Hitman 2

The Intel Core i5-14600K is a 14-core, 20-thread desktop processor from the Core 14th Gen series, built on the Raptor Lake architecture with a 10 nm process. Its base clock is 3.50 GHz, and it boosts up to 5.30 GHz. The CPU features a 24 MB shared L3 cache, with 2 MB L2 per core and 80 KB L1 per core. In Hitman 2, this processor provides substantial headroom. The game is a stealth title from 2018, and at 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 181.2 FPS, a figure that is unlikely to be constrained by the CPU’s single-thread performance. The i5-14600K’s Cinebench R23 single-core score is 4642, which is strong, but the game’s engine at high frame rates will still rely on the GPU.

The processor’s multi-core capability, reflected in a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32881, is more than sufficient for Hitman 2’s AI and physics simulation. The data shows that as resolution increases, the performance drop is consistent with a GPU-bound scenario, meaning the CPU is not the primary bottleneck in this configuration. The 14 cores and 20 threads are a significant asset, but the benchmark results indicate that the limiting factor in this pairing is the graphics card, especially at 4K. The CPU’s 125 W TDP and support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory are notable, but they do not directly influence the measured FPS in this game. The processor’s percentileVsAllCpus is 93, placing it in the top tier, yet its role here is to feed frames to the GPU efficiently, which it does without issue across all tested settings.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT is the graphics card in this combo, featuring 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 432.0 GB/s. Its architecture is RDNA 2.0, built on a 7 nm process, with a base clock of 2150 MHz and a boost clock of 2600 MHz. The GPU has 2560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. In Hitman 2, the GPU’s role is dominant, as evidenced by the FPS scaling across resolutions. At 1080p High, the combo delivers 104.7 FPS, but at 4K High, it drops to 34.6 FPS. This 67% reduction in average FPS from 1080p to 4K highlights the GPU’s workload.

The RX 6750 XT’s memory bandwidth and 12 GB VRAM are sufficient for Hitman 2’s textures, even at Ultra settings, where 4K produces 25.4 FPS. The GPU’s percentileVsAllGpus is 79, indicating it is a mid-to-high-range card, but its performance in this game is bounded by pixel throughput. The pixel rate is 166.4 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 416.0 GTexel/s, which are modest figures for 4K rendering. The data suggests that the GPU is the limiting component in this combo, as the CPU can maintain high frame rates at lower resolutions, but the GPU cannot keep pace at higher ones. The card’s boost clock of 2600 MHz is a factor, but the architectural limits of RDNA 2.0 are more relevant when analyzing the measured FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of the Intel Core i5-14600K and AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT ranks 858 out of 1795 tested combos in Hitman 2, placing it in the 48th percentile of all configurations. This rank reflects a balanced pairing, but not an exceptional one. The CPU’s nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X, which has a deltaPct of 0.2, meaning the i5-14600K is essentially tied with it in average benchmark score. The Intel Core i5-14600KF is 0.4% ahead, while the AMD EPYC 4345P is 0.9% ahead. These small deltas indicate that the CPU is not a differentiator in this combo’s ranking.

For the GPU, the nearest rivals show a tighter clustering. The AMD Radeon RX 5600M is 0.2% ahead of the RX 6750 XT, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Mobile is 0.3% behind, and the AMD Radeon 880M is 0.9% behind. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 is 1.3% ahead. This suggests that the RX 6750 XT’s performance is comparable to other mid-range cards, but its rank in this combo is dragged down by the overall system balance. The data shows that the combo is not in the top tier, as the 858th rank out of 1795 indicates a median position. The measured FPS at 1080p Ultra (78.4 FPS) is playable, but not exceptional, and the 4K Ultra result of 25.4 FPS is below the threshold for smooth gameplay, which is why the combo ranks in the middle of the pack.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p with High settings?

A: The average FPS at 1080p with High settings is 104.7, which is a smooth experience for a stealth game like Hitman 2.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K Ultra?

A: At 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 25.4, which is below the 30 FPS threshold typically considered playable, indicating the GPU is the bottleneck.

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

A: The data shows that from 1080p Low (181.2 FPS) to 4K Low (62.8 FPS), the FPS drops by 65%, while the CPU’s multi-core score (32881) is high, so the GPU is the limiting component.

Q: What is the combo’s rank among all tested configurations?

A: The combo ranks 858 out of 1795 tested combos in Hitman 2, placing it in the middle of the distribution.

Q: How does the RX 6750 XT compare to its nearest rival, the RTX 3080?

A: The RX 6750 XT is 1.3% behind the RTX 3080 in average benchmark score, which is a negligible difference in real-world gaming.

Q: What is the best resolution for a playable experience?

A: At 1440p High, the average FPS is 68.8, which is a good balance, while 1080p High at 104.7 FPS is also excellent.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear trend as resolution scales from 1080p to 4K. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 181.2 FPS, which drops to 117.6 FPS at 1440p Low (a 35% reduction) and further to 62.8 FPS at 4K Low (a 65% reduction from 1080p). This pattern is consistent across all settings. At High, the FPS goes from 104.7 at 1080p to 68.8 at 1440p (a 34% drop) and 34.6 at 4K (a 67% drop from 1080p). The scaling indicates that the GPU is the limiting component, as the CPU can handle the increased resolution without a proportional drop in performance.

The drop from 1440p to 4K is more severe than from 1080p to 1440p, which is typical for a GPU-bound scenario. For instance, at Medium settings, 1080p yields 135.7 FPS, 1440p yields 85.3 FPS, and 4K yields 49.5 FPS. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K is 63.5% at Medium, similar to the High and Low settings. This uniformity suggests that the GPU’s pixel throughput is the primary constraint, and the CPU’s 14 cores and 20 threads are not a factor at any resolution. The data supports the conclusion that to maintain a consistent frame rate, the user must lower settings as resolution increases, or accept a lower resolution for higher settings.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the best experience depends on the resolution target. For 1080p, the Ultra preset delivers 78.4 FPS, which is smooth and visually detailed. The High preset at 1080p offers 104.7 FPS, providing a higher frame rate with a slight reduction in visual fidelity. For users prioritizing frame rate, the Medium preset at 1080p yields 135.7 FPS, which is excellent for a stealth game where fast reaction times are less critical but smoothness is appreciated. The Low preset at 1080p (181.2 FPS) is unnecessary unless the user has a high-refresh-rate monitor, as the difference between Medium and High is more tangible for image quality.

At 1440p, the High preset (68.8 FPS) is the recommended balance, as it provides a playable frame rate with good visuals. The Medium preset (85.3 FPS) is also viable, offering a smoother experience at the cost of some detail. The Ultra preset at 1440p (48.5 FPS) is borderline, but for a game like Hitman 2, which is not fast-paced, it can be acceptable. At 4K, the Low preset (62.8 FPS) is the only setting that provides a consistently smooth experience, while the High preset (34.6 FPS) is marginal, and Ultra (25.4 FPS) is not recommended. The data indicates that for the best overall experience, 1440p High is the sweet spot, as it balances visual quality and performance without the steep drops seen at 4K.