Hitman 2

Hitman 2, a 2018 stealth title, responds strongly to both processor and graphics hardware, and the pairing of the Intel Core i5-12600KF with the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT produces a wide spread of results depending on resolution and quality settings. The data shows this combination is capable of high refresh rate play at 1080p and solid 1440p performance, but the 4K Ultra experience is a challenge. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS across all settings and resolutions, examines the role of each component, and contextualizes the combo's standing against other tested systems.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to achieve a 60 FPS average?

A: Based on the measured data, the only resolution where all settings fail to hit a 60 FPS average is 4K (3840x2160). At 2560x1440, the High preset achieves 72 FPS, and at 1920x1080, even the Ultra preset reaches 83 FPS, while the Low preset at 1440p hits 127 FPS.

Q: How much faster is the Low preset compared to Ultra at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 199 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 83 FPS. This means the Low preset delivers more than double the frame rate, providing a 116 FPS advantage over the Ultra setting.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU appear to be the limiting factor at 1080p Low?

A: The CPU likely becomes the primary constraint at 1080p Low. The GPU is capable of rendering frames very quickly at this low graphical load, but the i5-12600KF's performance ceiling in the game prevents the average FPS from going even higher than 199.

Q: What is the combo's overall rank among all tested combinations?

A: The Intel Core i5-12600KF and AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT combination ranks 1410 out of 3711 tested combos in Hitman 2. This places it in the top 38% of all systems tested for this game.

Q: How does the RX 7700 XT compare to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 in general benchmarks?

A: According to the data, the RX 7700 XT has an average benchmark score of 22549, while the RTX 2080 has an average score of 22895. This makes the RX 7700 XT 1.5% slower than the RTX 2080 in the general GPU benchmark.

Q: What is the difference between the High and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the High preset averages 72 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 53 FPS. The Ultra preset demands significantly more from the hardware, resulting in a 19 FPS drop compared to High.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT is built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture and features 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 432.0 GB/s. The card's boost clock is rated at 2544 MHz, with a game clock of 2171 MHz. These specifications directly influence Hitman 2's performance, particularly at higher resolutions and settings where memory capacity and bandwidth become more critical.

The data reveals a clear pattern where the GPU's role intensifies as resolution increases. At 1080p, the GPU has less trouble keeping up with the CPU. However, at 4K, the GPU becomes the dominant bottleneck. The 12 GB VRAM buffer is sufficient for the game's needs, but the raw compute power is challenged. The measured FPS at 4K Ultra is just 28 FPS, a demanding scenario that highlights the GPU's limits with the most intensive visual effects. The card's general performance, as measured by its 67th percentile ranking among all GPUs, places it as a capable mid-to-high-end part, but not a top-tier 4K powerhouse.

Its nearest rivals in general benchmarks include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile, which is 0.5% faster, and the RTX 4060 Mobile, which is 0.8% slower. This shows the RX 7700 XT sits in a competitive performance bracket. In the context of Hitman 2, the GPU's strengths are best utilized at 1440p. Here, it can deliver high frame rates on High settings (72 FPS) and even maintain playable performance on Ultra (53 FPS). The variation between Low and Ultra settings at each resolution is substantial, showing that the GPU's workload scales significantly with the visual complexity of the scene.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12600KF is a 10-core, 16-thread processor from the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. It features a 20 MB shared L3 cache. In general benchmarks, it ranks in the 79th percentile of all CPUs, indicating strong overall performance. Its nearest rivals in these benchmarks are the Intel Core i9-10900K and the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D, with the i5-12600KF being only 0.3% slower than both in average score.

The CPU's role in Hitman 2 becomes most apparent at lower resolutions and settings. For instance, at 1080p Low, the average FPS is 199, which is exceptionally high. This suggests that while the GPU is not heavily taxed, the CPU is still able to feed it frames at a rapid pace. The processor's high boost clock and multi-threading capabilities are likely key factors in this performance. The data also shows that at 4K Low, the average FPS is 68, which is a significant drop from 1080p Low.

This drop indicates that at 4K, the GPU's rendering workload is so high that it limits the overall frame rate, regardless of the CPU's capability. The CPU is not the limiting factor at this resolution. The i5-12600KF's strong single-threaded performance, as suggested by its 3DMark single-thread score of 1016, is crucial for a game like Hitman 2, which often relies on a few primary threads for game logic and AI. The data implies a balanced pairing where the CPU is capable of supporting the GPU well, especially in the 1440p High and 1080p Medium scenarios where both components are working in tandem to produce high frame rates.

Settings Recommendations

For this combination of the Intel Core i5-12600KF and AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and refresh rate. The data provides a clear hierarchy of performance across the four presets.

At 1920x1080, the system is incredibly powerful. The High preset delivers a very high average of 113 FPS, which is ideal for a 100Hz+ monitor. The Medium preset offers 149 FPS, and the Low preset reaches 199 FPS. Even the Ultra preset, which demands the most from the hardware, achieves a solid 83 FPS. For most users, the High or Medium preset at 1080p will provide an excellent balance of visual fidelity and performance, with the Ultra preset still being very playable.

At 2560x1440, the High preset is the recommended starting point, yielding an average of 72 FPS. This is a smooth experience for most players. The Medium preset pushes the frame rate up to 96 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate 1440p monitors. The Ultra preset drops to 53 FPS, which is playable but may not be ideal for fast-paced action. The Low preset at 127 FPS is an option for competitive play where maximum frame rate is prioritized over visual quality.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is heavily taxed. The High preset averages only 38 FPS, and the Ultra preset falls to a very demanding 28 FPS. The Medium preset provides a more stable 51 FPS, which is the only preset at 4K that approaches a playable 60 FPS experience. The Low preset reaches 68 FPS, but this involves a significant reduction in visual quality. For a 4K experience, the Medium preset appears to be the most balanced choice, as it offers a better frame rate than High or Ultra while maintaining more visual detail than Low.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of tested hardware, the Intel Core i5-12600KF and AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT combination holds a rank of 1410 out of 3711 combos in Hitman 2. This places it in the upper-middle tier of all systems tested. The data indicates that this pairing is well-balanced, with neither component being a clear outlier that would drag the overall performance down.

The CPU's general benchmark rank is 79th percentile, suggesting it is a strong processor that can hold its own against many others. The GPU's rank is 67th percentile, indicating it is a solid performer but not at the very top of the graphics card hierarchy. The combination of these two parts results in a system that performs admirably in most scenarios, particularly at 1080p and 1440p. The 1410th rank out of 3711 means that roughly 62% of tested combos perform better overall, but this is largely due to the GPU's mid-high tier positioning.

When compared to its immediate rivals, the combo's performance is consistent with its component rankings. The CPU is essentially tied with the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D and Intel Core i9-10900K in general benchmarks, while the GPU is tied with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080. This suggests that in Hitman 2, the system's performance would be very similar to a build using an RTX 2080 with a high-end CPU. The measured FPS data supports this, showing a consistent and capable performer that excels at 1080p and 1440p but struggles to maintain high frame rates at 4K with maximum settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed look at the system's capabilities under various conditions.

1920x1080:

• Low: The average FPS is 199, showcasing the system's peak performance when the GPU load is minimized.
• Medium: The average FPS is 149, with a minimum of 127 FPS and a maximum of 172 FPS, indicating a very smooth experience.
• High: The average FPS is 113, a significant step down from Medium but still an excellent result for high-refresh-rate gaming.
• Ultra: The average FPS is 83, which is the most demanding setting at this resolution, but it remains comfortably playable.

2560x1440:

• Low: The average FPS is 127, showing that even at a higher resolution, the Low preset can deliver very high frame rates.
• Medium: The average FPS is 96, with a minimum of 81 FPS and a maximum of 110 FPS, providing a strong balance of quality and speed.
• High: The average FPS is 72, which is a solid result for 1440p gaming and is suitable for a 60Hz or 75Hz monitor.
• Ultra: The average FPS is 53, which is below the 60 FPS target but still playable for less demanding titles.

3840x2160:

• Low: The average FPS is 68, which is a playable frame rate, but the visual quality is significantly compromised.
• Medium: The average FPS is 51, with a minimum of 43 FPS and a maximum of 59 FPS. This is the most balanced 4K option.
• High: The average FPS is 38, which is a noticeable drop from Medium and is below the threshold for a smooth experience.
• Ultra: The average FPS is 28, which is the most demanding scenario tested and is not recommended for a good experience.

Resolution Scaling

The data shows a clear and predictable pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases. From 1080p to 4K, the average FPS drops significantly at every settings level, but the rate of decline varies.

At the Low preset, the FPS drops from 199 at 1080p to 127 at 1440p, a reduction of 72 FPS. From 1440p to 4K, it drops from 127 to 68, a further reduction of 59 FPS. This indicates that even at Low settings, the GPU's workload at 4K is substantially higher than at 1440p.

At the Ultra preset, the FPS drops from 83 at 1080p to 53 at 1440p, a 30 FPS reduction. From 1440p to 4K, it drops from 53 to 28, a 25 FPS reduction. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K at Ultra is larger than at Low, showing that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions and settings.

This scaling behavior reveals the nature of the limiting component. At 1080p, the CPU's performance is more influential, as the GPU can render frames quickly. The high FPS at 1080p Low (199) suggests the CPU is the limiting factor there. As the resolution increases to 4K, the GPU's rendering burden grows exponentially. The frame rate at 4K Ultra (28 FPS) is a fraction of the 1080p result, indicating that the GPU is now the definitive bottleneck. The data strongly suggests that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it can leverage the CPU's strength and the GPU's capabilities to provide a high-performance experience, while 4K gaming requires significant compromises in settings to achieve playable frame rates.