Hitman 2

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i5-14600KF is a 14-core, 20-thread processor from the Core 14th Gen series, built on Intel's Raptor Lake architecture using a 10 nm process. It operates at a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, with a 125 W TDP and an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. The processor's cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3. It supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration and connects via PCIe Gen 5 with 16 CPU lanes.

Benchmark results place this CPU in the 93rd percentile among all tested processors, with an average benchmark score of 49,367. Its nearest rivals in synthetic testing include the Intel Core i5-14600K, which scores 49,166 (0.4% slower), and the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X at 49,062 (0.6% slower). The AMD EPYC 4345P edges ahead at 49,595 (0.5% faster), while the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H trails at 48,698 (1.4% slower). In multi-threaded workloads, the Cinebench R23 multicore score of 32,889 and single-core score of 4,643 indicate strong per-thread performance, which matters for Hitman 2's engine that relies on a few heavily loaded threads for game logic and AI.

For Hitman 2, this CPU provides ample headroom. At 1080p with Low settings, the measured average FPS reaches 120.7, suggesting the processor is not the limiting factor at this resolution. The CPU's high single-core performance, evidenced by a Geekbench single-core score of 2,778 and Passmark single-thread score of 4,273, ensures that the game's simulation and NPC behavior calculations are handled without bottlenecking the GPU. However, as resolution increases to 1440p and 4K, the GPU takes over as the primary constraint, and the CPU's role diminishes in determining frame rates.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 is a Pascal architecture GPU built on a 16 nm process at TSMC, featuring the GP104 chip with 7,200 million transistors on a 314 mm² die. It has 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 256.3 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's base clock is 1506 MHz with a boost clock of 1683 MHz, while memory runs at 2002 MHz (8 Gbps effective). It contains 1,920 shading units, 120 texture mapping units, and 64 ROPs, producing a pixel rate of 107.7 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 202.0 GTexel/s. Peak FP32 performance is 6.463 TFLOPS.

The GTX 1070's average benchmark score is 12,331, placing it in the 51st percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are tightly clustered: the NVIDIA Quadro K4200 scores 12,241 (0.7% slower), the GeForce GTX 880M scores 12,490 (1.3% faster), the GTX 1650 SUPER scores 12,504 (1.4% faster), and the Tesla K20Xm scores 12,547 (1.7% faster). In DirectX 11 benchmarks, which Hitman 2 primarily uses, the GPU scores 100 in Passmark's DirectX 11 test, while DirectX 12 performance drops to 48.

In Hitman 2, the GTX 1070's 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p at most settings, but 4K Ultra demands exceed what this GPU can deliver. The measured data shows that at 4K Ultra, average FPS collapses to 16.3, indicating the GPU is severely overburdened. The GPU's memory bandwidth of 256.3 GB/s becomes a limiting factor at higher resolutions and settings, as the game's detailed environments and shadow calculations require rapid texture streaming. The boost clock of 1683 MHz provides reasonable performance at lower resolutions, but the architecture's age shows under 4K loads.

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

The measured FPS data reveals a clear scaling pattern across resolutions. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 120.7 at 1080p to 78.6 at 1440p (a 34.9% decrease), then to 41.2 at 4K (a 47.6% further decrease from 1440p). This steep decline indicates that the GPU is the primary limiting component even at Low settings, as the CPU would be expected to maintain higher frame rates if it were the bottleneck.

At High settings, the progression is 67.9 FPS at 1080p, 41.4 at 1440p (a 39.0% drop), and 22.6 at 4K (a 45.4% drop). The consistent percentage decreases across settings suggest that resolution scaling is driven by GPU pixel throughput and memory bandwidth, not by CPU limitations. The GTX 1070's 256.3 GB/s bandwidth and 107.7 GPixel/s pixel rate are the relevant constraints here.

Ultra settings show the most dramatic scaling: 48 FPS at 1080p drops to 29.9 at 1440p (37.7% decrease) and then to 16.3 at 4K (45.5% decrease). The 4K Ultra result of 16.3 FPS is below playable thresholds, confirming that this combo cannot handle the highest settings at 4K. Conversely, the 1080p Low result of 120.7 FPS indicates that at lower resolutions and settings, the CPU's strong single-thread performance (Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4,643) allows the GPU to reach its full potential. The scaling data points to a system where the GTX 1070 is the bottleneck at all resolutions above 1080p Low, while the i5-14600KF provides more than enough processing power.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data covers four settings presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) across three resolutions. At 1080p, the results are: Low 120.7 FPS, Medium 88.6 FPS, High 67.9 FPS, and Ultra 48 FPS. This represents a 60.2% drop from Low to Ultra, showing how dramatically settings impact performance even at the lowest resolution.

At 1440p, the numbers are: Low 78.6 FPS, Medium 54.6 FPS, High 41.4 FPS, and Ultra 29.9 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra is 62.0%, slightly larger than at 1080p. Notably, the 1440p Medium result of 54.6 FPS is close to the 1080p Ultra result of 48 FPS, suggesting that resolution scaling and settings scaling have similar costs at these levels.

At 4K, the measured FPS figures are: Low 41.2 FPS, Medium 30.4 FPS, High 22.6 FPS, and Ultra 16.3 FPS. The Low-to-Ultra drop is 60.4%, consistent with the other resolutions. The 4K Low result of 41.2 FPS is nearly identical to the 1440p High result of 41.4 FPS, indicating that the GPU's workload at 4K Low is roughly equivalent to 1440p High. This pattern reinforces that the GTX 1070's memory bandwidth and pixel throughput are the binding constraints, as each resolution increase requires approximately the same additional GPU effort as a settings increase.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific combination of the Intel Core i5-14600KF and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 ranks 1,523 out of 1,795 tested combos in Hitman 2, placing it in the bottom 15.2% of all configurations. This rank reflects the GPU's age relative to the CPU: the i5-14600KF scores in the 93rd percentile among CPUs, while the GTX 1070 sits at the 51st percentile among GPUs. The mismatch is stark, as the CPU could support significantly stronger graphics hardware without becoming a bottleneck.

The rank of 1,523 indicates that most other combos in the database deliver higher average FPS in Hitman 2. Given that the CPU's nearest rivals all perform within 1.4% of each other in synthetic benchmarks, the CPU is not the differentiator here. Instead, the GTX 1070's 51st percentile GPU ranking drags the combo down. For context, the GPU's nearest rivals are all within 1.7% of its average benchmark score, meaning the GTX 1070 is representative of mid-range GPUs from its era. In a game like Hitman 2 that scales well with GPU power, this combo's overall rank is driven almost entirely by the graphics card's capabilities.

The data suggests that pairing this CPU with a higher-tier GPU would yield substantially better results, as the processor's strong single-thread performance (Passmark single-thread score of 4,273) would not constrain frame rates. However, as configured, the combo's rank of 1,523 out of 1,795 reflects the GPU's inability to maintain high FPS at demanding settings, particularly at 4K where even Low settings only achieve 41.2 FPS.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution. At 1080p, the High preset delivers 67.9 FPS, which is smooth for a stealth game requiring precise timing. The Ultra preset at 48 FPS is playable but may feel less responsive, while Medium at 88.6 FPS offers headroom for fast-paced sections. For the best balance of visual quality and performance at 1080p, High is recommended, as it maintains above 60 FPS while providing significant visual improvements over Medium.

At 1440p, the Medium preset achieves 54.6 FPS, which is close to but slightly below the 60 FPS threshold. The High preset drops to 41.4 FPS, which may be acceptable for slower-paced stealth gameplay but risks feeling stuttery during action sequences. Low at 78.6 FPS provides the smoothest experience but sacrifices visual fidelity. Given that 1440p Medium at 54.6 FPS is within 10% of the 60 FPS target, it represents the best compromise for most players, offering higher detail than Low while maintaining near-smooth frame rates.

At 4K, none of the settings deliver ideal performance. The Low preset at 41.2 FPS is the only option above 30 FPS, while Medium (30.4 FPS) is borderline and High (22.6 FPS) and Ultra (16.3 FPS) are effectively unplayable. For 4K, Low is the only viable preset, and even then, players should expect occasional dips below 40 FPS. The data clearly indicates that this combo is not suited for 4K gaming in Hitman 2, and users should either stick to 1080p or 1440p or lower their expectations at 4K.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combo for this system?

A: At 1080p, the High preset delivers 67.9 FPS and is the best balance of visuals and performance. At 1440p, Medium achieves 54.6 FPS and is the recommended choice. At 4K, only Low at 41.2 FPS is playable, but it's not recommended for a smooth experience.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Core i5-14600KF has an average benchmark score of 49,367. It is 0.4% faster than the Core i5-14600K (49,166), 0.6% faster than the Ryzen 9 5950X (49,062), and 1.4% faster than the Xeon Gold 5318H (48,698). The AMD EPYC 4345P is 0.5% faster at 49,595.

Q: How does the GTX 1070's performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The GTX 1070 has an average benchmark score of 12,331. It is 0.7% faster than the Quadro K4200 (12,241), but 1.3% slower than the GTX 880M (12,490), 1.4% slower than the GTX 1650 SUPER (12,504), and 1.7% slower than the Tesla K20Xm (12,547).

Q: Why does 4K performance drop so dramatically?

A: The GTX 1070's 8 GB VRAM and 256.3 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for 4K rendering. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 16.3, while 4K Low only reaches 41.2 FPS. The GPU's pixel rate of 107.7 GPixel/s becomes the limiting factor at this resolution.

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

A: The GPU is the clear bottleneck. The CPU scores in the 93rd percentile among all processors, while the GPU sits at the 51st percentile. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 120.7 FPS, indicating CPU headroom. As resolution increases, GPU limitations dominate.

Q: What rank does this combo hold among tested combinations?

A: This combo ranks 1,523 out of 1,795 tested combos in Hitman 2, placing it in the bottom 15.2% of configurations. This low rank is due to the GPU's age relative to the CPU's strong performance.