Hitman 2

Hitman 2, a stealth title from 2018, still stresses modern hardware in predictable ways. With an Intel Core i5-14600KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti, the benchmark data reveals a system that is exceptionally capable at high refresh rates but shows clear limits at 4K when image quality settings are pushed to their maximum. The measured frames per second (FPS) across resolutions and presets paint a detailed picture of where this combo excels and where it struggles.

Resolution Scaling

The data shows a predictable but steep performance penalty as resolution increases. At 1080p with Low settings, the combination produces an average of 234.9 FPS, a figure that suggests the CPU and GPU are barely taxed. Moving to 1440p at the same Low preset, the average drops to 149.6 FPS, a reduction of about 36%. At 4K Low, the average falls further to 80.6 FPS, which is roughly 46% lower than the 1440p result and 66% lower than the 1080p result. This scaling pattern indicates that even at Low settings, the GPU is becoming the primary bottleneck as pixel count rises, though the frame rates remain very playable.

The High preset tells a similar story with a more moderate performance curve. At 1080p High, the system delivers 135.7 FPS average. At 1440p High, that number drops to 88 FPS, a 35% decrease. At 4K High, the average falls to 43.8 FPS, which is a significant 68% drop from the 1080p figure. This steep decline at 4K High suggests that the RTX 3080 Ti is working near its limits, as the pixel throughput required at 3840x2160, combined with the High settings' effects, overwhelms the GPU's capabilities for smooth 60 FPS gameplay.

The Ultra preset shows the most dramatic degradation. The system manages 98 FPS at 1080p Ultra, which is solid for high-refresh monitors. At 1440p Ultra, the average drops to 62.9 FPS, a 36% reduction. At 4K Ultra, the average plummets to 37.2 FPS, which is a 62% drop from the 1440p result and a 62% drop from the 1080p result. This 4K Ultra figure is notably below the 60 FPS threshold, indicating that this setting is not viable for a smooth experience at that resolution. The data clearly shows that the limiting component at 4K is the GPU, as the CPU's 14 cores and 20 threads are sufficiently powerful to feed the graphics card at lower resolutions but cannot compensate for the raw pixel fill rate demands at 4K Ultra.

Settings Recommendations

The measured rows provide clear guidance on which preset offers the best experience at each resolution. At 1080p, the High preset at 135.7 FPS average is an excellent choice, providing a visually rich experience while maintaining frame rates well above 120 FPS for competitive or fast-paced play. The Ultra preset at 98 FPS average is also viable, offering the highest visual fidelity while still staying above 90 FPS, which is smooth on most monitors. Low and Medium presets at 234.9 FPS and 177.2 FPS respectively are overkill for most displays and sacrifice too much visual quality for unneeded performance headroom.

At 1440p, the High preset at 88 FPS average is the sweet spot. It delivers a 40% improvement over the Ultra preset's 62.9 FPS while offering a significant visual upgrade over the Medium preset's 111.9 FPS. The Ultra preset at 62.9 FPS is borderline, dipping below the 60 FPS minimum for some users, but it remains playable if visual fidelity is the top priority. The Low preset at 149.6 FPS is excessively fast for the visual compromise it requires, making High the most balanced choice.

At 4K, the situation is more constrained. The High preset at 43.8 FPS average is below the ideal 60 FPS target and will feel stuttery to many users. The Medium preset at 61.9 FPS average is the best option for a smooth experience, providing a playable frame rate that stays above 60 FPS while retaining a reasonable level of visual detail. The Ultra preset at 37.2 FPS is not recommended, as the visual gains over Medium are marginal compared to the 40% performance loss. The Low preset at 80.6 FPS is playable but misses the point of running a high-end GPU at 4K, where visual quality is the primary motivation. Therefore, for this combo, the data indicates that High at 1080p, High at 1440p, and Medium at 4K provide the best balance of performance and visual quality.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600KF is a 14-core, 20-thread processor from the Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. Its benchmark scores are impressive, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32889 and a single-core score of 4643. In Geekbench, it scores 15636 multi-core and 2778 single-core. These numbers place the CPU in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs, indicating strong all-around performance.

In Hitman 2, the CPU's role is evident in the scaling patterns. At 1080p Low, the system hits 234.9 FPS, a figure that is likely CPU-limited, as the GPU is not heavily taxed at that resolution and preset. The high single-core performance, evidenced by the Geekbench single-core score of 2778, ensures that the game's primary game logic and physics threads are well-served. The multi-core capabilities, demonstrated by the Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32889, also help with background tasks and any multi-threaded aspects of the engine.

However, as resolution increases, the CPU's influence wanes. The drop from 234.9 FPS at 1080p Low to 149.6 FPS at 1440p Low and 80.6 FPS at 4K Low shows that the GPU becomes the limiting factor. The CPU is not the bottleneck in this scenario; it provides more than enough headroom to feed the RTX 3080 Ti. The data suggests that the i5-14600KF is not a limiting component in this game, as the frame rates scale primarily with GPU load. The 5.30 GHz boost clock helps maintain high minimum frame rates, but the measured average FPS numbers are the primary indicator of performance, and they show a GPU-bound system at higher resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-14600KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti ranks 494th out of 1795 tested combos in Hitman 2. This places it in the top 27.5% of all combinations, which is a strong showing given the game's age and the high-end nature of the components. The rank indicates that this setup is well above average but not at the very top tier, as more powerful GPUs and CPUs can achieve higher frame rates.

The CPU itself is competitive with its nearest rivals. The Intel Core i5-14600K is only 0.4% faster in average benchmark score, which is essentially a tie. The AMD EPYC 4345P is 0.5% faster, and the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X is 0.6% faster. The Intel Xeon Gold 5318H is 1.4% slower. These tiny deltas (ranging from -0.5% to 1.4%) show that the i5-14600KF is in a tight performance cluster, and its rank is not due to a CPU deficiency but rather the GPU's capabilities in this specific game.

The GPU's ranking is more nuanced. The RTX 3080 Ti scores an average benchmark of 41224, which is 0.5% slower than the RTX 3090, 0.9% slower than the AMD Radeon Pro 5300, and 1.1% slower than the RTX 5070. It is 1.6% faster than the NVIDIA Tesla M40. These small differences mean the GPU is competitive with its immediate peers, but the 83rd percentile ranking versus all GPUs indicates that many newer or higher-end cards can outperform it. The combo's overall rank of 494 out of 1795 is therefore a reflection of the GPU's mid-to-high tier performance rather than the CPU, which is clearly top-tier. The system is well-balanced, but the frame rates at 4K Ultra (37.2 FPS) show that it is not a top-ranker for extreme settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and preset for this combo to achieve a smooth 60 FPS experience?

A: The data shows that 1440p High averages 88 FPS, which is well above 60 FPS. At 4K, only the Medium preset at 61.9 FPS average achieves a playable frame rate above 60 FPS. The 4K High preset at 43.8 FPS and 4K Ultra at 37.2 FPS are below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the Intel Core i5-14600KF compare to its closest rival, the Intel Core i5-14600K?

A: The i5-14600KF has an average benchmark score of 49367, which is 0.4% lower than the i5-14600K's score of 49166. This is a negligible difference, indicating they perform nearly identically.

Q: Is the RTX 3080 Ti the bottleneck at 4K Ultra settings?

A: The data indicates yes. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 37.2, which is a 62% drop from the 1080p Ultra figure of 98 FPS. The CPU's strong single-core and multi-core scores suggest it is not the limiting factor, leaving the GPU as the primary constraint.

Q: What is the CPU's percentile ranking among all processors?

A: The Intel Core i5-14600KF is in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 49367. This places it in the top 7% of processors.

Q: How much faster is the 1080p Low preset compared to the 4K Low preset?

A: The 1080p Low preset averages 234.9 FPS, while the 4K Low preset averages 80.6 FPS. This is a 65.7% reduction in performance when moving from 1080p to 4K at Low settings.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti?

A: The launch MSRP of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is 1,199 USD.