Hitman 2

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

The Intel Core i5-13400F brings a 10-core, 16-thread configuration based on Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. This processor sits in the 82nd percentile against all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 25,236. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-13620H, scores 25,201, a delta of just 0.1% — essentially a statistical tie. The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D trails slightly at 25,365 (delta of -0.5%), while the AMD EPYC 9474F and AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 340 both score 25,103 and 25,099 respectively (deltas of 0.5% and 0.5%).

For a stealth game like Hitman 2, the CPU's single-thread performance often dictates how quickly the game processes AI routines, NPC schedules, and physics interactions. The 3DMark single-thread score of 960 and the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3,004 indicate strong per-core capability, which matters when the game needs to react to player actions in crowded environments. Multi-threaded performance is equally robust — the Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 21,279 and 3DMark max-threads score of 7,307 show the processor can handle background tasks without choking the main game thread.

The 20 MB shared L3 cache is notable for a game that streams large level data. Hitman 2's sandbox levels feature many interactive objects and NPCs, and cache-friendly workloads benefit from this capacity. The 65 W TDP suggests the CPU runs efficiently, potentially allowing sustained boost clocks during long play sessions. The processor supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, which gives system builders flexibility, though the game's performance is more likely bound by GPU throughput at higher resolutions, as the measured FPS data demonstrates.

# FAQ

Q: How does the Core i5-13400F compare to its closest rival in raw performance?

A: The data shows the i5-13400F has an average benchmark score of 25,236, which is 0.1% ahead of the Intel Core i7-13620H (25,201) and 0.5% behind the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D (25,365). These deltas are within noise, meaning the CPU is effectively on par with both.

Q: What is the CPU's percentile ranking and what does it indicate?

A: The i5-13400F sits in the 82nd percentile of all CPUs, meaning it outperforms roughly 82% of tested processors. This is a strong showing for a mainstream desktop part, placing it above the median for gaming workloads.

Q: How does the CPU's multi-threaded score compare to its single-threaded score?

A: In Cinebench R23, the multi-core score is 21,279 while the single-core score is 3,004. This ratio of roughly 7:1 indicates excellent scaling across the 10 cores and 16 threads, which benefits games that use multiple threads for streaming and AI.

Q: Does the CPU's cache size matter for Hitman 2?

A: The 20 MB shared L3 cache is relevant for a game with large, persistent sandbox environments. Larger caches reduce the need to fetch data from system memory, which can improve frame pacing in areas with many NPCs and interactive props.

Q: Is this CPU likely to bottleneck the RTX 4060 at 1080p?

A: At 1080p Low settings, the combo achieves 174.3 FPS average, which is very high. The CPU's single-thread score of 3,004 (Cinebench R23) suggests it can feed the GPU adequately at lower resolutions, though the GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher settings.

Q: What is the CPU's launch MSRP?

A: The launch MSRP is $196.

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

Examining the measured FPS data across resolutions reveals a clear pattern of GPU-bound scaling. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 95.6 at 1920x1080 to 62.3 at 2560x1440, then falls sharply to 34.9 at 3840x2160. This represents a 35% reduction from 1080p to 1440p, and a 63% reduction from 1080p to 4K. The drop accelerates at higher resolutions, which is characteristic of a GPU-limited scenario — the RTX 4060's rendering workload grows exponentially with pixel count.

At Low settings, the scaling is even more dramatic: 174.3 FPS at 1080p drops to 112.9 FPS at 1440p (a 35% decrease) and then to 57.4 FPS at 4K (a 67% decrease). The 4K Low result is particularly telling — even with minimal graphics load, the GPU cannot maintain high frame rates, indicating that the RTX 4060's raw throughput is the primary constraint at this resolution. The CPU's strong single-thread performance (3,004 in Cinebench R23) is not the bottleneck here.

Medium settings follow the same trend: 128.7 FPS at 1080p, 84.3 FPS at 1440p, and 42.9 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops are consistent across settings, reinforcing that resolution is the dominant factor. Ultra settings show the steepest absolute decline — from 72.5 FPS at 1080p to 48.6 FPS at 1440p and 26.0 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result of 26.0 FPS is below playable thresholds, suggesting that this combination is not suited for maxed-out 4K gaming.

The data implies that at 1080p, the system has headroom — even Ultra settings exceed 70 FPS. At 1440p, High settings stay above 60 FPS, but Ultra dips below 50. At 4K, only Low settings approach 60 FPS, and even then it's borderline. This scaling behavior points to the GPU as the limiting component at all resolutions above 1080p, with the CPU providing sufficient throughput to avoid becoming a constraint.

# How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The Intel Core i5-13400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 ranks 1005 out of 1795 tested combos in Hitman 2. This places the combo in the middle of the distribution, around the 56th percentile of all tested configurations. Given that the CPU alone sits in the 82nd percentile and the GPU in the 66th percentile, the combo's mid-pack ranking suggests that Hitman 2's performance is not purely a function of component strength — game-specific optimization and the balance between CPU and GPU matter significantly.

The combo's rank of 1005 indicates that many lower-spec CPUs paired with stronger GPUs, or vice versa, achieve better results in this specific title. This is not surprising for a 2018 game that was designed around hardware of that era; modern components may not scale perfectly with its engine. The RTX 4060's 66th percentile GPU ranking (average benchmark score of 23,181, with the AMD Radeon RX 6600M at 23,321 as a near rival at -0.6% delta) suggests it is a mid-tier card, while the CPU is upper-mid-tier. The combination creates a balanced system, but Hitman 2's engine appears to favor certain hardware configurations.

Interestingly, the combo's rank is not catastrophic — it is still in the top 56% of all tested combos. The measured FPS data confirms that the system delivers smooth gameplay at 1080p and 1440p with appropriate settings. The mid-pack ranking likely reflects the GPU's limitations at 4K, where even Low settings only reach 57.4 FPS, pulling down the overall score. For 1080p and 1440p gaming, this combo performs well above the median, but the 4K results drag the composite rank down.

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

At 1920x1080, the High preset delivers 95.6 FPS average, which is a strong balance between visual quality and smoothness. The Medium preset reaches 128.7 FPS, while Ultra drops to 72.5 FPS — still playable but with diminishing returns for the extra visual fidelity. Low settings hit 174.3 FPS, which is excessive for most displays and sacrifices visual quality unnecessarily. For 1080p, High is the recommended preset, as it maintains well above 60 FPS while preserving the game's atmospheric lighting and shadows, which are critical for stealth gameplay.

At 2560x1440, the High preset achieves 62.3 FPS, just above the 60 FPS threshold. Medium reaches 84.3 FPS, providing a comfortable margin. Ultra falls to 48.6 FPS, which may cause noticeable stutter in fast-paced sequences. The data suggests that Medium is the safest choice at 1440p, offering 84.3 FPS with moderate visual compromises. High is viable for players with 60 Hz displays, but Medium provides better headroom for demanding scenes with multiple NPCs.

At 3840x2160, the situation is more constrained. Low settings achieve 57.4 FPS, which is close to 60 but not quite there. Medium drops to 42.9 FPS, and High falls to 34.9 FPS, with Ultra at 26.0 FPS being nearly unplayable. For 4K, Low is the only preset that approaches playable frame rates, and even then, it may not hold 60 FPS consistently. Players seeking 4K should expect to compromise heavily on visual quality or consider a more powerful GPU.

Overall, the best experience per the measured rows is 1080p High (95.6 FPS) or 1440p Medium (84.3 FPS), depending on display resolution. Both offer smooth, responsive gameplay that suits a stealth game's need for precise timing and situational awareness.

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

At 1920x1080, the measured average FPS values are: Low 174.3, Medium 128.7, High 95.6, and Ultra 72.5. The progression shows a consistent reduction as settings increase, with a 41% drop from Low to High and a 58% drop from Low to Ultra. The gap between Medium and High is 33.1 FPS, while the gap between High and Ultra is 23.1 FPS, indicating that each tier adds meaningful visual cost.

At 2560x1440, the values are: Low 112.9, Medium 84.3, High 62.3, and Ultra 48.6. The pattern mirrors 1080p but with compressed absolute numbers. The drop from Low to High is 50.6 FPS (a 45% reduction), and from Low to Ultra is 64.3 FPS (a 57% reduction). Notably, the 1440p High value of 62.3 FPS is close to the 1080p Ultra value of 72.5 FPS, showing that resolution and settings trade off almost linearly.

At 3840x2160, the values are: Low 57.4, Medium 42.9, High 34.9, and Ultra 26.0. The drop from Low to High is 22.5 FPS (a 39% reduction), and from Low to Ultra is 31.4 FPS (a 55% reduction). The 4K Ultra value of 26.0 FPS is the lowest in the entire dataset, highlighting the GPU's limits. The 4K Low value of 57.4 FPS is the only 4K result that approaches playability, and it still falls short of 60 FPS.

Comparing across resolutions at the same settings: High yields 95.6 FPS at 1080p, 62.3 FPS at 1440p, and 34.9 FPS at 4K. This shows a halving of frame rate with each resolution step, which aligns with the pixel count quadrupling from 1080p to 4K. Medium produces 128.7, 84.3, and 42.9 FPS respectively, while Low produces 174.3, 112.9, and 57.4 FPS. Ultra produces 72.5, 48.6, and 26.0 FPS. The consistent scaling confirms that the GPU is the primary performance determinant across resolutions.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 uses the AD107 chip on a 5 nm process with 18,900 million transistors and a die size of 159 mm². Its base clock is 1830 MHz, boosting to 2460 MHz, with memory running at 2125 MHz (17 Gbps effective). The 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus provides 272.0 GB/s of bandwidth. This memory configuration is adequate for Hitman 2, which is a 2018 title and does not require excessive VRAM for its textures and geometry.

The GPU's FP32 performance of 15.11 TFLOPS and texture rate of 236.2 GTexel/s indicate solid raw throughput for a mid-range card. The pixel rate of 118.1 GPixel/s directly impacts fill-rate-bound scenarios, which explains the steep FPS drops at 4K where pixel count quadruples. The RTX 4060's 66th percentile ranking (average benchmark score of 23,181) places it below the AMD Radeon RX 6600M (23,321, -0.6% delta) and above the Intel Arc B580 (23,021, 0.7% delta). This mid-tier positioning is reflected in the measured FPS: the card comfortably handles 1080p and 1440p but struggles at 4K.

The 8 GB VRAM is not a limiting factor in Hitman 2, given the game's age, but the 128-bit memory bus constrains bandwidth at higher resolutions. The 272.0 GB/s bandwidth is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K, the increased memory traffic from higher-resolution textures and effects likely contributes to the dramatic FPS drops. The TDP of 115 W and suggested PSU of 300 W indicate efficient operation, but the card's 24 RT cores and 96 tensor cores are not heavily utilized in a non-ray-tracing game like Hitman 2, meaning the traditional rasterization performance is what matters here.

The GPU's boost clock of 2460 MHz is relatively high, which helps maintain performance in GPU-bound scenes. However, the measured data shows that even at Low settings, 4K performance does not exceed 57.4 FPS, suggesting that the card's raw compute capacity, not memory bandwidth or clock speed, is the ultimate ceiling at that resolution. For this game, the RTX 4060 delivers its best results at 1080p and 1440p, where it can leverage its clock speed and shading units effectively without hitting memory or fill-rate walls.