Hitman 2

Hitman 2, a stealth title from 2018, scales in a highly predictable manner with the Intel Core i7-13700K and AMD Radeon RX 7600 combination. The measured frame rates reveal a system where the graphics card becomes the dominant constraint as resolution climbs, while the processor provides a robust foundation at lower settings. The data shows a clear transition from a CPU-bound scenario at 1080p Low to a heavily GPU-bound scenario at 4K Ultra, making this combo a study in balance and its limits.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 is steep and consistent across all quality presets, indicating that the rendering load is scaling as expected with pixel count. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 84.8 FPS at 1080p to 50.6 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 26.3 FPS at 4K. This represents a 69% reduction in performance from the lowest to the highest resolution tested. The pattern is similar for other presets, but the magnitude of the drop becomes more severe as the quality settings increase the baseline load.

The scaling behavior reveals where the bottleneck lies. At Low settings, the performance drops from 148.1 FPS at 1080p to 92.5 FPS at 1440p and 52.6 FPS at 4K. While still a substantial drop, the 1080p result is exceptionally high, suggesting the CPU has ample headroom to feed the GPU. The fact that 1080p Low does not reach a significantly higher frame rate, such as beyond 150 FPS, suggests that even here, the GPU is starting to limit the output, though the CPU is likely still a contributing factor.

As resolution increases to 1440p and 4K, the gap between presets narrows, but the absolute frame rates plummet. At 4K, the difference between Low (52.6 FPS) and High (26.3 FPS) is a factor of two, while at 1080p, the same preset comparison shows a smaller relative gap (148.1 FPS vs 84.8 FPS). This widening gap at higher resolutions is the classic signature of a GPU-limited scenario. The data strongly indicates that the RX 7600 is the limiting component at 1440p and 4K, while the i7-13700K is sufficient to keep the system responsive at 1080p.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7600, built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with a Navi 33 chip, is the central figure in this performance analysis. Its specifications, such as 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus providing 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth, directly correlate with the frame rates observed. The GPU’s boost clock of 2655 MHz and game clock of 2250 MHz are the frequencies at which it operates during typical gaming loads, and the measured FPS reflects the sustained performance at these levels.

The 8 GB VRAM capacity is a critical factor for Hitman 2 at higher resolutions. The data shows a significant performance cliff between 1440p and 4K, where the average frame rate at High settings drops from 50.6 FPS to 26.3 FPS. While pixel count is a primary driver of this drop, the limited 8 GB frame buffer likely contributes to the severity of the decline at 4K, where texture and geometry data can exceed this capacity, forcing the system to use slower memory or reduce detail. The 128-bit memory interface, while efficient, cannot compensate for the sheer amount of data required at 3840x2160.

The GPU’s raw compute capabilities, listed at 21.75 TFLOPS FP32, are substantial for a card in its class. However, the benchmark results show that this compute power is insufficient to maintain high frame rates at 4K with Ultra settings, where the average drops to 22.3 FPS. The card’s performance percentile of 63 among all GPUs places it in the mid-range tier, and its average benchmark score of 20258 is competitive with its nearest rivals, including the RX 7600 XT (0.6% delta) and the RX 460 (0.8% delta). This indicates that the RX 7600 is a capable 1080p and entry-level 1440p card, but it is not designed for 4K gaming at high fidelity.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the database of tested combinations for Hitman 2, this pairing of the Intel Core i7-13700K and AMD Radeon RX 7600 achieves a rank of 1231 out of 1795 combos. This places the system in the 68th percentile of all tested configurations, meaning it outperforms a majority of setups but is not near the top tier. This ranking is a direct consequence of the GPU's mid-range positioning, as the CPU is a high-end part that is not the limiting factor in most scenarios.

The combo’s rank is significantly influenced by the GPU’s performance ceiling. While the i7-13700K is in the 93rd percentile among all CPUs, its power is mitigated by the RX 7600, which sits in the 63rd percentile among GPUs. The combination of a top-tier CPU with a mid-tier GPU results in a system that is well-balanced for 1080p and playable at 1440p, but it cannot compete with setups that feature higher-end graphics cards. The data shows that this combo is a sensible pairing for its intended resolution targets, but it will be outpaced by any configuration with a more powerful GPU, regardless of the CPU.

The rank also reflects the game’s specific demands. Hitman 2’s stealth gameplay with large, complex levels can be demanding on the CPU, but the i7-13700K’s 16 cores and 24 threads are more than adequate. The bottleneck is clearly the GPU, and the combo’s overall rank of 1231 out of 1795 is a direct reflection of the RX 7600’s limitations in this title, especially when compared to systems with higher-end graphics solutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates provide a detailed look at the system's performance across all settings and resolutions. At 1920x1080, the system is highly capable. With Low settings, the average frame rate is 148.1 FPS, which is more than sufficient for high-refresh-rate monitors. Moving to Medium yields 109.9 FPS, High yields 84.8 FPS, and Ultra drops to 59.9 FPS. The data shows that even at the highest quality preset, the system maintains a playable frame rate just below the 60 FPS mark at 1080p.

At 2560x1440, the performance becomes more moderate. The Low preset still delivers a high 92.5 FPS, but Medium drops to 71.8 FPS, and High falls to 50.6 FPS. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, with an average of 41.3 FPS. This indicates that 1440p gaming is viable, but users will need to adjust settings to maintain a smooth experience, with High settings being the boundary for a 60 FPS target.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain playable frame rates in most scenarios. The Low preset is the only one that approaches a playable level at 52.6 FPS. Medium settings drop to 34.7 FPS, High to 26.3 FPS, and Ultra to 22.3 FPS. These numbers clearly indicate that 4K gaming is not a strength of this combo, and users seeking this resolution would need to significantly lower settings or accept sub-30 FPS performance in demanding scenes.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-13700K is a high-end processor from the Raptor Lake architecture, featuring 16 cores and 24 threads. Its specifications, including a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, are more than capable of handling the computational demands of Hitman 2. The CPU’s substantial L3 cache of 30 MB (shared) and dual-channel memory support contribute to its strong performance in synthetic benchmarks, such as a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 39000 and a single-core score of 5505.

In the context of this game, the CPU’s role is primarily to feed the GPU with draw calls and manage the game’s simulation logic. The data suggests that the i7-13700K is not a limiting factor in this combo. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 148.1 FPS, which is a high frame rate that still leaves headroom on the CPU side. Even at 1080p Ultra, the 59.9 FPS result is more likely constrained by the GPU’s rendering capabilities than by the CPU’s processing power.

The CPU’s performance percentile of 93 among all CPUs and its average benchmark score of 47282, which is nearly identical to its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-13700KF (deltaPct of -0.1%), confirm its top-tier status. In this pairing, the CPU provides a stable and powerful foundation, ensuring that performance is consistently GPU-bound across all tested settings and resolutions. The system’s overall ranking is therefore proof of the GPU’s limitations, not the CPU’s.

FAQ

Q: Is this combo capable of 4K gaming in Hitman 2?

A: The data shows it is not capable of a smooth 4K experience. At 3840x2160, the highest average frame rate achieved is 52.6 FPS on Low settings. With High and Ultra settings, the average frame rates fall to 26.3 FPS and 22.3 FPS, respectively, which are not playable for most users.

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combo for a 60 FPS target?

A: For a stable 60 FPS experience, the user should target 1920x1080 with High settings, which achieves an average of 84.8 FPS, or 2560x1440 with Low settings, which achieves 92.5 FPS. The 1440p Medium preset, at 71.8 FPS, also offers a good balance.

Q: How does the RX 7600 compare to its closest rival, the RX 7600 XT, in this context?

A: The average benchmark score for the RX 7600 is 20258, which is 0.6% lower than the RX 7600 XT's score of 20146. This indicates that the two cards are extremely close in overall performance, with the RX 7600 XT holding a marginal lead.

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-13700K a bottleneck for the RX 7600?

A: The data suggests it is not. The CPU’s high multi-threaded performance (e.g., a Passmark multithread score of 45887) and strong single-thread performance (e.g., a Passmark single-thread score of 4333) provide ample headroom. The frame rates at 1080p and the scaling pattern indicate that the GPU is the primary limiting component.

Q: What is the system's overall ranking among tested combos for this game?

A: This specific combination of the Intel Core i7-13700K and AMD Radeon RX 7600 ranks 1231 out of 1795 tested combos for Hitman 2. This places it in the upper-mid range, reflecting the balance between a high-end CPU and a mid-range GPU.

Q: How much of a performance drop is seen from 1440p to 4K at High settings?

A: At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 50.6 FPS at 2560x1440 to 26.3 FPS at 3840x2160. This is a 48% reduction in performance, which is a significant decline and highlights the GPU's struggle with the 4K resolution.