Hitman 2

# How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-12700KF paired with the AMD Radeon RX 9060 lands at rank 2189 out of 3711 tested combos in Hitman 2, placing it in the 41st percentile of all combinations. This is a middling result for a pairing that includes a strong CPU and a mid-tier GPU, and the data suggests the graphics card is the primary bottleneck in most scenarios.

The CPU itself is a high performer, sitting at the 85th percentile among all processors, with an average benchmark score of 35,365. However, the GPU only reaches the 59th percentile among all graphics cards, with an average score of 16,014. This imbalance is telling: the processor has headroom to spare, but the Radeon RX 9060 holds the combo back from higher ranks in this stealth title.

Looking at the nearest rivals for the GPU, the RX 9060 trails the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti by a mere 0.7% in average score, while it leads the AMD Radeon R9 370X by 1% and the AMD Radeon RX 7700 by 1%. This tight clustering means the RX 9060 is firmly in a competitive tier, but not a standout. The CPU's nearest rivals — the Intel Core i7-13700T at -0.1%, the Intel Core 5 213PE at -0.2%, and the Intel Core i5-13600T at +0.2% — show that the i7-12700KF is right at the expected performance level for its class.

In game-specific terms, this combo's rank of 2189 out of 3711 means it outperforms roughly 59% of all tested pairings in Hitman 2. That is not a top-tier result, but it is also far from the bottom. The data indicates a system capable of playable frame rates at 1080p and 1440p with adjusted settings, but one that struggles to maintain smooth performance at 4K.

The core takeaway is that this combination is CPU-heavy in its balance. The i7-12700KF's strong multi-threaded scores — 28,838 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 12,111 in R20 — suggest it could drive a more powerful GPU in this game. The RX 9060, with its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 128-bit bus, is the limiting factor when resolution and settings climb.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9060 brings 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The memory runs at 2250 MHz, which translates to 18 Gbps effective, while the GPU core has a base clock of 1700 MHz, a game clock of 2400 MHz, and a boost clock of 2990 MHz. These specifications position the card as a capable 1080p performer with some 1440p potential, but the 8 GB frame buffer becomes a constraint at higher resolutions in Hitman 2.

The GPU's architecture is RDNA 4.0 on a 4 nm process from TSMC, with the Navi 44 chip containing 29,700 million transistors on a 199 mm² die. It offers 1,792 shading units, 112 texture mapping units, and 64 raster operation units, along with 28 ray tracing cores. The compute throughput is 21.43 TFLOPS for FP32, with a texture rate of 334.9 GTexel/s and a pixel rate of 191.4 GPixel/s. These numbers indicate a card that is solid for rasterization but not exceptional, and Hitman 2's results reflect this.

In this game, the GPU's role is decisive. At 4K Ultra, the combo manages only 23 FPS, which is unplayable, while at 4K Low it reaches 54 FPS. The gap between settings at 4K is stark, and it points to the GPU being overwhelmed by the combination of resolution and graphical load. The 8 GB VRAM is likely a factor here, as Hitman 2's larger textures at 4K can exceed that capacity, causing performance to drop sharply.

The GPU's benchmark scores are consistent with this interpretation. Its Passmark G3D score is 17,631, and its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 3,322. The Geekbench OpenCL score of 88,183 and Vulkan score of 39,476 show respectable compute capabilities, but these do not translate into strong 4K gaming performance. The card's 59th percentile ranking among all GPUs is a fair summary of its position — it is a mainstream option, not a high-end one.

For Hitman 2 specifically, the GPU's 132 W TDP and dual-slot design suggest it is not a power-hungry part, but its performance ceiling is what it is. The data shows that the RX 9060 can handle 1080p with ease, but every step up in resolution or settings costs a significant number of frames.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of which settings deliver the best experience. At 1080p, the High preset averages 90 FPS, which is smooth and responsive for a stealth game. The Medium preset increases to 119 FPS, with a minimum of 101 and a maximum of 137, offering an excellent balance of visual quality and performance. Low at 1080p hits 159 FPS, but the visual downgrade is likely unnecessary given the headroom at Medium.

At 1440p, the Medium preset is the standout choice, averaging 76 FPS with a minimum of 65 and a maximum of 88. This is comfortably playable and retains enough detail for the game's atmospheric environments. High at 1440p drops to 58 FPS, which is borderline for a game that benefits from smooth movement, while Low reaches 102 FPS. Ultra at 1440p falls to 43 FPS, which is too low for consistent gameplay.

At 4K, the options are constrained. The Low preset averages 54 FPS, which is playable but visually sparse. Medium drops to 41 FPS with a minimum of 35, which is stutter-prone, and High falls to 31 FPS. Ultra is not viable at 23 FPS. For a playable 4K experience, Low is the only realistic choice, and even then, the frame rate is marginal.

The best overall experience per the measured rows is 1080p Medium, which provides 119 FPS average with a tight range of 101 to 137. This settings level offers a smooth, responsive experience without the visual compromises of Low. At 1440p, Medium is the recommended preset, as it keeps the frame rate above 60 FPS on average while maintaining a solid minimum of 65.

For players who prioritize visual fidelity over frame rate, 1440p High at 58 FPS is acceptable, but the data suggests that the drop from Medium to High is not worth the 18 FPS loss. Similarly, 1080p Ultra at 66 FPS is playable, but it is 53 FPS slower than Medium, and the visual gains are unlikely to justify that cost in a stealth game where smooth camera movement matters.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data reveals a consistent pattern across resolutions and settings. At 1080p, the performance ranges from 159 FPS on Low to 66 FPS on Ultra, with Medium at 119 FPS and High at 90 FPS. The Medium preset's minimum of 101 FPS and maximum of 137 FPS show a stable frame delivery, while the other presets lack min/max data.

Moving to 1440p, the numbers scale down predictably. Low averages 102 FPS, Medium averages 76 FPS with a minimum of 65 and maximum of 88, High averages 58 FPS, and Ultra averages 43 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is roughly 36% at Low, 36% at Medium, 36% at High, and 35% at Ultra, indicating that the GPU is the limiting factor rather than the CPU.

At 4K, the performance falls off a cliff. Low averages 54 FPS, Medium averages 41 FPS with a minimum of 35 and maximum of 47, High averages 31 FPS, and Ultra averages 23 FPS. The gap between 1440p and 4K is substantial: Low drops by 47%, Medium by 46%, High by 47%, and Ultra by 47%. This consistent percentage drop across all settings is a clear sign that the GPU is saturated at 4K.

The data also shows that settings have a greater impact at lower resolutions. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 93 FPS, a 141% increase. At 1440p, the difference is 59 FPS, a 137% increase. At 4K, the difference narrows to 31 FPS, a 135% increase. This suggests that at higher resolutions, the GPU is so constrained that even lowering settings cannot fully compensate.

The Medium preset is the only one with min/max data across all resolutions, and it shows a consistent pattern. At 1080p, the range is 101 to 137 FPS, a 36 FPS spread. At 1440p, the range is 65 to 88 FPS, a 23 FPS spread. At 4K, the range is 35 to 47 FPS, a 12 FPS spread. The narrowing range at higher resolutions indicates that the GPU is hitting a hard ceiling, reducing the variability that comes from less demanding scenes.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent, revealing the GPU as the primary limiting component. At 1080p Medium, the average is 119 FPS. At 1440p Medium, it drops to 76 FPS, a 36% reduction. At 4K Medium, it falls to 41 FPS, a further 46% reduction from 1440p. The total drop from 1080p to 4K is 66%, which is a significant loss.

This scaling pattern is typical of a GPU-bound scenario. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the FPS would not drop as dramatically with resolution, because the CPU's workload would remain relatively constant. Instead, the data shows that every pixel increase costs a proportional amount of performance, which is the hallmark of a graphics card that is working at its limit.

The CPU's performance metrics support this conclusion. The i7-12700KF's single-thread score of 1,043 in 3DMark and 4,071 in Cinebench R23 indicate strong per-core performance, which is important for Hitman 2's engine. The multi-thread scores are also robust, with 9,983 in 3DMark max threads and 28,838 in Cinebench R23. These numbers suggest that the CPU is not the limiting factor in this combo.

The evidence is clear when comparing the resolution scaling across settings. At Low, the drop from 1080p to 4K is from 159 FPS to 54 FPS, a 66% reduction. At High, it is from 90 FPS to 31 FPS, a 66% reduction. At Ultra, it is from 66 FPS to 23 FPS, a 65% reduction. This uniformity across all settings confirms that the GPU is the bottleneck, as the scaling is consistent regardless of graphical load.

The RX 9060's memory configuration likely contributes to this. With 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus, the card has limited bandwidth relative to higher-end options. The 288.0 GB/s bandwidth is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K, the demand for texture data and frame buffer access exceeds what the card can deliver, causing the sharp performance drop.

For players using this combo, the data suggests that 4K is not a realistic target for smooth gameplay. The 54 FPS at 4K Low is the only playable option, and even that hovers near the threshold where frame pacing issues become noticeable. The sweet spot is 1440p Medium, which offers 76 FPS and a good balance of visual quality and performance.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1080p Medium delivers the best experience, averaging 119 FPS with a minimum of 101 and maximum of 137. At 1440p, Medium is the recommended choice at 76 FPS, while 4K is only playable at Low with 54 FPS.

Q: How does the AMD Radeon RX 9060 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RX 9060 trails the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti by 0.7% in average score, leads the AMD Radeon R9 370X by 1%, and matches the AMD Radeon RX 7700 within 1%. This places it in a tight competitive tier.

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

A: The GPU is the bottleneck. The FPS drops by a consistent 65-66% from 1080p to 4K across all settings, which indicates the graphics card is saturated. The CPU's high benchmark scores, including a 28,838 Cinebench R23 multi-core result, show it has headroom.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Hitman 2?

A: Only at Low settings, which averages 54 FPS. Medium drops to 41 FPS, High to 31 FPS, and Ultra to 23 FPS, all of which are below the threshold for smooth gameplay.

Q: What is the combo's overall rank among tested systems?

A: The Intel Core i7-12700KF with AMD Radeon RX 9060 ranks 2189 out of 3711 tested combos in Hitman 2, placing it in the 41st percentile of all pairings.

Q: How stable is the frame rate at Medium settings?

A: At 1080p Medium, the frame rate ranges from 101 to 137 FPS, a 36 FPS spread. At 1440p, it ranges from 65 to 88 FPS, and at 4K, it ranges from 35 to 47 FPS, showing that stability improves as the GPU reaches its limit.