Hitman 2

Intel Core i5-12400 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 580 produces a playable 1080p configuration for Hitman 2, but the data reveals a severe bottleneck that makes the graphics card the definitive limiting factor at higher resolutions. The combination ranks in the 8th percentile of all tested combos, placing it at 3388 out of 3711, which indicates that while the CPU is capable, the GPU drags the overall experience down significantly. Benchmark results show that this pairing is best suited for 1080p Low to Medium settings, where it achieves 77 and 58 FPS respectively, but attempting to push 4K results in slideshow-level performance.

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

The Intel Core i5-12400 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the Alder Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, which provides strong single-thread performance that stealth games like Hitman 2 typically favor for game logic and AI calculations. The processor features an 18 MB shared L3 cache and 1.25 MB L2 per core, ensuring that frequently accessed data for the game's crowded environments remains close to the execution units.

In synthetic benchmarks, the i5-12400 demonstrates solid mid-range capability. It scores 15989 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 2257 in the single-core test, while Geekbench shows 8564 multicore and 1848 single-core. The 3DMark results show a scaling pattern from 1692 with 2 threads to 5890 with max threads, indicating good multi-threading efficiency. The processor sits at the 72nd percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 18683, placing it slightly below the AMD EPYC 7643 and Intel Core i7-1355U.

The data strongly suggests that the i5-12400 is not the limiting factor in this Hitman 2 configuration. At 1080p, where CPU load is typically higher relative to GPU load, the frame rates still scale dramatically with graphics settings, dropping from 77 FPS at Low to 32 FPS at Ultra. This pattern indicates that even at the lowest resolution, the GPU is already the primary constraint. The processor's headroom is further evidenced by the fact that moving from 1080p to 4K at the same settings produces a consistent frame rate reduction of roughly 55-60%, which is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario rather than a CPU-bound one.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 580 is an older Polaris 20 chip based on GCN 4.0 architecture, manufactured on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. It carries 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is crucial for Hitman 2's detailed textures and large sandbox levels. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1257 MHz with a boost clock of 1340 MHz, while the memory runs at 2000 MHz or 8 Gbps effective. Its compute capabilities include 2304 shading units, 144 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs, producing 6.175 TFLOPS of FP32 performance.

The RX 580's benchmark profile places it at the 53rd percentile among all GPUs, with an average score of 12928. Its nearest competitors include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile and GTX 1660 SUPER, both of which score within 0.4% of the RX 580, indicating this is a well-understood performance tier. In DirectX 12 tests, the card scores 43 in Passmark's DX12 benchmark, and it achieves 8813 in Passmark G3D, which measures general 3D rendering capability.

The GPU's age and performance tier become immediately apparent in the Hitman 2 results. At 1080p Ultra, the card manages only 32 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth, responsive stealth gameplay. The 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for the game's texture requirements at 1080p and 1440p, but the raw compute throughput is insufficient for the lighting and shadow calculations at higher settings. The 185 W TDP and dual-slot design indicate a power-hungry card that delivers modest results by modern standards, and the data confirms that this GPU is the primary bottleneck across all tested configurations.

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

The measured frame rates show a very clear and predictable pattern of degradation as resolution increases, which is the hallmark of a GPU-limited configuration. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 44 at 1080p to 28 at 1440p, then plummets to 15 at 4K. This represents a 36% reduction from 1080p to 1440p and another 46% reduction from 1440p to 4K, resulting in a total 66% loss from the lowest to highest tested resolution.

The Low settings preset tells a similar story but with higher absolute numbers. The RX 580 achieves 77 FPS at 1080p Low, which drops to 49 FPS at 1440p and 26 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops are 36% and 47% respectively, mirroring the High settings pattern almost exactly. This consistency across settings presets is significant because it indicates that the scaling is purely resolution-driven, not settings-driven, which points squarely at the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth as the limiting factors.

The Medium preset provides the only complete data with min and max frame times. At 1080p, it averages 58 FPS with a minimum of 49 and maximum of 67, giving a 18 FPS spread. At 1440p, the average drops to 37 FPS with a range of 31 to 43, and at 4K it falls to 20 FPS with a range of 17 to 23. The frame time consistency at 4K, with only a 6 FPS spread, suggests the GPU is working at maximum capacity and delivering steady but inadequate performance. The resolution scaling data conclusively shows that the i5-12400 has ample headroom, as the frame rate drops are directly proportional to the pixel count increase, which is a pure GPU workload characteristic.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific combination of Intel Core i5-12400 and AMD Radeon RX 580 ranks 3388 out of 3711 tested combos for Hitman 2, placing it in the bottom 9% of all configurations. This ranking is notably lower than what either component achieves individually in synthetic benchmarks, which highlights the severe mismatch between the CPU's capability and the GPU's age. The CPU ranks in the 72nd percentile while the GPU ranks in the 53rd percentile, yet their combined performance in this game falls well below both of those individual standings.

The 3711 total combos tested means that 323 other combinations perform worse than this pairing, but the vast majority of systems deliver better Hitman 2 experiences. The low ranking is almost entirely attributable to the GPU, as the CPU's synthetic scores suggest it could drive significantly faster graphics cards without becoming a bottleneck. The data indicates that users with this combination would benefit substantially from a GPU upgrade while keeping the i5-12400, as the processor has demonstrated it can maintain high frame rates in CPU-bound scenarios.

In practical terms, this ranking translates to a system that can handle Hitman 2 at competitive settings only at 1080p. The 77 FPS at Low settings is respectable, but the 32 FPS at Ultra makes the game feel sluggish and unresponsive. The ranking reflects a fundamental hardware mismatch: a modern, capable processor paired with an entry-level GPU from 2017, resulting in a system that underperforms relative to what either component suggests on paper.

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

At 1920x1080, the configuration delivers its best performance. Low settings produce an average of 77 FPS, which is smooth and playable for a stealth game. Medium settings reduce this to 58 FPS with a minimum of 49 and maximum of 67, still providing a comfortable experience. High settings average 44 FPS, which is playable but begins to show the GPU's limitations. Ultra settings drop to 32 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay and indicates the card is overwhelmed by the highest quality presets.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance takes a significant hit across all settings. Low settings average 49 FPS, which is still playable but noticeably less smooth than 1080p. Medium settings average 37 FPS with a range of 31 to 43, making the game feel less responsive. High settings drop to 28 FPS, which is marginal, and Ultra settings fall to 21 FPS, which is largely unplayable for an action-stealth game requiring precision timing.

At 3840x2160, the configuration struggles to maintain playable frame rates. Low settings average 26 FPS, which is below the 30 FPS threshold typically considered the minimum for playability. Medium settings average 20 FPS with a range of 17 to 23, making the game feel like a slideshow during movement. High settings average 15 FPS, and Ultra settings plummet to 11 FPS, rendering the game effectively unplayable at 4K regardless of settings preset. The data shows a clear regression: the card can handle 1080p Low to Medium settings well, 1440p Low settings marginally, and 4K not at all.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combo for this setup in Hitman 2?

A: The data shows that 1080p Low settings delivers the highest average frame rate at 77 FPS, while 1080p Medium provides a balanced 58 FPS with a minimum of 49 FPS, making it the best choice for visual quality without sacrificing smoothness.

Q: Can this configuration handle 4K gaming in Hitman 2?

A: No. At 3840x2160, the average frame rates range from 26 FPS at Low settings to 11 FPS at Ultra settings, all of which are below the 30 FPS minimum threshold typically required for playable gameplay.

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

A: The AMD Radeon RX 580 scores 12928 on average, which is 0.1% below the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile, 0.4% below the GTX 1660 SUPER, 0.5% above the AMD Radeon 740M, and 0.6% above the AMD FirePro W5100.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this configuration?

A: The GPU is definitively the limiting factor. The frame rate drops by approximately 55-60% when moving from 1080p to 4K across all settings, which is purely a GPU workload. The i5-12400 ranks in the 72nd percentile of CPUs, indicating it has significant headroom.

Q: What is the frame rate range at 1440p Medium settings?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the configuration averages 37 FPS with a minimum of 31 FPS and a maximum of 43 FPS, providing a 12 FPS variance during gameplay.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested combinations for Hitman 2?

A: This combination ranks 3388 out of 3711 tested combos, placing it in the bottom 9% of all systems tested for this game, which reflects the GPU's age and performance limitations.