Hitman 2

The AMD Radeon RX 7600 paired with the Intel Core i5-14600K presents a fascinating study in bottleneck dynamics within Hitman 2, a 2018 stealth title where the data reveals a system that shifts from being clearly GPU-limited at 4K to a more balanced, nuanced profile at lower resolutions. The measured FPS across the three resolutions and four quality presets paints a picture of a combo that can deliver smooth frame rates at 1080p but struggles to maintain playability at the highest visual demands of 4K, making the choice of settings and resolution absolutely critical for the user experience.

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

The scaling of average frame rates across resolutions is the most revealing data point for understanding where the performance ceiling lies. At the Low preset, the jump from 1080p to 1440p results in a 36% performance drop, from 145 FPS down to 93 FPS. Moving further to 4K, the average FPS plummets to 49, representing a 47% drop from the 1440p figure and a 66% drop from the 1080p baseline. This steep and consistent decline is the classic signature of a system becoming increasingly constrained by the GPU's rendering throughput as pixel count multiplies.

The pattern holds, though with different magnitudes, at the High preset. Here, the 1080p average of 82 FPS falls to 53 FPS at 1440p (a 35% drop) and then to 28 FPS at 4K (a 47% drop from 1440p, and a 66% drop from 1080p). The consistency of these percentage drops across presets is telling. It suggests that the scaling penalty is driven primarily by the resolution itself, which is a function of the GPU's pixel fillrate and memory bandwidth, rather than by the specific complexity of the visual effects enabled at different presets.

However, the data also hints at the CPU's role. The fact that the 1080p Low preset achieves 145 FPS while the 4K Ultra preset only manages 21 FPS shows the massive range of performance possible. The relatively small absolute FPS difference between 1440p and 4K at the Low preset (93 vs 49 FPS) compared to the larger percentage drop underscores that the GPU is working harder per frame as resolution increases, but the CPU is likely still feeding it enough data. The data suggests that at 1080p, the combination is closer to a balance, but the GPU becomes the definitive limiting component as the resolution scales up, which is a typical outcome for a mid-range graphics card like the RX 7600.

FAQ

Q: Can this combination of Intel Core i5-14600K and AMD Radeon RX 7600 run Hitman 2 at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, it can run at 4K, but the experience is heavily dependent on the settings preset. The data shows an average of 49 FPS at 4K Low, which is playable, but this drops to 28 FPS at 4K High and falls to an unplayable 21 FPS at 4K Ultra. For a consistently smooth experience at this resolution, the Low or Medium presets are the only viable options.

Q: What is the best resolution for achieving a high refresh rate experience with this hardware?

A: The 1080p resolution is clearly the sweet spot for high refresh rates. The data shows an average of 145 FPS at 1080p Low, 109 FPS at Medium, and 82 FPS at High. Even the most demanding Ultra preset manages an average of 61 FPS at 1080p, making it the only resolution where all presets are at least potentially playable on a standard 60Hz monitor.

Q: How does the RX 7600's performance compare to its closest rivals according to the benchmark data?

A: The benchmark scores show the RX 7600 is very closely matched with its nearest rivals. The data indicates it is essentially on par with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM, with a deltaPct of -0.2%. It also performs within a very tight band of the AMD Radeon Pro 560X (+0.6%) and the AMD Radeon 680M (-0.7%). This suggests that in synthetic benchmarks, the GPU's raw compute power is very similar to these alternatives.

Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck for this GPU in Hitman 2?

A: The data suggests the CPU is not the primary bottleneck, especially at higher resolutions. The Intel Core i5-14600K is a high-performance processor with a 90th percentile ranking among all CPUs. The fact that FPS scales down significantly when moving from 1080p to 4K indicates the GPU is taking on the increasing load. At 1080p Low, the 145 FPS figure shows the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU, but the GPU's limits are still apparent when compared to the 4K results.

Q: What is the average FPS difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 1440p?

A: The difference is substantial. At 1440p, the Low preset achieves an average of 93 FPS, while the Ultra preset drops to 39 FPS. This is a 58% reduction in performance, highlighting the significant cost of enabling the highest visual quality settings at this resolution.

Q: What kind of performance can be expected from the Medium preset, which has the most detailed data available?

A: The Medium preset offers a strong balance. At 1080p, it averages 109 FPS with a minimum of 93 FPS and a maximum of 125 FPS. At 1440p, the average is 70 FPS with a range of 59 to 80 FPS. Even at 4K, it manages an average of 37 FPS, making it the only preset other than Low that comes close to playable frame rates at that resolution.

How This Combo Ranks

The performance of this specific combination is ranked at 2579 out of 3711 tested combos for Hitman 2. This places it in the lower-middle tier of all possible system configurations, which is a surprising result given the individual components' strengths. The Intel Core i5-14600K is a powerful CPU, ranking in the 90th percentile of all processors, and the RX 7600 is a competent mid-range GPU, ranking in the 57th percentile of all GPUs. Yet, when combined, their rank suggests that while capable, the system does not reach the top echelons of performance for this title.

This ranking implies that in the context of Hitman 2, there are over 1,100 other combinations of CPUs and GPUs that yield better average frame rates. It's a position that highlights the GPU as the performance limiter, as the CPU's high benchmark scores are not fully utilized to push the combo into a higher rank. The data indicates that the RX 7600's performance, which is very close to that of the RTX 3050 OEM, places a hard ceiling on the system's capabilities in this game, preventing the powerful CPU from propelling the combo to a higher standing. The rank is a holistic measure of the pair's performance, and in this case, it reveals that the sum is less than what the CPU's potential might suggest.

Settings Recommendations

For a 1080p display, the data provides a clear hierarchy of choices. The Low preset delivers an average of 145 FPS, making it ideal for competitive or high-refresh-rate play. However, for most users, the Medium preset is the best recommendation, offering a very smooth 109 FPS average with a minimum of 93 FPS, ensuring a consistent experience without sacrificing too much visual fidelity. The High preset is also a solid choice at 82 FPS, but the Ultra preset, at 61 FPS, begins to approach the limit of what is comfortable for a 60Hz monitor, though it is still playable.

At 1440p, the recommendation shifts. The Low preset remains a high-performance option at 93 FPS, but the Medium preset is again the standout, with a 70 FPS average and a minimum of 59 FPS, which is just on the cusp of a smooth 60 FPS experience. The High preset at 53 FPS is playable but may show some stutter on a 60Hz display. The Ultra preset at 39 FPS is not recommended for a smooth experience. For 4K, the options are limited. The Low preset's 49 FPS is the only one that approaches playability. The Medium preset's 37 FPS average is borderline, and the High and Ultra presets are not viable for a comfortable gaming session.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the data shows a wide performance spread. The Low preset leads with an average of 145 FPS. This is followed by the Medium preset, which averages 109 FPS, with a recorded minimum of 93 FPS and a maximum of 125 FPS. The High preset averages 82 FPS, and the Ultra preset brings up the rear with an average of 61 FPS. This resolution offers the most flexibility, with all presets delivering playable frame rates.

At 2560x1440, the averages drop noticeably. The Low preset maintains a smooth 93 FPS average. The Medium preset averages 70 FPS, with a minimum of 59 FPS and a maximum of 80 FPS. The High preset drops to an average of 53 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 39 FPS. This resolution represents a compromise, where the Medium preset is the best balance of quality and performance.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly stressed. The Low preset is the only one that offers a playable average at 49 FPS. The Medium preset averages 37 FPS, with a minimum of 32 FPS and a maximum of 43 FPS, indicating significant frame time variance. The High preset falls to 28 FPS, and the Ultra preset is essentially unplayable at 21 FPS. The data shows that 4K is only viable with the lowest settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600K is a 14-core, 20-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, along with a substantial 24 MB of shared L3 cache. Its benchmark scores are formidable, including a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 24491 and a single-core score of 2064. With a 90th percentile ranking against all CPUs, it is clearly a high-end processor capable of handling any game's CPU demands.

In the context of Hitman 2, the CPU's role appears to be one of ensuring a high frame rate ceiling rather than being the primary limiter. The fact that the 1080p Low preset can hit 145 FPS indicates that the CPU is more than capable of processing the game's logic and draw calls at high speed. The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K is almost entirely dictated by the GPU, as the CPU has ample headroom. The data suggests that in this pairing, the i5-14600K is not holding back the RX 7600; rather, it is providing a stable and powerful foundation that allows the GPU to perform to its full potential.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7600 is a RDNA 3.0 architecture GPU with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s. It has a boost clock of 2655 MHz and a game clock of 2250 MHz. Its benchmark scores, such as a Passmark G3D score of 16634, place it in the 57th percentile of all GPUs, indicating it is a solid mid-range performer. The data shows it is extremely closely matched with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM and the AMD Radeon 680M, with performance deltas of less than 1%.

The GPU is the definitive performance bottleneck for this combo in Hitman 2. The FPS data shows a clear and direct correlation between resolution and performance, which is a classic sign of a GPU that is being pushed to its limits. The 8 GB VRAM buffer and 128-bit memory bus are likely contributing factors to the steep performance drop at 4K, where the demand for memory bandwidth and pixel throughput increases exponentially. The GPU's performance, while adequate for 1080p and 1440p gaming, is insufficient to maintain high frame rates at 4K, making it the component that dictates the overall experience in this title.