Hitman 2

How This Combo Ranks

The pairing of the Intel Core i5-9400 with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 lands at rank 543 out of 1795 tested combos in Hitman 2. That places this configuration in the upper third of all tested systems, which is a strong showing for a six-core processor from 2018 paired with a 2023 flagship-tier GPU. The data indicates the combo outperforms roughly 70% of all tested configurations, yet the ranking also reveals a notable gap between the CPU's age and the GPU's modern capabilities.

The RTX 4070 alone sits at the 81st percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 37283. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56, scores 37507, a delta of -0.6%, while the NVIDIA GeForce MX570 A trails by 1.9% with a score of 38008. On the CPU side, the Core i5-9400 sits at the 50th percentile with an average score of 2305, placing it in a tight cluster with the Intel Core i3-10305 (2300, +0.2%) and the Intel Core i3-1125G4 (2299, +0.2%). The Xeon E-2134 is nearly identical at 2295 (+0.4%), while the higher-scoring Core i7-8809G at 2319 shows a -0.6% delta, meaning the i5-9400 actually beats that part by a hair.

The interesting story here is the imbalance. The GPU is clearly the dominant component in this pairing, ranking in the top 20% of all GPUs, while the CPU sits exactly at the median. In a game like Hitman 2, which is known for its complex AI and physics simulations, this suggests the processor could be holding back the graphics card in certain scenarios. The combo's rank of 543 out of 1795 reflects this tension: it is not a top-tier pairing, but it is far from a bottlenecked disaster. The data implies that users upgrading from an older GPU to the RTX 4070 while keeping this CPU will see substantial gains, but they may not fully unlock the GPU's potential at lower resolutions.

FAQ

Q: How does this combo rank against other tested configurations in Hitman 2?

A: The combination of the Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 ranks 543rd out of 1795 tested combos, placing it in the upper third of all configurations. This is a solid mid-to-high-tier result for a game released in 2018.

Q: What is the CPU's benchmark standing relative to its nearest rivals?

A: The Core i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2305, which is nearly identical to the Intel Core i3-10305 (2300, +0.2%) and the Intel Core i3-1125G4 (2299, +0.2%). It edges out the Intel Xeon E-2134 (2295, +0.4%) and the Intel Core i7-8809G (2319, -0.6%), meaning it outperforms that higher-tier part by a small margin.

Q: How does the RTX 4070 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The RTX 4070 has an average benchmark score of 37283, sitting at the 81st percentile. The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 is slightly ahead at 37507 (-0.6% delta), while the NVIDIA GeForce MX570 A and RTX 4080 Mobile score 38008 (-1.9%) and 38135 (-2.2%) respectively. The AMD Radeon RX 5300M lags at 36371 (+2.5% delta).

Q: What FPS can I expect at 1080p with Ultra settings?

A: At 1920x1080 with Ultra settings, the combo delivers an average of 99.3 FPS. This is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, though it is noticeably lower than the 136.7 FPS achieved at High settings.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this pairing?

A: The data suggests the GPU is the primary driver of performance, given its 81st percentile ranking versus the CPU's 50th percentile. However, the CPU's six cores and 2.90 GHz base clock may constrain frame rates at lower resolutions where the GPU is less taxed.

Q: What is the best settings preset for this combo at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Medium preset delivers 114.5 FPS average, while High yields 88 FPS. For a balance of visual quality and performance, Medium appears optimal, as it maintains a high frame rate while still providing a significant visual upgrade over Low.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data reveals a clear pattern of diminishing returns as resolution increases. At 1080p with High settings, the combo achieves 136.7 FPS. Moving to 1440p drops that to 88 FPS, a reduction of approximately 36%. At 4K, the frame rate falls further to 45 FPS, a 67% decrease from the 1080p figure. This scaling behavior indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, as the RTX 4070's 12 GB of GDDR6X memory and 504.2 GB/s bandwidth are being pushed to their limits.

The Low settings preset tells a different story. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 215.9 FPS, which is exceptionally high. At 1440p Low, it drops to 149.7 FPS, and at 4K Low, it still manages 78.3 FPS. The percentage drops between resolutions are smaller at Low settings (31% from 1080p to 1440p, 48% from 1440p to 4K) compared to High settings (36% and 49% respectively). This suggests that at Low settings, the CPU begins to play a more significant role, particularly at 1080p where the GPU is not fully utilized.

The Ultra preset shows the steepest scaling curve. From 1080p Ultra at 99.3 FPS, the frame rate drops to 60.6 FPS at 1440p (a 39% reduction) and then to 37.1 FPS at 4K (a 63% reduction from 1440p). These numbers indicate that Ultra settings at 4K are simply too demanding for this combo, pushing the GPU to its absolute limits. The data implies that the RTX 4070's 29.15 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and 158.4 GPixel/s pixel rate are insufficient for 4K Ultra in this title, despite the card's strong overall performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its highest frame rates. Low settings produce an average of 215.9 FPS, Medium yields 175.9 FPS, High achieves 136.7 FPS, and Ultra drops to 99.3 FPS. The spread between Low and Ultra is 116.6 FPS, indicating that settings have a massive impact at this resolution. The 1080p results show that even at Ultra, the game remains highly playable, and at Low, the system is almost certainly CPU-limited given the extremely high frame rate.

Moving to 2560x1440, the numbers become more moderate. Low settings still deliver a strong 149.7 FPS, Medium produces 114.5 FPS, High drops to 88 FPS, and Ultra falls to 60.6 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra narrows to 89.1 FPS, suggesting that the GPU is beginning to feel the pressure of higher pixel counts. The 1440p Medium result of 114.5 FPS is noteworthy, as it provides a smooth experience that approaches the 1080p High figure.

At 3840x2160, the combo struggles to maintain high frame rates. Low settings achieve 78.3 FPS, Medium yields 61.3 FPS, High drops to 45 FPS, and Ultra falls to 37.1 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra here is 41.2 FPS, showing that settings have less relative impact at 4K due to the GPU being the dominant constraint. The 4K Medium result of 61.3 FPS is just above the 60 FPS threshold, while High and Ultra fall below it, making those presets less desirable for competitive or fast-paced play.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience at 1920x1080, the High preset at 136.7 FPS offers an excellent balance between visual fidelity and performance. Ultra at 99.3 FPS is still very playable, but the 37.4 FPS drop from High may not justify the visual gains in a stealth game where clarity matters more than extreme detail. At 1080p, Medium at 175.9 FPS is overkill for most displays, though it could benefit high-refresh-rate monitors.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset at 114.5 FPS stands out as the optimal choice. It provides a 26.5 FPS advantage over High while still offering a significant visual upgrade from Low. The Ultra preset at 60.6 FPS is borderline, but the drop to exactly 60 FPS suggests that frame pacing could become an issue in busy scenes. High at 88 FPS is a solid alternative for those who prioritize visual quality, but Medium offers the best combination of smoothness and detail.

For 4K gaming, the data recommends the Low preset at 78.3 FPS as the only fully playable option. Medium at 61.3 FPS is technically above 60 FPS, but the margin is thin, and any complex scene could push it below that threshold. High at 45 FPS and Ultra at 37.1 FPS are not recommended for this combo at 4K, as they fall well short of smooth gameplay standards. The RTX 4070's 12 GB VRAM is sufficient for 4K, but its 192-bit memory bus and 504.2 GB/s bandwidth appear to be the limiting factors at this resolution.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a six-core, six-thread processor from the Coffee Lake Refresh generation, built on Intel's 14 nm process. Its base clock of 2.90 GHz and boost clock of 4.10 GHz place it in the mid-range of desktop CPUs from its era. The 9 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support with 42.7 GB/s bandwidth are typical for this class of processor. The CPU's benchmark scores, including a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 7969 and single-core score of 1125, confirm its position at the 50th percentile.

In Hitman 2, a game that simulates complex AI behaviors and physics interactions, the CPU's six threads are likely sufficient but not abundant. The 1080p Low result of 215.9 FPS strongly suggests CPU involvement, as such a high frame rate would not be achievable if the GPU were the sole constraint. The data indicates that at lower resolutions and settings, the Core i5-9400's six cores can handle the game's logic, but the lack of hyper-threading may cause occasional hitches in densely populated areas. The processor's 65 W TDP and end-of-life production status suggest it is an older part, yet its performance remains competitive with the Intel Core i3-10305 and i3-1125G4, as shown by the near-identical average scores.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is a powerhouse built on the Ada Lovelace architecture using TSMC's 5 nm process. Its 35,800 million transistors packed into a 294 mm² die give it a transistor density of 121.8M per mm², making it one of the most advanced consumer GPUs available. The card features 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth. Its boost clock of 2475 MHz and 29.15 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power place it well above the 81st percentile of all GPUs.

In Hitman 2, the RTX 4070's performance is clearly the dominant factor in this combo. The 4K Low result of 78.3 FPS demonstrates that the GPU can handle high pixel counts when not burdened by complex shading, while the 4K Ultra result of 37.1 FPS shows its limits under maximum load. The card's 46 ray tracing cores and 184 tensor cores are not directly relevant to this game's standard rendering, but they indicate the hardware's future-proofing. The 200 W TDP and 550 W suggested PSU are modest for a GPU of this class, though the 16-pin power connector may require adapter considerations. The data reveals that the RTX 4070 is a capable 1440p performer and a marginal 4K card for this title, with its 12 GB VRAM and 504.2 GB/s bandwidth being the key specifications driving these results.