Hitman 2

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

The Intel Core i5-12600KF brings a hybrid Alder Lake-S architecture to Hitman 2, with 10 physical cores and 16 threads running on Intel's 10 nm process. Its base clock sits at 3.70 GHz, boosting to 4.90 GHz under load, which matters for a stealth title that often hinges on single-threaded responsiveness during crowded AI interactions. The processor's cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and a shared 20 MB L3 pool, providing ample room for the game's level data and NPC state tracking.

Looking at synthetic benchmarks, the CPU posts a single-thread score of 1016 in 3dmark_single_thread and 3925 in PassMark's single-thread test. These figures suggest strong per-core performance, which Hitman 2's engine tends to favor. In multi-threaded workloads, the chip reaches 7956 in 3dmark_16_threads and 7952 in 3dmark_max_threads, indicating that its thread scaling is nearly flat beyond 16 threads — a sign that the game likely doesn't push beyond what this CPU offers. Cinebench R23 results reinforce this: 23444 multicore and 3309 singlecore, placing the chip in the 84th percentile among all CPUs.

The nearest rivals contextualize this positioning. The Intel Core i9-10900K scores 27829 on average, essentially identical to the 12600KF's 27827, with a deltaPct of 0. The Core i5-12600K sits at 27851, just 0.1% higher, while the Core Ultra 5 125H is 0.2% behind at 27872. Interestingly, the Core i7-13700H trails slightly at 27716, 0.4% lower. These minuscule deltas mean that, in raw compute, the 12600KF trades blows with a previous-generation flagship and a modern mobile H-series part. For Hitman 2, where frame pacing in crowded environments can depend on consistent thread scheduling, the 10-core/16-thread layout provides headroom without being excessive. The CPU's 125 W TDP and unlocked multiplier suggest it can sustain boost clocks during extended sessions, though the data doesn't explicitly confirm thermal behavior in this game.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070, built on Blackwell 2.0 architecture with a 5 nm TSMC process, supplies 12 GB of GDDR7 memory across a 192-bit bus, yielding 672.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's base clock is 2325 MHz with a boost of 2512 MHz, and memory runs at 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective). With 6144 shading units, 192 TMUs, and 80 ROPs, the card delivers 30.87 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and a pixel rate of 201.0 GPixel/s. These specifications position it as a high-end contender for a 2018 title like Hitman 2, which was designed for earlier hardware generations.

In benchmark terms, the GPU scores 29137 in PassMark G3D and 5077 in 3dmark_steel_nomad_dx12, placing it in the 83rd percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are curious: the AMD Radeon Pro 5300 is 0.2% higher at 41610, while the NVIDIA Tesla M40 sits 0.5% lower at 41897 — note the odd inversion where a lower score yields a positive delta. The RTX 3090 comes in 0.6% higher at 41441, and the Radeon Pro 580X is 0.7% lower at 41991. This clustering suggests the RTX 5070's average benchmark score of 41687 is tightly grouped with older workstation and enthusiast cards, which is unusual for a next-generation part. For Hitman 2 specifically, the 12 GB VRAM is far more than the game requires at any resolution, so memory capacity is unlikely to be a bottleneck. Instead, raw rasterization throughput and memory bandwidth will determine how the card scales across settings.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific pairing of the Intel Core i5-12600KF with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 achieves a combo rank of 373 out of 1795 tested combinations in Hitman 2. That places it in the top 21% of all system pairings, which is respectable but not elite. The rank reflects how the CPU and GPU interact within this game's engine, where neither component fully dominates the other. Given the CPU's 84th percentile standing and the GPU's 83rd percentile, one might expect a higher rank, but the game's age and optimization patterns can compress differences between capable parts.

The rank implies that many other combos — likely those with higher-end CPUs or GPUs, or more balanced pairings — outperform this setup in average FPS. However, the delta between rank 373 and, say, rank 200 might be small in absolute frame rates, given how well Hitman 2 scales even on mid-range hardware. The data shows that this combo is firmly in the upper tier, but not at the very top, which suggests that either the CPU or GPU is holding the other back slightly depending on resolution and settings. At 1080p, the CPU's single-thread strength likely matters more, while at 4K, the GPU's rasterization limits come into play. The combo rank captures this equilibrium point across all measured scenarios.

FAQ

Q: How does the Intel Core i5-12600KF compare to its closest CPU rivals in this database?

A: The 12600KF's average benchmark score of 27827 is essentially tied with the Intel Core i9-10900K (27829, 0% delta) and the Intel Core i5-12600K (27851, -0.1% delta). The Core Ultra 5 125H is 0.2% lower, and the Core i7-13700H is 0.4% higher. These are all within a fraction of a percent, indicating near-identical raw compute performance.

Q: What is the GPU's performance percentile, and how does it rank against the RTX 3090?

A: The RTX 5070 sits in the 83rd percentile among all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 41687 is 0.6% lower than the RTX 3090's 41441, meaning the newer card is slightly behind the previous-generation flagship in aggregate benchmarks, despite being a newer architecture.

Q: At which resolution does this combo perform best relative to its rank?

A: The combo achieves its highest frame rates at 1920x1080, with a peak of 256.4 FPS on Low settings. The rank of 373 out of 1795 reflects performance across all resolutions, but the 1080p results show the CPU can push well beyond 200 FPS when the GPU isn't the limiting factor.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU at 4K resolution?

A: At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the primary constraint. The average FPS drops to 50 on High and 39 on Ultra, while the CPU's multi-threaded headroom (7952 in 3dmark_max_threads) goes largely unused. This suggests the RTX 5070's rasterization throughput, not the 12600KF, limits 4K performance.

Q: How much VRAM does the RTX 5070 have, and is it sufficient for Hitman 2?

A: The GPU has 12 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 192-bit bus with 672.0 GB/s bandwidth. Since Hitman 2 is a 2018 title, this is far more than needed at any settings or resolution, so VRAM capacity never becomes a limiting factor in the measured results.

Q: What is the combo's overall rank in the database?

A: The combo ranks 373rd out of 1795 tested combinations in Hitman 2, placing it in the top 21% of all system pairings. This reflects a balanced setup that performs well but doesn't lead the pack.

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

The scaling patterns across resolutions reveal a clear shift in bottleneck behavior. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the combo delivers 142.8 FPS; moving to 2560x1440 drops that to 90.5 FPS (a 36.6% reduction), and at 3840x2160 it falls to 50 FPS (a further 44.8% reduction from 1440p). This steep decline — from 142.8 to 90.5 to 50 — indicates that the GPU is progressively becoming the limiting factor as pixel count rises. The CPU's single-thread score of 1016 in 3dmark_single_thread is sufficient to maintain high frame rates at 1080p, but the RTX 5070's compute resources are stretched at higher resolutions.

Looking at Low settings, the pattern is even more pronounced. At 1080p, the combo hits 256.4 FPS, which is likely near the CPU's maximum achievable frame rate given its single-thread performance. At 1440p, that drops to 165.5 FPS (a 35.5% reduction), and at 4K it falls to 85.5 FPS (a 48.3% reduction from 1440p). The fact that Low settings at 1080p produce over 250 FPS suggests the CPU is the ceiling there, since the GPU is barely taxed. But by 4K, even Low settings demand enough GPU work that the RTX 5070 becomes the limiter, with the frame rate dropping below 100 FPS.

Ultra settings show the most dramatic scaling: 109.1 FPS at 1080p, 67.6 FPS at 1440p (a 38% drop), and 39 FPS at 4K (a 42.3% drop from 1440p). This consistent ~40% reduction per resolution step across all settings indicates that the GPU's rasterization throughput scales predictably with pixel count, while the CPU's contribution remains relatively constant. The data implies that for this combo, 1080p is CPU-bound at Low to Medium settings, transitioning to GPU-bound at Higher settings and resolutions. At 4K, the CPU's 10 cores and 16 threads are rarely the constraint; instead, the RTX 5070's 30.87 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and 672.0 GB/s bandwidth dictate the achievable frame rates.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Examining the measured FPS rows, the Medium preset offers the most balanced experience across all three resolutions. At 1920x1080, Medium delivers 194.7 FPS, which is 51.9 FPS higher than High (142.8) and only 61.7 FPS lower than Low (256.4). The jump from Medium to High costs 51.9 FPS, while the jump from Low to Medium gains 61.7 FPS — a relatively steeper penalty for the High preset's visual gains. At 2560x1440, Medium produces 122.5 FPS, comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold and only 43 FPS below Low's 165.5. High at 1440p drops to 90.5 FPS, which is still playable but noticeably closer to the 60 FPS line.

At 3840x2160, the choice becomes more constrained. Medium yields 65.6 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS target, while High drops to 50 FPS and Ultra falls to 39 FPS. Low at 4K gives 85.5 FPS, but the visual quality loss is substantial for a stealth game where spotting enemies in shadows matters. The data suggests that Medium is the optimal preset for 4K, as it maintains playable frame rates while preserving more visual fidelity than Low. For 1080p and 1440p, Medium also represents the sweet spot: it provides frame rates well above display refresh rates (194.7 and 122.5 FPS respectively) without the diminishing returns of pushing to Low. Ultra, while visually richer, drops to 109.1 FPS at 1080p and 67.6 FPS at 1440p, making it viable only for users with high-refresh-rate monitors who prioritize image quality over frame rate headroom.

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

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its highest frame rates across all settings. Low settings achieve 256.4 FPS average, Medium reaches 194.7 FPS, High hits 142.8 FPS, and Ultra settles at 109.1 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a steady decline of roughly 50 FPS per settings tier, with the largest single drop occurring between Low and Medium (61.7 FPS). This suggests that Medium introduces significant visual effects that tax the GPU, while the jump from High to Ultra (33.7 FPS) is comparatively smaller.

Moving to 2560x1440, the numbers scale down proportionally. Low produces 165.5 FPS, Medium delivers 122.5 FPS, High achieves 90.5 FPS, and Ultra drops to 67.6 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium here is 43 FPS, slightly narrower than at 1080p, while the gap between High and Ultra is 22.9 FPS. At this resolution, even Ultra remains above 60 FPS, making 1440p a viable option for high-refresh-rate gaming with this combo.

At 3840x2160, performance becomes more constrained. Low yields 85.5 FPS, Medium drops to 65.6 FPS, High falls to 50 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 39 FPS. The drop from Low to Medium is 19.9 FPS, and from High to Ultra is 11 FPS. Notably, the 4K results show that only Low and Medium maintain frame rates above 60 FPS, while High and Ultra fall below that threshold. The scaling from 1080p to 4K at each setting is roughly consistent: Low loses 170.9 FPS (66.7%), Medium loses 129.1 FPS (66.3%), High loses 92.8 FPS (65%), and Ultra loses 70.1 FPS (64.3%). This uniform percentage reduction across settings reinforces that the GPU's rasterization throughput is the dominant factor at higher resolutions, with the CPU's contribution remaining relatively stable.