Hitman 2

The Intel Core i5-14400F paired with the Intel Arc B390 produces a benchmark result that places this combination in the lower tier of tested systems for Hitman 2. The combo ranks 2662 out of 3001 tested combinations, placing it in the bottom 11% of all tested hardware pairings. This rank reflects a significant performance deficit that is primarily attributable to the graphics solution; the data indicates a system that is capable of running the game, but only at lower resolutions and settings, and with frame rates that will not satisfy users expecting high-refresh-rate gameplay. The overall position is a direct consequence of the GPU’s low average benchmark score, which sits at the 9th percentile of all GPUs, while the CPU performs at the 83rd percentile of all CPUs, creating a substantial imbalance in capability.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 2662 out of 3001 tested combos places it in the bottom 11.3% of all configurations. This is a clear indicator of a system that is heavily constrained by its weakest component. The data shows a stark contrast between the two primary parts: the Intel Core i5-14400F achieves an average benchmark score of 32279, placing it in the 83rd percentile of all CPUs, while the Intel Arc B390’s average benchmark score of 1482 puts it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. This massive gap in relative performance is the defining characteristic of this setup. The CPU is a mid-range performer that can hold its own against comparable processors, but the GPU is positioned at the very bottom of the performance stack, and this is precisely where the system’s gaming performance lands.

When examining the GPU’s nearest rivals, the picture becomes even more clear. The Arc B390’s average score of 1482 is within 2.7% of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 (1443), 1.5% of the GeForce 800M (1460), and 1.3% of the GeForce GT 520MX (1463). These are legacy or entry-level parts, and the data shows the Arc B390 performing in their immediate vicinity. The measured FPS in Hitman 2 is consistent with this placement; the system does not achieve playable frame rates at higher settings or resolutions. The CPU’s performance is not the bottleneck here, as its nearest rivals, including the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U (0.1% faster) and the Intel Core i9-11900 (0.2% faster), show that the 14400F is a solid, mid-pack processor. The ranking of the entire combo is therefore a direct reflection of the GPU’s position in the performance hierarchy.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14400F is a 10-core, 16-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, built on a 10 nm process. It has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. The processor features 20 MB of shared L3 cache, with 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core and 80 KB of L1 cache per core. This is a modern, capable desktop CPU with a 65-watt TDP. Its benchmark results, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 21645 and a single-core score of 3055, confirm that it has substantial processing power. Its PassMark multithread score of 25470 and single-thread score of 3701 further establish it as a strong performer for general and gaming workloads.

In the context of Hitman 2, the CPU’s role is to handle game logic, physics, and AI. The data shows that the 14400F is more than sufficient for this task. Its 83rd percentile ranking among all CPUs indicates that it will not be the limiting factor in this configuration. The game’s performance, as seen in the measured FPS data, scales inversely with resolution and settings, which is the classic signature of a GPU-bound scenario. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 80 FPS, but even at this lowest load, the frame rate does not reach the levels that a CPU with a 83rd percentile ranking could theoretically support. The CPU is effectively waiting on the GPU. The processor’s high single-thread performance, as evidenced by its Geekbench single-core score of 2058 and Cinebench R15 single-core score of 307, is more than adequate for Hitman 2’s requirements. The data suggests that the CPU has significant headroom left on the table, as the system’s frame rates are consistently dragged down by the graphics subsystem.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on a 3 nm process. It operates at a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz. The GPU has 1536 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs. It features 12 ray tracing cores. Its memory configuration is "System Shared," meaning it uses a portion of the system’s main memory rather than dedicated VRAM, with bandwidth that is "System Dependent." The GPU’s TDP is 80 W. Its only benchmark result is a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482, which places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. The 3DMark score of 1482 is the only direct measure of its graphics compute power, and it is very low.

This GPU is the clear bottleneck in this system. The measured FPS in Hitman 2 reflects this. At 1080p with Low settings, the system produces 80 FPS, but this is the maximum. The GPU’s performance degrades quickly as the settings increase. At 1080p High, the frame rate drops to 46 FPS, and at Ultra, it falls to 34 FPS. The data shows that the GPU’s performance is the primary constraint. Its nearest rivals, such as the GeForce GT 710 and GT 520MX, are all parts from a previous era, and the measured performance aligns with that grouping. The IGP designation and "System Shared" memory indicate that this is not designed for high-end gaming, and the benchmark results confirm this, showing that it struggles to maintain playable frame rates even at 1080p with higher quality settings. The GPU’s low pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s and texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s are indicative of its limited fill rate, which is a major factor in its poor performance at higher resolutions.

FAQ

Q: Why is the combo ranking so low when the CPU has a high percentile ranking?

A: The combo’s rank of 2662 out of 3001 is determined by the system’s overall performance, which is heavily weighted by the GPU. The Intel Arc B390 has a 9th percentile ranking among all GPUs, while the CPU has an 83rd percentile ranking. The GPU’s low performance drags the entire combination down.

Q: How does the Intel Core i5-14400F compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The CPU’s average benchmark score of 32279 is 0.1% higher than the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U’s score of 32233 and 0.2% higher than the Intel Core i9-11900’s score of 32226. It is 0.2% lower than the AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS’s score of 32354 and 0.5% higher than the Intel Core i7-12800H’s score of 32121.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Arc B390 and its closest rivals?

A: The Arc B390’s average score of 1482 is 1.3% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX’s score of 1463, 1.5% higher than the GeForce 800M’s score of 1460, 2.5% higher than the GeForce GT 625 OEM’s score of 1446, and 2.7% higher than the GeForce GT 710’s score of 1443.

Q: What is the best frame rate this combo can achieve in Hitman 2?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded for this combo is 80 FPS, which occurs at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This is the only configuration that reaches this level; all other tested settings result in lower average frame rates.

Q: Does the Arc B390 have dedicated video memory?

A: No, the memory configuration for the Intel Arc B390 is "System Shared." This means it uses the system’s main memory instead of dedicated VRAM, and the memory bandwidth is "System Dependent."

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this system?

A: The data shows that the GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU has an 83rd percentile ranking, while the GPU is at the 9th percentile. As resolution and settings increase, frame rates drop significantly, which is a clear indication of a GPU bottleneck.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and predictable scaling pattern across resolutions. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 80 FPS. Moving to 1440p at the same Low settings, the average FPS drops to 51, a 36.3% decrease. At 4K with Low settings, the average FPS falls to 27, a 66.3% decrease from the 1080p Low result. This pattern indicates that the system is very sensitive to resolution changes, which is a hallmark of a GPU-limited system.

The scaling is even more dramatic at higher settings. For example, at High settings, the frame rate drops from 46 FPS at 1080p to 29 FPS at 1440p, a 37.0% decrease, and then to 16 FPS at 4K, a 65.2% decrease from the 1080p High result. The Arc B390’s limited pixel rate and texture rate are the primary reasons for this behavior. The GPU is simply unable to handle the increased pixel count as resolution rises. The fact that the CPU’s performance remains constant while frame rates fall with resolution confirms that the GPU is the sole limiting component. The data suggests that the only way to achieve playable frame rates with this combo is to use the lowest settings and the lowest resolution.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the only configuration that yields a consistently playable experience is 1920x1080 with Low settings, which produces an average of 80 FPS. This is the only tested setting that exceeds 60 FPS. The 1080p Medium setting produces an average of 60 FPS, with a minimum of 51 FPS and a maximum of 69 FPS, which is borderline playable but may experience noticeable dips. All other settings and resolutions fail to reach 60 FPS on average. At 1440p, the Low setting gives a 51 FPS average, which is playable but not ideal, while the Medium setting gives 39 FPS and the High setting gives 29 FPS. The 4K results are uniformly poor, with the best case being 27 FPS at Low settings.

The data indicates that for a smooth experience, users should select 1080p Low. If a user prefers higher visual fidelity, the 1080p Medium setting is the only other option that approaches 60 FPS, but it carries a risk of frame rate dips below 60. The Ultra setting is not recommended at any resolution, as it yields an average of 34 FPS at 1080p, 21 FPS at 1440p, and 11 FPS at 4K. The High setting is also not recommended for a smooth experience, as it only achieves 46 FPS at 1080p. Given the GPU’s performance level, the best experience is achieved by prioritizing frame rate over visual quality.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following is the complete set of measured FPS data for this combo in Hitman 2.

At 3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: Average FPS of 27.
• Medium: Average FPS of 21, with a minimum of 17 and a maximum of 24.
• High: Average FPS of 16.
• Ultra: Average FPS of 11.

At 2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: Average FPS of 51.
• Medium: Average FPS of 39, with a minimum of 33 and a maximum of 44.
• High: Average FPS of 29.
• Ultra: Average FPS of 21.

At 1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: Average FPS of 80.
• Medium: Average FPS of 60, with a minimum of 51 and a maximum of 69.
• High: Average FPS of 46.
• Ultra: Average FPS of 34.

The data shows a consistent pattern: the system’s frame rate is directly tied to the GPU’s workload. The 1080p Low result of 80 FPS is the only configuration that provides a clear margin above 60 FPS. The 1080p Medium result is the only other option that reaches a 60 FPS average, but its minimum of 51 FPS indicates instability. The 1440p and 4K results are all below 60 FPS, and the 4K results are all below 30 FPS, making them unsuitable for a responsive gaming experience. The Intel Core i5-14400F’s high performance is rendered moot by the Intel Arc B390’s inability to push frames, and the measured FPS data across all resolutions and settings reflects this fundamental imbalance.