Hitman 2

The Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 produces a highly resolution-sensitive experience in Hitman 2. The measured frame rates demonstrate a clear transition from a CPU-bound scenario at 1080p to a GPU-limited one at 4K, with the Ultra preset proving exceptionally demanding across all tested resolutions. This combination ranks in the lower tier of tested hardware, placing 1501st out of 1795 combos, which contextualizes its performance as entry-level for this specific title.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate progression across resolutions reveals the shifting bottleneck. At 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from 119.4 on Low to 47.6 on Ultra. The jump from High (68.8 FPS) to Low (119.4 FPS) represents a 73% increase, indicating that at 1080p the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU effectively, but the settings load dramatically impacts the render output.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops significantly. The High preset yields 40.8 FPS, a 41% reduction from the 1080p High result. The Low preset at 1440p (77.7 FPS) is still playable, but the scaling shows that the GTX 1070's 256-bit memory interface and 256.3 GB/s bandwidth are starting to become limiting factors. The Ultra preset at 1440p falls to 29.4 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the dominant constraint. The High preset achieves only 24.6 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to a slideshow-like 16.9 FPS. Even the Low preset at 4K (41.6 FPS) cannot maintain a consistent 60 FPS target. The scaling from 1080p Low (119.4 FPS) to 4K Low (41.6 FPS) shows a 65% performance loss, which is characteristic of a mid-range GPU struggling with the 8.3 million pixel count.

The data indicates that the i5-9400, with its 6 cores and 6 threads, is not the primary bottleneck until frame rates exceed 100 FPS. The 4.10 GHz boost clock helps, but the combination's overall rank (1501/1795) suggests that in Hitman 2, the GTX 1070's age relative to modern titles is the limiting factor at higher resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 1501 out of 1795 tested configurations places it in the bottom 16% of all pairings for Hitman 2. This ranking reflects the GTX 1070's position relative to its nearest rivals; the GPU scores 13498 in Passmark G3D, which is 0.7% ahead of the NVIDIA Quadro K4200 but 1.4% behind the GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER. The CPU's average benchmark score of 2305 is nearly identical to the Intel Core i3-10305 (0.2% delta) and the Intel Core i3-1125G4 (0.2% delta), indicating that the processor is not the source of the low rank.

In practical terms, this rank means that 294 tested combos perform worse, but a substantial majority of systems deliver higher frame rates in Hitman 2. The data shows that the bottleneck shifts from a balanced load at 1080p to a pure GPU limitation at 4K, where the 6.463 TFLOPS FP32 throughput of the GTX 1070 is insufficient for the Ultra preset. The 16.9 FPS at 4K Ultra is the lowest measured value, confirming that this configuration is not designed for high-fidelity 4K gaming.

The percentile rankings reinforce this: the CPU sits at the 50th percentile, while the GPU is at the 51st percentile. This near-average hardware, when combined, produces below-average results in this specific title, suggesting that Hitman 2's engine is particularly sensitive to the GPU's texture and shading capabilities rather than the CPU's compute power.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to maintain 60 FPS?

A: At 1920x1080, the Medium preset averages 90.3 FPS, and the Low preset reaches 119.4 FPS. The High preset (68.8 FPS) is the highest quality setting that stays above 60 FPS at this resolution.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Hitman 2?

A: No. The highest average FPS at 3840x2160 is 41.6 on Low settings, which is below the 60 FPS target. The Ultra preset averages only 16.9 FPS, making 4K impractical for this title.

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

A: The Intel Core i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2305, which is 0.2% ahead of the Intel Core i3-10305 (2300) and 0.2% ahead of the Intel Core i3-1125G4 (2299). It is 0.6% behind the Intel Core i7-8809G (2319).

Q: What is the GPU's performance relative to its closest competitors?

A: The GTX 1070 scores 13498 in Passmark G3D, putting it 0.7% ahead of the Quadro K4200 (12241) and 1.4% behind the GTX 1650 SUPER (12504). The GTX 880M (12490) is 1.3% ahead, and the Tesla K20Xm (12547) is 1.7% ahead.

Q: Which preset offers the highest frame rate at 1440p?

A: The Low preset at 2560x1440 averages 77.7 FPS, which is the only 1440p setting that exceeds 60 FPS. Medium drops to 59.3 FPS, and High falls to 40.8 FPS.

Q: Is the Ultra preset playable at any resolution?

A: The Ultra preset only surpasses 30 FPS at 1920x1080, where it averages 47.6 FPS. At 1440p it drops to 29.4 FPS, and at 4K it is 16.9 FPS, making it unplayable at higher resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured average frame rates are as follows: Low settings produce 119.4 FPS, Medium produces 90.3 FPS, High produces 68.8 FPS, and Ultra produces 47.6 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium is 29.1 FPS, while the gap between High and Ultra is 21.2 FPS, showing that the Ultra preset imposes a significant additional load.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops are more pronounced. Low averages 77.7 FPS, Medium averages 59.3 FPS, High averages 40.8 FPS, and Ultra averages 29.4 FPS. The step from Medium to High represents a 31% performance loss, which is the largest relative drop between consecutive settings at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, all settings fall below 45 FPS. Low averages 41.6 FPS, Medium averages 31.7 FPS, High averages 24.6 FPS, and Ultra averages 16.9 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra at 4K shows a 60% total performance loss, confirming that the GPU is the limiting component.

The data also reveals that the difference between 1080p and 1440p at the same settings is consistent: Low drops by 41.7 FPS, Medium by 31.0 FPS, High by 28.0 FPS, and Ultra by 18.2 FPS. This suggests that the CPU is still keeping pace at 1440p, but the GPU workload increases proportionally with pixel count.

Settings Recommendations

For a smooth 60 FPS experience, the 1920x1080 Medium preset is the optimal choice, delivering 90.3 FPS with a comfortable margin above the target. The High preset at 1080p (68.8 FPS) is also viable for users who prioritize visual quality over headroom, as it remains above 60 FPS but does not allow for significant frame rate drops in busy scenes.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset (59.3 FPS) is marginally below the 60 FPS target, making Low (77.7 FPS) the only fully playable option. Users with adaptive sync displays may tolerate Medium, but the data suggests that Low provides a more consistent experience at this resolution.

For 4K, none of the settings achieve 60 FPS. The Low preset (41.6 FPS) is the most playable, but it requires a significant compromise in visual fidelity. The Medium preset (31.7 FPS) is borderline, and High (24.6 FPS) and Ultra (16.9 FPS) are not recommended for any gameplay scenario.

The Ultra preset is only viable at 1080p, where it averages 47.6 FPS. This is below 60 FPS but may be acceptable for players who prefer maximum detail over frame rate. However, the data shows that the step from High to Ultra costs 21.2 FPS at 1080p, which is a substantial trade-off for the visual improvements. The GTX 1070's 8 GB of GDDR5 memory is sufficient for all presets at 1080p, but the 256-bit bus width becomes a constraint at higher resolutions, particularly with the Ultra preset's increased texture and shader demands.