Hitman 2

The Intel Core i5-12400F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT delivers a solid 1080p and 1440p experience in Hitman 2, but the data shows a sharp drop-off at 4K. This combination sits in the 72nd percentile of all tested combos for this title, placing it firmly in the upper-midrange tier, capable of high refresh rates at 1080p but requiring settings adjustments for smoother gameplay at higher resolutions.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution to play Hitman 2 with this combo?*

A: The data shows 1920x1080 as the sweet spot. At Medium settings, the combo achieves an average of 108 FPS, and at High settings, it still holds 82 FPS. At 2560x1440, the average drops to 69 FPS on Medium, which is playable, but 3840x2160 is only viable on Low settings, where it hits 49 FPS.

Q: Can this system handle Ultra settings?

A: Only at 1080p. The measured Ultra preset yields 60 FPS average at 1920x1080, which is exactly playable. At 2560x1440, Ultra drops to 39 FPS, and at 3840x2160, it falls to 21 FPS, both of which are not smooth enough for a stealth action game.

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

A: The i5-12400F's average benchmark score is 19039, which is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (19047, 0% delta) and the Intel Core 3 201E (19056, -0.1% delta). It is slightly ahead of the Intel Core i5-1335U and AMD EPYC 7773X, both at 0.3% delta.

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

A: The RX 6600 XT has an average benchmark score of 24442. It is 0.7% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1630 and 1.1% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER. It trails the Intel Arc A350M by 0.8%.

Q: What is the launch MSRP for these components?

A: The Intel Core i5-12400F has a launch MSRP of $174. The AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT has a launch MSRP of 379 USD.

Q: Is the 8 GB VRAM on the GPU a limiting factor?

A: The data does not explicitly show VRAM capacity limits, but the 8 GB GDDR6 memory with a 256.0 GB/s bandwidth is sufficient for the measured presets. The performance drop at 4K suggests memory bandwidth, rather than capacity, is the more likely constraint.

Settings Recommendations

For the best balance of visual quality and frame rate, the Medium preset at 1920x1080 is the recommended starting point. The measured results show 108 FPS average with a minimum of 92 FPS, providing a smooth and responsive experience that takes full advantage of the hardware. This preset offers a significant jump from Low (144 FPS) while maintaining a frame rate well above the 60 FPS threshold, indicating there is headroom for more demanding scenes.

If you prefer higher visual fidelity, the High preset at 1080p is also viable, producing 82 FPS average. This is a 26 FPS reduction from Medium but still comfortably playable. At 2560x1440, the Medium preset becomes the optimal choice, yielding 69 FPS average with a minimum of 59 FPS, which is just above the playability line. The High preset at 1440p drops to 52 FPS, which may feel less fluid during fast-paced moments.

Avoid Ultra settings unless you are at 1080p, where it hits exactly 60 FPS. At 1440p, the Ultra preset's 39 FPS average is too low for consistent gameplay, and at 4K, it becomes unplayable at 21 FPS. For 4K users, the Low preset (49 FPS) is the only option that approaches playability, though the Medium preset (37 FPS) offers better visuals at the cost of fluidity. The data suggests prioritizing resolution over settings: 1440p Medium provides a better experience than 4K Low.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT, built on the RDNA 2.0 architecture with a 7 nm process, is the primary driver for Hitman 2's frame rates. Its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus provides 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is the critical factor at higher resolutions. The GPU's boost clock of 2589 MHz and game clock of 2359 MHz contribute to its raw throughput. The data shows a clear correlation between resolution and performance, with the GPU's workload increasing significantly as pixel count rises.

The measured FPS across settings reveals the GPU's scaling behavior. At 1920x1080, the difference between Low (144 FPS) and Ultra (60 FPS) is 84 FPS, indicating the GPU has ample headroom at lower resolutions. At 2560x1440, the spread narrows to 53 FPS (92 FPS on Low vs 39 FPS on Ultra), showing the GPU is becoming more constrained. At 3840x2160, the spread narrows further to 28 FPS (49 FPS on Low vs 21 FPS on Ultra), suggesting the GPU is heavily loaded even at Low settings.

The GPU's benchmark scores place it in the 70th percentile of all GPUs, with a passmark G3D score of 16461. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1630, is only 0.7% slower on average, which is surprising given the architectural differences. The RX 6600 XT also outperforms the RTX 2080 SUPER by 1.1% in average benchmark scores, though the 2080 SUPER is an older, higher-tier card. This data suggests the RX 6600 XT is well-optimized for modern APIs like DirectX 12 Ultimate, which Hitman 2 supports.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific CPU-GPU combination ranks 2681 out of 3711 tested combos in Hitman 2, placing it in the 72nd percentile. This ranking indicates that while it is not a top-tier configuration, it outperforms the majority of systems tested for this game. The position is primarily driven by the GPU's strong performance relative to its class, as the CPU's benchmark scores are only average.

The combo's ranking is consistent with its 1080p performance, where it delivers frame rates that rival much more expensive configurations. However, the ranking also reflects its limitations at 4K, where it falls behind combos with more powerful GPUs. The data suggests that this combo is optimized for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K being a stretch goal that requires significant settings compromises.

Comparing to the individual component rankings, the CPU sits in the 73rd percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU is in the 70th percentile of all GPUs. The combined ranking of 72nd percentile (2681/3711) is slightly higher than either component's individual percentile, indicating a well-balanced pairing where neither component is a significant bottleneck. The GPU's average benchmark score of 24442 is notably higher than the CPU's 19039, suggesting the GPU is the stronger component in this pairing.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400F, with 6 cores and 12 threads, handles the CPU-side workload of Hitman 2 without becoming a bottleneck at the measured settings. Its base clock of 2.50 GHz and boost clock of 4.40 GHz provide sufficient single-thread performance, which is crucial for a stealth game that relies on AI calculations and physics. The CPU's 18 MB of shared L3 cache helps reduce memory latency, contributing to consistent frame pacing.

The CPU's benchmark results show strong multi-threaded performance, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 12380 and a Geekbench multicore score of 9472. Its single-thread performance is also respectable, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1680. These scores indicate the CPU can handle the game's logic threads while leaving headroom for background tasks. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 5895 is nearly identical to the max-thread score of 5912, suggesting the 12 threads are fully utilized.

The CPU's nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS, matches its average benchmark score (19047 vs 19039, 0% delta). This is notable because the 7535HS is a mobile chip, indicating the i5-12400F's desktop performance is comparable to a high-end laptop processor. The CPU's 65 W TDP and Intel Socket 1700 compatibility make it an efficient choice for a gaming rig, though the data does not measure power consumption directly. In Hitman 2, the CPU's role is supportive, ensuring the GPU can render frames without waiting on CPU-bound calculations.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets.

1920x1080:

• Low: 144 FPS average, providing maximum frame rates for competitive or high-refresh-rate displays.
• Medium: 108 FPS average, with a minimum of 92 FPS and a maximum of 125 FPS, indicating consistent performance.
• High: 82 FPS average, a 26 FPS drop from Medium but still well above playability thresholds.
• Ultra: 60 FPS average, exactly at the standard 60 Hz refresh rate, making it a borderline choice.

2560x1440:

• Low: 92 FPS average, a 52 FPS drop from 1080p Low, showing the resolution's impact.
• Medium: 69 FPS average, with a minimum of 59 FPS and a maximum of 80 FPS, offering a smooth experience.
• High: 52 FPS average, a 30 FPS drop from 1080p High, making it less ideal for fast action.
• Ultra: 39 FPS average, which is below the 60 FPS threshold and may cause noticeable stutter.

3840x2160:

• Low: 49 FPS average, the only 4K preset that approaches playability.
• Medium: 37 FPS average, with a minimum of 31 FPS and a maximum of 42 FPS, indicating variable performance.
• High: 28 FPS average, which is too low for smooth gameplay.
• Ultra: 21 FPS average, effectively unplayable.

The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a consistent reduction in FPS across all settings, ranging from 36% (Low) to 35% (Ultra). The scaling from 1440p to 4K is more severe, with reductions ranging from 47% (Low) to 46% (Ultra). This data indicates that the GPU's memory bandwidth becomes a limiting factor at 4K, as the 256.0 GB/s bandwidth is insufficient for the increased pixel throughput. The Medium preset at 1440p (69 FPS) offers the best balance of visual quality and performance, while 1080p Medium (108 FPS) is the recommended choice for high-refresh-rate displays.