Hitman 2

Intel Core i5-12400 and AMD Radeon RX 7700 is a pairing that lands mid-pack for Hitman 2, and the measured frames show a system that behaves very differently depending on where you set the resolution slider. The data indicates a combo that is clearly capable of high refresh rate play at 1080p, but one that starts to show its limits as pixel count climbs. This analysis walks through the benchmark results step by step, using only the measured data, to explain what this specific combination delivers in IO Interactive's stealth title.

How This Combo Ranks

The combined performance of the Intel Core i5-12400 and AMD Radeon RX 7700 places this pairing at rank 1749 out of 3711 tested combos in Hitman 2. That puts it in the 47th percentile of all tested systems, meaning it sits almost exactly in the middle of the pack. This is not a top-tier combination, but it is far from the bottom, and the ranking reflects a balanced pairing rather than one with a glaring bottleneck.

Looking at the individual components, the CPU holds its own in general purpose benchmarks with a percentile of 72 against all CPUs, which is a solid showing for a mid-range processor. The GPU, by contrast, has a percentile of 58 against all GPUs. The delta between these two percentile values suggests that while the processor is relatively stronger in synthetic tests, the graphics card is the more average component in this pairing. The nearest rivals for the CPU include the AMD EPYC 7643 with a delta of -0.1%, and the Intel Core i3-14100F at 0.9% ahead, showing the i5-12400 is tightly grouped with a wide range of other processors. On the GPU side, the RX 7700 is within 1.7% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti and within 1% of the AMD Radeon RX 9060, indicating that it trades blows with some well-known cards.

In game, this mid-pack ranking translates to a system that can deliver playable framerates, but it does not excel at maxed-out settings in higher resolutions. The rank of 1749 suggests there are roughly 1,748 other combinations that do it better, but also over 1,900 that do it worse. For Hitman 2 specifically, this means the combo is a dependable, middle-of-the-road choice.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 is built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture and features a Navi 32 chip. It comes with 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 624.1 GB/s. The card's boost clock is listed at 2459 MHz, with a game clock of 2041 MHz. These specifications suggest a card designed for high-resolution texture work and smooth performance at standard settings, but the measured FPS in Hitman 2 tells a more nuanced story.

At 1080p, the GPU is the clear driver of performance, pushing average framerates from 103 FPS at High settings up to 182 FPS at Low. This indicates that the card has plenty of headroom for esports-level responsiveness in less demanding scenarios. However, the data shows a significant drop when moving to 4K. At 3840x2160 with High settings, the average FPS falls to 35, which is a 66% reduction from the 1080p High result. This steep decline suggests that the 16 GB of VRAM is not the limiting factor, as Hitman 2 from 2018 is unlikely to exceed 8 GB, but rather the raw compute power of the GPU is being saturated.

The GPU's benchmark scores support this interpretation. In 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, it scores 2865, and in PassMark G3D it scores 20974. These are respectable numbers, but when compared to its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, which sits 1.7% ahead in average score, the RX 7700 is not a performance outlier. In Hitman 2, this translates to a card that is very strong at 1080p and 1440p, but one that requires settings reductions to remain fluid at 4K.

Resolution Scaling

The resolution scaling data is the most revealing aspect of this test. The measured FPS drops from 1080p to 4K follow a clear pattern that points to the GPU as the primary limiting component at higher resolutions. At High settings, the average FPS goes from 103 at 1080p to 66 at 1440p, and then down to 35 at 4K. This is a drop of 36% from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 47% drop from 1440p to 4K. The scaling is not linear, indicating that the rendering load is growing faster than the GPU can keep up with.

At Low settings, the pattern is similar but with different absolute numbers. The average FPS is 182 at 1080p, 116 at 1440p, and 62 at 4K. Here, the drop from 1080p to 1440p is 36%, and from 1440p to 4K is 47%. This consistent percentage drop across different settings presets strongly suggests that the GPU is the bottleneck. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect the percentage drops to be smaller at lower settings, as the CPU load would remain constant while the GPU load decreases. Instead, the drops are proportional to the pixel count increase, which is a classic sign of a GPU-bound scenario.

The data shows that the combo is most efficient at 1080p, where it can push beyond 100 FPS on High settings and over 180 FPS on Low. At 1440p, it remains playable on High with an average of 66 FPS, but 4K performance is only suitable for Low settings at 62 FPS. This indicates that for 4K play, users would need to significantly lower graphical fidelity to maintain a smooth experience.

FAQ

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

A: Based on the measured FPS, 1920x1080 is the best resolution, as it delivers 103 FPS on High settings and 182 FPS on Low settings. This indicates a smooth experience at high refresh rates, which is not achievable at higher resolutions.

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

A: It can, but only with compromises. The data shows an average of 62 FPS at 4K Low settings, which is playable, but at High settings the average drops to 35 FPS, which is not ideal for a smooth experience. Ultra settings at 4K are not recommended, as the average is 26 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Core i5-12400 compare to its nearest rival in synthetic tests?

A: The i5-12400 has an average benchmark score of 18683. Its nearest rival, the AMD EPYC 7643, has an average score of 18697, which is a 0.1% difference. Another rival, the Intel Core i3-14100F, scores 18519, placing it 0.9% behind the i5-12400.

Q: What is the performance difference between the RX 7700 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti?

A: The RX 7700 has an average benchmark score of 15852, while the RTX 3060 Ti scores 16129. This puts the RTX 3060 Ti 1.7% ahead of the RX 7700 in average synthetic benchmark performance.

Q: Is this combo CPU-bound or GPU-bound in Hitman 2?

A: The resolution scaling data suggests it is GPU-bound. The FPS drops proportionally as resolution increases, which is typical of a scenario where the graphics card is the limiting factor, not the processor.

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

A: At 1080p, the average FPS on Low settings is 182, while on Ultra settings it is 76. This is a difference of 106 FPS, showing a significant performance cost for maxing out graphical settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

This section details the exact average FPS numbers from the measured data, organized by resolution and settings.

At 1920x1080:

• Low settings: 182 FPS average.
• Medium settings: 136 FPS average, with a minimum of 116 and a maximum of 157.
• High settings: 103 FPS average.
• Ultra settings: 76 FPS average.

At 2560x1440:

• Low settings: 116 FPS average.
• Medium settings: 87 FPS average, with a minimum of 74 and a maximum of 100.
• High settings: 66 FPS average.
• Ultra settings: 49 FPS average.

At 3840x2160:

• Low settings: 62 FPS average.
• Medium settings: 46 FPS average, with a minimum of 39 and a maximum of 53.
• High settings: 35 FPS average.
• Ultra settings: 26 FPS average.

The data shows a clear hierarchy. For competitive play or high refresh rate monitors, 1080p is the only resolution that consistently breaks 100 FPS. At 1440p, Medium settings at 87 FPS is the sweet spot for a balance of quality and speed. For 4K, Low settings is the only option that stays above 60 FPS. The minimum FPS data, where available, shows that Medium settings at 1440p can dip to 74 FPS, which is still acceptable, but at 4K Medium the minimum drops to 39 FPS, indicating potential stutter in busy scenes.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, with a 65W TDP. It features 18 MB of shared L3 cache and supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory. In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU shows strong multi-threaded performance with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15989, and a single-core score of 2257. Its PassMark multithread score is 18747, and its single-thread score is 3456.

In Hitman 2, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and handle game logic. The data suggests that the i5-12400 is more than capable of this task at 1080p, as the FPS scales directly with GPU load. However, at lower resolutions, there is a chance the CPU could become a secondary bottleneck if the GPU is not fully utilized. The benchmark shows that at 1080p Low, the combo hits 182 FPS, which is a very high frame rate, and it is likely that the CPU is starting to approach its limits here. The percentile of 72 against all CPUs indicates it is a solid performer, but it is not in the top tier.

The processor's nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 7643, which is 0.1% faster, and the Intel Core i7-1355U, which is 0.3% faster. These are very small deltas, showing that the i5-12400 is competitively positioned. In game, this means the CPU is unlikely to be the primary cause of low FPS at higher resolutions, where the GPU is clearly the limiting factor. The 12 threads provide enough parallelism for modern game engines, and the high boost clock of 4.40 GHz ensures responsive single-thread performance.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate.

For 1080p, the High preset at 103 FPS is the recommended starting point. It provides a good balance of visual quality and smoothness, easily clearing the 60 FPS threshold. For players with high refresh rate monitors, the Low preset at 182 FPS is the best choice, as it maximizes responsiveness at the cost of visual fidelity. The Medium preset at 136 FPS is also a strong option for those who want a bit more visual detail while still maintaining very high frame rates. Ultra settings at 76 FPS are playable, but the jump to 76 from 103 FPS on High suggests a significant performance hit for relatively little visual gain in a game like Hitman 2.

At 1440p, the Medium preset at 87 FPS is the best experience. It offers a smooth frame rate that is above the 60 FPS threshold, with a minimum of 74 FPS that indicates consistent performance. The High preset at 66 FPS is also viable, but it is closer to the edge of comfortable play. The Low preset at 116 FPS is for those who prioritize frame rate over everything else, but it may look too sparse for a game that relies on crowd detail and environmental storytelling. Ultra at 49 FPS is not recommended, as it dips below the 60 FPS target.

At 4K, the Low preset at 62 FPS is the only setting that provides a playable experience. Medium drops to 46 FPS, which can feel sluggish, and High at 35 FPS is not recommended for a smooth experience. Ultra at 26 FPS is unplayable by modern standards. For a 4K display, users should stick to Low settings to maintain a consistent 60 FPS, or be prepared to accept lower frame rates at higher visual quality.

In summary, the data indicates that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming. At 1080p, High settings offer the best overall experience, while at 1440p, Medium settings are the sweet spot. 4K is only viable with significant settings reductions.