Hitman 2

The Intel Core i5-12400F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT delivers a compelling 1080p and 1440p experience in Hitman 2, but the data shows that 4K Ultra is a step too far for this combination. The measured FPS figures reveal a system that is exceptionally strong at lower resolutions, with performance scaling that clearly indicates where the graphics card becomes the limiting factor versus the processor.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent across all settings presets, which is typical for a GPU-bound title at higher resolutions. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 216.8 FPS at 1920x1080 to 142.1 FPS at 2560x1440, and then further down to 77 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 64% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 4K at Low settings. The scaling is even more dramatic at Ultra settings, where the average drops from 94.1 FPS at 1080p to 59.2 FPS at 1440p, and then plummets to 29.3 FPS at 4K. That is a 69% loss from 1080p to 4K, pushing the experience below the threshold of smooth gameplay.

The pattern suggests that at 1080p, the CPU is doing a significant portion of the work, as the RX 6800 XT has headroom to push frame rates well above 200 FPS. The 12400F, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, is capable of feeding the GPU at this resolution. However, as resolution increases to 1440p and 4K, the GPU’s rasterization workload becomes dominant. The 40.9 FPS average at 4K High compared to 77 FPS at 4K Low shows that even dropping the preset to Low only recovers about half the performance lost when moving from 1440p to 4K. The limiting component at 4K is unequivocally the RX 6800 XT; the data indicates that the CPU is not the bottleneck at this resolution, as the frame rates are too low to be constrained by processor throughput.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Hitman 2 with this CPU and GPU combo?

A: The sweet spot is 2560x1440. At High settings, the average FPS is 77.9, which is smooth for a stealth game. At 1080p, the combo is overkill, with 128.1 FPS at High, while 4K requires dropping to Low settings to achieve 77 FPS, which sacrifices visual fidelity.

Q: Is the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT powerful enough for 4K gaming in Hitman 2?

A: Only at lower settings. The data shows 77 FPS at 4K Low and 55.6 FPS at 4K Medium. At High and Ultra, the average FPS drops to 40.9 and 29.3 respectively, which is not ideal for consistent gameplay.

Q: How does the Intel Core i5-12400F perform in this game?

A: The CPU has a boost clock of 4.40 GHz and 6 cores. Benchmark results show it is a strong performer, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 16518 and a single-core score of 2332. In Hitman 2, it is sufficient to avoid bottlenecking the GPU at 1080p, where frame rates exceed 200 FPS.

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

A: At 1920x1080, the average frame rate drops from 216.8 FPS on Low to 94.1 FPS on Ultra. This is a 56% performance penalty for the highest visual quality preset.

Q: Should I use the Medium preset for a balance of visuals and performance?

A: Yes, particularly at 1440p. The Medium preset yields 105.7 FPS at 2560x1440, which is a good balance. At 4K, Medium still delivers 55.6 FPS, which is playable but not optimal.

Q: Does this combo rank well among other tested configurations?

A: The combo ranks 642 out of 1795 tested combinations. This places it in the top 36% of all combos, indicating it is a solid mid-to-high tier pairing for this game.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience, the Medium preset at 2560x1440 is the recommended starting point. The measured average of 105.7 FPS provides a significant margin above the 60 FPS threshold, ensuring smooth gameplay with good visual quality. Pushing to High at this resolution reduces the average to 77.9 FPS, which is still playable, but the jump from Medium to High is not worth the 27% performance loss for the marginal visual gain.

At 1080p, players can freely use Ultra settings, as the 94.1 FPS average is more than adequate. The RX 6800 XT has ample headroom here, and the CPU can keep up. For those with 4K displays, the data suggests using Low or Medium settings. Low yields 77 FPS, which is smooth, while Medium drops to 55.6 FPS. High and Ultra are not recommended at 4K due to the sub-60 FPS averages of 40.9 and 29.3, which will feel stuttery in a game that rewards precise movement.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the frame rates are exceptionally high across all presets. Low settings deliver an average of 216.8 FPS, Medium drops to 164.9 FPS, High comes in at 128.1 FPS, and Ultra still manages 94.1 FPS. This resolution is clearly CPU-bound at Low and Medium, as the GPU is not being fully utilized.

Moving to 2560x1440, the averages are 142.1 FPS on Low, 105.7 FPS on Medium, 77.9 FPS on High, and 59.2 FPS on Ultra. The transition from 1080p to 1440p costs roughly 35% of the frame rate at each preset, which is a typical scaling factor for a high-end GPU. The Ultra preset at 1440p is the only one that dips below 60 FPS, making High the highest recommended preset at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the performance takes a significant hit. Low settings yield 77 FPS, which is playable. Medium drops to 55.6 FPS, High to 40.9 FPS, and Ultra to 29.3 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 62%, showing that the RX 6800 XT struggles to maintain playable frame rates at 4K with high visual fidelity.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific pairing of the Intel Core i5-12400F and AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT ranks 642 out of 1795 tested combinations for Hitman 2. This places it in the upper third of all tested systems, which is a respectable showing for a mid-range CPU paired with a high-end GPU. The rank reflects that while the GPU is powerful, the CPU is not a top-tier part, which may limit performance in CPU-intensive scenarios at lower resolutions.

The RX 6800 XT itself sits in the 87th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 49982. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER, which scores 48704 (a 2.6% deficit), and the NVIDIA RTX A1000, which scores 50826 (a 1.7% advantage). The CPU, meanwhile, is in the 77th percentile, with an average score of 19221. It trades blows with the Intel Core i7-8700K, which scores 19210 (a 0.1% difference). This data suggests the combo is well-balanced, but the GPU is the stronger component relative to its peer group.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. Its 18 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel memory support are standard for the platform. In synthetic benchmarks, it achieves a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 16518 and a single-core score of 2332, which are strong numbers for a non-K series chip.

In Hitman 2, the CPU’s role is most evident at 1080p. The data shows that at Low settings, the frame rate hits 216.8 FPS, which is likely near the CPU’s limit for this game. The CPU’s 12 threads are sufficient to handle the game’s AI and physics calculations without bottlenecking the RX 6800 XT. However, at 4K, the CPU is not the limiting factor; the GPU is. The frame rates at 4K are too low for the CPU to be a constraint, meaning that upgrading the CPU would not improve 4K performance. The 65W TDP and the lack of integrated graphics are notable, but they do not affect gaming performance in this title. The data indicates that the 12400F is a capable partner for the RX 6800 XT, providing enough headroom for high-refresh-rate 1080p gaming while not holding back the GPU at higher resolutions.