Hitman 2

The Intel Core i7-12700KF paired with the Intel Arc B580 presents a compelling but strictly limited combination in Hitman 2, with the data revealing a consistent pattern where the GPU becomes the primary constraint as resolution increases. The measured FPS at 4K Ultra is a mere 20 frames per second, which is a 70% drop from the 58 FPS achieved at 1080p Ultra, indicating that this combo is not viable for high-fidelity 4K gaming. The Arc B580’s 12 GB of GDDR6 memory and 456.0 GB/s bandwidth are not enough to offset the raw compute demands at that resolution, and the benchmark results show that the frame rate scales almost linearly with pixel count, a classic sign of GPU-bound performance. At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 140 FPS, but this is an outlier; the more demanding presets show a sharp decline, with the 4K High setting yielding only 27 FPS. The data suggests that while the i7-12700KF has ample headroom, the Arc B580 is the limiting factor in this pairing, and users should target 1440p or 1080p for any playable experience.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling across resolutions clearly identifies the Intel Arc B580 as the bottleneck in this configuration. When moving from 1080p to 1440p, the average FPS drops by roughly 35% across all settings; for example, High settings fall from 79 FPS at 1920x1080 to 51 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 28 FPS. This is a substantial penalty, but it is not as severe as the transition from 1440p to 2160p, where the performance collapses. At 4K with High settings, the average FPS is 27, which is only 53% of the 1440p High result, and the gap widens further at Ultra settings, where 1440p yields 37 FPS but 4K drops to just 20 FPS. The scaling pattern from Low to Ultra at each resolution shows that the GPU’s shading units (2560) and texture mapping units (160) are overwhelmed by the pixel throughput at 3840x2160, making the resolution scaling curve steep and unforgiving.

The data reveals that the combo is only capable of delivering a smooth experience at 1080p, where even Ultra settings achieve 58 FPS. At 1440p, the Medium preset is the only viable option, with 67 FPS, while High and Ultra fall to 51 and 37 FPS respectively. The 4K results are uniformly poor, with the best case being 48 FPS at Low settings, which is still below the 60 FPS threshold. This indicates that the Arc B580’s 13.67 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is simply insufficient for 4K rendering in this title, and the 5 nm process node does not compensate for the architectural limitations. The benchmark results show that the GPU’s pixel rate of 213.6 GPixel/s is the limiting factor, as increasing resolution directly multiplies the pixel workload, leading to the observed linear degradation in FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

In the overall database, this combination of Intel Core i7-12700KF and Intel Arc B580 ranks 2810 out of 3711 tested combos for Hitman 2, placing it in the lower 24th percentile of all configurations. This ranking is surprisingly low given the individual component scores, but it reflects the specific demands of this game. The CPU itself is not the weak link; it achieves an 85th percentile ranking against all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 35365. However, the GPU, at the 68th percentile against all GPUs with an average score of 23021, drags the overall combo down. The measured FPS data confirms this, as the combo fails to reach 60 FPS at any resolution above 1080p, which is a common baseline for playability.

When compared to its nearest rivals, the performance delta is narrow but telling. The CPU’s closest rival, the Intel Core i7-13700T, scores 35403, a delta of just -0.1%, meaning the i7-12700KF is virtually identical in synthetic benchmarks. The GPU’s closest rival is the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP, scoring 23061, a delta of -0.2%, again showing parity. However, the combo ranking in-game suggests that Hitman 2 does not utilize the CPU’s strengths effectively, as the game’s engine appears to be more sensitive to GPU throughput. The fact that a combo with a top-tier CPU and a mid-range GPU ranks in the bottom 25% of all combos indicates that the GPU is the sole bottleneck, and any improvement in GPU would be required to climb the ranks.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700KF brings substantial processing power to this pairing, with 12 cores and 20 threads based on the Alder Lake architecture. The CPU has a base clock of 3.60 GHz and can boost up to 5.00 GHz, and its 25 MB of shared L3 cache provides ample data for the game’s logic. In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU’s performance is strong, scoring 28838 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 4071 in single-core, with a Passmark multithread score of 34092. These numbers place it well above the 85th percentile, suggesting that Hitman 2’s CPU demands should be easily satisfied. However, the measured FPS data suggests that the CPU is not the limiting factor, as the frame rates drop uniformly with resolution increases, which is characteristic of a GPU bottleneck.

The CPU’s role in this combo is to feed the GPU with enough data, and the data shows that it succeeds. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 140 FPS, which is a clear indicator that the CPU can handle the game’s single-threaded and multi-threaded tasks without stalling. The CPU’s 20 threads are more than sufficient for a game from 2018, and its 3DMark scores (9282 for 16 threads, 9983 for max threads) show high multi-threading efficiency. However, the i7-12700KF’s 125 W TDP and the fact that it is unlocked (multiplier unlocked) suggest that it has headroom, but that headroom is wasted in this configuration because the Arc B580 cannot keep up. The benchmark results indicate that the CPU’s 12 cores are idle waiting for the GPU to complete its rendering tasks, which is why the combo’s ranking is so low despite the CPU’s strong individual performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed picture of this combo’s capabilities across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers 140 FPS on Low, 105 FPS on Medium, 79 FPS on High, and 58 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset shows a minimum of 89 FPS and a maximum of 121 FPS, indicating good frame pacing, while the others lack min/max data but show a steady decline. Moving to 2560x1440, the FPS drops to 89 on Low, 67 on Medium (with min 57, max 77), 51 on High, and 37 on Ultra. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is consistent at each setting, roughly a 25-30% reduction. At 3840x2160, the results are significantly worse: 48 FPS on Low, 36 FPS on Medium (with min 30, max 41), 27 FPS on High, and 20 FPS on Ultra.

The 4K Medium preset is the only one with complete min/max data, showing a range of 30 to 41 FPS, which is a tight band but far below playable. The 4K Ultra result of 20 FPS is the lowest recorded, and it is a 65% drop from the 1080p Ultra result of 58 FPS. This data reveals a clear trend: the combo is playable (defined as 60+ FPS) only at 1080p Low, Medium, and High, and at 1440p Low. The 1440p Medium at 67 FPS is borderline, but the High and Ultra presets at 1440p are too demanding. The 4K results are uniformly below 50 FPS, making them unsuitable for any serious gaming session. The Arc B580’s 12 GB of VRAM is not the issue, as the game’s textures are not particularly demanding, but the GPU’s compute throughput is the limiting factor.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the combo consistently achieves playable frame rates, with 140 FPS on Low, 105 FPS on Medium, and 79 FPS on High. At 2560x1440, only the Low preset (89 FPS) is smooth, while Medium (67 FPS) is borderline.

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

A: No. The measured FPS at 3840x2160 ranges from 48 FPS on Low to just 20 FPS on Ultra. Even the lowest preset fails to reach 60 FPS, and the High and Ultra presets are unplayable.

Q: How does the CPU affect the performance in this game?

A: The Intel Core i7-12700KF has 12 cores and 20 threads, with a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, and its benchmark scores (e.g., 28838 in Cinebench R23 multi-core) are in the 85th percentile. The FPS data shows that the CPU is not a bottleneck, as frame rates drop uniformly with resolution increases, indicating the GPU is the limiting factor.

Q: What is the average FPS at 1440p with High settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 2560x1440 with High settings is 51 FPS. This is below the 60 FPS threshold, making it a less desirable choice for smooth gameplay.

Q: Is the Intel Arc B580 a good match for the i7-12700KF?

A: The GPU’s average benchmark score of 23021 places it in the 68th percentile, but in Hitman 2, it holds the combo back, leading to a rank of 2810 out of 3711 combos. The CPU has significant headroom, but the GPU’s 13.67 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is insufficient for higher resolutions.

Q: What is the frame rate range for the 4K Medium preset?

A: The measured FPS at 3840x2160 with Medium settings shows a minimum of 30 FPS and a maximum of 41 FPS, with an average of 36 FPS. This is a narrow range, but it is far below the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this combo is at 1920x1080 with the High preset, which achieves an average of 79 FPS. This provides a good balance between visual fidelity and smoothness, as the Medium preset (105 FPS) and Low preset (140 FPS) are technically smoother but offer diminishing visual returns. The Ultra preset at 1080p drops to 58 FPS, which is still playable but not ideal for fast-paced action. At 2560x1440, the only recommended setting is Low, which yields 89 FPS, as the Medium preset (67 FPS) is borderline and High (51 FPS) and Ultra (37 FPS) are too inconsistent. The 4K resolution should be avoided entirely, as even the Low preset (48 FPS) fails to reach a comfortable frame rate.

The data suggests that users should prioritize resolution over settings, as dropping from 4K to 1440p yields a significant FPS boost (e.g., 48 to 89 FPS on Low), while dropping from 1080p Ultra to 1080p High only gains 21 FPS. For a steady 60+ FPS experience, the 1080p High preset is the sweet spot, offering a 79 FPS average with no reported minimum FPS dips. If users have a 1440p monitor, they must accept the Low preset to maintain smoothness, as the Medium preset’s minimum of 57 FPS is too close to the edge. The benchmark results indicate that the Intel Arc B580 is best utilized at 1080p, and pushing beyond that resolution requires significant compromises in settings, making the 1080p High preset the clear recommendation for this hardware combination in Hitman 2.