Hitman 2

# Hitman 2 with Intel Core i5-12600KF + AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT

This combination pairs a 10-core Alder Lake processor with a high-end RDNA 2 graphics card, producing a system that delivers playable frame rates across most resolutions in Hitman 2, though the data reveals a clear shift in bottleneck behavior as resolution climbs. The CPU sits at the 84th percentile among all processors, while the GPU holds the 87th percentile among all graphics cards, indicating both components are well above average for their respective categories. The measured results in this stealth title show a system capable of exceeding 200 FPS at 1080p with low settings, but dropping to just above 30 FPS at 4K with ultra settings, which tells a compelling story about where the performance ceiling lies.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i5-12600KF brings 10 cores and 16 threads to the table, running at a base clock of 3.70 GHz with a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. This Alder Lake-S architecture processor, built on Intel's 10 nm process, features a 20 MB shared L3 cache and supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory through a dual-channel interface. The CPU's benchmark scores show strong single-thread performance with a 3DMark single-thread score of 1016 and a Geekbench single-core score of 2529, which matters for Hitman 2's game logic and AI systems that rely heavily on individual thread performance.

In multi-threaded workloads, the chip demonstrates substantial capability with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 23444 and a Passmark multithread score of 27575. The processor's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i9-10900K with a delta of 0 percent, the Intel Core i5-12600K at -0.1 percent, the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H at -0.2 percent, and the Intel Core i7-13700H at 0.4 percent. This clustering indicates the 12600KF sits in a tightly contested performance band where tiny percentage differences separate competitors, making the CPU's contribution to Hitman 2's frame rates largely dependent on game engine optimization rather than raw core count advantages.

The data suggests that at lower resolutions like 1080p, the CPU's fast single-thread performance helps push frame rates to 216.7 FPS on low settings, which is a strong indicator that the processor can feed the GPU effectively when graphical demands are modest. However, the relatively modest performance gap between the 12600KF and its rivals in synthetic benchmarks implies that Hitman 2's CPU demands are likely satisfied well before the GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 512.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1825 MHz with a boost clock of 2250 MHz and a game clock of 2015 MHz, powered by the Navi 21 chip built on TSMC's 7 nm process with 26,800 million transistors. With 4608 shading units, 288 texture mapping units, and 128 render output units, this card provides substantial raw compute capability, including 20.74 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 72 ray tracing cores.

The GPU's benchmark results place it at the 87th percentile among all graphics cards, with a Passmark G3D score of 24980 and a Passmark GPU compute score of 13245. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Arc A550M at 0.5 percent delta, the NVIDIA RTX A1000 at -1.7 percent, the NVIDIA CMP 50HX at 1.9 percent, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER at 2.6 percent. This positioning shows the RX 6800 XT competing closely with modern cards despite being from an earlier generation, which is noteworthy given the game's release date of November 2018.

For Hitman 2, the GPU's 16 GB VRAM capacity is more than sufficient for the game's texture requirements, even at 4K resolution with high settings. The 512.0 GB/s memory bandwidth ensures that texture streaming and scene complexity at high resolutions do not become a memory-bound bottleneck. The card's 128 ROPs contribute to efficient pixel fill rates, which becomes increasingly important as resolution scales upward and the GPU takes on more of the rendering workload.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured frame rates across resolutions reveal a predictable pattern of GPU-bound behavior as resolution increases. At 1080p with high settings, the system achieves 125.8 FPS, which drops to 82.6 FPS at 1440p (a 34.3 percent decrease) and further to 42.9 FPS at 4K (a 48.1 percent decrease from 1440p). This scaling pattern suggests that the GPU becomes progressively more dominant as the limiting factor, since the CPU's workload remains relatively constant while the GPU must render an increasing number of pixels.

The low settings preset provides a clearer view of the CPU's ceiling. At 1080p low, the system reaches 216.7 FPS, which drops to 138.7 FPS at 1440p and 73.3 FPS at 4K. The 1080p low result of 216.7 FPS approaches what might be a CPU-bound threshold, as the rendering workload at low settings is minimal enough that the processor's ability to feed frames becomes the constraint. The 4K low result of 73.3 FPS still demonstrates strong GPU headroom, but the diminishing returns from 1080p to 4K indicate the graphics card is doing progressively more heavy lifting.

The ultra settings data tells a similar story with different magnitudes. The 1080p ultra result of 90.4 FPS drops to 61.5 FPS at 1440p and 30.4 FPS at 4K. The 4K ultra result dipping below 30 FPS territory at 30.4 FPS highlights the GPU's struggle with the most demanding combination, suggesting that even a high-end card from the RX 6000 series requires careful settings management at 4K to maintain smooth gameplay.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

At 1920x1080, the full settings range shows the system's versatility. Low settings produce 216.7 FPS, medium settings deliver 164.7 FPS, high settings reach 125.8 FPS, and ultra settings sustain 90.4 FPS. The progression from low to ultra represents a 58.3 percent reduction in frame rate, which demonstrates the significant GPU workload increase from the lowest to highest quality presets.

Moving to 2560x1440, the results scale proportionally. Low settings achieve 138.7 FPS, medium settings hit 107.7 FPS, high settings maintain 82.6 FPS, and ultra settings drop to 61.5 FPS. The gap between low and ultra at 1440p is 55.7 percent, showing a similar relative spread to 1080p but with absolute values that start to feel more constrained for high-refresh-rate monitors.

At 3840x2160, the performance envelope tightens considerably. Low settings yield 73.3 FPS, medium settings provide 57.3 FPS, high settings deliver 42.9 FPS, and ultra settings fall to 30.4 FPS. The 4K ultra result barely clears the 30 FPS threshold, making it marginal for playable experiences, while 4K low remains comfortable for those prioritizing frame rate over visual fidelity.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific combination of Intel Core i5-12600KF and AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT ranks 640th out of 1795 tested combos in Hitman 2, placing it in the 64th percentile among all tested configurations. This ranking suggests that while the individual components are strong performers, the combination does not reach the top tier of tested systems for this particular game. The rank indicates that 640 other combos deliver higher average frame rates, which could be due to more powerful CPUs, faster GPUs, or better-balanced pairings for Hitman 2's specific engine characteristics.

The ranking position relative to the component percentiles is informative. With the CPU at the 84th percentile and the GPU at the 87th percentile individually, one might expect a higher overall combo ranking. The 64th percentile combo rank suggests that other systems with similar or slightly lower component percentiles may achieve better performance in Hitman 2 due to factors like memory configuration, driver optimization, or the game's particular sensitivity to certain hardware characteristics. This discrepancy invites investigation into whether the game favors certain architectures or clock speeds over raw benchmark scores.

The fact that the combo ranks lower than either component's individual percentile implies that Hitman 2 may not fully utilize the strengths of both parts simultaneously. The game's stealth genre typically involves fewer on-screen characters and simpler physics than open-world action titles, which could mean the CPU's 10-core configuration provides diminishing returns beyond a certain point, while the GPU's power is not fully taxed at lower resolutions.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to maintain 60+ FPS?

A: At 2560x1440, the system achieves 61.5 FPS on ultra settings, which is just above the 60 FPS threshold. For a more comfortable margin, high settings at 1440p deliver 82.6 FPS, while 1080p with ultra settings reaches 90.4 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core i9-10900K scores 27829 compared to the 12600KF's 27827, a delta of 0 percent. The Intel Core i5-12600K scores 27851 with a -0.1 percent delta, meaning the 12600KF is essentially tied with both in average benchmark score.

Q: Is 4K gaming viable with this combination?

A: At 4K with low settings, the system produces 73.3 FPS, which is playable. High settings at 4K drop to 42.9 FPS, and ultra settings fall to 30.4 FPS, making 4K viable only with reduced settings for smoother gameplay.

Q: What GPU benchmark score does the RX 6800 XT achieve?

A: The GPU scores 24980 in Passmark G3D and 13245 in Passmark GPU compute. Its average benchmark score is 49982, placing it at the 87th percentile among all GPUs.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested systems in Hitman 2?

A: The combination ranks 640th out of 1795 tested combos, which places it in the 64th percentile of all configurations tested for this game.

Q: What settings preset provides the highest frame rate at 1080p?

A: Low settings at 1080p produce 216.7 FPS, which is the highest measured result for this resolution. Medium settings yield 164.7 FPS as the next highest.

Settings Recommendations

For players targeting 60 FPS or higher, the measured data points to 1440p high settings as the optimal balance, delivering 82.6 FPS with substantial visual quality improvements over medium settings. This configuration provides a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS threshold while maintaining the detail level that Hitman 2's stealth gameplay benefits from for spotting guards and environmental clues.

At 1080p, ultra settings achieve 90.4 FPS, which is the recommended preset for users with high-refresh-rate monitors seeking maximum visual fidelity without sacrificing smoothness. The 90.4 FPS result is well above 60 FPS and close to 100 FPS, making it suitable for displays up to 144 Hz where frame rate consistency matters more than absolute maximums.

For 4K users, the data suggests medium settings at 57.3 FPS as the pragmatic choice, since high settings drop to 42.9 FPS and ultra falls to 30.4 FPS. While 4K low at 73.3 FPS offers better frame rates, medium settings provide a noticeable visual upgrade that likely justifies the 21.8 percent frame rate reduction. The 4K ultra result of 30.4 FPS is only recommended for players who prioritize image quality above all else and can tolerate sub-60 FPS gameplay.