Hitman 2

# Hitman 2 with Intel Core i5-13400F + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080

The pairing of Intel's 13th-generation Core i5-13400F with NVIDIA's RTX 4080 produces a fascinating study in bottleneck behavior within Hitman 2, a 2018 stealth title that remains surprisingly demanding at high resolutions. The measured frame rates across three resolutions and four quality presets reveal a system that is clearly GPU-limited at 4K but transitions toward CPU influence as resolution drops, with the data showing a spread from 43 FPS at Ultra 4K to 302 FPS at Low 1080p. This combination ranks 255th out of 3711 tested combos for this game, placing it comfortably in the top 7% of all configurations, though the precise nature of its performance ceiling varies significantly depending on where you point it.

Resolution Scaling

The resolution scaling behavior of this combo tells a clear story about component balance. At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 172 FPS at 1920x1080 to 110 FPS at 2560x1440, then further to 58 FPS at 3840x2160. That represents a 36% reduction moving from 1080p to 1440p, and another 47% reduction moving from 1440p to 4K. The cumulative drop from 1080p to 4K at High settings is 66%, which is substantial but not catastrophic, suggesting the RTX 4080 is still providing usable performance even at the highest pixel count.

More revealing is the scaling pattern at Low settings. Here, the 1080p result is 302 FPS, dropping to 193 FPS at 1440p (a 36% reduction) and then to 103 FPS at 4K (a 47% reduction from 1440p). The proportional drops are nearly identical to what we see at High settings, which is somewhat unusual — typically, lower settings make the CPU more of a limiting factor and create steeper drops at lower resolutions. The fact that the scaling curve remains consistent across settings suggests that even at Low 1080p, the RTX 4080 is still doing enough work to keep the CPU from becoming the sole bottleneck.

At Ultra settings, the resolution scaling becomes more punishing. The 1080p result is 126 FPS, falling to 81 FPS at 1440p (a 36% drop) and then to 43 FPS at 4K (a 47% drop from 1440p). The consistency of these percentages across all three settings presets — High, Low, and Ultra — points to a GPU that is scaling almost linearly with pixel count, which is the hallmark of a graphics-bound scenario. The i5-13400F, with its 10 cores and 16 threads, appears to be feeding the RTX 4080 adequately even at 1080p, where CPU bottlenecks typically emerge.

The data implies that this is a combination where the limiting component shifts gradually. At 4K, the GPU is clearly the constraint, given the dramatic FPS reduction as pixel count rises. At 1080p, the frame rates are high enough — 302 FPS at Low — that the CPU's 4.60 GHz boost clock is likely becoming a factor, though the game's engine seems to handle the 10-core processor well. The lack of min/max frame data for most rows (only Medium presets include these values) makes it harder to assess frame pacing, but the available numbers show a 66 FPS minimum at 4K Medium versus an 89 FPS maximum, indicating reasonable stability.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is the dominant component in this pairing, and its specifications explain much of the observed performance. With 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, the GPU delivers 716.8 GB/s of bandwidth — a figure that becomes critical at 4K Ultra where the 43 FPS result suggests the graphics card is being pushed to its limits by Hitman 2's most demanding settings. The memory clock runs at 1400 MHz, translating to 22.4 Gbps effective, which is typical for the Ada Lovelace architecture.

The RTX 4080's compute capabilities are substantial: 9728 shading units, 304 texture mapping units, and 112 raster operations pipelines. Its boost clock of 2505 MHz (with a base of 2205 MHz) drives a pixel rate of 280.6 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 761.5 GTexel/s. These figures align with the observed 4K performance — at Ultra settings, the 43 FPS average indicates the GPU is processing roughly 1.85 billion pixels per second, which is within the expected range given the pixel rate and the game's rendering complexity.

The GPU's 76 ray tracing cores and 304 tensor cores are present but largely irrelevant for Hitman 2, which predates widespread RT adoption in the series. The FP32 throughput of 48.74 TFLOPS is more relevant, as the game's lighting and shadow calculations benefit from raw compute power. The GPU's percentile ranking of 86 versus all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 54247, places it in the upper echelon, though its nearest rivals — the RTX 4080 SUPER at 54209 (0.1% delta) and the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X at 54828 (-1.1% delta) — show that the performance headroom is narrow at the top.

The memory capacity of 16 GB proves sufficient for Hitman 2 at all tested settings, as evidenced by the fact that even 4K Ultra produces playable (if not ideal) frame rates rather than stutter-induced collapses. The GPU's 320 W TDP and triple-slot design suggest it is not thermally constrained in typical desktop configurations, though the data does not include temperature readings. The fact that this GPU is marked as end-of-life, with the GeForce 50 series as its successor, means this pairing represents a peak of the Ada Lovelace generation rather than a forward-looking choice.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-13400F plays a supporting role that becomes increasingly important as resolution decreases. This 10-core, 16-thread processor (a configuration of performance and efficiency cores) operates with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz, drawing 65 W TDP. Its 20 MB of shared L3 cache, along with 1.25 MB L2 per core and 80 KB L1 per core, provides ample cache for a game like Hitman 2 that features complex AI routines and physics calculations.

Synthetic benchmarks show the CPU's multi-threaded strength: a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 22604 and a Geekbench multicore score of 11068. Single-thread performance is also respectable, with Cinebench R23 single-core at 3191 and Geekbench single-core at 1996. These scores suggest the CPU can handle the game's simulation workload without becoming a hard bottleneck, which aligns with the observed scaling behavior. The 3DMark results are particularly telling: 16-thread score of 7314 versus max-thread score of 7307, indicating that the CPU's thread scaling is nearly flat beyond 16 threads — a characteristic that suits games like Hitman 2 that typically use 8 or fewer threads effectively.

The CPU's percentile ranking of 77 versus all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 25292, places it near the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS (25284, 0% delta) and Intel Core 5 120 (25362, -0.3% delta). This clustering around the 25,000-point mark suggests the i5-13400F is a solid mid-to-upper tier processor, but not a flagship. In the context of Hitman 2, the data implies the CPU is sufficient for the game's demands at all tested resolutions, as evidenced by the GPU-bound scaling pattern described earlier.

At 1080p Low, the 302 FPS result is high enough that CPU overhead must be minimal, yet the game still scales cleanly with resolution — a sign that even at this extreme, the RTX 4080 remains the primary constraint. The CPU's lack of integrated graphics (the "F" suffix) means it relies entirely on the discrete GPU, which is a non-issue in this pairing. The processor's support for both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, with dual-channel configuration, provides flexibility, though the data does not specify which memory type was used in testing.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS rows provide clear guidance on which preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance for this combo. At 1920x1080, all four presets exceed 120 FPS, with Ultra at 126 FPS, High at 172 FPS, Medium at 227 FPS, and Low at 302 FPS. For players with 144 Hz or even 240 Hz displays, High settings at 1080p deliver 172 FPS, which is well above the refresh rate of most monitors while offering significantly better visuals than the Medium preset. Ultra at 1080p is also viable at 126 FPS, though the jump from High to Ultra costs 46 FPS (a 27% reduction) for what is typically a marginal visual improvement in this game.

At 2560x1440, the recommendation shifts. High settings produce 110 FPS, which is excellent for most gaming scenarios, while Medium produces 145 FPS. Ultra drops to 81 FPS, which is still playable but represents a 26% reduction from High. For 1440p displays with 120 Hz or 144 Hz refresh rates, High settings are the sweet spot — they maintain triple-digit frame rates while preserving the visual features that make Hitman 2's environments detailed. Medium is the safer choice for those who prioritize competitive smoothness, offering 145 FPS with a documented minimum of 123 FPS and maximum of 167 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the calculus changes dramatically. Ultra produces 43 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold that most players consider the minimum for smooth gameplay. High settings achieve 58 FPS, which is close to 60 but not quite there. Medium delivers 77 FPS with a minimum of 66 FPS and maximum of 89 FPS — this is the only 4K preset that consistently stays above 60 FPS. Low settings reach 103 FPS, but the visual sacrifice is substantial. For 4K users, Medium is the recommended preset, as it provides a stable frame rate above 60 FPS while retaining enough graphical fidelity to be enjoyable. The 66 FPS minimum recorded at Medium 4K indicates that even under demanding scenes, the system stays above the playability threshold.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of Intel Core i5-13400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 ranks 255th out of 3711 tested combos for Hitman 2, placing it in the 93rd percentile of all configurations. This ranking reflects the GPU's strong performance — the RTX 4080 sits at the 86th percentile among all GPUs — combined with a CPU that, while not top-tier, is more than adequate for this game. The gap between the combo's ranking (top 7%) and the GPU's percentile (top 14%) suggests that the CPU is not holding the system back significantly, but also that other combinations with higher-end CPUs achieve better results.

The CPU's nearest rivals — all within 0.4% of its average benchmark score — include the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS, Intel Core 5 120, AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D, and AMD Ryzen 7 6800H. None of these would likely produce dramatically different results in Hitman 2 given the GPU-bound nature of the game at most settings. Similarly, the GPU's nearest rivals — the RTX 4080 SUPER, AMD Radeon Pro W5700X, AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB, and AMD Radeon 8060S — are all within 2.7% of its average score, suggesting that swapping the GPU for any of these would yield nearly identical frame rates.

The ranking at 255 out of 3711 implies that there are 254 combinations that outperform this one in Hitman 2, likely featuring higher-end CPUs (such as the Core i7 or i9 series) paired with the RTX 4080 or faster GPUs. However, the gap in performance is likely small given the game's scaling behavior. The data suggests that this combo occupies a sweet spot where the RTX 4080's capabilities are largely realized, and the i5-13400F provides enough processing power to avoid becoming a significant limitation. For a game released in 2018, this hardware is far beyond what the developers targeted, which explains why even 4K Ultra produces playable frame rates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured average frame rates are as follows: Low settings produce 302 FPS, Medium produces 227 FPS with a minimum of 193 FPS and maximum of 261 FPS, High produces 172 FPS, and Ultra produces 126 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 176 FPS, representing a 58% reduction in performance when moving to the highest quality preset. The Medium preset's documented frame range of 193 to 261 FPS shows a 68 FPS variance, which is relatively tight given the high average, indicating stable performance.

At 2560x1440, the averages drop to 193 FPS for Low, 145 FPS for Medium (with 123 FPS minimum and 167 FPS maximum), 110 FPS for High, and 81 FPS for Ultra. The reduction from 1080p to 1440p is consistent at approximately 36% across all presets, as noted earlier. The Medium preset's variance of 44 FPS (123 to 167) represents a slightly wider relative spread than at 1080p, but still indicates good frame pacing.

At 3840x2160, the averages are 103 FPS for Low, 77 FPS for Medium (with 66 FPS minimum and 89 FPS maximum), 58 FPS for High, and 43 FPS for Ultra. The drop from 1440p to 4K is approximately 47% across all presets. The Medium preset's minimum of 66 FPS is critical — it shows that even the most demanding scenes at 4K Medium stay above the 60 FPS threshold, while the 89 FPS maximum demonstrates headroom in less demanding areas. This 23 FPS variance (66 to 89) is proportionally larger than at lower resolutions, suggesting that 4K pushes the GPU to a point where scene complexity has a more pronounced effect on frame rates.

FAQ

Q: Is this combo capable of 60 FPS at 4K in Hitman 2?

A: Yes, but only if you choose the right settings. The data shows 77 FPS at Medium 4K, with a documented minimum of 66 FPS. High settings produce 58 FPS, which falls just short of 60 FPS, while Ultra produces 43 FPS. Medium is the only preset that consistently exceeds 60 FPS at 4K.

Q: How does the RTX 4080 compare to its closest rivals in this game?

A: The RTX 4080's average benchmark score is 54247, which is nearly identical to the RTX 4080 SUPER at 54209 (0.1% delta). The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X scores 54828 (-1.1% delta), while the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB scores 55698 (-2.6% delta). These differences are small enough that in-game frame rates would be nearly indistinguishable.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Hitman 2?

A: At 1920x1080, the combo delivers 172 FPS at High settings, making it ideal for high-refresh-rate displays. At 2560x1440, High settings produce 110 FPS, which is excellent for 120 Hz monitors. At 3840x2160, Medium settings provide 77 FPS, which is playable but not as smooth as lower resolutions. The choice depends on whether you prioritize resolution or frame rate.

Q: Does the i5-13400F bottleneck the RTX 4080 in this game?

A: The data suggests minimal bottlenecking. The resolution scaling pattern is nearly identical across Low, Medium, and High settings, indicating GPU-bound behavior even at 1080p Low (302 FPS). The CPU's 10 cores and 16 threads, with a boost clock of 4.60 GHz, appear sufficient for Hitman 2's demands.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested combinations?

A: It ranks 255th out of 3711 tested combos, placing it in the top 7% of all configurations. This is consistent with the RTX 4080's 86th percentile ranking among GPUs, suggesting the CPU is not significantly dragging down the overall performance.

Q: What is the frame time consistency like at Medium settings?

A: The data includes min/max values only for Medium presets. At 1080p, the range is 193 to 261 FPS, at 1440p it is 123 to 167 FPS, and at 4K it is 66 to 89 FPS. The variance widens as resolution increases, indicating that the GPU's workload becomes less predictable at higher pixel counts.