Hitman 2

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

The Intel Core i7-12700KF brings 12 cores and 20 threads to the table, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. This Alder Lake-S part, built on Intel's 10 nm process, sits in the 89th percentile among all CPUs in the database, indicating it is a high-performing processor for gaming workloads. Its 25 MB of shared L3 cache and per-core L2 cache of 1.25 MB provide substantial on-chip storage for game data, which is relevant for a stealth title like Hitman 2 that often involves complex AI routines and detailed environments.

The benchmark results for the CPU show strong multi-threaded capability, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 28,979 and a single-core score of 4,091. The 3DMark results further reveal scaling: 2,065 for 2 threads, 4,011 for 4 threads, 7,211 for 8 threads, and 9,283 for 16 threads, before reaching 9,983 at max threads. This pattern indicates that the processor gains meaningful performance as more threads are utilized, though the gains diminish beyond 16 threads. The PassMark multi-thread score of 34,092 reinforces this picture of a capable multi-core processor.

In the context of Hitman 2, a game released in 2018, this processor is likely never the bottleneck. The measured FPS at 1080p Low reaches 129.4 FPS, which is far above typical display refresh rates, suggesting the CPU can feed the GPU effectively even in less demanding scenarios. The nearest rivals in the database include the Intel Core i5-14400 with an average score of 35,336 (deltaPct 0.1), the Intel Core i7-13800H at 35,416 (deltaPct -0.2), and the Intel Core i9-12900HX at 35,289 (deltaPct 0.2). The i7-12700KF's average benchmark score is 35,355, placing it essentially level with these competitors, within a 0.3% margin. This means that while the CPU is not a standout against its closest peers, it is also not trailing them, and its high thread count provides headroom for background tasks while gaming.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 6600 is built on the Navi 23 chip with RDNA 2.0 architecture, using a 7 nm process from TSMC. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 224.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's base clock is 1626 MHz, with a boost clock of 2491 MHz and a game clock of 2044 MHz. Memory runs at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective). With 1,792 shading units, 112 TMUs, and 64 ROPs, the card produces 8.928 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, with a pixel rate of 159.4 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 279.0 GTexel/s.

The GPU sits in the 69th percentile among all GPUs in the database, which is noticeably lower than the CPU's 89th percentile ranking. This disparity is the first clue that the RX 6600, not the i7-12700KF, is the limiting component in this pairing. The GPU's 8 GB of VRAM is adequate for 1080p and 1440p gaming but becomes strained at 4K, especially with higher settings. The measured FPS data confirms this: at 4K Ultra, the combo manages only 21.6 FPS, while at 1080p Ultra it reaches 52.8 FPS — a drop of over 59% from 1080p to 4K at the same settings.

The nearest GPU rivals show how tightly clustered the RX 6600 is with its peers. The AMD Radeon 890M has an average score of 25,246 (deltaPct 0), the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP scores 25,287 (deltaPct -0.2), and the AMD Radeon RX 6700M scores 25,180 (deltaPct 0.2). Interestingly, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is listed as a rival with a score of 25,120 (deltaPct 0.5), though this seems low for that card — the data is what it is. The RX 6600's average benchmark score of 25,235 places it in a dead heat with these competitors, all within 0.5% of each other. This suggests that in synthetic benchmarks, the card is solidly mid-pack, but real-world gaming performance will depend heavily on the specific title and resolution.

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

Examining the measured FPS across resolutions and settings, the data reveals a clear pattern. At 1080p, the Low preset delivers 129.4 FPS, Medium hits 98.0 FPS, High achieves 77.8 FPS, and Ultra drops to 52.8 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium is 31.4 FPS, while the gap between Medium and High is 20.2 FPS, and between High and Ultra is 25.0 FPS. This indicates diminishing returns as settings increase, but all presets at 1080p are playable.

At 1440p, the numbers shift: Low yields 87.5 FPS, Medium 67.2 FPS, High 46.1 FPS, and Ultra 34.9 FPS. Here, the High preset falls below the 60 FPS threshold that many players consider the baseline for smooth gameplay. At 4K, the situation becomes dire: Low manages 46.4 FPS, Medium 35.2 FPS, High 23.4 FPS, and Ultra 21.6 FPS. Only the Low preset at 4K approaches playability, and even that is marginal.

For the best experience, the data suggests that 1080p High is the sweet spot. It provides 77.8 FPS, which is well above 60 FPS, while still offering substantial visual quality over the Medium preset. The jump from High to Ultra costs 25.0 FPS at 1080p, a 32% drop, for what is likely a modest visual improvement. At 1440p, Medium at 67.2 FPS is the recommended choice, as High drops below 60 FPS. At 4K, the only viable option is Low at 46.4 FPS, but this is a compromise that may not be worth the resolution upgrade. The measured rows clearly indicate that this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming, with 1440p possible at lower settings.

# How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core i7-12700KF and AMD Radeon RX 6600 ranks 1,445 out of 1,795 tested combos in Hitman 2. This places it in the bottom 20% of all tested systems, which is surprising given the individual component rankings. The CPU is in the 89th percentile and the GPU in the 69th percentile, yet the combo ranks poorly. This discrepancy suggests that Hitman 2 is particularly sensitive to the GPU's limitations, or that the combination is not well-balanced for this specific title.

The rank of 1,445 out of 1,795 means that 350 combos performed worse, but 1,444 performed better. This is a stark result for a system with a high-end CPU and a mid-range GPU. The data implies that the RX 6600 drags the overall performance down significantly in Hitman 2, especially at higher resolutions. At 1080p Ultra, the combo achieves 52.8 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target, indicating that even at the most common gaming resolution, the GPU struggles with max settings.

This ranking should be interpreted with caution, however. The combo rank is specific to Hitman 2, and the game's age (released in 2018) means it may not fully utilize the CPU's modern architecture. The CPU's high single-thread score of 4,091 in Cinebench R23 suggests it is more than capable, but the game may not be able to leverage the 12 cores and 20 threads effectively. The result is that the GPU becomes the primary determinant of performance, and the RX 6600's mid-range positioning shows in the rankings.

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

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of resolution scaling. At High settings, the combo delivers 77.8 FPS at 1080p, 46.1 FPS at 1440p, and 23.4 FPS at 4K. This represents a 40.7% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a 69.9% drop from 1080p to 4K. At Low settings, the numbers are 129.4 FPS at 1080p, 87.5 FPS at 1440p, and 46.4 FPS at 4K — drops of 32.4% and 64.1% respectively.

These scaling patterns are revealing. The percentage drops from 1080p to 1440p are not as severe as the drops from 1440p to 4K, which suggests that the GPU is being increasingly taxed as pixel count rises. At 4K, the GPU must render four times the pixels of 1080p, and the RX 6600's 8 GB of VRAM and 224.0 GB/s bandwidth are simply not sufficient for smooth performance. The fact that even Low settings at 4K only reach 46.4 FPS underscores this limitation.

The data also indicates that the CPU is not the limiting factor. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect FPS to remain relatively stable across resolutions, as the CPU workload does not scale with resolution. Instead, we see dramatic FPS drops as resolution increases, which is the classic signature of a GPU-bound scenario. The i7-12700KF's strong multi-threaded scores and the fact that 1080p Low reaches 129.4 FPS (likely near the CPU's maximum frame output in this game) confirm that the processor has headroom. The RX 6600 is the component holding back performance, particularly at 1440p and 4K.

# FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Hitman 2?

A: The data shows that 1080p is the only resolution where all presets maintain playable frame rates, with Ultra at 52.8 FPS. At 1440p, only Low and Medium exceed 60 FPS (87.5 and 67.2 FPS respectively), while 4K never reaches 60 FPS even at Low (46.4 FPS).

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The i7-12700KF has an average benchmark score of 35,355, which is within 0.3% of its closest competitors. The Intel Core i5-14400 scores 35,336 (deltaPct 0.1), the Intel Core i7-13800H scores 35,416 (deltaPct -0.2), and the Intel Core i9-12900HX scores 35,289 (deltaPct 0.2).

Q: Is 8 GB of VRAM enough for Hitman 2 at 4K?

A: Based on the measured results, no. At 4K Ultra, the combo achieves only 21.6 FPS, and at 4K Low it reaches 46.4 FPS. The 8 GB VRAM and 224.0 GB/s bandwidth appear insufficient for 4K performance in this title.

Q: What settings should I use for 60 FPS at 1440p?

A: The Medium preset at 1440p delivers 67.2 FPS, which exceeds the 60 FPS target. The High preset drops to 46.1 FPS, so Medium is the highest setting that maintains 60 FPS at this resolution.

Q: How does the GPU rank among all GPUs?

A: The RX 6600 is in the 69th percentile among all GPUs in the database, with an average benchmark score of 25,235. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon 890M, scores 25,246 (deltaPct 0).

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

A: The data strongly favors 1080p. At 1080p High, the combo achieves 77.8 FPS, while at 1440p High it drops to 46.1 FPS. The 1080p experience at High settings is smoother than any 1440p preset except Low, which hits 87.5 FPS.

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

1080p (1920x1080):

• Low: 129.4 FPS
• Medium: 98.0 FPS
• High: 77.8 FPS
• Ultra: 52.8 FPS

1440p (2560x1440):

• Low: 87.5 FPS
• Medium: 67.2 FPS
• High: 46.1 FPS
• Ultra: 34.9 FPS

4K (3840x2160):

• Low: 46.4 FPS
• Medium: 35.2 FPS
• High: 23.4 FPS
• Ultra: 21.6 FPS

The full data set reveals consistent scaling across resolutions. At every settings level, the FPS drops by roughly 30-40% from 1080p to 1440p, and then by another 45-55% from 1440p to 4K. The only exception is at Ultra settings, where the 1440p to 4K drop is 38.1% (from 34.9 to 21.6 FPS), suggesting the GPU is already so strained at 1440p Ultra that the additional resolution has less incremental impact.

The difference between Low and Ultra at each resolution is also noteworthy. At 1080p, the spread is 76.6 FPS (from 129.4 to 52.8). At 1440p, the spread narrows to 52.6 FPS (from 87.5 to 34.9). At 4K, it narrows further to 24.8 FPS (from 46.4 to 21.6). This narrowing spread indicates that at higher resolutions, the GPU's limits compress the performance envelope, making settings choices less impactful. The data paints a clear picture: this combo is a 1080p machine for Hitman 2, with 1440p possible at medium settings, and 4K only marginally playable at low settings.