Hitman 2

# How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-12400 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT ranks 1410 out of 3711 tested combos in Hitman 2, placing this configuration in the upper-middle tier of the database. That rank is notable because it reflects a pairing where neither component is a bottleneck at most settings, yet the system does not crack the top tier of performers. The GPU sits at the 67th percentile among all tested GPUs, while the CPU holds the 72nd percentile among all CPUs, suggesting a balanced partnership that lands squarely in the competitive mid-range of the rankings.

The combo's position becomes clearer when examining how it performs against other tested combinations. Being in the 38th percentile of all combos means that roughly 62% of tested systems outperform it, which aligns with the fact that the RX 7700 XT is a solid mid-range card rather than a flagship. The CPU's percentile, slightly higher than the GPU's, hints that the processor has a bit more headroom than the graphics card in this particular game. Hitman 2 is a stealth title that emphasizes CPU-driven AI and simulation alongside GPU-rendered environments, so this balance is worth noting. The data indicates that the i5-12400's strong single-thread performance and the RX 7700 XT's capable rasterization combine to produce a system that handles the game's demands without severe compromises, though the rank suggests that more powerful combinations exist for those seeking higher frame rates at maximum fidelity.

# CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400 brings six cores and twelve threads to this pairing, built on the Alder Lake architecture using Intel's 10 nm process. Its base clock runs at 2.50 GHz, boosting up to 4.40 GHz, which provides the single-thread grunt that Hitman 2's engine tends to favor. The processor includes 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 18 MB of shared L3 cache, with support for both DDR4 and DDR5 memory across a dual-channel bus. The 65 W TDP and Intel Socket 1700 compatibility make it a standard desktop part, and its integrated UHD Graphics 730 is present but irrelevant when a discrete GPU is installed.

Benchmark data for the i5-12400 shows strong multi-threaded performance relative to its class. In Cinebench R23, it scores 15989 points multi-core and 2257 points single-core, while Geekbench shows 8564 multi-core and 1848 single-core. PassMark's multithread test yields 18747 points, with single-thread at 3456. These numbers place the CPU at the 72nd percentile among all processors, meaning it outperforms the majority of CPUs in the database. The nearest rivals in average benchmark score include the AMD EPYC 7643 at 18697 (0.1% lower), the Intel Core i7-1355U at 18730 (0.3% lower), the AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 at 18811 (0.7% lower), and the Intel Core i3-14100F at 18519 (0.9% higher). The i5-12400's average benchmark score of 18683 sits within a tight cluster, indicating that its compute power is comparable to these alternatives.

For Hitman 2 specifically, the CPU's role is to manage the game's simulation layer, including NPC routines, AI behaviors, and physics interactions across the sandbox levels. The six-core configuration with twelve threads provides solid parallel throughput, as evidenced by the 3DMark scores: 5873 for 16 threads, 4745 for 8 threads, 3012 for 4 threads, and 910 for single-thread. These incremental gains from single to multi-threaded tests show that the processor scales reasonably well with workload. The PassMark physics score of 1105 and integer math score of 58366 further indicate that the CPU can handle the computational load Hitman 2's engine generates. However, the game's age—released in late 2018—means it was designed for CPUs with fewer cores, so the i5-12400's modern architecture provides ample headroom. The data suggests that at lower resolutions and settings, where frame rates climb toward 200 FPS, the CPU's single-thread performance becomes more critical, while at higher resolutions the GPU dominates the workload.

# GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT is built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with the Navi 32 chip, fabricated on TSMC's 5 nm process. It packs 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering 432.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's base clock runs at 1435 MHz, with a game clock of 2171 MHz and a boost clock of 2544 MHz. Memory operates at 2250 MHz, translating to 18 Gbps effective. The card includes 3456 shading units, 216 texture mapping units, and 96 raster operation pipelines, along with 54 ray tracing cores. Its pixel rate reaches 244.2 GPixel/s, texture rate hits 549.5 GTexel/s, and FP32 compute peaks at 35.17 TFLOPS. The 245 W TDP requires a 550 W suggested PSU and dual 8-pin power connectors, with a dual-slot cooler measuring 267 mm in length.

In benchmark terms, the RX 7700 XT achieves a PassMark G3D score of 22547, with a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 3316. Geekbench OpenCL returns 138383, and Vulkan scores 46443. The GPU sits at the 67th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 22549. Its nearest rivals in average score are the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile at 22435 (0.5% higher), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile at 22729 (0.8% lower), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 at 22895 (1.5% lower), and the AMD Radeon RX 5700 at 22170 (1.7% higher). This cluster of scores indicates that the RX 7700 XT performs at a level comparable to several NVIDIA mobile and older desktop parts, though its 12 GB VRAM and modern architecture give it advantages in memory-heavy scenarios.

For Hitman 2, the GPU's 12 GB VRAM is more than sufficient for the game's textures and geometry, even at 4K Ultra. The 432.0 GB/s bandwidth ensures that texture streaming and high-resolution assets load without stutter. The boost clock of 2544 MHz provides substantial rasterization throughput, which matters because Hitman 2 relies heavily on traditional rendering rather than ray tracing. The card's DirectX 12 Ultimate support ensures compatibility with the game's modern API paths, while its Vulkan 1.4 support offers alternative rendering options. The measured FPS data shows that the GPU scales predictably with resolution and settings, but its performance at 4K Ultra—28 FPS average—indicates that the card is pushed to its limits at that extreme configuration. The data reveals that the RX 7700 XT is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming in this title, where it delivers smooth frame rates across most presets.

# Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the RX 7700 XT delivers its strongest results. Low settings produce an average of 199 FPS, Medium raises the visual quality while still achieving 149 FPS with a minimum of 127 and maximum of 172, and High maintains 113 FPS. Ultra drops to 83 FPS, which remains playable but shows a significant cost from the highest preset. The scaling from Low to Ultra spans 116 FPS, indicating that the GPU has substantial overhead at this resolution and that the CPU is likely the limiting factor at lower settings.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance remains strong but the GPU begins to feel the load. Low settings yield 127 FPS, Medium delivers 96 FPS with a minimum of 81 and maximum of 110, High achieves 72 FPS, and Ultra falls to 53 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra narrows to 74 FPS compared to 1080p, suggesting that resolution scaling is beginning to shift the bottleneck toward the GPU. The 1440p results show that the combo can handle competitive frame rates at Medium and High, but Ultra requires compromises.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's limitations become apparent. Low settings still manage 68 FPS, Medium drops to 51 FPS with a minimum of 43 and maximum of 59, High falls to 38 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 28 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 40 FPS, indicating that the GPU is now the clear bottleneck. The 4K results reveal that this combo is not suited for maximum fidelity at this resolution, though Low settings provide a playable experience. The Medium preset at 4K offers a minimum of 43 FPS, which is borderline for smooth gameplay, while High and Ultra fall below acceptable thresholds for most players.

# Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K tells a clear story about which component limits performance. At Low settings, 1080p delivers 199 FPS, 1440p drops to 127 FPS (a 36% reduction), and 4K falls to 68 FPS (a 66% reduction from 1080p). This pattern—where each resolution step roughly halves the frame rate—is the signature of a GPU-bound system. The CPU's strong single-thread performance, evidenced by its 3456 PassMark single-thread score and 910 3DMark single-thread score, is sufficient to feed the GPU at lower resolutions, but the graphics card's compute capacity caps the output as pixel count rises.

At Medium settings, the scaling shows a similar trend: 1080p hits 149 FPS, 1440p drops to 96 FPS (a 36% reduction), and 4K falls to 51 FPS (a 66% reduction). The consistency of these percentage drops across settings suggests that the GPU's rasterization throughput is the dominant factor, regardless of the preset. High settings exhibit the same pattern: 113 FPS at 1080p, 72 FPS at 1440p (a 36% reduction), and 38 FPS at 4K (a 66% reduction). Ultra follows suit with 83, 53, and 28 FPS, respectively, though the 4K Ultra result of 28 FPS indicates the GPU is nearly saturated.

The data indicates that the i5-12400 is not the limiting component at any resolution tested. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see frame rates plateau at higher resolutions, but the consistent FPS drops across all settings confirm that the RX 7700 XT's rendering pipeline is the constraint. The CPU's 12 threads and 4.40 GHz boost clock provide enough headroom to maintain high frame rates, as evidenced by the 199 FPS result at 1080p Low, which approaches the limits of the engine's update rate. The scaling behavior also suggests that players targeting 1440p High—72 FPS—are getting near the sweet spot for this combo, while 4K play requires dropping to Low or Medium to maintain playable frame rates.

# Settings Recommendations

For 1080p displays, the Ultra preset at 83 FPS is the recommended choice for players prioritizing visual quality, as it remains above the 60 FPS threshold and delivers the full suite of graphical effects. However, the High preset at 113 FPS offers a better balance for competitive play or high-refresh-rate monitors, as the 30 FPS gain over Ultra is substantial while the visual difference between High and Ultra is often subtle in Hitman 2's dense environments. The Medium preset at 149 FPS is ideal for 144Hz displays, providing smooth motion with a minimum of 127 FPS that ensures no drops below typical refresh rates. Low at 199 FPS is unnecessary unless chasing maximum frame rates, as the visual sacrifices outweigh the gains.

At 1440p, the High preset at 72 FPS is the best overall choice, delivering smooth gameplay while maintaining detailed textures and lighting. The Medium preset at 96 FPS is preferable for players with 144Hz monitors, as the minimum of 81 FPS ensures consistent frame delivery, and the visual downgrade from High to Medium is modest. Ultra at 53 FPS is playable but sits below the 60 FPS threshold, making it a compromise for those who prioritize image quality over smoothness. Low at 127 FPS is effective for high-refresh-rate gaming but strips away the atmospheric effects that define Hitman 2's visual identity.

For 4K, the data strongly recommends the Medium preset at 51 FPS, as it provides the best playable experience with a minimum of 43 FPS, though players sensitive to frame drops may prefer the Low preset at 68 FPS for a more stable experience. High at 38 FPS and Ultra at 28 FPS are not recommended for serious gameplay, as the frame rates fall below the threshold for responsive stealth mechanics, which require precise timing and smooth camera movement. The 12 GB VRAM means the GPU is not memory-limited at 4K, but the compute throughput simply cannot sustain high settings at this resolution. Players with 4K displays should accept either Medium or Low settings to maintain playability, or consider reducing resolution to 1440p for a better experience. The data indicates that this combo's optimal use case is 1440p High or 1080p Ultra/High, where it delivers frame rates that satisfy both visual fidelity and gameplay smoothness.