Hitman 2

Hitman 2 with the Intel Core i7-12700KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER presents a classic case of a strong processor paired with a mid-range graphics card. The benchmark data shows a system that is highly capable at 1080p, but which becomes increasingly GPU-bound as resolution climbs. The measured results indicate that the RTX 2060 SUPER is the primary bottleneck at higher settings, while the 12-core CPU has ample headroom to push frame rates at lower resolutions.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a predictable and steep decline as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 79.8 FPS at 1080p to 50.7 FPS at 1440p, a reduction of 36%. Moving from 1440p to 4K at High settings, the average falls further to 27.9 FPS, which is a 45% drop from the 1440p result and a 65% drop from the 1080p baseline. This pattern indicates that the system transitions from a CPU-leaning workload at 1080p to a heavily GPU-limited scenario at 4K.

The scaling is even more pronounced when looking at the gap between Low and Ultra settings across resolutions. At 1080p, the spread between Low (144.7 FPS) and Ultra (60.3 FPS) is 84.4 FPS, showing that the GPU can handle the lower preset with ease. At 1440p, the spread narrows to 53.5 FPS (92.1 FPS Low vs. 38.6 FPS Ultra), and at 4K it tightens further to 29.4 FPS (50.5 FPS Low vs. 21.1 FPS Ultra). This compression of frame rates at higher resolutions is a clear sign that the RTX 2060 SUPER’s pixel throughput, rather than the CPU’s processing power, is the limiting factor. The data suggests that 4K gaming is only viable at Low settings, where the 50.5 FPS average is just playable, while 1440p offers a much more balanced experience.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700KF is a 12-core, 20-thread processor with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. Its benchmark scores reflect a highly capable chip: it achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 28979 and a single-core score of 4091. In the 3DMark tests, it scores 9282 with 16 threads and 1043 in single-thread. These numbers place it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 35355. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-14400 (deltaPct 0.1), Intel Core i7-13800H (deltaPct -0.2), Intel Core i9-12900HX (deltaPct 0.2), and Intel Core i5-13600T (deltaPct 0.3), all of which are within a fraction of a percent in performance.

For Hitman 2, the CPU’s role is most evident at 1080p with lower graphics settings. At Low settings, the system achieves 144.7 FPS at 1080p, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold and suggests the CPU is feeding frames efficiently. The single-thread score of 1043 in 3DMark and 412 in Cinebench R15 indicate strong per-core performance, which is important for a game that relies on simulation and AI. The 20 threads and 25 MB of shared L3 cache also help maintain consistent frame pacing. However, the data shows that the CPU is not the bottleneck at higher resolutions; the drop from 144.7 FPS at 1080p Low to 50.5 FPS at 4K Low is entirely attributable to the GPU’s pixel fill rate and memory bandwidth limitations.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1920x1080, the High preset delivers 79.8 FPS, which is smooth for most players, but the Medium preset at 110.2 FPS offers a better balance for high-refresh-rate monitors. The Ultra preset at 60.3 FPS is exactly at the 60 FPS mark, making it playable but with less headroom for demanding scenes. For competitive play, the Low preset at 144.7 FPS is the clear choice, as it maximizes frame rate and minimizes input latency.

At 2560x1440, the High preset at 50.7 FPS is borderline for smooth gameplay, while the Medium preset at 66.7 FPS is the sweet spot for a 60 Hz display. The Low preset at 92.1 FPS provides a significant margin for higher refresh rates. Ultra at 1440p drops to 38.6 FPS, which is not recommended for action sequences. At 3840x2160, only the Low preset at 50.5 FPS is viable for a playable experience; Medium drops to 35.2 FPS and High to 27.9 FPS, both of which are too low for a stealth game where timing is critical. The recommendation is to stick with Medium at 1080p or 1440p for the best balance of visual quality and performance, and reserve Low for 4K.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Hitman 2 at 4K?

A: Yes, but only at Low settings, which yields an average of 50.5 FPS. Higher settings at 4K drop below 36 FPS: Medium averages 35.2 FPS, High averages 27.9 FPS, and Ultra averages 21.1 FPS.

Q: What is the best resolution for a 60 FPS experience?

A: At 1920x1080, Ultra settings average 60.3 FPS, making it the highest quality preset that hits 60 FPS. At 2560x1440, Medium settings average 66.7 FPS, which also clears the 60 FPS bar with a small margin.

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

A: The average frame rate drops from 79.8 FPS at 1080p to 50.7 FPS at 1440p, a reduction of 29.1 FPS or approximately 36%.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1080p Low?

A: The 144.7 FPS average at 1080p Low suggests the CPU is capable of feeding frames quickly, but the GPU is still the primary constraint, as its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for this workload.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra at 1440p?

A: Low averages 92.1 FPS, while Ultra averages 38.6 FPS. The difference is 53.5 FPS, indicating that the Ultra preset nearly halves performance compared to Low.

Q: Does the i7-12700KF hold back the RTX 2060 SUPER in this game?

A: The CPU’s high single-thread score (4091 in Cinebench R23) and its 89th percentile ranking suggest it does not bottleneck the GPU at any resolution tested. The steady FPS decline across resolutions confirms the GPU is the limiting component.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is a Turing-architecture card with 2176 shading units, 136 texture mapping units, and 64 raster output units. It operates at a base clock of 1470 MHz and a boost clock of 1650 MHz, with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. Its compute power is rated at 7.181 TFLOPS for FP32, and it includes 34 RT cores and 272 tensor cores. The GPU’s average benchmark score is 19774, placing it in the 63rd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN (deltaPct 0.3), NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 (deltaPct 0.5), NVIDIA Quadro K5200 (deltaPct 0.8), and NVIDIA Tesla K40m (deltaPct 1.3).

In Hitman 2, the GPU’s role is decisive at every resolution. At 1080p, the card can push 144.7 FPS at Low settings, but this drops to 60.3 FPS at Ultra, showing a 58% reduction in performance due to increased shading and texture work. At 1440p, the card’s 256-bit memory interface and 8 GB VRAM are sufficient, but the 448.0 GB/s bandwidth becomes a limiting factor at Ultra settings, where the average drops to 38.6 FPS. At 4K, the card is clearly overmatched, with even Low settings only reaching 50.5 FPS; the 21.1 FPS at Ultra is unplayable. The data indicates that the RTX 2060 SUPER is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K requiring significant settings reductions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the RTX 2060 SUPER and i7-12700KF deliver a wide range of performance across presets. Low settings average 144.7 FPS, Medium averages 110.2 FPS, High averages 79.8 FPS, and Ultra averages 60.3 FPS. The progression shows a 58% drop from Low to Ultra, reflecting the increased GPU load from higher-quality textures and effects.

At 2560x1440, the averages are 92.1 FPS for Low, 66.7 FPS for Medium, 50.7 FPS for High, and 38.6 FPS for Ultra. The drop from Low to Ultra is 53.5 FPS, or 58%, which is consistent with the 1080p scaling. The High preset at 1440p is close to the 60 FPS target but falls short.

At 3840x2160, the card struggles. Low averages 50.5 FPS, Medium averages 35.2 FPS, High averages 27.9 FPS, and Ultra averages 21.1 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra is 29.4 FPS, a 58% reduction, matching the pattern seen at lower resolutions. The 4K results are the clearest indicator that the GPU is the bottleneck, as even the lowest preset cannot maintain a consistent 60 FPS. The measured data shows this combo ranks 1358 out of 1795 tested combinations for this game, indicating that while it is not a top-tier pairing, it is far from the bottom and can handle the game well at mainstream resolutions.