Hitman 2

Hitman 2 with the Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 presents a classic case of extreme component imbalance, but the benchmark data reveals a surprisingly playable experience at higher resolutions. The RTX 5090 is clearly the dominant performer, pushing frame rates that far exceed what the six-core CPU can sustain at lower resolutions. The data shows a steep performance cliff between 1440p and 4K, indicating that the GPU is finally being taxed enough to align with the CPU's output. While the pairing is unconventional, the measured results show that 1440p is the sweet spot, offering high refresh rate performance without the CPU bottleneck that caps 1080p.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K is severe but follows a clear pattern. At High settings, the average FPS falls from 174.3 at 1920x1080 to 128.8 at 2560x1440, a 26% reduction, and then crashes to 69.6 at 3840x2160, a further 46% drop. This progression indicates that at 1080p, the Intel Core i5-9400 is the limiting factor; the RTX 5090 has ample headroom, but the CPU cannot feed it enough data. The gap between 1080p and 1440p is relatively modest (45.5 FPS difference), while the leap to 4K is massive (59.2 FPS difference), showing exactly where the GPU workload becomes heavy enough to dominate.

At Ultra settings, the scaling is even more telling. The average FPS at 1080p is 142.5, dropping to 91.1 at 1440p and 47.5 at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is less than half of the 1080p figure, demonstrating that the RTX 5090 is being pushed to its limits with this CPU. The data suggests that the game becomes progressively more GPU-bound as resolution increases, which is beneficial for this pairing. At 4K, the i5-9400's limitations are masked by the sheer pixel-pushing demands placed on the RTX 5090, resulting in a smoother experience relative to the GPU's capability. The takeaway is clear: this combo is not meant for 1080p gaming, as the CPU bottleneck wastes the GPU's potential.

Settings Recommendations

The benchmark results point to Medium settings at 1440p as the optimal balance for this hardware combination. At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the combo achieves 168.2 FPS, which is substantially higher than the 128.8 FPS at High settings and only slightly below the 183.9 FPS at Low. The jump from Low to Medium costs only 15.7 FPS, while the jump from Medium to High costs 39.4 FPS. This indicates that Medium settings capture most of the visual fidelity without incurring the steep performance penalty of High.

For 4K gaming, High settings are the recommended choice. The 69.6 FPS average at 3840x2160 with High settings is respectable, whereas Ultra drops to a less fluid 47.5 FPS. The difference between High and Ultra at 4K is 22.1 FPS, which is significant for a 2018 title. Low settings at 4K yield 116.8 FPS, but the visual compromise is likely unnecessary given that High already provides a playable frame rate. At 1080p, the situation is reversed: the CPU bottleneck makes settings adjustments less impactful, with only a 72.2 FPS difference between Low (214.7) and Ultra (142.5), but Ultra still delivers a very high frame rate.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is the clear performance driver in this pairing, and the data shows its influence grows with resolution. The GPU's 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus provides 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth, which is more than sufficient for Hitman 2's needs at any resolution. The memory clock runs at 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective), and the boost clock is 2407 MHz, with a base of 2017 MHz. These specifications allow the GPU to maintain high throughput even when the CPU is struggling to keep up.

The GPU's benchmark scores confirm its top-tier status. It achieves a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 14411 and a Passmark G3D score of 39650, placing it in the 94th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in average benchmark score are the RTX 5090 D (0.1% delta), RTX 5050 Mobile (0.2% delta), and AMD Radeon PRO W6600 (1.3% delta), showing that it sits at the very top of the performance stack. At 1080p, however, the GPU is underutilized; the measured FPS at Low settings (214.7) suggests the CPU is the constraint, as the GPU could likely push much higher. At 4K Ultra, the GPU finally reaches a state where its raw power is the primary determinant of performance.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-9400 a bottleneck for the RTX 5090 in Hitman 2?

A: Yes, the data clearly indicates this at 1080p. The average FPS at 1080p High is 174.3, but at 1440p High it drops to 128.8, which is a smaller relative drop than expected if the GPU were fully utilized at 1080p. The CPU's 6 cores and 6 threads, with a boost clock of 4.10 GHz, limit the frame rate at lower resolutions.

Q: What is the best resolution to play Hitman 2 with this combo?

A: 2560x1440 is the best resolution. At Medium settings, it achieves 168.2 FPS, which is high enough for smooth gameplay and shows a good balance between CPU and GPU load. 4K is also viable, but frame rates drop below 70 FPS at High settings.

Q: How does the RTX 5090's performance compare to its closest rivals?

A: The RTX 5090 has an average benchmark score of 84306, which is 0.1% higher than the RTX 5090 D (84241) and 0.2% higher than the RTX 5050 Mobile (84171). It also leads the AMD Radeon PRO W6600 (83209) by 1.3%.

Q: Does the RTX 5090's VRAM capacity matter for Hitman 2?

A: The 32 GB of GDDR7 memory is far more than Hitman 2 requires. The game's performance is not limited by VRAM at any settings or resolution tested; the bottleneck is either the CPU at low resolutions or the GPU's compute power at 4K Ultra.

Q: What is the combo's ranking among all tested configurations?

A: This specific combo ranks 141st out of 1795 tested combinations for Hitman 2. This is a strong position, placing it in the top 8% of all tested setups.

Q: Is the RTX 5090's high power draw justified by the frame rates?

A: The GPU has a TDP of 575 W, but the measured FPS shows it is often underutilized. At 1080p, the CPU limits performance, meaning the GPU may not be drawing its full power. At 4K, the higher workload justifies the power draw.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a six-core, six-thread processor from the Coffee Lake family, with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. Its benchmark scores are modest, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 7969 and a single-core score of 1125. It sits in the 50th percentile of all CPUs, and its nearest rivals in average benchmark score include the Core i3-10305 (0.2% delta) and Core i3-1125G4 (0.2% delta), indicating it is a mid-range processor. The 9 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support are standard for its generation.

In Hitman 2, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU, and the data shows it struggles to do so at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 214.7 FPS, but this is likely the CPU's ceiling, not the GPU's. The difference between 1080p and 1440p at Low settings is only 30.8 FPS (214.7 vs 183.9), which is a smaller gap than seen at higher settings. This suggests that the CPU is the primary constraint, and the GPU is waiting for instructions. At 4K, however, the CPU has more time to prepare frames, allowing the GPU to work at higher utilization. The i5-9400's age is apparent, but it does not render the combo unplayable at higher resolutions; it simply caps the maximum achievable FPS.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its highest frame rates. Low settings average 214.7 FPS, Medium settings 193.8 FPS, High settings 174.3 FPS, and Ultra settings 142.5 FPS. The spread of 72.2 FPS between Low and Ultra shows that settings have a noticeable impact, but all presets exceed 140 FPS, making 1080p smooth. The CPU bottleneck is evident, as the FPS does not scale as dramatically as the GPU's capabilities would suggest.

At 2560x1440, performance remains strong. The average FPS is 183.9 at Low, 168.2 at Medium, 128.8 at High, and 91.1 at Ultra. The drop from Medium to High is 39.4 FPS, which is the largest single-step decline, indicating a significant increase in GPU load. The difference between Low and Medium is only 15.7 FPS, making Medium a highly efficient choice.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the limiting factor. Low settings average 116.8 FPS, Medium settings 86.8 FPS, High settings 69.6 FPS, and Ultra settings 47.5 FPS. All presets are playable, but Ultra dips below 50 FPS, which may be too low for some players. The scaling from Low to Ultra is a 69.3 FPS drop, showing that 4K is where the RTX 5090's power is truly tested.

How This Combo Ranks

This combination of the Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 ranks 141st out of 1795 tested combos in Hitman 2. This places it in the top 7.9% of all configurations, which is impressive given the CPU's mid-range status. The high ranking is almost entirely due to the RTX 5090's dominance, as the GPU's 94th percentile performance compensates for the CPU's 50th percentile standing. The data suggests that the combo outperforms many pairs with more balanced components, but it also leaves performance on the table at 1080p.

The ranking indicates that for 1440p and 4K gaming, this pairing is highly effective. At 1440p Medium, the 168.2 FPS result is competitive with far more expensive CPU-GPU pairings. The combo's position reflects the RTX 5090's brute force, but it also highlights the i5-9400's limitations. If the goal is maximizing FPS at 1080p, this combo underperforms relative to its GPU's potential. However, for high-resolution gaming, the 141st rank out of 1795 is a strong showing, proving that a powerful GPU can boost an older CPU in GPU-bound scenarios.