Hitman 2

The Intel Core i7-12700K paired with the Intel Arc B370 sits near the bottom of the performance hierarchy for Hitman 2. With a combo rank of 2768 out of 3001 tested configurations, this setup places in the 92nd percentile of all combos, meaning roughly 92% of tested systems deliver higher frame rates. This is a low-ranking combination, and the data reflects a significant bottleneck. The GPU’s individual percentile ranking against all GPUs is only 5, while the CPU ranks in the 84th percentile against all CPUs, creating a stark imbalance. The benchmark results indicate that this is a system where the graphics processor is severely limiting the experience, preventing the capable processor from demonstrating its full potential.

How This Combo Ranks

The data places this specific CPU-GPU pairing at rank 2768 out of 3001 combos tested in Hitman 2. This is a clear signal that the combination is not optimized for this title. The ranking is driven almost entirely by the GPU's performance class. The Intel Arc B370 has an average benchmark score of 1184 and sits in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals, such as the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 and the ATI Radeon HD 5770, have nearly identical average scores (1186 and 1190, respectively), with deltas of -0.2% and -0.5% from the Arc B370. This places the B370 in the company of legacy integrated and entry-level discrete graphics solutions. The CPU, on the other hand, is a high-end part. The Intel Core i7-12700K has an average benchmark score of 35287 and sits in the 84th percentile of all CPUs. Its rivals, like the Intel Core i5-13600T and Intel Core i7-12700KF, have average scores of 35305 and 35365, with deltas of -0.1% and -0.2%, respectively. This means the CPU is more than capable of handling the game's logic, but the GPU cannot keep up. The result is a system that ranks poorly because the graphics card acts as a hard ceiling on performance. The combo rank is a direct reflection of the weakest link, and in this case, the GPU is unequivocally that weak link.

Settings Recommendations

Analyzing the measured FPS data, the only playable experience is found at 1920x1080. At this resolution, the Low preset delivers an average of 73 FPS, which is the only configuration that breaks the 60 FPS threshold. The Medium preset at 1080p yields an average of 54 FPS, which is acceptable for a stealth game but not ideal. The High preset drops to 41 FPS, and Ultra falls to 30 FPS. Given the data, the best experience is achieved with the Low preset at 1080p, as it is the only setting that provides a fluid frame rate. The jump from Low to Medium is a 26% drop in performance (from 73 to 54 FPS), which is significant. The further drop from Medium to High is a 24% reduction (from 54 to 41 FPS). The data suggests that even the Medium preset is a compromise, and users seeking smoother gameplay should opt for Low. At higher resolutions, the frame rates become untenable. At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 46 FPS, and Medium averages 35 FPS. At 3840x2160, even Low only averages 25 FPS. The measured rows indicate that the system is only viable for 1080p gaming, and the Low preset is the only one that provides a consistently high frame rate. The Ultra preset is not a viable option at any resolution, as it only achieves 30 FPS at 1080p and 10 FPS at 4K.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data reveals a steep performance drop as resolution increases. At the Low preset, the average FPS falls from 73 at 1920x1080 to 46 at 2560x1440, a 37% decrease. Moving from 2560x1440 to 3840x2160, the FPS drops from 46 to 25, a 46% decrease. This scaling pattern is characteristic of a GPU-bound system; the rendering load increases exponentially with pixel count, and this particular GPU lacks the raw throughput to handle it. At the High preset, the drop is even more severe: 41 FPS at 1080p, 26 FPS at 1440p (a 37% drop), and 14 FPS at 4K (a 46% drop from 1440p). The consistent percentage drops across settings suggest that the limiting component is the GPU's fill rate and shading power. The CPU’s 3DMark scores—9979 for max threads and 1043 for single thread—are high enough that they are not the primary constraint at these resolutions. The data implies that the system is heavily GPU-limited; even at 1080p, the GPU is working at its maximum capacity, and increasing resolution only serves to expose its limitations further. The frame rate at 4K Low (25 FPS) is lower than the frame rate at 1080p Ultra (30 FPS), showing that resolution is a more significant factor than settings for this GPU.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a comprehensive view of the system's performance across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from 73 on Low to 30 on Ultra. The Medium preset shows an average of 54 FPS with a minimum of 46 and a maximum of 63. The High preset averages 41 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 30 FPS. At 2560x1440, the averages are 46 FPS on Low, 35 FPS on Medium (with a min of 30 and max of 40), 26 FPS on High, and 19 FPS on Ultra. At 3840x2160, the averages drop to 25 FPS on Low, 19 FPS on Medium (with a min of 16 and max of 21), 14 FPS on High, and 10 FPS on Ultra. The data shows a clear pattern: the system cannot maintain 60 FPS at any setting except for 1080p Low. The delta between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 43 FPS, a 59% reduction in performance. At 1440p, the delta between Low and Ultra is 27 FPS, a 59% reduction. At 4K, the delta is 15 FPS, a 60% reduction. This consistent percentage drop across resolutions indicates that the GPU is scaling linearly with the workload, and there are no unexpected bottlenecks or architectural inefficiencies. The min and max FPS values for the Medium preset show a variance of about 30%, which is typical for a GPU under load in a dynamic game environment.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is the primary limiting factor in this configuration. Its specifications are modest: 1280 shading units, 40 TMUs, and 20 ROPs. The GPU has a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2400 MHz. The FP32 performance is 6.144 TFLOPS, which is low by modern standards. The GPU’s 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1184, placing it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals, the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 and the ATI Radeon HD 5770, have scores of 1186 and 1190, respectively. This indicates that the B370’s performance is comparable to GPUs from over a decade ago. The memory is listed as "System Shared," which means the GPU relies on the system's main memory rather than dedicated VRAM. This is a major disadvantage for a game like Hitman 2, which requires fast access to textures and geometry. The lack of dedicated memory bandwidth is a likely contributor to the low frame rates, as the GPU must contend with the CPU for memory access. The boost clock of 2400 MHz is respectable, but the low core count and shared memory architecture prevent it from translating into meaningful gaming performance. The data shows that the GPU is the clear bottleneck, and its performance class is simply not adequate for this title beyond the lowest settings at 1080p.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700K is a high-performance processor that is not the limiting factor in this configuration. It has 12 cores and 20 threads, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The CPU’s benchmark scores are strong: a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 19784 and a single-core score of 1850.5. The Geekbench multi-core score is 15790, and the single-core score is 2308. The 3DMark scores show scaling from 2065 for 2 threads to 9979 for max threads, indicating solid multi-threading capability. The CPU's average benchmark score is 35287, placing it in the 84th percentile of all CPUs. Its rivals, such as the Intel Core i5-13600T and the Intel Core i7-12700KF, have similar average scores (35305 and 35365), with deltas of -0.1% and -0.2%. This shows that the 12700K is a top-tier processor. In Hitman 2, the CPU's role is to handle game logic, AI, and physics. Given the high single-thread and multi-thread performance, the CPU is more than capable of feeding the GPU with data. The measured FPS data confirms this; the frame rates are consistently low across all settings, which would not be the case if the CPU were the bottleneck. The CPU is likely idling or underutilized while the GPU struggles to render frames. The 25 MB of shared L3 cache and 20 PCIe Gen 4 lanes provide ample bandwidth for system tasks. The data strongly suggests that the CPU is not the issue; it is waiting for the GPU to complete its work.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings for this combo?

A: The data shows the only playable configuration is at 1920x1080 with the Low preset, which achieves an average of 73 FPS. The Medium preset at 1080p averages 54 FPS, but the Low preset is the only one that provides a frame rate above 60 FPS.

Q: How does this system perform at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160, the system is not viable for gaming. The Low preset averages 25 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 10 FPS. Even the lowest settings cannot maintain a smooth frame rate at this resolution.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this system?

A: The GPU is the clear bottleneck. The Intel Arc B370 ranks in the 5th percentile of all GPUs, while the Intel Core i7-12700K ranks in the 84th percentile of all CPUs. The frame rates are consistently low across all settings, indicating the GPU is at its limit.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B370 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Arc B370 has an average benchmark score of 1184. Its nearest rivals are the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 with a score of 1186 (a -0.2% delta) and the ATI Radeon HD 5770 with a score of 1190 (a -0.5% delta). This shows the B370 is in the same performance class as these older GPUs.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 73 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 30 FPS. This is a 43 FPS difference, meaning the Ultra preset delivers 59% lower performance than the Low preset.

Q: Does the CPU's high benchmark score translate into good gaming performance here?

A: No. The CPU has an average benchmark score of 35287 and ranks in the 84th percentile, but the gaming performance is poor. This is because the GPU's low performance (5th percentile) prevents the CPU from being fully utilized. The system is limited by the graphics card, not the processor.