Hitman 2

The Intel Core i5-13400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 is a combination that produces strictly entry-level results in Hitman 2, ranking 1754th out of 1795 tested combos. This places it in the bottom 2.3% of all configurations tested, a position driven almost entirely by the GPU's limited 4 GB VRAM and modest compute capabilities. The CPU, by contrast, is a strong modern part that is not the limiting factor at any resolution tested. The data indicates this combo is viable only for 1080p gaming at reduced settings, and even then, it cannot maintain high refresh rates. This analysis breaks down exactly where the bottlenecks lie and what settings yield the most playable experience.

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

The Intel Core i5-13400F is a 10-core, 16-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. It features 20 MB of shared L3 cache and supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory. This is a capable modern desktop CPU, as evidenced by its 82nd percentile ranking among all CPUs in the database. Its multi-threaded performance is strong, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 21279 and a Geekbench multi-core score of 10971. Single-thread performance is also solid, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3004 and a Geekbench single-core score of 2301.

In the context of Hitman 2, a stealth game that relies on CPU for AI, physics, and scene management, this processor is far from a bottleneck. The benchmark results show that at 1080p Low settings, the combo achieves 68.1 FPS average, which is the highest frame rate recorded across any resolution or setting. This indicates that even at the game's most CPU-intensive low-detail settings, the i5-13400F can feed the GPU enough data to reach its maximum output. The CPU's performance relative to its nearest rivals further confirms its strength: it sits within 0.5% of the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D and within 0.1% of the Intel Core i7-13620H. The data suggests that any frame rate limitations in this combo are attributable to the graphics card, not the processor.

Given the GPU's limitations, the CPU's high scores are effectively wasted potential in this pairing. For instance, the CPU's Passmark multi-thread score of 25032 shows it can handle heavy workloads, but the GTX 1650 cannot translate that into higher frame rates beyond the ~68 FPS ceiling seen at 1080p Low. The processor's 10 cores and 16 threads are more than sufficient for Hitman 2's demands, making it a future-proof component if the GPU were ever upgraded. However, as configured, the CPU role is to sit mostly idle while waiting for the GPU to complete its rendering tasks.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 is a Turing-architecture GPU with 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 128.1 GB/s of bandwidth. Its base clock is 1485 MHz with a boost clock of 1665 MHz, and it offers 2.984 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. This GPU ranks in the 43rd percentile among all GPUs, placing it below the midrange. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Quadro P2200 and the AMD Radeon Pro WX 5100, all within 0.5% of its average benchmark score. The 4 GB VRAM is the primary constraint in Hitman 2, as the game's textures and geometry quickly exceed this capacity at higher settings.

The measured FPS data shows a clear pattern: as resolution and settings increase, performance collapses. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 68.1 FPS, but at 1080p Medium it drops to 52.9 FPS, and at 1080p High it falls to 37.6 FPS. The drop from Medium to Ultra is catastrophic, with the 1080p Ultra average sitting at just 28.7 FPS. This suggests that the 4 GB VRAM buffer is being exhausted at High and Ultra settings, causing significant frame time spikes and overall performance degradation. The GPU's 128.1 GB/s bandwidth is also insufficient for higher resolutions, as evidenced by the 1440p results.

At 1440p, the GTX 1650 struggles severely. The Low setting yields 45.3 FPS, which is playable but not smooth, while Medium drops to 32.9 FPS, High to 24.4 FPS, and Ultra to a near-unplayable 15.6 FPS. At 4K, the situation is dire: even Low settings produce only 22 FPS, and Ultra falls to 12.6 FPS. These numbers indicate that the GPU is fundamentally not designed for resolutions beyond 1080p in modern titles like Hitman 2. The GPU's compute score of 3048 in Passmark and its DirectX 12 score of 35 further confirm its limited capabilities. The GTX 1650 is a 75 W card with no power connectors, designed for basic 1080p gaming, and the data shows it performs best at Low settings.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Hitman 2 at 1080p with playable frame rates?

A: Yes, but only at Low settings, where it achieves 68.1 FPS average. At Medium settings it drops to 52.9 FPS, which is still playable, but High and Ultra settings produce 37.6 FPS and 28.7 FPS respectively, which may feel stuttery.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this system?

A: The GPU is the clear bottleneck. The CPU ranks in the 82nd percentile and delivers strong multi-thread performance (Cinebench R23 multi-core 21279), while the GPU ranks in the 43rd percentile. The frame rate differences between Low and Ultra settings highlight the GPU's limitations, not the CPU's.

Q: What is the best resolution to use with this hardware?

A: 1920x1080 is the only viable resolution. At 2560x1440, even Low settings drop to 45.3 FPS, and at 3840x2160, all settings produce averages below 22 FPS, making them unplayable.

Q: How does the GTX 1650 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The GTX 1650's average benchmark score is 8713, which is within 0.5% of the AMD Radeon Pro WX 5100 (8761) and 0.4% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile (8746). This indicates it performs nearly identically to these cards.

Q: Does the CPU's 10-core configuration help in Hitman 2?

A: The data suggests the CPU is overkill for this game. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 7314 and Passmark multi-thread score of 25032 show ample headroom, but the GPU cannot utilize it, as seen by the 1080p Low maximum of 68.1 FPS.

Q: Is there a setting where the frame rate is consistent enough for competitive play?

A: Only 1080p Low provides a frame rate above 60 FPS at 68.1 FPS. All other settings and resolutions fall below 53 FPS, which is not ideal for fast-paced stealth action requiring precise timing.

How This Combo Ranks

This combination of Intel Core i5-13400F and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 ranks 1754th out of 1795 tested combos in Hitman 2. This places it in the bottom 2.3% of all configurations, which is a poor result for a CPU that individually ranks in the 82nd percentile. The disconnect between the CPU's high standing and the combo's low ranking underscores the severity of the GPU bottleneck. The combo's average measured performance across all settings and resolutions is heavily weighted down by the 4K results, where even Low settings produce only 22 FPS.

The ranking indicates that most other tested combinations, even those with weaker CPUs but stronger GPUs, achieve better frame rates in this game. The CPU's nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D (with an average score of 25365) and the Intel Core i7-13620H (25201), would likely perform much better when paired with a more capable GPU. The GTX 1650's position in the 43rd percentile of GPUs further confirms that this is a low-tier graphics solution. For a game like Hitman 2, which was released in 2018 and is not particularly demanding by modern standards, a rank of 1754 suggests that this combo is only suitable for the most basic 1080p Low settings.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the only settings that provide a consistently playable experience are 1920x1080 with Low quality presets. This configuration produces an average of 68.1 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The Medium preset at 1080p yields 52.9 FPS, which is acceptable for a stealth game where precise reactions are less critical, but it may have occasional dips. High settings at 1080p drop to 37.6 FPS, which is borderline, and Ultra at 28.7 FPS is not recommended as it will feel sluggish.

For users willing to accept lower frame rates, 2560x1440 at Low settings offers 45.3 FPS, but this resolution is not ideal given the GPU's 4 GB VRAM. The data shows a steep drop-off from Low to Medium at 1440p (45.3 FPS to 32.9 FPS), indicating that the VRAM is already stressed. At 3840x2160, all settings produce averages below 22 FPS, making this resolution unusable. The best experience, balancing visual quality and performance, is 1080p Medium at 52.9 FPS, but the safest recommendation for consistent 60+ FPS is 1080p Low.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for Hitman 2 with the Intel Core i5-13400F and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 spans three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the combo achieves its best results: Low settings produce 68.1 FPS average, Medium produces 52.9 FPS, High produces 37.6 FPS, and Ultra produces 28.7 FPS. The progression shows a 15.2 FPS drop from Low to Medium, a further 15.3 FPS drop to High, and an additional 8.9 FPS drop to Ultra. This pattern indicates that each step up in quality costs roughly 15 FPS until the GPU is overwhelmed at Ultra.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops significantly. Low settings yield 45.3 FPS, Medium yields 32.9 FPS, High yields 24.4 FPS, and Ultra drops to 15.6 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium is 12.4 FPS, and the gap between Medium and High is 8.5 FPS. This suggests that the 4 GB VRAM and 128.1 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for 1440p, as even Low settings cannot reach 60 FPS. At 3840x2160, the data shows a near-total collapse: Low produces 22 FPS, Medium produces 16.8 FPS, High produces 14.2 FPS, and Ultra produces 12.6 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is only 9.4 FPS, indicating that the resolution itself is the primary bottleneck, not the settings.

The overall trend across all resolutions is that the GTX 1650 is only capable of smooth performance at 1080p with Low settings. The 1440p and 4K results are below playable thresholds, with even the best 1440p result (45.3 FPS) failing to reach 60 FPS. The data confirms that this combo is strictly a 1080p gaming solution, and any attempt to push higher resolutions will result in sub-30 FPS averages.