Hitman 2

The pairing of Intel’s Core i5-14600K with NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX 1070 presents a stark contrast in generational capability. The CPU is a modern 14-core processor, while the GPU is a Pascal-era card from 2016. In Hitman 2, this dynamic produces a clear bottleneck that shifts depending on resolution and settings, with the data offering a detailed look at how this specific combination scales under load.

Resolution Scaling

The measured frames per second (FPS) across resolutions reveals a classic GPU-bound scenario at higher pixel counts. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 119 FPS. Moving to 1440p, this drops to 76 FPS, and at 4K, it falls further to 40 FPS. This represents a 66% reduction in average FPS from 1080p to 4K at the lowest settings, a steep decline that indicates the GTX 1070 is being pushed to its limits as pixel count increases.

The scaling pattern changes dramatically when looking at High settings. At 1080p High, the average is 67 FPS. This falls to 43 FPS at 1440p and plummets to 23 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 4K here is 66% as well, but the absolute numbers are much lower, showing that the GPU’s compute resources are saturated earlier. The 4K High result of 23 FPS is below playable thresholds, confirming that the GTX 1070 cannot handle this game at that resolution with higher fidelity settings.

The most telling data point is the difference between Low and Ultra settings at each resolution. At 1080p, the gap between Low (119 FPS) and Ultra (50 FPS) is 69 FPS. At 1440p, the gap narrows to 44 FPS (76 vs 32), and at 4K, it shrinks to 23 FPS (40 vs 17). This convergence indicates that as resolution increases, the GPU becomes the sole limiting factor, and the CPU’s ability to push frames is irrelevant when the renderer is overwhelmed. The 4K Ultra result of 17 FPS is a slideshow, and the data suggests that even dropping to Low at 4K only recovers to 40 FPS, which is still not a smooth experience.

GPU Role

The GeForce GTX 1070 is the clear performance ceiling for this combo. With 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, it has a memory bandwidth of 256.3 GB/s. The card’s base clock is 1506 MHz with a boost of 1683 MHz, and its 1920 shading units deliver a peak FP32 performance of 6.463 TFLOPS. In Hitman 2, these specifications translate to a card that can produce high frame rates at 1080p but struggles to maintain them as the resolution climbs.

The data shows that the GPU’s 8 GB frame buffer is not the primary constraint in this title, as the measured FPS does not show a sudden cliff due to memory overflow. Instead, the compute throughput is the limiting factor. At 1080p Medium, the card averages 89 FPS, which is a solid result. However, pushing to High at the same resolution costs 22 FPS (down to 67), and Ultra costs another 17 FPS (down to 50). These incremental losses align with the increasing shading and texture work required by higher presets, which the GTX 1070’s Pascal architecture handles with diminishing efficiency.

The GPU’s percentile rank of 47 places it in the lower half of all GPUs, and its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks—the AMD FirePro W5000 and NVIDIA Quadro M2000M—have average scores within 0.5% of the GTX 1070. This context is important: the card is not a modern performer, and its age is evident in the 4K results. At 4K High, the 23 FPS average is below the 30 FPS threshold often considered the minimum for playability, and at 4K Ultra, the 17 FPS average is effectively unplayable. The GTX 1070 is a capable 1080p card, but the data suggests it is out of its depth at higher resolutions in Hitman 2.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600K is a modern powerhouse that is not the bottleneck in this configuration. It features 14 cores (including performance and efficiency cores) and 20 threads, with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. Its 24 MB of shared L3 cache and support for both DDR4 and DDR5 memory make it a versatile processor. In synthetic tests, it scores 24491 points in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 2064 points in single-core, placing it in the 90th percentile of all CPUs.

In Hitman 2, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic, and the measured results show it does so without limiting frame rates at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 119 FPS, which is a high enough frame rate that the GPU is still the primary constraint. The CPU’s nearest rivals in average benchmark score—the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H and AMD EPYC 4345P—have scores within 0.3% of the i5-14600K, indicating similar raw compute capability. However, the i5-14600K’s high single-thread performance (2064 in Cinebench R23) is what matters for a game like Hitman 2, which relies on a few strong cores.

The data shows no evidence of CPU bottlenecking at any resolution. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would see similar FPS across resolutions at a given setting. Instead, the FPS drops consistently as resolution increases, which is the signature of a GPU-bound workload. Even at 1080p Low with 119 FPS, the i5-14600K is not breaking a sweat; it has headroom to push higher frame rates if paired with a faster GPU. The CPU’s 125 W TDP and unlocked multiplier suggest it is designed for performance, and its benchmark scores confirm it can handle the game’s threading without issue.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides a clear roadmap for optimizing the experience with this combo. At 1080p, the Medium preset offers the best balance, delivering an average of 89 FPS with a minimum of 76 FPS and a maximum of 102 FPS. This is the most consistent playable experience in the data set, with no frame rate dips below 60 FPS. The High preset at 1080p drops to 67 FPS average, which is still smooth, but the Medium preset’s higher minimum frame rate suggests better stability.

For those seeking the highest fidelity, 1080p Ultra averages 50 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for a stealth game where quick reactions matter. The data indicates that the jump from Medium to High costs 22 FPS, while the jump from High to Ultra costs 17 FPS, meaning the visual gains from Ultra come at a steep performance price. At 1440p, the Medium preset averages 57 FPS with a minimum of 48 FPS, which is borderline. This is the highest resolution where Medium maintains an average above 50 FPS. The Low preset at 1440p (76 FPS) is the only way to get a consistently smooth experience at that resolution, but it sacrifices visual quality.

The 4K results are not recommended for this combo. The best 4K result is Low at 40 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target and would feel sluggish in gameplay. The Medium preset at 4K averages 30 FPS, which is a common minimum for cinematic games but not ideal for action. The data suggests that 1080p Medium is the sweet spot, with 1440p Medium as an acceptable alternative for users who prioritize resolution over frame rate. The Low preset should be avoided unless the user is desperate for frame rate, as the visual downgrade is severe.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific configuration of the Core i5-14600K and GTX 1070 ranks 3072 out of 3711 tested combos in Hitman 2. This places it in the bottom 17% of all combinations, which is a sobering statistic. The rank reflects the GPU’s age and its inability to scale with the modern CPU. The i5-14600K is a top-tier processor, but when paired with a GPU that ranks in the 47th percentile of all GPUs, the overall combo suffers.

The data suggests that this pairing is severely imbalanced. The CPU is capable of much higher frame rates, but the GPU holds it back. The combo’s rank of 3072 indicates that most other tested configurations, likely those with newer GPUs, outperform it. The nearest rivals for the GPU—such as the Quadro M2000M and Tesla M10—have similar synthetic scores but are not gaming cards, which further highlights the GTX 1070’s position as an entry-level performer in 2024. For Hitman 2, this combo is functional at 1080p Medium, but its rank shows it is far from optimal. Users with this setup would see significant gains from a GPU upgrade, as the CPU has ample headroom to support a faster card.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combo for this CPU and GPU in Hitman 2?

A: The data shows that 1080p Medium provides the best balance, with an average of 89 FPS and a minimum of 76 FPS. This is the only setting where the combo maintains a minimum above 60 FPS, ensuring smooth gameplay. 1440p Medium averages 57 FPS, which is acceptable but has a minimum of 48 FPS.

Q: Can this combo run Hitman 2 at 4K?

A: Yes, but not well. The best 4K result is Low settings at 40 FPS average. At High settings, the average drops to 23 FPS, and at Ultra, it falls to 17 FPS. The data indicates that 4K is not a practical option for this GPU, as even Low settings do not reach a stable 60 FPS.

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

A: The GPU is the clear bottleneck at all resolutions. The evidence is the consistent FPS drop as resolution increases. For example, at High settings, the FPS goes from 67 at 1080p to 43 at 1440p and 23 at 4K. If the CPU were the limit, these numbers would be closer together.

Q: How does the GTX 1070 compare to its nearest synthetic rivals?

A: In synthetic benchmarks, the GTX 1070’s average score of 9780 is within 0.5% of the AMD FirePro W5000 and the NVIDIA Quadro M2000M. It is 0.6% faster than the NVIDIA Tesla M10. These are all older or workstation cards, indicating the GTX 1070 is a mid-range performer.

Q: What is the CPU’s performance percentile compared to all other CPUs?

A: The Intel Core i5-14600K is in the 90th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 48618. Its nearest rival, the AMD EPYC 4345P, has a score of 48470, which is 0.3% lower. This shows the CPU is a top performer, not the cause of the combo’s low rank.

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

A: The combo ranks 3072 out of 3711 tested combos in Hitman 2. This places it in the bottom 17% of all configurations, which is a low rank driven almost entirely by the GPU’s age and performance ceiling. The CPU’s high percentile does not compensate for the GPU’s limitations.