Hitman 2

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-12600KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER sits at rank 332 out of 1795 tested combos for Hitman 2. That places this configuration firmly in the top quintile of all systems tested, a position that reflects the balanced nature of this pairing. The CPU alone holds the 84th percentile against all processors, while the GPU also sits at the 84th percentile against all graphics cards — a rare symmetry that suggests neither component is dramatically overshadowing the other in this title.

Looking at the CPU's nearest rivals, the data shows the i5-12600KF is effectively tied with the Intel Core i9-10900K, with a delta of 0 percent in average benchmark score. It trails the Intel Core i5-12600K by just 0.1 percent and the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H by 0.2 percent, while edging out the Intel Core i7-13700H by 0.4 percent. These margins are negligible in real-world gaming terms. The GPU side tells a similar story: the RTX 4070 SUPER is within 0.2 percent of the NVIDIA RTX A6000 and 0.3 percent of the AMD Radeon RX 7650 GRE, while leading the AMD Radeon Pro 580X by 1.4 percent and the NVIDIA Tesla M40 by 1.6 percent.

What this ranking means for Hitman 2 specifically is that the combo delivers playable frame rates across every resolution and settings combination measured, from 39.3 FPS at 4K Ultra to 263.6 FPS at 1080p Low. The spread of results indicates a system that can adapt to whatever visual fidelity the player prioritizes. The rank of 332 suggests that while there are faster combinations available, this pairing is nowhere near the bottom of the pack — it outperforms roughly 81 percent of all tested configurations in this game.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER brings 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The memory clock runs at 1313 MHz with 21 Gbps effective throughput. These specifications matter for Hitman 2 because the game's crowd-heavy environments and detailed interiors place significant demands on texture memory and fill rate.

The GPU's base clock of 1980 MHz boosts to 2475 MHz, and with 7168 shading units, 224 texture mapping units, and 80 raster output units, the card has substantial raw throughput. The 56 RT cores and 224 tensor cores are present but less relevant for a 2018 stealth title that does not heavily utilize ray tracing. The pixel rate of 198.0 GPixel/s and texture rate of 554.4 GTexel/s provide the foundation for the measured frame rates.

In Hitman 2, the GPU's role becomes increasingly dominant as resolution scales upward. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 263.6 FPS, which indicates the CPU is doing the heavy lifting at that end of the spectrum. But by 4K Ultra, the frame rate collapses to 39.3 FPS, a drop that points directly at the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth being saturated. The 12 GB VRAM capacity is adequate for this game at all measured settings, though the bandwidth becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions.

The GPU's average benchmark score of 42576 places it in the 84th percentile, and its nearest rival data shows it trading blows with workstation-class cards like the RTX A6000. That context helps explain why the card handles Hitman 2's varied environments — from sunlit Italian villas to dimly lit underground facilities — without exhibiting obvious stutter or texture pop-in at the measured settings.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a predictable but steep scaling curve as resolution increases. At 1080p High, the combo delivers 147.3 FPS. Moving to 1440p High drops that to 96.6 FPS, a reduction of roughly 34 percent. Jumping to 4K High yields 52.6 FPS, which is another 46 percent drop from 1440p. The pattern holds across all settings presets, but the magnitude of the drops varies significantly.

At Low settings, the system goes from 263.6 FPS at 1080p to 166.6 FPS at 1440p (a 37 percent drop) and then to 88.8 FPS at 4K (a 47 percent drop from 1440p). Medium settings follow suit: 197.1 FPS at 1080p, 125.9 FPS at 1440p, and 68.8 FPS at 4K. Ultra is the most punishing: 111.4 FPS at 1080p, 72.5 FPS at 1440p, and 39.3 FPS at 4K.

These numbers tell a clear story about the limiting component. At 1080p Low, the 263.6 FPS result suggests the CPU is near its ceiling for this game engine, since the GPU has plenty of headroom at such low graphical demands. The i5-12600KF's 10 cores and 16 threads, with a boost clock of 4.90 GHz, provide ample single-thread performance for the game's AI and physics calculations. However, as resolution climbs, the GPU's workload expands faster than the CPU's, and the RTX 4070 SUPER becomes the bottleneck.

The most telling comparison is between the 1080p-to-1440p and 1440p-to-4K transitions. At every settings preset, the percentage drop from 1440p to 4K is larger than the drop from 1080p to 1440p. This accelerating decline is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario, where pixel count outpaces the card's ability to fill and shade. The 4K Ultra result of 39.3 FPS is the only measured point that dips below the 40 FPS threshold, indicating that this resolution and settings combination pushes the hardware too far for smooth gameplay.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance on which preset delivers the best experience at each resolution. At 1080p, the High preset at 147.3 FPS offers an excellent balance — it is 50.2 FPS faster than Ultra at 111.4 FPS, while still looking substantially better than Medium at 197.1 FPS or Low at 263.6 FPS. The jump from High to Ultra costs 35.9 FPS, which is a steep price for what is typically a marginal visual improvement in a game from 2018.

At 1440p, High again emerges as the sweet spot with 96.6 FPS. This is comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth play, and it is 24.1 FPS faster than Ultra at 72.5 FPS. Medium at 125.9 FPS is viable for players who prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity, but High provides the best combination of image quality and performance for most users. Low at 166.6 FPS is unnecessary unless chasing maximum refresh rates on a high-Hz monitor.

At 4K, the situation changes. High at 52.6 FPS is playable but will feel slightly sluggish on displays with variable refresh rate support. Medium at 68.8 FPS is the better choice for maintaining fluidity, while Ultra at 39.3 FPS should be avoided for serious play. Low at 88.8 FPS is the only 4K preset that delivers a truly smooth experience, but it sacrifices too much visual detail for a game that is known for its atmospheric presentation.

The overall recommendation is to use High settings at 1080p and 1440p, and Medium settings at 4K. This approach keeps frame rates above 60 FPS at the two lower resolutions while accepting a compromise at 4K to maintain playability. Players with 120 Hz or higher refresh displays at 1440p can consider Medium for the extra headroom, but High remains the default choice for the best visual-to-performance ratio.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Core i5-12600KF with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER ranks 332 out of 1795 tested combos, placing it in the top 18.5 percent of all configurations.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1440p gameplay?

A: High settings deliver 96.6 FPS at 2560x1440, which is the recommended balance. Ultra drops to 72.5 FPS, while Medium reaches 125.9 FPS for those who prefer higher frame rates.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Hitman 2?

A: Yes, but with compromises. High settings yield 52.6 FPS, Medium gets 68.8 FPS, and Low reaches 88.8 FPS. Ultra at 39.3 FPS is the only setting that falls below smooth playability.

Q: How does the RTX 4070 SUPER compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The GPU is within 0.2 percent of the NVIDIA RTX A6000 and 0.3 percent of the AMD Radeon RX 7650 GRE in average benchmark score, while leading the AMD Radeon Pro 580X by 1.4 percent and the NVIDIA Tesla M40 by 1.6 percent.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1080p?

A: At 1080p Low, the system reaches 263.6 FPS, which suggests the CPU is near its practical limit for this game engine. The GPU has headroom at lower resolutions, making the i5-12600KF the primary constraint.

Q: What frame rate can I expect at 1080p Ultra?

A: The measured average is 111.4 FPS at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings. This is 35.9 FPS lower than High at 147.3 FPS, making High the more efficient choice for most players.