Hitman 2

The Intel Core i5-14600KF is a 14-core, 20-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. Its 24 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB per-core L2 cache provide substantial headroom for gaming workloads. In synthetic benchmarks, the chip achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32889 and a single-core score of 4643, with a Geekbench single-core score of 2778. These figures place it in the 93rd percentile among all CPUs, indicating strong single-threaded performance that is often critical for game logic and physics in stealth titles.

The processor's benchmark averages place it within a tight competitive cluster. Its average benchmark score of 49367 is 0.4% ahead of the Intel Core i5-14600K, which scores 49166, and 0.6% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X at 49062. It trails the AMD EPYC 4345P by 0.5%, which scores 49595. This positioning shows that the 14600KF is effectively tied with its nearest rivals in raw compute, meaning any performance differences in Hitman 2 will stem more from the GPU and game engine optimization than from CPU headroom. The data suggests the CPU is not a bottleneck at lower resolutions; at 1080p Low settings, the combo achieves 345.2 FPS, a figure that reflects the processor's ability to feed frames rapidly.

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

In Hitman 2, a title from 2018 with a focus on complex AI and systemic interactions, the CPU's role is substantial. The Core i5-14600KF's 14 cores (likely 6 performance and 8 efficiency cores) and 20 threads provide ample parallel processing for the game's crowd simulations and enemy patrol logic. The high boost clock of 5.30 GHz is particularly relevant for the game's single-threaded draw calls and physics calculations. Benchmark results confirm this: at 1080p with Low settings, the average FPS is 345.2, which is 58.6% higher than the 4K High result of 65.7 FPS. This scaling indicates that at lower resolutions, the CPU is capable of driving very high frame rates, far beyond what the GPU can render at higher settings.

The processor's single-core performance, evidenced by a Cinebench R15 single-core score of 468 and a Passmark single-thread score of 4273, directly contributes to the game's frame pacing. Hitman 2's engine relies heavily on a primary game thread, and the 14600KF's 5.30 GHz boost clock ensures that this thread is not starved. The 93rd percentile ranking among all CPUs underscores that this is a top-tier part for gaming, even if its multi-core scores are closely matched by rivals. When comparing the 1080p Low result of 345.2 FPS to the 1440p Low result of 223.7 FPS, the drop is 35.2%, which is less than the resolution pixel increase, suggesting that the CPU is still delivering high throughput, but the GPU is starting to take over the workload.

The 24 MB L3 cache is another factor. It allows for faster access to frequently used game assets, reducing latency in complex scenes. The data shows a clear hierarchy: the CPU can easily push over 300 FPS at 1080p Low, but as settings and resolution increase, the GPU becomes the limiting factor. This is typical for a modern processor paired with a flagship GPU in a game that is not heavily multithreaded, but the 14600KF's strong single-core showing ensures it does not drag down performance even at 1080p Ultra, where it still manages 146.1 FPS.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is a massive GPU with 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, providing 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth. Its boost clock is 2407 MHz, and it features 21760 shading units and 176 ROPs. For Hitman 2, a game that is not particularly demanding by modern standards, this GPU is overkill at lower settings, but the data reveals interesting scaling behavior. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 46.6, which is a playable but not smooth experience. This low figure relative to the GPU's power suggests that the game's engine or the specific Ultra preset imposes a heavy load, likely through excessive shadow quality or draw distance.

The GPU's memory capacity is not a limiting factor in this title, as Hitman 2's texture sizes are modest. The 32 GB VRAM is far beyond what the game can utilize, so the performance difference between settings is due to shading and rasterization load. The 1750 MHz memory clock (28 Gbps effective) provides ample bandwidth for the game's asset streaming. At 4K Medium, the FPS rises to 88.9, which is 90.8% higher than Ultra, indicating that the Ultra preset is disproportionately heavy. The RTX 5090's 104.8 TFLOPS FP32 performance is immense, but Hitman 2 does not scale linearly with raw compute; it is bound by other factors like draw call submission and driver overhead.

The GPU's 94th percentile ranking among all GPUs shows it is near the top of the performance stack, with an average benchmark score of 84306. Its nearest rival, the RTX 5090 D, scores 84241, a delta of only 0.1%, meaning they are effectively identical. The AMD Radeon PRO W6600 is 1.3% behind at 83209, while the NVIDIA CMP 40HX is 1.6% ahead at 85637. In game, the GPU's performance is clear: at 1080p High, the combo hits 197.8 FPS, but at 4K High, it drops to 65.7 FPS. This 66.8% reduction from 1080p to 4K at High settings illustrates the GPU's workload scaling with pixel count, which is the primary driver here.

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

Examining the measured rows, the most balanced experience is at High settings across resolutions. At 1080p High, the average FPS is 197.8, which is smooth and well above the 144 Hz refresh rate common on gaming monitors. At 1440p High, it drops to 125.5 FPS, still excellent. However, at 4K High, the FPS falls to 65.7, which is below the 70 FPS threshold many consider ideal for fast-paced action, though playable for a stealth game. The Medium preset offers a better 4K experience at 88.9 FPS, but the visual quality reduction from High to Medium may not be worth the 35.3% FPS increase.

For the best overall experience, High at 1440p is the sweet spot: 125.5 FPS provides headroom for any scene complexity, and the visual fidelity is high. At 4K, users must choose between High (65.7 FPS) and Medium (88.9 FPS). The Ultra preset is not recommended at any resolution; even at 1080p, it yields 146.1 FPS, which is lower than Medium at 260.2 FPS and High at 197.8 FPS, with likely marginal visual gains. The Low preset is only useful for competitive play or extreme frame rates, with 345.2 FPS at 1080p, but it sacrifices too much visual quality for a single-player stealth title.

The data suggests that the game's Ultra preset is inefficiently implemented, as the jump from High to Ultra at 4K costs 19.1 FPS (a 29.1% reduction), while bringing diminishing returns. Therefore, High settings are the recommended default, with Medium as a fallback for 4K if the user prefers higher frame rates over maximum fidelity. The 1440p High result of 125.5 FPS is nearly double the 4K High result, making it the best compromise between resolution and smoothness.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific configuration of the Intel Core i5-14600KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 ranks 11th out of 1795 tested combos in Hitman 2. This is a top 0.6% placement, indicating that this pairing is among the fastest systems for this game. The rank is impressive given that the CPU is not an extreme enthusiast part like a Core i9 or Ryzen 9, but its high single-core boost clock and the GPU's raw power combine to produce excellent results. The fact that it ranks 11th out of 1795 suggests that only a few combos with faster CPUs (possibly with higher boost clocks) or more optimized configurations outperform it.

Given the GPU's performance, the CPU is not the limiting factor in most scenarios. If the rank were lower, one might suspect CPU bottlenecking, but the data shows that the 14600KF provides enough throughput to keep the RTX 5090 well-fed. The close CPU rival results (within 1.4% delta of the Xeon Gold 5318H) would not meaningfully change the game's FPS. The combo's rank is therefore evidence of the GPU's dominance, as the RTX 5090 is in the 94th percentile of all GPUs. The 11th rank out of 1795 also implies that there is no significant driver or compatibility issue with this pairing in Hitman 2, as the measured data is consistent and high-performing.

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

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a clear shift in the limiting component. At Low settings, the 1080p average is 345.2 FPS, which drops to 223.7 FPS at 1440p (a 35.2% decrease) and further to 120.1 FPS at 4K (a 46.3% decrease from 1440p). This scaling is close to the pixel count increase: 1440p has 1.78x the pixels of 1080p, and 4K has 2.25x the pixels of 1440p. The fact that the FPS drop is slightly less than the pixel increase at Low settings indicates that the CPU is still partially limiting the frame rate at 1080p, but the GPU becomes the primary constraint at 4K.

At High settings, the scaling is more pronounced: 1080p yields 197.8 FPS, 1440p yields 125.5 FPS (a 36.6% drop), and 4K yields 65.7 FPS (a 47.6% drop from 1440p). The 4K High result is disproportionately lower, suggesting that the GPU is heavily loaded and the CPU is no longer a factor. This is further confirmed by the Ultra preset, where 1080p is 146.1 FPS, 1440p is 94.1 FPS (a 35.6% drop), and 4K is 46.6 FPS (a 50.5% drop). The increasing percentage drop at higher resolutions indicates that the GPU's shading and memory bandwidth are being saturated, while the CPU's frame generation rate is ample.

The data points to the GPU as the limiting component at 4K, while the CPU is sufficient at 1080p and 1440p. At 1080p Low, the 345.2 FPS is likely near the CPU's maximum frame rate, as the GPU can render this simple scene much faster. The 4K Low result of 120.1 FPS shows that even with minimal settings, the GPU's pixel throughput caps performance. For users targeting high refresh rates, 1440p is the optimal resolution for this combo, as it offers 125.5 FPS at High settings, which is 91% higher than the 4K High result, while the visual difference between 1440p and 4K is less impactful in a stealth game.