Hitman 2

The Intel Core i7-12700KF is a 12-core, 20-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. It supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory across a dual-channel bus and connects via PCIe Gen 4. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 28,838 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 4,071 in single-core, with a Geekbench multi-core score of 14,367. In Hitman 2, this CPU's strong multi-threaded performance ensures that the processor is rarely the limiting factor at high resolutions. The chip's 3DMark scores—9,282 for 16 threads and 9,983 for maximum threads—show robust scaling, which helps maintain consistent frame delivery in a game that relies on simulating complex AI routines and physics. The 25 MB of shared L3 cache also benefits data-heavy scenarios common in stealth games, where many objects and NPCs are tracked simultaneously.

At 1080p with Low settings, the combo hits 236 FPS average, indicating the CPU can feed the GPU efficiently at lower loads. The processor's 85th percentile ranking among all CPUs means it outperforms the majority of tested processors, and it's closely matched with rivals like the Intel Core i7-13700T (which scores 35,403, a -0.1% delta) and the Intel Core i5-13600T (35,305, +0.2% delta). This near-tie in average benchmark scores suggests that the i7-12700KF's architecture and cache configuration place it right in the upper echelon of gaming chips, though it doesn't decisively outclass its direct Intel siblings. The 20-thread count (up from 16 in many older chips) provides headroom for background tasks while gaming, but the game itself likely scales well beyond 8 cores, as evidenced by the 3DMark 8-thread score of 7,211.

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

The Intel Core i7-12700KF's core layout is a hybrid of performance and efficiency, though the FACT PACK doesn't specify the exact P-core/E-core split. What matters here is the total thread count of 20, which ensures that Hitman 2's AI-driven crowd and physics calculations don't starve the render thread. The base clock of 3.60 GHz and boost of 5.00 GHz provide the high single-thread performance that many game engines still prioritize. The chip's single-thread scores—1,043 in 3DMark single-thread and 4,071 in Cinebench R23 single-core—reflect strong per-core performance, which is crucial for the game's main simulation thread.

Benchmark data shows that increasing thread workloads yields linear scaling: 2 threads score 2,065, 4 threads score 4,011, 8 threads score 7,211, and 16 threads reach 9,282. The maximum-thread score of 9,983 suggests that beyond 16 threads, the additional 4 threads provide diminishing returns in synthetic tests, but they still contribute in real-world gaming. In Hitman 2, the measured FPS at 1080p Low (236 FPS) versus 4K Low (81 FPS) shows how the CPU handles the game's logic when the GPU is less stressed; at 1080p, the CPU must feed frames faster, and the 236 FPS average indicates it does so effectively.

The i7-12700KF's position in the CPU percentile (85th) and its average benchmark score of 35,365 place it just 0.2% behind the Intel Core i7-12700K (35,287) and 0.2% ahead of the Intel Core 5 213PE (35,428). The -0.1% delta to the i7-13700T (35,403) means these are essentially equivalent performers overall. In Hitman 2, this level of CPU performance is more than sufficient to drive high frame rates, as evidenced by the 1080p High average of 134 FPS and 1080p Medium of 177 FPS. The CPU's 125W TDP and LGA1700 socket are typical for this class, and the unlocked multiplier allows overclocking, though the data shows no overclocked results in this page.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is a 4nm GPU based on the RDNA 4.0 architecture, featuring 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 644.6 GB/s. Its core clocks are notable: a base of 1660 MHz, a game clock of 2400 MHz, and a boost clock of 2970 MHz. The memory clock is 2518 MHz (20.1 Gbps effective). With 4,096 shading units, 256 TMUs, and 128 ROPs, the GPU delivers a pixel rate of 380.2 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 760.3 GTexel/s. The FP32 performance is 48.66 TFLOPS, and it has 64 ray accelerators for ray tracing.

In Hitman 2, the GPU's VRAM capacity is sufficient even at 4K, as the game's High preset at 3840x2160 averages 52 FPS. The 16 GB VRAM buffer prevents texture swap-induced stutters in the game's large, detailed environments. The GPU's 128 ROPs and high memory bandwidth help with the game's fill-rate demands, particularly at 4K where the pixel count is high. The Radeon's boost clock of 2970 MHz is high for a GPU, and this headroom is used effectively across presets. The PassMark G3D score of 26,795 and 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 7,260 position it as a capable mid-high range card, though its percentile rank is only 55th.

The GPU's nearest rivals in the database are oddly matched in terms of average benchmark scores: the AMD Radeon HD 7770M (13,536, +0.1% delta) and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 (13,515, +0.2% delta) are listed as close, but these are much older and lower-tier cards. This is a reflection of the benchmark's aggregate scoring, not the game's performance—the RX 9070 XT's 16 GB VRAM and modern architecture are clearly superior. In the game, the GPU shows its strength: at 1080p High, it delivers 134 FPS, and at 1080p Low, 236 FPS. The 4K High preset yields 52 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for high-refresh displays.

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

The measured FPS data reveals a clear scaling pattern as resolution increases. At 1080p High, the average is 134 FPS; at 1440p High, 86 FPS; and at 4K High, 52 FPS. This represents a decline of 42 FPS (24%) from 1080p to 1440p, and 34 FPS (64%) from 1080p to 4K. At Low settings, the scaling is even steeper: 236 FPS at 1080p, 151 FPS at 1440p (a 36% drop), and 81 FPS at 4K (a 66% drop). Medium settings show 177 FPS at 1080p, 113 FPS at 1440p (36% drop), and 60 FPS at 4K (66% drop). Ultra settings show the most dramatic scaling: 99 FPS at 1080p, 63 FPS at 1440p (36% drop), and 34 FPS at 4K (66% drop).

The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K is remarkably consistent across all settings, hovering around 64-66%. This indicates that the GPU is the primary limiting component at higher resolutions, as the CPU's load doesn't change much with resolution while the GPU's pixel workload quadruples. The fact that the 1080p results are so high (even 134 FPS at High) suggests the CPU is not a bottleneck at 1080p, and the GPU is the limiting factor as resolution climbs. At 4K Ultra, the 34 FPS average is below the 60 FPS threshold, indicating that this combination is not ideal for 4K Ultra without substantial graphical compromises.

The scaling also reveals the game's engine efficiency: the consistent percentage drops across all presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) indicate that the game's rendering pipeline is well-optimized and that the GPU's work scales linearly with pixel count. The 1080p Low result of 236 FPS is particularly telling—it shows the CPU and GPU can push far beyond typical display refresh rates, so any perceived smoothness at higher resolutions is purely a GPU limit.

4 FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p High settings?

A: The average FPS at 1080p High is 134, with a minimum of 134 and a maximum of 134 (no variance reported). The 1080p Medium preset also averages 177 FPS with a minimum of 151 and a maximum of 204.

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

A: The Intel Core i7-12700KF has an average benchmark score of 35,352, which is 0.1% below the Intel Core i7-13700T (35,403) and 0.2% above the Intel Core i5-13600T (35,305). It is also 0.2% below the Intel Core 5 213PE (35,428). These differences are within a 5-point range, making them effectively tied.

Q: Is the GPU's 16 GB VRAM enough for 4K gaming?

A: Yes. At 4K High, the average FPS is 52, and at 4K Medium, it's 60, so the VRAM isn't a bottleneck. The 16 GB GDDR6 memory provides enough capacity for the game's textures, as evidenced by the playable framerates.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking?

A: The RX 9070 XT is in the 55th percentile of all GPUs, based on its average benchmark score of 13,543. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon HD 7770M, has a score of 13,536 (0.1% delta), and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 has 13,515 (0.2% delta).

Q: How does the combo rank in the database?

A: The combo (Intel Core i7-12700KF + AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT) ranks 916th out of 3,711 tested combos in Hitman 2. This puts it in the top 25% of all combos for this game.

Q: What is the difference in FPS between 1080p and 4K on High settings?

A: The FPS drops from 134 at 1080p to 86 at 1440p (a 36% decrease) and to 52 at 4K (a 61% decrease from 1080p). This suggests the GPU is the primary limiter at higher resolutions, as the CPU's workload doesn't scale with pixel count.

5 How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i7-12700KF and AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT ranks 916th out of 3,711 tested combos in Hitman 2. This places it in the 75th percentile of all combos, meaning it outperforms about 75% of the systems tested in this game. The rank is influenced by the GPU's mid-tier performance and the CPU's high-tier performance. While the CPU is strong, the GPU's 55th percentile shows it's average among all GPUs, but in this game, the combo still delivers excellent results, likely due to the game's optimization.

The rank of 916 out of 3,711 indicates that there are 915 combos that achieve higher performance. These are likely systems with higher-end GPUs like the RTX 4080 or RX 7900 XTX, which would push higher FPS at 4K. The i7-12700KF is not the bottleneck, as its CPU benchmarks are high, but the RX 9070 XT's 55th percentile suggests it's not a top-tier GPU. This combo is a balanced pairing where the CPU's headroom allows the GPU to perform to its limits, but the GPU's performance at 4K Ultra (34 FPS) is a limiting factor.

In comparison, the data shows that the CPU is 0.2% faster than the i7-12700K, which is essentially identical, so combat performance is similar. The GPU's ranking is lower, but the combination's rank is reflective of the GPU's performance, as the CPU is not the bottleneck.

4 Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS across presets and resolutions, the best experience depends on the target display and refresh rate.

For 1080p, the Low preset delivers 236 FPS average, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors (240Hz). However, the High preset at 134 FPS is still smooth for 120Hz displays, and the Ultra preset at 99 FPS provides the best visual quality with a framerate above 90 FPS. The Medium preset at 177 FPS is a good middle ground, though 134 FPS at High is more balanced.

At 1440p, the High preset averages 86 FPS, which is excellent for 144Hz monitors. The Medium preset at 113 FPS is also very smooth, but the Ultra preset at 63 FPS is just above the 60 FPS threshold, making it ideal for 60Hz displays. The Low preset at 151 FPS is excessive for most 1440p displays, so High is recommended for visual fidelity.

At 4K, the Medium preset averages 60 FPS, which is the minimum for a playable experience. The High preset at 52 FPS is playable but may require some adjustment for smoothness. The Ultra preset at 34 FPS is not recommended for 4K, as it falls below acceptable standards. For 4K gaming, the Medium preset is the best balance, delivering 60 FPS. The Low preset at 81 FPS is smoother but sacrifices visual quality, so Medium is the recommended preset for 4K.

Overall, the combo performs best at 1080p and 1440p, where its high frame rates can take advantage of high refresh rate monitors. At 4K, the Medium preset is the best option for a playable 60 FPS experience.