 5,652 max-thread) but still sufficient for the game’s AI and physics. At 1080p Low, the combo produces 159.9 FPS, and the difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p (159.9 vs. 65.8 FPS) is 94.1 FPS, which shows that the GPU is more sensitive to settings than the CPU. However, the CPU’s 12 threads help maintain frame consistency in crowded scenes, as the game’s stealth mechanics require tracking multiple NPCs. The CPU’s percentile (75th) and average score (17,181) place it above the median, but its nearest rivals—such as the Intel Core i7-1260P (delta -0.2%)—show that it’s not a standout, meaning the CPU is adequate but not a bottleneck at lower resolutions.

At 1440p, the FPS at High (55.7) is nearly half of the 1080p High (89.8), indicating that the CPU is not the limiting factor; instead, the GPU’s fill rate and memory bandwidth (448.0 GB/s) are under pressure. The CPU’s boost clock of 4.40 GHz ensures that it can feed the GPU with draw calls, but the game’s optimization means that the RTX 2070 SUPER’s 2,560 shading units dominate the workload. In the 3DMark 16-thread test, the CPU scores 5,619, which is close to its max-thread score of 5,652, suggesting that all 12 threads are utilized, but Hitman 2 is not heavily multi-threaded, so the CPU’s single-core performance (868 in 3DMark single-thread) is more relevant. The data shows that at 4K Low (56.8 FPS), the CPU still provides enough throughput, but at 4K Ultra (21.2 FPS), the GPU is clearly overwhelmed, proving that the CPU’s role is to avoid bottlenecking rather than to boost FPS.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p High settings for this combo?

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings is 89.8 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, but below the 120 FPS mark for high-refresh monitors.

Q: How does this CPU compare to its closest rival in benchmark scores?

A: The Intel Core i5-11400F has an average benchmark score of 17,181, while the AMD Ryzen 7 5700U scores 17,189, a delta of 0%, meaning they are effectively tied. The Intel Core i7-1260P scores 17,212, which is -0.2% higher, so the i5-11400F is within a rounding error of both.

Q: Is the GPU or CPU the bottleneck at 4K Ultra settings?

A: At 3840x2160 Ultra, the average FPS is 21.2, which is unplayable. Since the CPU’s 3DMark max-thread score is 5,652 and the GPU’s passmark G3D score is 18,169, the GPU is the clear bottleneck, as the CPU could handle more frames if the GPU could render them.

Q: What frame rate can be expected at 1440p Medium?

A: The measured average FPS at 2560x1440 with Medium settings is 75.9 FPS, which offers a good balance between visual quality and performance, especially for 1440p displays with 60 Hz refresh rates.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested combinations in Hitman 2?

A: The combo ranks 1,112 out of 1,795 tested combos, placing it in the 62nd percentile of all combinations, which is a solid mid-range position for a 6-core CPU and mid-range GPU.

Q: Does the CPU’s 6-core configuration limit performance in this game?

A: The data shows that at 1080p Low, the combo achieves 159.9 FPS, and at 1080p High, it achieves 89.8 FPS, indicating that the 6 cores are sufficient for the game’s requirements. The CPU’s 75th percentile ranking supports this, as it outperforms most CPUs on the market.

Resolution Scaling

The resolution scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals the limiting component. At 1080p High, the average FPS is 89.8, dropping to 55.7 at 1440p High (a -38% drop) and then to 32.4 at 4K High (a -42% drop from 1440p). This consistent decline indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck, as the RTX 2070 SUPER’s 448.0 GB/s memory bandwidth and 9.062 TFLOPS are insufficient for higher pixel counts. At Low settings, the scaling is steeper: 1080p Low yields 159.9 FPS, 1440p Low yields 102.3 (a -36% drop), and 4K Low yields 56.8 (a -44% drop from 1440p), showing that even at the lowest settings, the GPU’s rasterization limits frame rates. The CPU’s role is minimal here, as its 3DMark single-thread score of 868 is constant across resolutions, and the FPS differences are driven by the GPU’s pixel rate (113.3 GPixel/s) and texture rate (283.2 GTexel/s).

At Ultra settings, the drop is even more pronounced: 1080p Ultra (65.8 FPS) to 1440p Ultra (44.4) is a -32% drop, and to 4K Ultra (21.2) is a -52% drop. This shows that the game’s Ultra preset, which likely increases shadow quality and draw distances, disproportionately taxes the GPU. The data suggests that for 4K gaming, the combo is not viable, as even Low settings (56.8 FPS) are below the 60 FPS target. At 1440p, Medium settings (75.9 FPS) provide a playable experience, indicating that the GPU is the limiting factor, not the CPU. The combo’s rank of 1,112 out of 1,795 confirms that this pairing is better suited for 1080p or 1440p gaming, where the CPU can keep up with the GPU’s output.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo ranks 1,112 out of 1,795 tested combinations in Hitman 2, placing it in the lower-middle of the pack. This position is consistent with the CPU’s 75th percentile and the GPU’s 65th percentile, as neither component is top-tier. The CPU’s nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 5700U, has an identical average score (17,189 vs. 17,181), but the Ryzen is a mobile chip, while the i5-11400F is a desktop part, so the ranking reflects the GPU’s performance more than the CPU. The GPU’s nearest rival, the NVIDIA RTX A400, scores 22,307 vs. 22,206 for the RTX 2070 SUPER, a delta of -0.5%, meaning the 2070 SUPER is slightly slower, but the A400 is a professional card with different drivers.

In Hitman 2, the combo’s rank suggests that it outperforms roughly 38% of all tested combos, which is a modest result. The data shows that at 1080p High (89.8 FPS), the combo is above the median, but at 4K Ultra (21.2 FPS), it falls below the playable threshold. Compared to the average combo, this pairing is not exceptional, but it is not a failure either. The CPU’s 6 cores and 12 threads are enough for the game, but the GPU’s 8 GB of VRAM and 256-bit bus are limiting at higher resolutions. The rank of 1,112 out of 1,795 indicates that there are 683 combos that perform worse, but also 1,111 that perform better, so this is a mid-range pairing that suits 1080p and 1440p gaming.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the best experience is achieved at 2560x1440 with Medium settings, which yields 75.9 FPS. This provides a smooth frame rate above 60 FPS while maintaining visual fidelity, as Medium settings are a balanced preset. At 1080p, High settings (89.8 FPS) are also excellent, offering a 33% higher frame rate than 1440p Medium, but the resolution difference may be more noticeable. For 4K, the data shows that only Low settings (56.8 FPS) are playable, but this is below the 60 FPS target, so 4K is not recommended for this combo. Ultra settings are not recommended at any resolution, as even at 1080p Ultra (65.8 FPS), the frame rate is lower than 1440p Medium (75.9 FPS), indicating that the Ultra preset’s visual gains do not justify the performance cost.

The optimal preset is Medium at 1440p, as it balances the GPU load and the CPU’s capability. At 1080p Low (159.9 FPS), the frame rate is high enough for competitive play, but the visual quality is poor, so Medium or High are better choices. The data shows that the gap between Medium and High at 1080p is 32.2 FPS (122 vs. 89.8), which is significant, but High still provides a playable experience. For users with 1440p monitors, Medium is the sweet spot, as it offers 75.9 FPS, which is above the 60 Hz refresh rate. For 1080p users, High is recommended, as it provides 89.8 FPS, which is smooth and visually appealing. Avoid Ultra settings, as the performance drop from High to Ultra is substantial—at 1080p, the drop is 24 FPS (89.8 to 65.8), and at 1440p, the drop is 11.3 FPS (55.7 to 44.4)—without a proportionate visual improvement.