Hitman 2

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

The Intel Core i5-12600KF brings a 10-core, 16-thread Alder Lake-S design to Hitman 2, with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. This hybrid architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process, pairs performance and efficiency cores to handle the game's simulation and AI workloads. The L3 cache is 20 MB shared, with 1.25 MB L2 per core and 80 KB L1 per core, providing ample fast storage for game logic.

Benchmark data places this CPU in the 84th percentile among all tested processors, with an average benchmark score of 27827. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i9-10900K, scores 27829 — a delta of 0%, meaning the i5-12600KF effectively matches a previous-generation flagship. The i5-12600K trails by just 0.1% at 27851, while the Core Ultra 5 125H is 0.2% behind at 27872, and the Core i7-13700H leads by 0.4% at 27716. This clustering suggests the CPU is not a limiting factor in Hitman 2's frame delivery; the game's stealth sandbox logic is unlikely to saturate 16 threads.

In multi-threaded workloads, the 3DMark 16-thread score of 7956 and max-thread score of 7952 show strong scaling, while Cinebench R23 multicore hits 23444. Single-thread performance, critical for game logic, is solid: 3DMark single-thread scores 1016, and Cinebench R23 single-core scores 3309. Hitman 2's engine typically relies on a few heavily loaded threads for NPC behavior and scene management, and these scores indicate the i5-12600KF has ample headroom. The PassMark physics score of 1539 reinforces that the CPU can handle the game's collision and animation calculations without bottlenecking the GPU at lower resolutions.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, built on the 5 nm Ada Lovelace architecture with the AD107 chip, provides 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 272.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its base clock is 1830 MHz, boosting to 2460 MHz, with memory running at 2125 MHz (17 Gbps effective). The GPU packs 3072 shading units, 96 texture mapping units, and 48 ROPs, along with 24 ray tracing cores and 96 tensor cores. Pixel rate is 118.1 GPixel/s, texture rate is 236.2 GTexel/s, and FP32 throughput reaches 15.11 TFLOPS.

This GPU sits in the 66th percentile of all tested graphics cards, with an average benchmark score of 23181. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6600M, scores 23321 (0.6% higher), while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti scores 23338 (0.7% higher). The Intel Arc B580 trails by 0.7% at 23021, and the AMD Radeon 760M is 0.8% behind at 22999. The 8 GB VRAM is a key consideration for Hitman 2 at higher resolutions; the data shows a steep drop at 4K Ultra, suggesting memory capacity and bandwidth become constraints.

In DirectX benchmarks, the RTX 4060 scores 175 in PassMark DirectX 11, 76 in DirectX 12, and 103 in DirectX 10. The G3D score is 19545, with GPU compute at 9213. These figures indicate a capable mid-range card, but Hitman 2's dense environments and shadow computations push it hard. The 128-bit memory bus is narrow for a card targeting 1440p and 4K, and the measured FPS data reflects this: at 4K High, the card delivers 34.8 FPS, which is playable but not smooth, while 4K Ultra drops to 23.9 FPS.

FAQ

Q: How does the i5-12600KF compare to its closest CPU rival in overall benchmark scores?

A: The i5-12600KF scores 27827, essentially tied with the Intel Core i9-10900K at 27829, a 0% delta. The i5-12600K is 0.1% lower, and the Core i7-13700H is 0.4% higher at 27716.

Q: What is the RTX 4060's standing among similar GPUs based on average benchmark scores?

A: The RTX 4060 averages 23181, placing it 0.6% behind the AMD Radeon RX 6600M (23321) and 0.7% behind the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti (23338). It leads the Intel Arc B580 by 0.7% and the AMD Radeon 760M by 0.8%.

Q: What is the best FPS achievable at 1080p with this combo?

A: At 1080p Low, the combo hits 175 FPS average. Medium delivers 126.8 FPS, High 98.5 FPS, and Ultra 73 FPS. The data shows the CPU and GPU scale well as settings increase, with a 102 FPS spread between Low and Ultra.

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

A: The combo ranks 1036 out of 1795 tested combinations, placing it in the upper-middle tier of the database. This rank reflects the balance between the i5-12600KF's strong single-thread performance and the RTX 4060's mid-range rasterization capabilities.

Q: Does the combo maintain playable frame rates at 1440p across settings?

A: Yes, at 1440p, Low averages 107.8 FPS, Medium 79.9 FPS, High 64.4 FPS, and Ultra 48.4 FPS. All settings clear the 30 FPS threshold, with even Ultra remaining fluid for a stealth title where precise timing matters.

Q: What happens to performance at 4K Ultra, and is it usable?

A: At 4K Ultra, the combo delivers 23.9 FPS, which is below playable thresholds for most users. Dropping to 4K High raises this to 34.8 FPS, and 4K Low reaches 56.5 FPS, indicating the GPU becomes the primary constraint at this resolution.

How This Combo Ranks

In Hitman 2's tested configuration database, this pairing of Intel Core i5-12600KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 ranks 1036 out of 1795 total combos. This position places it slightly above the median, reflecting a mid-range pairing that handles the game competently at mainstream resolutions but struggles at extreme settings. The rank is influenced by both components: the CPU's 84th percentile standing is strong, while the GPU's 66th percentile is more modest.

The combination's performance profile suggests it is GPU-bound in most scenarios. At 1080p, the CPU has enough headroom to feed the GPU, resulting in high frame rates (up to 175 FPS at Low). As resolution increases, the GPU's workload grows, and the FPS drops more steeply than the CPU's capabilities would suggest. At 4K Ultra, the 23.9 FPS result is a clear GPU limitation, as the 20 MB L3 cache and high boost clock of the CPU are not the bottleneck.

Compared to other combos in the database, this rank of 1036 indicates that many configurations with more powerful GPUs (e.g., higher-tier RTX 40-series cards) or more balanced pairings outperform it. However, it also outperforms a significant portion of the database, particularly those with older or lower-end GPUs. The rank is a useful summary for buyers: this combo sits in the upper-middle range, capable of smooth 1080p and 1440p play but not a 4K powerhouse.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates span three resolutions and four settings presets, providing a complete picture of this combo's capabilities. At 1920x1080, the results are: Low averages 175 FPS, Medium 126.8 FPS, High 98.5 FPS, and Ultra 73 FPS. This shows a linear decline as settings increase, with the biggest single drop between Low and Medium (48.2 FPS). The 73 FPS at Ultra is still highly playable, indicating the combo is well-suited to high-refresh 1080p monitors.

At 2560x1440, the performance scales down: Low averages 107.8 FPS, Medium 79.9 FPS, High 64.4 FPS, and Ultra 48.4 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is consistent across settings — roughly 38-40% lower FPS — which aligns with the increased pixel count. Ultra at 48.4 FPS is smooth enough for a stealth game, where frame pacing matters more than raw speed.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's limits become apparent: Low averages 56.5 FPS, Medium 43.5 FPS, High 34.8 FPS, and Ultra 23.9 FPS. The 4K data shows a steeper decline, with Ultra falling below 30 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 32.6 FPS, narrower than at lower resolutions, suggesting the GPU is hitting an absolute ceiling. This resolution is only viable at Low or Medium settings for smooth play.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the optimal experience depends on the target resolution. At 1080p, the High preset at 98.5 FPS offers the best balance of visual fidelity and frame rate; Ultra at 73 FPS is also excellent for players prioritizing image quality, as the frame rate remains well above the 60 FPS threshold. Low and Medium are unnecessary at this resolution, as even Ultra provides a smooth experience.

At 1440p, the High preset at 64.4 FPS is the recommended sweet spot. It delivers a fluid experience with enhanced detail, while Medium at 79.9 FPS offers a safety margin for scenes with heavy action. Ultra at 48.4 FPS is borderline — playable for a stealth title, but the drop below 60 FPS may be noticeable to sensitive eyes. Low at 107.8 FPS is only recommended for competitive play or very high refresh rate displays.

At 4K, the data recommends Medium at 43.5 FPS as the best playable option, as it provides more detail than Low while maintaining a frame rate above 30 FPS. High at 34.8 FPS is acceptable for slower-paced gameplay, but Ultra at 23.9 FPS is not recommended due to stutter potential. The 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus are the likely culprits, as Hitman 2's 4K textures and shadow maps exceed comfortable memory bandwidth.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a clear GPU-bound pattern. At Low settings, the combo delivers 175 FPS at 1080p, dropping to 107.8 FPS at 1440p (a 38.4% reduction) and 56.5 FPS at 4K (a 67.7% reduction from 1080p). At High settings, the progression is 98.5 FPS at 1080p, 64.4 FPS at 1440p (34.6% lower), and 34.8 FPS at 4K (64.7% lower). This scaling is steeper than the pixel count alone would suggest (4K has 4x the pixels of 1080p), indicating that memory bandwidth and fill rate are limiting factors.

The Ultra preset shows the most dramatic degradation: 73 FPS at 1080p, 48.4 FPS at 1440p, and 23.9 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1440p to 4K is 50.6%, which is larger than the 33.7% drop from 1080p to 1440p. This non-linear scaling points to the GPU's 272.0 GB/s bandwidth being insufficient for 4K Ultra, where the game's draw calls and texture streaming overwhelm the 128-bit bus.

The data implies that the limiting component shifts with resolution. At 1080p, the i5-12600KF's strong single-thread performance (3DMark single-thread score of 1016) ensures the GPU is fully utilized, evidenced by the 175 FPS Low result. At 4K, the RTX 4060 becomes the bottleneck, as its pixel rate of 118.1 GPixel/s and texture rate of 236.2 GTexel/s are stretched thin. The CPU's 84th percentile ranking suggests it could support a more powerful GPU if paired differently, making this combo's 4K limitations purely a GPU constraint.