Hitman 2

The Intel Core i5-11400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D delivers an extraordinary performance profile in Hitman 2, ranking in the 87th percentile of all tested combinations (rank 87 out of 3001). The data reveals a system that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, yet shows a pronounced CPU bottleneck at 1080p with lower settings, where the 6-core processor becomes the limiting factor. Benchmark results indicate that while the RTX 5090 D is capable of producing triple-digit frame rates at 4K, the i5-11400F’s architectural limits prevent the system from fully exploiting the GPU's potential at lower resolutions.

FAQ

Q: What is the combo's overall ranking in this game?

A: The Intel Core i5-11400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D combination ranks 87th out of 3001 tested combos in Hitman 2, placing it in the top 3% of all configurations tested.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The i5-11400F has an average benchmark score of 17177, which is 0.3% higher than the AMD EPYC 7H12 (17120) and 0.6% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 7 164U (17074). It sits 0.4% below the Intel Core i5-12450H (17239) and 0.6% below the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 8300G (17278).

Q: What is the best frame rate achieved at 4K resolution?

A: At 3840x2160 resolution, the highest average frame rate is 124 fps, achieved with Low settings. The Medium preset produces 93 fps average with a minimum of 79 fps and maximum of 107 fps.

Q: Is there a significant performance gap between 1080p and 1440p?

A: Yes, the data shows a substantial scaling difference. At 1920x1080 with Medium settings, the average is 237 fps, while at 2560x1440 with Medium settings, it drops to 175 fps, representing a 62 fps difference. The gap is even larger at Low settings: 263 fps at 1080p versus 227 fps at 1440p.

Q: What is the GPU's synthetic benchmark percentile?

A: The RTX 5090 D scores in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 77712. It performs 1.1% better than the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT (76904) but is 1.6% slower than the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (78940).

Q: Does the CPU have a high single-thread performance score?

A: The i5-11400F achieves a Passmark single-thread score of 2981 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2024. Its 3DMark single-thread score is 868, while the 2-thread score is 1691, indicating moderate single-thread capability for its class.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-11400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Rocket Lake architecture, manufactured on Intel's 14 nm process node. It operates with a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The CPU supports DDR4 memory in dual-channel configuration with a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, and it connects via PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes from the CPU. Its cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 12 MB of shared L3 cache.

In Hitman 2, the CPU's role becomes increasingly critical as resolution and settings decrease. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves 263 fps average, but this is where the processor's limitations surface. The CPU's Passmark multithread score of 16908 and Cinebench R23 multicore score of 14340 suggest it can handle the game's threading requirements, yet the 14 nm process and modest boost clock of 4.40 GHz create a ceiling. At 1080p, the measured FPS of 263 at Low settings versus 237 at Medium indicates that the CPU is near its performance limit, as the GPU's headroom cannot be fully utilized.

The processor's 3DMark scores reveal its scaling characteristics: 1691 for 2 threads, 3171 for 4 threads, 4691 for 8 threads, and 5652 for max threads. This scaling pattern shows diminishing returns beyond 8 threads, which aligns with Hitman 2's engine behavior that typically utilizes fewer cores efficiently. The CPU's percentile ranking of 71 among all CPUs indicates it is above average but not exceptional, and this is reflected in the game's performance at lower resolutions where the system cannot maintain the same scaling as it does at 4K.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the i5-11400F and RTX 5090 D achieves a rank of 87 out of 3001 tested combos in Hitman 2, which places it in the top 2.9% of all configurations. This ranking is notably high, but it is important to contextualize it against the CPU's synthetic benchmark standing. The CPU ranks in the 71st percentile among all processors, while the GPU ranks in the 92nd percentile among all graphics cards. The disparity between these percentiles suggests that the combo's high ranking is driven primarily by the GPU's exceptional performance, with the CPU acting as a secondary contributor.

The measured FPS data confirms this interpretation. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the system produces 52 fps average, which is a playable result for a demanding title. At 2560x1440 with High settings, it reaches 132 fps, and at 1920x1080 with High settings, it achieves 207 fps. These results place the combo in the upper echelon of performance, but the 4K Ultra result of 52 fps is the weakest link, indicating that the system cannot maintain high frame rates at maximum settings in 4K. The combo's rank of 87 suggests that while it is near the top, there are 86 other combinations that outperform it, likely featuring more balanced or higher-end CPUs.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160 resolution, the measured results show a clear progression based on settings. With Low settings, the system achieves 124 fps average. Medium settings produce 93 fps average, with a minimum of 79 fps and maximum of 107 fps. High settings yield 71 fps average, and Ultra settings drop to 52 fps average. The delta between Low and Ultra is 72 fps, indicating that the GPU is the primary driver at this resolution, as the CPU has sufficient headroom to support the GPU's demands.

At 2560x1440 resolution, the performance scales accordingly. Low settings achieve 227 fps average, Medium settings reach 175 fps with a minimum of 149 fps and maximum of 201 fps, High settings hit 132 fps, and Ultra settings produce 98 fps. The 129 fps difference between Low and Ultra at 1440p is more pronounced than at 4K, suggesting that the CPU begins to exert more influence at this resolution.

At 1920x1080 resolution, the system delivers its highest frame rates. Low settings reach 263 fps average, Medium settings produce 237 fps with a minimum of 201 fps and maximum of 272 fps, High settings achieve 207 fps, and Ultra settings yield 153 fps. The 110 fps difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p is significant, and the fact that the Medium setting's maximum of 272 fps closely approaches the Low setting's average of 263 fps indicates that the CPU is becoming a limiting factor. The 1080p results show the smallest relative gains from Low to Medium compared to higher resolutions, further evidence of CPU saturation.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is a Blackwell 2.0 architecture GPU built on TSMC's 5 nm process, with a chip designated GB202. It features 21,760 shading units, 680 texture mapping units, and 176 raster output units, along with 170 ray tracing cores and 680 tensor cores. The GPU operates at a base clock of 2017 MHz and a boost clock of 2407 MHz, with memory running at 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective). It is equipped with 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s.

In Hitman 2, the GPU's role is dominant at 4K resolution. The measured FPS at 3840x2160 with High settings is 71 fps, which is a solid result for a game released in 2018 but rendered at modern standards. The GPU's raw power is evident in the 124 fps at Low settings 4K, which is a remarkable achievement. The GPU's Passmark G3D score of 44065 and 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 14326 confirm its high-end positioning. Its memory capacity of 32 GB is far more than Hitman 2 requires, but it ensures no memory-related bottlenecks occur at any resolution or setting.

The GPU's performance percentile of 92 places it among the top graphics cards, and its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks are the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT (1.1% slower) and the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (1.6% faster). However, in Hitman 2, the RTX 5090 D's actual gaming performance is what matters, and the data shows it delivers consistently high frame rates across all tested configurations. The GPU's FP32 performance of 104.8 TFLOPS and texture rate of 1,636.8 GTexel/s provide ample computational headroom for the game's rendering demands.

Settings Recommendations

For 3840x2160 resolution, the Medium preset offers the best balance of performance and visual quality, with an average of 93 fps and a minimum of 79 fps. This is the only 4K setting that maintains an average above 90 fps while providing a minimum frame rate above 75 fps. High settings at 71 fps are playable but leave less headroom for demanding scenes, while Ultra at 52 fps may feel inconsistent. Low at 124 fps is the highest performance option but sacrifices visual fidelity unnecessarily given the Medium results.

For 2560x1440 resolution, the High preset at 132 fps average is the recommended choice. It provides a substantial visual upgrade over Medium (175 fps) while maintaining a frame rate well above 120 fps. Ultra at 98 fps is also viable for users prioritizing image quality over frame rate consistency, as the 98 fps average is still smooth on most displays. Low at 227 fps is excessive for most monitors and does not offer meaningful competitive advantages in a stealth game.

For 1920x1080 resolution, the Ultra preset at 153 fps is the best experience, as the system has enough performance to run maximum settings while staying above 150 fps. High at 207 fps is also excellent for users with high refresh rate monitors, but Ultra's 153 fps is the most visually complete experience. Medium at 237 fps and Low at 263 fps are unnecessary unless the user has a 240 Hz or higher refresh rate display and prioritizes frame rate above all else. The measured data shows that Ultra settings at 1080p provide 153 fps, which is more than sufficient for smooth gameplay in Hitman 2's stealth-focused mechanics.