Hitman 2

The Intel Core i7-12700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 pairing in Hitman 2 delivers a clear split between high-refresh 1080p play and demanding 4K Ultra limits. Benchmark data places this combo at rank 916 out of 3711 tested combinations, meaning it sits in the top quarter of systems, yet the measured frame rates reveal that the game’s settings and resolution choices matter more than raw hardware aggression. The 12-core, 20-thread Alder Lake processor with a 3.60 GHz base and 5.00 GHz boost clock pairs with the Ada Lovelace GPU’s 12 GB of GDDR6X memory to produce results that range from 236 FPS at 1080p Low to just 34 FPS at 4K Ultra. This analysis breaks down what each component contributes, how the combo ranks, and which settings deliver the best experience.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i7-12700K brings 12 cores and 20 threads from its Alder Lake-S architecture, built on Intel’s 10 nm process. With a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, this processor handles both single-threaded and multi-threaded workloads effectively. Its L3 cache totals 25 MB shared, while L1 and L2 caches are 80 KB and 1.25 MB per core, respectively. The CPU supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory through a dual-channel bus, and its PCIe Gen 4 interface provides 20 lanes from the CPU itself.

In Hitman 2, a stealth game that relies on AI-driven NPC schedules and physics interactions, the CPU’s single-thread performance often dictates minimum frame pacing. The 12700K’s 3DMark single-thread score of 1043 and PassMark single-thread score of 4013 show strong per-core capability. Multi-threaded tests reinforce this: Cinebench R23 multi-core hits 19784, while Geekbench multi-core reaches 15790. The processor’s 3DMark 16-thread score of 9276 and max-thread score of 9979 indicate that even when the game spawns many AI agents, the CPU has headroom.

Compared to its nearest rivals in the database, the 12700K’s average benchmark score of 35287 places it just 0.1% behind the Intel Core i5-13600T (avgScore 35305) and 0.2% behind the Intel Core i7-12700KF (avgScore 35365). It also trails the Intel Core i7-13700T (avgScore 35403) by 0.3% and the Intel Core 5 213PE (avgScore 35428) by 0.4%. These tiny deltas—all within half a percent—mean that in CPU-bound scenarios, the 12700K is effectively on par with its closest alternatives.

For this game, the data suggests the CPU is rarely the bottleneck at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 236 FPS, which is far beyond what most displays can show. Even at 1080p Ultra, the average of 99 FPS remains smooth, indicating the processor can feed the GPU adequately. However, at 4K Ultra, the average drops to 34 FPS, and the CPU’s role diminishes as the GPU becomes the limiting factor. The 12700K’s 84th percentile ranking among all CPUs (percentileVsAllCpus: 84) confirms it is a high-tier part, but the game’s engine does not appear to stress it heavily beyond 1080p.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 uses the AD104 chip on a 5 nm TSMC process, with 35,800 million transistors on a 294 mm² die. Its base clock is 1920 MHz, boosting to 2475 MHz, while memory runs at 1313 MHz with 21 Gbps effective speed. The 12 GB of GDDR6X memory sits on a 192-bit bus, yielding 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth. With 5888 shading units, 184 TMUs, 64 ROPs, 46 RT cores, and 184 tensor cores, this GPU is built for rasterization and ray tracing alike. Its FP32 performance is 29.15 TFLOPS, matching FP16 at a 1:1 ratio.

The GPU’s memory capacity and bandwidth directly influence Hitman 2’s large, detailed levels. At 4K resolution, the game’s draw distances and texture loads can consume significant VRAM, but the 12 GB pool appears sufficient—the measured frames suggest no stutter-induced min FPS anomalies at 4K Medium (min 51 FPS, max 69 FPS). The pixel rate of 158.4 GPixel/s and texture rate of 455.4 GTexel/s provide the fill rates needed for dense environments.

The RTX 4070’s average benchmark score of 37648 places it in the 81st percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rivals show mixed comparisons: the NVIDIA Tesla P4 scores 37628 (0.1% ahead of the 4070), while the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 scores 37507 (0.4% ahead). The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile scores 38135, which is 1.3% behind the 4070, and the AMD Radeon PRO W6400 scores 37157, putting it 1.3% behind. These deltas are small, meaning the 4070 sits in a tightly contested performance band.

In Hitman 2, the GPU’s role scales directly with resolution. At 1080p, the RTX 4070 pushes frame rates from 99 (Ultra) to 236 (Low), demonstrating that the GPU is not fully taxed at this resolution—the CPU and memory subsystem help sustain high output. At 1440p, the range narrows to 63–151 FPS, and at 4K, it falls to 34–81 FPS. The 4K Ultra result of 34 FPS is below the commonly accepted 60 FPS target, indicating that while the GPU has ample VRAM and bandwidth, the sheer pixel count overwhelms its compute units. The 4K Low result of 81 FPS shows that reducing settings can reclaim playability, but the GPU remains the primary limiter at this resolution.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific pairing of the Intel Core i7-12700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 achieves a combo rank of 916 out of 3711 tested combinations in Hitman 2. That places it in the 75th percentile of all combos, which is respectable but not elite. The rank reflects the average FPS across all measured settings and resolutions, meaning it rewards consistency as much as peak performance.

The combo’s rank can be understood by looking at the spread of results. At 1080p, it excels, with Low settings hitting 236 FPS and Medium at 177 FPS—both well above the 144 Hz threshold. High settings at 134 FPS and Ultra at 99 FPS are also playable. At 1440p, the combo still performs well: Low at 151 FPS, Medium at 113 FPS, High at 86 FPS, and Ultra at 63 FPS. The 4K results are where the rank suffers—High at 46 FPS, Medium at 60 FPS, Low at 81 FPS, and Ultra at 34 FPS. The 34 FPS at 4K Ultra is a notable weak point, dragging the average down.

Compared to other combos in the database, this rank of 916 suggests that many systems with newer or more expensive parts outperform it, particularly at 4K. However, the 12 GB VRAM and 12-core CPU provide a balanced foundation—the CPU never falls below 99 FPS at 1080p even on Ultra, and the GPU only struggles at the highest resolution. The rank indicates that for users targeting 1080p or 1440p, this combo is strong, but for 4K enthusiasts, it is mid-pack. The 84th percentile CPU and 81st percentile GPU individually do not translate to a top-100 combo rank because Hitman 2’s optimization favors certain hardware configurations—likely those with more than 12 GB VRAM or higher memory bandwidth.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture across three resolutions and four settings levels.

1920x1080:

• Low: 236 FPS average
• Medium: 177 FPS average, with min 151 and max 204
• High: 134 FPS average
• Ultra: 99 FPS average

2560x1440:

• Low: 151 FPS average
• Medium: 113 FPS average, with min 96 and max 130
• High: 86 FPS average
• Ultra: 63 FPS average

3840x2160:

• Low: 81 FPS average
• Medium: 60 FPS average, with min 51 and max 69
• High: 46 FPS average
• Ultra: 34 FPS average

These numbers reveal a consistent pattern: each step up in settings costs roughly 20–30% FPS, and each resolution jump from 1080p to 1440p to 4K roughly halves the frame rate at the same settings. For example, at High settings, 1080p yields 134 FPS, 1440p yields 86 FPS (a 36% drop), and 4K yields 46 FPS (a 66% drop from 1080p). At Low settings, the drop from 1080p to 1440p is 36% (236 to 151), and from 1440p to 4K is 46% (151 to 81).

The Medium settings rows include min and max FPS data, which offer insight into frame pacing. At 1080p Medium, the min of 151 FPS is still above the 144 Hz threshold, meaning no noticeable stutter. At 1440p Medium, the min of 96 FPS is smooth for 60 Hz displays but below 144 Hz. At 4K Medium, the min of 51 FPS approaches the edge of playability, and the max of 69 FPS shows variability. The absence of min/max data for Low, High, and Ultra rows suggests the test methodology only captured averages for those settings, but the Medium data indicates the combo maintains stable frames until 4K.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

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

A: At 1080p, all settings (Low 236 FPS, Medium 177 FPS, High 134 FPS, Ultra 99 FPS) exceed 60 FPS. At 1440p, all settings also exceed 60 FPS, with the lowest being Ultra at 63 FPS. At 4K, only Low (81 FPS) and Medium (60 FPS) reach 60 FPS, while High (46 FPS) and Ultra (34 FPS) fall short.

Q: How much FPS is lost when going from 1080p to 1440p at High settings?

A: The combo drops from 134 FPS at 1080p High to 86 FPS at 1440p High, a reduction of 48 FPS (36% lower). This indicates the GPU is handling more pixels, but the CPU still provides enough headroom to keep the frame rate playable.

Q: Does the RTX 4070’s 12 GB VRAM cause issues at 4K?

A: The data shows no VRAM-related stutter, as the 4K Medium row reports a min FPS of 51 and max of 69. The 12 GB capacity is sufficient for Hitman 2’s 4K textures, but the GPU’s compute power limits performance—the 4K Ultra average of 34 FPS is the bottleneck, not memory.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-13600T?

A: The 12700K has an average benchmark score of 35287, which is 0.1% lower than the i5-13600T’s score of 35305. This means the two CPUs perform nearly identically in synthetic tests, and in Hitman 2, the CPU is rarely the limiting factor above 1080p.

Q: Is this combo better suited for 1080p or 1440p gaming?

A: Both are excellent. At 1080p Ultra, the combo hits 99 FPS, and at 1440p Ultra, it hits 63 FPS. The 1440p Ultra result is just above the 60 FPS threshold, making 1440p a viable target for high settings. For maximum refresh rates, 1080p Low at 236 FPS is far beyond any display’s capability.

Q: What does the combo rank of 916 out of 3711 indicate?

A: It places this pairing in the top 25% of all tested combos for Hitman 2. The rank is dragged down by the 4K Ultra result of 34 FPS, but the 1080p and 1440p numbers are competitive with many higher-priced systems.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based solely on the measured FPS, the Medium preset offers the most balanced experience across all resolutions. At 1080p Medium, the combo averages 177 FPS with a minimum of 151 FPS, ensuring no frame drops below 144 Hz—ideal for high-refresh monitors. At 1440p Medium, the average of 113 FPS with a 96 FPS minimum is smooth for 60 Hz displays and still playable on 144 Hz panels, though not maxing them out. At 4K Medium, the 60 FPS average with a 51 FPS minimum is right at the edge of console-like smoothness, but the variability (max 69 FPS) might cause occasional judder.

High settings are a reasonable alternative for users prioritizing visual fidelity. At 1080p High, 134 FPS is still above 120 Hz, and at 1440p High, 86 FPS is acceptable for 60 Hz or 75 Hz displays. However, 4K High at 46 FPS is below the 60 FPS target, making it less ideal.

Ultra settings are only recommended for 1080p, where the 99 FPS average remains smooth. At 1440p Ultra, 63 FPS is playable but leaves little headroom for demanding scenes. At 4K Ultra, the 34 FPS average falls into what most players would consider unplayable for a stealth game that requires precise timing.

Low settings are only necessary for 4K if 60 FPS is a hard requirement—the 81 FPS average at 4K Low is the only 4K preset that exceeds 60 FPS comfortably. For most users, Medium at 1440p provides the best combination of visual quality and performance, as it stays above 96 FPS minimum and 113 FPS average.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K follows a predictable pattern that reveals the GPU as the primary limiter. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 134 at 1080p, to 86 at 1440p, to 46 at 4K. This represents a 36% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a 66% drop from 1080p to 4K. The pixel count increases from 2.07 million (1080p) to 3.69 million (1440p) to 8.29 million (4K)—a 4x increase from 1080p to 4K. The FPS drops by roughly 66%, which is less than the 75% reduction one might expect from pixel count alone, suggesting the GPU has some headroom in memory bandwidth or shading units.

At Low settings, the scaling is even more dramatic: 236 FPS at 1080p, 151 FPS at 1440p, and 81 FPS at 4K. The 4K result is only 34% of the 1080p result, indicating that at low graphical loads, the CPU begins to matter more. The 12700K’s single-thread performance can sustain high frame rates at 1080p Low, but at 4K, the GPU’s fill rate limits throughput. The fact that 4K Low (81 FPS) is still higher than 1080p Ultra (99 FPS) shows how much settings dominate over resolution.

The Medium settings show the clearest picture: 177 FPS at 1080p, 113 FPS at 1440p, and 60 FPS at 4K. The 4K Medium result of 60 FPS is exactly at the common refresh rate, meaning this combo can deliver a console-like experience if users accept Medium quality. The min FPS at 4K Medium (51) is 85% of the average, showing minor frame pacing issues but no severe stutter.

What does this scaling imply about the limiting component? At 1080p and 1440p, the CPU and GPU are balanced—neither component appears to bottleneck the other, as frame rates scale linearly with settings. At 4K, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck, as evidenced by the 34 FPS Ultra result. The CPU’s 12 cores and 20 threads are not taxed at 4K because the GPU cannot output frames fast enough to demand more CPU work. Conversely, at 1080p Low (236 FPS), the CPU must process draw calls and AI quickly enough to feed the GPU, and the 12700K’s high single-thread score (1043 in 3DMark) ensures it does. This combo’s strength is its balance across 1080p and 1440p; its weakness is the inability to push 4K Ultra past 34 FPS. Users targeting 4K should lower settings to Medium or below, while those with 1440p or 1080p displays can enjoy high or ultra settings without compromise.