Hitman 2

Hitman 2, a 2018 stealth title, exhibits a clear and predictable performance curve when paired with the Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER. The measured data reveals a system where the GPU is the primary scaling factor across resolutions, while the CPU provides a stable, if not spectacular, foundation. This combination produces a wide range of frame rates, from highly playable at 1080p to demanding at 4K Ultra, making it a versatile but resolution-dependent pairing for this specific title.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is significant and highlights the increasing graphical load placed on the RTX 4070 SUPER. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 149 FPS at 1920x1080 to 95 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 54 FPS. The scaling continues to 4K, where the average drops further to 51 FPS at 3840x2160. This trajectory indicates that at 1080p, the system has substantial headroom, likely becoming more CPU-bound or simply hitting a high-performance plateau, whereas at 4K, the GPU is heavily taxed, resulting in a more than 65% reduction in average FPS compared to 1080p.

The pattern across other settings confirms that the RTX 4070 SUPER is the limiting factor at higher resolutions. On the Low preset, the average frame rate decreases from 214 FPS at 1080p to 168 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 90 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1440p to 4K is a 78 FPS loss, showcasing the exponential cost of rendering four times the pixels. The Medium preset follows suit, with averages of 192 FPS at 1080p, 126 FPS at 1440p, and 67 FPS at 4K. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p results in a 66 FPS loss, and the subsequent move to 4K costs another 59 FPS.

The Ultra preset shows the most dramatic scaling, starting at 110 FPS at 1080p, dropping to 70 FPS at 1440p, and then plummeting to 37 FPS at 4K. This 73 FPS difference between 1080p and 4K Ultra represents a 66% performance loss. The data suggests that while the i5-9400 can push high frame rates at lower resolutions, the GPU's rendering workload at 4K, especially on higher presets, becomes the definitive bottleneck. The frame rate deltas between resolutions are substantial, indicating that users targeting 4K will need to make significant compromises in settings to achieve smooth gameplay.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a 6-core, 6-thread processor based on the Coffee Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. Its benchmark scores place it in the 47th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 2254. This positions it as a mid-range performer, closely matching the Intel Core i7-1068NG7, which has an average score of 2259 and a deltaPct of -0.2, and the Intel Core i3-10305, with a score of 2264 and a deltaPct of -0.4. This suggests that the i5-9400's processing power is adequate for Hitman 2, but it is not a top-tier part.

In the context of the measured FPS, the CPU's role becomes more apparent at lower resolutions and settings. For example, at 1080p Low, the average frame rate reaches 214 FPS. This high number suggests the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU enough data to achieve very high frame rates, though it may also be approaching its limit. The fact that the 1080p High preset yields 149 FPS, while 1080p Ultra yields 110 FPS, indicates that the CPU is not the primary limiter here; the increased graphical settings are what reduce the performance. The CPU's 9 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel memory support with 42.7 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for this game's engine.

The single-core performance, as evidenced by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 935, is decent for a game of this era. Hitman 2 is not known for being extremely CPU-intensive, so the i5-9400's six physical cores provide a stable baseline. The data shows that even at 4K Low, the system manages 90 FPS, which implies that the CPU is still able to keep up with the GPU's rendering tasks, even when the GPU is under heavy load. However, the overall combo rank of 792 out of 3711 tested combinations suggests that while this CPU is competent, it is the GPU that is doing the heavy lifting to achieve high frame rates in this title.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Hitman 2 with this hardware for a balance of speed and quality?

A: Based on the measured data, 2560x1440 on High settings provides an average of 95 FPS, which is a strong balance. At 1080p, the High preset yields 149 FPS, but the visual upgrade to 1440p is significant for a 54 FPS loss. 4K High is playable at 51 FPS, but this is below the 60 FPS threshold many players prefer.

Q: How does the RTX 4070 SUPER perform at 4K in this game?

A: The RTX 4070 SUPER can handle 4K, but with limitations. At 4K Low, it averages 90 FPS, and at 4K Medium, it averages 67 FPS. However, at 4K High and Ultra, the average frame rates drop to 51 FPS and 37 FPS, respectively, indicating that the highest settings are too demanding for smooth 4K gameplay.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-9400 a bottleneck for the RTX 4070 SUPER in Hitman 2?

A: The data suggests the CPU is not a major bottleneck at higher resolutions. At 4K, the frame rates are primarily limited by the GPU's rendering workload. At 1080p, the CPU can push frame rates up to 214 FPS on Low settings, indicating it has enough headroom to avoid severely limiting the GPU, though it may cap performance at the very highest frame rates.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 168 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 70 FPS. This represents a 98 FPS difference, showing that the Ultra preset is more than twice as demanding on the GPU as the Low preset at this resolution.

Q: Does the RTX 4070 SUPER have enough VRAM for Hitman 2?

A: The RTX 4070 SUPER comes with 12 GB of GDDR6X memory. Given the game's release date and the measured performance, this is more than sufficient. Even at 4K Ultra, the game runs, albeit at 37 FPS, which indicates the VRAM capacity is not causing a hard failure or preventing the game from loading.

Q: How does this CPU compare to its direct rivals in terms of processing power?

A: The i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2254, which is almost identical to its nearest rivals. It is 0.3% faster than the Intel Core i7-10710U (2248) and 0.4% faster than the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 (2246). It is 0.2% slower than the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 (2259) and 0.4% slower than the Intel Core i3-10305 (2264). This puts it right in the middle of its performance class.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of performance across all resolution and settings combinations. At 1920x1080, the system shows its highest potential. The Low preset achieves an average of 214 FPS, the Medium preset averages 192 FPS with a minimum of 164 FPS and a maximum of 221 FPS, and the High preset averages 149 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to an average of 110 FPS. This demonstrates that at 1080p, the hardware is capable of delivering a very high refresh rate experience on most presets.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but shows the GPU's workload increasing. The Low preset averages 168 FPS, which is still excellent for high-refresh monitors. The Medium preset averages 126 FPS, with a minimum of 107 FPS and a maximum of 145 FPS. The High preset averages 95 FPS, which is smooth for most titles, while the Ultra preset averages 70 FPS. This resolution offers a good compromise between visual fidelity and performance.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the limiting factor. The Low preset averages 90 FPS, which is playable. The Medium preset averages 67 FPS, with a minimum of 57 FPS and a maximum of 77 FPS, which is borderline for a smooth experience. The High preset averages 51 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 37 FPS, making these settings unsuitable for a consistent 60 FPS target. The data shows a clear and consistent degradation in performance as resolution and settings increase, with the Ultra preset at 4K being the most demanding combination.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER is the dominant component in this pairing, and its specifications dictate the performance ceiling. It is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture using a 5 nm process from TSMC, with a chip size of 294 mm² and 35,800 million transistors. It features 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s. Its boost clock is rated at 2475 MHz, and it has a substantial 7168 shading units. These specifications place it in the 83rd percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 43223.

In Hitman 2, the GPU's power is evident in the high frame rates at lower resolutions. The 1080p Low result of 214 FPS and the 1440p Low result of 168 FPS show that the card has massive headroom when not constrained by heavy graphical effects. The GPU's performance is also reflected in its nearest rivals; it is 1% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile, which has an average score of 43667 and a deltaPct of -1. This indicates that the desktop 4070 SUPER is a top-tier performer in its class.

The GPU's role becomes most critical at 4K. The drop from 90 FPS at Low to 37 FPS at Ultra is a clear indication of the rendering demands of the game's higher presets. The card's 220 W TDP and the need for a 550 W suggested PSU highlight its power requirements, but its performance output is substantial. The data shows that the RTX 4070 SUPER is well-suited for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K, users will need to rely on lower presets to maintain playable frame rates.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance for the optimal settings based on the target resolution. For 1080p, the High preset is an excellent choice, offering an average of 149 FPS. This provides a significant visual improvement over the Low preset at 214 FPS while still maintaining a very high frame rate. For those seeking maximum fluidity, the Low preset at 214 FPS is viable, but the High preset at 149 FPS is the recommended balance for most users. The Ultra preset at 110 FPS is also playable, but the performance cost for the extra visual details may not be worth the 39 FPS loss compared to High.

At 1440p, the High preset is again the sweet spot, with an average of 95 FPS. This is a smooth, high-fidelity experience. The Medium preset averages 126 FPS, which is also excellent, but the visual quality difference is notable. The Ultra preset at 70 FPS is playable, but it may not be consistently smooth on all displays. For a target of 60 FPS or higher, High settings are the best option, providing a strong visual experience without sacrificing performance.

At 4K, the recommendations change dramatically. The Low preset, with an average of 90 FPS, is the only way to achieve a consistently smooth experience. The Medium preset at 67 FPS is borderline, and the High and Ultra presets at 51 FPS and 37 FPS, respectively, are not recommended for smooth gameplay. Therefore, for 4K users, the Low preset is the recommended choice to ensure a stable frame rate, with Medium being a possibility for those who can tolerate occasional dips below 60 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of hardware combinations, the Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER pair achieves a rank of 792 out of 3711 tested combos for Hitman 2. This places it in the top 21% of all configurations tested, indicating a strong overall performance. This high rank is primarily driven by the GPU's capabilities, as the CPU is a more modest performer. The combination is powerful enough to deliver high frame rates at mainstream resolutions, making it a competitive setup for this game.

The ranking reflects the balance of the system. While the CPU is in the 47th percentile, the GPU is in the 83rd percentile, meaning the graphics card is the key driver of this above-average ranking. The data suggests that this combo is not just a good pairing, but a highly effective one for Hitman 2, capable of outperforming a majority of other systems. The fact that it ranks in the 20th percentile of all tested combos underscores its ability to deliver a high-performance experience, even if the CPU is not a top-tier part. This result confirms that the RTX 4070 SUPER boosts the entire system's gaming capabilities.