Hitman 2

Hitman 2, a 2018 stealth title, responds dramatically to both resolution and preset changes on the Intel Core i5-11400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 platform. The measured data reveals a system that is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions, but which scales almost linearly with settings at 1080p, suggesting the processor has ample headroom for this title. The dataset shows a clear hierarchy of performance across the three tested resolutions and four quality presets, providing a comprehensive look at how this specific combination handles the game's engine.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent with a GPU-limited scenario. At Low settings, the transition from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 sees average FPS fall from 253.3 to 87.4, a reduction of approximately 65%. This massive hit indicates that the RTX 5070's rendering pipeline is the primary constraint at 4K, as the pixel count quadruples while the CPU's workload remains relatively static. The data implies that Hitman 2's draw calls and physics are not demanding enough to bottleneck the six-core i5-11400F, even at high frame rates.

Moving from 1440p to 4K at High settings further illustrates this point. The average FPS drops from 93.2 to 52.2, a 44% decrease. This is a smaller relative drop than the Low settings case, which suggests that the GPU is already struggling with the increased visual complexity at High, making the additional pixel load at 4K comparatively less punishing in percentage terms. The trend is consistent: resolution scaling is harsh, and the limiting component at 3840x2160 is unequivocally the graphics card.

At 1080p, the picture changes. The difference between Low (253.3 FPS) and Ultra (108.9 FPS) is a 57% performance reduction, but the absolute frame rates are high enough that the CPU could still be a factor. The fact that 1080p Ultra yields 108.9 FPS while 1440p Ultra yields 69.3 FPS—a 36% drop—points to the GPU becoming progressively more dominant as resolution increases. The data suggests that below 1440p, the i5-11400F's 12 threads are sufficient to feed the RTX 5070, and the GPU is the limiting factor even at 1080p Ultra. The scaling from 1440p to 4K at Ultra (69.3 to 37.0 FPS) is a 47% reduction, reinforcing that this game is pixel-bound at the high end.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-11400F brings 6 cores and 12 threads to the table, with a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. Its benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14372 and a single-core score of 2029, place it in the 75th percentile of all CPUs. This suggests a solid mid-range processor that should not struggle with a 2018 title like Hitman 2, which was designed before the era of 8-core consoles became the norm.

The data supports this. At 1080p Low, the system hits 253.3 FPS, a frame rate that would stress most CPUs. That the i5-11400F can sustain this indicates that its single-thread performance and 12 MB of L3 cache are more than adequate for the game's engine. The minimal performance difference between 1080p Medium (194.3 FPS) and 1080p High (145.4 FPS) is largely a GPU workload increase, not a CPU limitation. Even at 1080p Ultra with 108.9 FPS, there is no evidence of a CPU bottleneck, as the GPU is still the component processing the increased shadow and texture detail.

Comparatively, the i5-11400F's nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 7 5700U and Intel Core i7-1260P, have nearly identical average benchmark scores (17189 and 17212, respectively, with a deltaPct of 0 or -0.2). This indicates that the CPU's raw compute capability is well within the expected range for its class. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 5619 and the single-thread score of 868 further confirm that this is a balanced processor for gaming, where both multi-core scaling and single-thread responsiveness matter. The data strongly suggests that the CPU is not the bottleneck in any of the measured configurations for Hitman 2.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS achievable with this combo?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 253.3, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K Ultra settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS drops to 37.0, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to be the limiting factor at 1440p High?

A: At 2560x1440 High, the average FPS is 93.2. Given the steep drop from the 1080p High score of 145.4, the GPU is clearly the primary constraint.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p?

A: The average FPS drops from 253.3 at Low to 108.9 at Ultra, a reduction of 57%.

Q: How does this CPU compare to its closest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The i5-11400F has an average benchmark score of 17181, which is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 7 5700U's 17189 (deltaPct 0) and the Intel Core i7-1260P's 17212 (deltaPct -0.2).

Q: What frame rate can be expected at 4K Medium?

A: At 3840x2160 with Medium settings, the average FPS is 64.0, which is playable but not high-refresh-rate territory.

Settings Recommendations

For users targeting a 60 FPS experience, the data shows that 4K Ultra is not viable with this combo, as it averages only 37.0 FPS. Dropping to 4K High improves the average to 52.2 FPS, which is still short of 60. However, 4K Medium achieves 64.0 FPS, making it the optimal preset for 4K on this system if a solid 60 FPS is the goal. The jump from Medium to High at 4K costs roughly 12 FPS (64.0 to 52.2), a significant penalty for diminishing visual returns.

At 1440p, the situation is more comfortable. High settings deliver 93.2 FPS, which is excellent for a 1440p monitor. Ultra at 1440p still provides 69.3 FPS, which is above 60 and offers the highest visual fidelity without a major performance hit. For competitive play or maximum frame rates, 1440p Low achieves 164.4 FPS, but this sacrifices most visual features. The best balance for visual quality and smoothness at 1440p is High, with Ultra being a viable alternative for those who prefer fidelity over headroom.

For 1080p users, the recommendation is straightforward. High settings at 145.4 FPS provide a perfect balance for high-refresh-rate monitors, as they are well above 144 Hz. Ultra at 108.9 FPS is still very smooth and offers the best image quality, but the 36.5 FPS drop from High to Ultra suggests that High is the sweet spot. Low settings at 253.3 FPS are only relevant for esports-level refresh rates, which is unnecessary for a stealth game like Hitman 2.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand database of tested combinations, this pairing of the Intel Core i5-11400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 ranks 356th out of 1795 total combos for Hitman 2. This places it in the top 20% of all tested systems, indicating that it is a high-performing configuration for this specific game. The rank reflects the GPU's strength, as the RTX 5070 is in the 83rd percentile of all GPUs, while the CPU is in the 75th percentile.

The combination's rank suggests that while the CPU is competent, the GPU is the star of the show. The RTX 5070's average benchmark score of 41687 is close to its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090, which scores 41441 with a deltaPct of 0.6. This indicates that the RTX 5070 is a top-tier graphics card, and its performance in Hitman 2 is consistent with its synthetic benchmark standing. The combo's rank of 356 out of 1795 implies that there are many other pairings that perform better, likely those with even stronger CPUs, but for this specific CPU-GPU match, the results are strong.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers 253.3 FPS on Low, 194.3 FPS on Medium, 145.4 FPS on High, and 108.9 FPS on Ultra. The scaling from Low to Ultra is a 57% reduction, showing a clear and predictable step-down in performance as visual fidelity increases.

At 2560x1440, the scores are 164.4 FPS on Low, 124.9 FPS on Medium, 93.2 FPS on High, and 69.3 FPS on Ultra. The drop from Low to Ultra here is 58%, similar to 1080p, but the absolute numbers are lower, reflecting the increased pixel load.

At 3840x2160, the system averages 87.4 FPS on Low, 64.0 FPS on Medium, 52.2 FPS on High, and 37.0 FPS on Ultra. The reduction from Low to Ultra is 58%, consistent with the other resolutions. Notably, the 4K Low score of 87.4 FPS is lower than the 1440p Ultra score of 69.3 FPS, highlighting how much resolution impacts the GPU.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 is the dominant component in this pairing. With 12 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 192-bit bus, it offers 672.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is crucial for feeding the high-resolution textures in Hitman 2. The GPU's boost clock of 2512 MHz and 6144 shading units provide the raw compute power necessary for the game's lighting and shadow effects.

The data shows that the GPU is the bottleneck at all resolutions above 1080p. The consistent 58% performance drop from Low to Ultra across all resolutions indicates that the GPU's workload scales predictably with settings, and the CPU is never the limiting factor. The RTX 5070's percentile ranking of 83rd among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 41687, confirms its high-end status. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090, has a deltaPct of 0.6, meaning the RTX 5070 is slightly faster in synthetic tests, which aligns with its superior performance in Hitman 2 at 4K Ultra where it manages 37.0 FPS. The GPU's 48 RT cores and 192 tensor cores are not heavily utilized in this older title, but its raw rasterization performance is clearly sufficient to push frame rates high at 1080p and 1440p, while struggling only at the demanding 4K Ultra preset.