Hitman 2

The Intel Core i5-14400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 pairing lands at rank 1837 out of 3001 tested combos in Hitman 2, placing it in the lower-middle tier of the database. This is a functional 1080p setup that can push high refresh rates at lower settings, but it struggles to maintain playable frame rates at 4K Ultra. The data indicates a clear performance ceiling defined by the GPU, while the CPU provides ample headroom for the game's logic and AI workloads. This combo is best suited for gamers targeting 1080p or 1440p with settings tuned to Medium or High, where the balance between the two components yields smooth, consistent gameplay.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 1837 out of 3001 tested configurations places it squarely in the 61st percentile of all tested pairings for Hitman 2. This is not a top-tier combination for this game, but it is also far from the bottom. The data shows that this pairing outperforms roughly three-fifths of the tested combos, which is a respectable position for a mid-range CPU and entry-level current-generation GPU. The ranking suggests that while the system is capable of delivering a solid experience, it will not dominate at maximum settings or high resolutions. The position is heavily influenced by the GPU's performance ceiling; the RTX 5050 is the limiting factor in this pairing, as evidenced by the scaling of frame rates across resolutions and settings. In practical terms, this rank means the combo is optimized for 1080p gaming, where it can deliver high average frame rates, but it will require compromises at 1440p and especially 4K. The CPU's strong benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 21645, indicate that it is not the bottleneck; instead, the GPU's compute and memory bandwidth dictate the overall gaming performance in Hitman 2.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with a GB207 chip, and it carries 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 320.0 GB/s. These specifications are modest for modern gaming, and the data shows that this memory configuration is a significant constraint in Hitman 2 at higher resolutions. The GPU's base clock of 2317 MHz and boost clock of 2572 MHz are relatively high, but the 8 GB VRAM capacity becomes a limiting factor when moving from 1080p to 1440p and 4K. The GPU also features 2560 shading units, 80 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, which contribute to its pixel rate of 82.30 GPixel/s and texture rate of 205.8 GTexel/s. The FP32 performance is rated at 13.17 TFLOPS, which is adequate for DirectX 12 titles like Hitman 2, but the data indicates that the GPU's performance in this game is more closely tied to memory bandwidth and capacity than raw compute power. The GPU's benchmark scores, including a Passmark G3D score of 17326 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 2502, place it in the 66th percentile of all GPUs, which is notably lower than the CPU's 83rd percentile ranking. This discrepancy explains why the GPU is the primary bottleneck in this combo. The benchmark results show that while the GPU can handle the game's rendering at 1080p with ease, it struggles to maintain frame rates at 4K Ultra, where the average FPS drops to 22, indicating a hard limit on the GPU's ability to process the increased pixel count and texture detail.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a steep performance drop as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K, which is a classic sign of a GPU-bound system. At 1080p with High settings, the combo averages 86 FPS, which is smooth and playable. Moving to 1440p High drops the average to 55 FPS, a 36% reduction, and then to 4K High, the average falls to 29 FPS, a 66% reduction from the 1080p baseline. This scaling pattern is consistent across all settings. For example, at Low settings, the average FPS goes from 152 at 1080p to 97 at 1440p, and then to 52 at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is significant, but the drop from 1440p to 4K is even more severe, indicating that the GPU is running out of memory bandwidth and raw fill rate at 4K. The most telling data point is the 4K Ultra result, which averages only 22 FPS, making it essentially unplayable. This pattern strongly suggests that the RTX 5050's 8 GB VRAM and 320.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for 4K gaming in Hitman 2, even at lower settings. The 1080p results, however, show that the combo is well-balanced at this resolution, with the CPU providing enough headroom to feed the GPU. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is more gradual, suggesting that the GPU is still the limiting factor, but the system remains usable at Medium and High settings. The data clearly indicates that this combo is optimized for 1080p, with 1440p being a stretch, and 4K being out of reach for smooth gameplay.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best performance. With Low settings, the average FPS is 152, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors. Medium settings average 114 FPS, with min and max readings of 97 and 131 FPS, respectively, showing good frame pacing. High settings average 86 FPS, which is still very smooth for most players. Ultra settings drop the average to 64 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for competitive play. The 1080p results show that the combo can handle all settings, with the gap between Low and Ultra being 88 FPS, indicating a wide performance envelope. At 2560x1440, the performance takes a noticeable hit. Low settings average 97 FPS, which is still smooth, but Medium drops to 73 FPS, with min and max of 62 and 84 FPS. High settings average 55 FPS, which is borderline for smooth gameplay, and Ultra drops to 41 FPS, which is marginal. The 1440p results show that the combo is best used with Medium settings, as the frame rate at High and Ultra may not be consistent enough for all users. At 3840x2160, the performance is severely limited. Low settings average 52 FPS, which is playable but not ideal. Medium settings average 39 FPS, with min and max of 33 and 45 FPS, indicating noticeable frame dips. High settings average 29 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay, and Ultra averages 22 FPS, which is essentially unplayable. The 4K results confirm that this combo is not designed for 4K gaming, as even Low settings cannot maintain a solid 60 FPS. The data shows that the sweet spot for this combo is 1080p with Medium to High settings, where it delivers a consistent and enjoyable experience.

FAQ

Q: Is this combo capable of running Hitman 2 at 60 FPS?

A: Yes, but only at 1080p. At 1080p with Low settings, the average FPS is 152, and at Medium settings, it is 114. At High settings, it is 86 FPS, which is still above 60. At 1440p, it can achieve 60 FPS only at Low settings, with an average of 97 FPS. At 4K, it cannot reach 60 FPS at any setting, with the highest average being 52 FPS at Low.

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

A: The data indicates that 1920x1080 is the optimal resolution. At this resolution, the combo can deliver high frame rates across all settings, with an average of 86 FPS at High and 64 FPS at Ultra. At 1440p, the performance is acceptable at Medium settings (73 FPS), but it drops below 60 FPS at High and Ultra. At 4K, the performance is not suitable for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the RTX 5050's 8 GB VRAM affect performance?

A: The 8 GB of VRAM is a limiting factor at higher resolutions. The data shows a dramatic performance drop when moving from 1440p to 4K, where the GPU's memory bandwidth of 320.0 GB/s is insufficient. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 22, indicating that the GPU is running out of memory and bandwidth. At 1080p and 1440p, the VRAM is sufficient, as the frame rates are much higher.

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

A: The GPU is the bottleneck. The Intel Core i5-14400F has a high benchmark score, ranking in the 83rd percentile of all CPUs, while the RTX 5050 ranks in the 66th percentile of GPUs. The FPS scaling across resolutions shows that the GPU is the limiting factor, as performance drops significantly when the resolution increases, indicating that the GPU cannot keep up with the rendering demands.

Q: What settings are recommended for 1440p gaming with this combo?

A: For 1440p, the data shows that Medium settings are the best choice. At Medium settings, the average FPS is 73, with a minimum of 62 FPS, which is close to smooth gameplay. High settings average 55 FPS, which may be acceptable for some, but it is below 60 FPS. Low settings are also viable, with an average of 97 FPS, but Medium provides a better visual experience while maintaining playable frame rates.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Hitman 2?

A: The data shows that 4K gaming is not viable with this combo. At 4K Low settings, the average FPS is 52, which is not smooth, and at Medium settings, it drops to 39 FPS. High settings average 29 FPS, and Ultra settings average 22 FPS, both of which are unplayable. The GPU's 8 GB VRAM and 320.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for 4K in this game.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14400F 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 4.70 GHz. It features 20 MB of shared L3 cache and supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory. The CPU's benchmark scores are strong, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 21645 and a single-core score of 3055, placing it in the 83rd percentile of all CPUs. In Hitman 2, the CPU's role is to handle game logic, AI, and physics, which are not as demanding as the GPU's rendering tasks. The data shows that the CPU is not the bottleneck in this combo, as the FPS scaling is directly tied to the GPU's performance. At 1080p, the CPU provides enough headroom to feed the GPU, as evidenced by the high frame rates at Low and Medium settings. The CPU's multi-core performance is particularly relevant for Hitman 2, which can utilize multiple threads for AI and simulation. The CPU's nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U and Intel Core i9-11900, have very similar average benchmark scores, with deltas of 0.1% and 0.2% respectively, indicating that the i5-14400F is well-positioned among its peers. The CPU's high single-core performance is also beneficial for the game's main thread, ensuring that frame times remain consistent. The data suggests that the CPU will not limit the gaming experience in Hitman 2, and any performance issues will be directly attributable to the GPU. Ultimately, the i5-14400F is a capable gaming CPU that provides ample processing power for this title, allowing the RTX 5050 to be the primary determinant of frame rate.