Hitman 2

The Intel Core i5-12400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti pairing in Hitman 2 presents a fascinating case study in system balance, where the data reveals a component that shifts its bottleneck role dramatically depending on the resolution and quality preset selected. This combination, ranked 224th out of 1795 tested configurations, demonstrates that while the GPU is the primary driver of frame rates at high resolutions, the CPU’s capabilities become increasingly relevant as the workload lightens, ultimately defining the experience at 1080p.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data across resolutions tells a clear story of how the system’s limiting component changes. At 4K with Ultra settings, the average frame rate is 40.4 FPS. Dropping the resolution to 1440p at the same Ultra preset yields 73.3 FPS, a substantial increase of 32.9 FPS. Moving further down to 1080p Ultra produces 113.5 FPS, another significant jump of 40.2 FPS. This scaling pattern, where performance nearly doubles from 4K to 1080p at Ultra, strongly suggests that the RTX 4070 Ti is the primary bottleneck at these higher resolutions and quality settings.

However, the scaling behavior changes character when examining the Low preset. At 4K Low, the system produces 97 FPS. At 1440p Low, that figure rises to 177.1 FPS, an 80.1 FPS increase. The jump from 1440p to 1080p Low is even more dramatic, with the average reaching 279.6 FPS, a 102.5 FPS leap. This increasingly steep scaling curve as resolution drops indicates that the CPU begins to assert its influence, as the GPU’s workload diminishes to the point where it can render frames faster than the processor can feed it. The data implies that at 1080p Low, the i5-12400F is the limiting factor, capping performance well below what the GPU could theoretically deliver.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400F brings a 6-core, 12-thread configuration based on the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. Its benchmark scores paint a picture of a capable mid-range part; the Cinebench R23 multicore score stands at 16518, while the single-core score is 2332. In the broader context of all CPUs, it sits at the 77th percentile, with an average benchmark score of 19221.

Its nearest rivals in terms of average score are revealing. The Intel Core i7-8700K scores 19210, a mere 0.1% difference, suggesting that the 12400F offers comparable multi-threaded performance to a previous-generation flagship. The AMD Ryzen 5 7533HS scores 19364, putting it 0.7% ahead, while the AMD EPYC 7773X is 1.3% behind at 18979. In Hitman 2, the 3dmark 16-thread score of 5895 and the 8-thread score of 4779 indicate that the processor’s multi-threading capabilities are well-utilized, but the single-thread performance, evidenced by a 3dmark single-thread score of 909 and a Geekbench single-core score of 2221, is equally crucial for the game’s engine. The data suggests that this CPU provides a solid foundation, but its performance ceiling appears to be reached when the GPU is not heavily tasked, as seen in the 1080p Low results where frame rates plateau.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate achievable with this combo?

A: The highest measured average is 279.6 FPS, which occurs at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low preset.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K Ultra settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the system delivers an average of 40.4 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold often considered smooth for action games.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1440p High?

A: The data indicates a GPU bottleneck, as the average frame rate of 101.4 FPS at 1440p High is significantly lower than the 157.7 FPS observed at 1080p High, showing that the GPU’s workload is still the primary constraint.

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

A: At 1920x1080, the average frame rate drops from 279.6 FPS on Low to 113.5 FPS on Ultra, a difference of 166.1 FPS.

Q: How does the i5-12400F’s performance compare to the Intel Core i7-8700K?

A: The two processors are nearly identical in overall benchmark performance, with the i5-12400F scoring 19221 and the i7-8700K scoring 19210, a difference of only 0.1%.

Q: Does the combo’s ranking in this game indicate strong overall performance?

A: The combo is ranked 224th out of 1795 tested combinations, placing it in the top 12.5% of all configurations tested for this game.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-12400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti achieves a rank of 224 out of 1795 tested combos in Hitman 2. This places it in the upper echelon of tested systems, indicating that it is a high-performing pairing for this title. The ranking reflects the synergy between the two components, where the CPU’s strong single-thread and multi-thread scores complement the GPU’s substantial rendering power. While the CPU may become a limiting factor at the lowest resolutions and settings, the overall performance profile is robust enough to secure a position in the top 12.5% of all systems tested. This suggests that for most users playing at common resolutions like 1440p or 4K, the pairing offers a well-balanced experience that outperforms the vast majority of configurations in the database.

Settings Recommendations

For players targeting a smooth 60 FPS experience at 4K, the data shows that the High preset, with an average of 55.8 FPS, falls just short. The Medium preset at 70.1 FPS is the optimal choice for 4K, as it provides a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS target. At 1440p, the High preset delivers 101.4 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors, while the Ultra preset at 73.3 FPS still offers a very playable experience. For 1080p, the Ultra preset achieves 113.5 FPS, making it the recommended choice for those seeking maximum visual fidelity without sacrificing high frame rates. The Low presets at all resolutions yield exceptionally high frame rates—279.6 FPS at 1080p, 177.1 FPS at 1440p, and 97 FPS at 4K—but the visual quality trade-off is significant. The best experience per the measured rows balances visual quality and performance: Medium at 4K, High at 1440p, and Ultra at 1080p.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the system’s performance across all tested configurations. At 1920x1080, the average frame rates are 279.6 FPS on Low, 210 FPS on Medium, 157.7 FPS on High, and 113.5 FPS on Ultra. Moving to 2560x1440, the averages are 177.1 FPS on Low, 133.4 FPS on Medium, 101.4 FPS on High, and 73.3 FPS on Ultra. At the demanding 3840x2160 resolution, the averages drop to 97 FPS on Low, 70.1 FPS on Medium, 55.8 FPS on High, and 40.4 FPS on Ultra. This breakdown shows a consistent pattern: each step up in resolution or settings reduces the frame rate, but the magnitude of the drop varies. The largest single drop is from 1080p Low to 1440p Low, a 102.5 FPS decrease, while the smallest is from 4K High to 4K Ultra, a 15.4 FPS decrease. These figures highlight the GPU’s dominance in determining performance at higher resolutions, with the CPU’s influence becoming more apparent at lower resolutions where the GPU is less stressed.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti, built on the Ada Lovelace architecture, is the clear performance driver in this pairing. It features a 12 GB GDDR6X memory buffer on a 192-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s. Its clock speeds are a base of 2310 MHz and a boost of 2610 MHz. The GPU’s benchmark scores are impressive, with a Passmark G3D score of 31624 and a Geekbench OpenCL score of 205028. It holds the 85th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 44900.

Its nearest rivals in benchmark performance include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile, which scores 45152 (0.6% higher), and the Intel Arc A730M, which scores 45592 (1.5% higher). The AMD Radeon Pro 580 scores 44195 (1.6% lower), and the AMD Radeon Pro 5500 XT scores 45642 (1.6% higher). The data shows that the RTX 4070 Ti is a top-tier performer, and in Hitman 2, its role is evident in the high frame rates achieved at 1440p and 4K resolutions. The GPU’s substantial compute resources, including its 7680 shading units and 40.09 TFLOPS FP32 performance, are what allow the system to push high pixel counts. However, the data also reveals that at 1080p with Low settings, the GPU’s potential is left untapped, as the CPU becomes the bottleneck, preventing the system from exceeding 279.6 FPS. This indicates that the GPU is more than capable of handling the game’s demands, and the system’s overall performance ceiling is ultimately defined by the CPU at lower resolutions.