Hitman 2

The Intel Core i7-13700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 delivers a compelling 1080p and 1440p experience in Hitman 2, though the data indicates that 4K gaming requires significant settings compromises. The measured frame rates show a clear and predictable scaling pattern as resolution increases, revealing where the bottleneck shifts from the CPU to the GPU.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data across the three tested resolutions demonstrates a classic scaling curve, with the most dramatic drop occurring when moving from 1440p to 4K. At High settings, the system produces an average of 134 FPS at 1920x1080, which falls to 86 FPS at 2560x1440, and then drops sharply to 46 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 36% reduction from 1080p to 1440p, followed by a 47% reduction from 1440p to 4K, indicating that the GPU becomes progressively more stressed as pixel count increases.

The pattern is consistent across all settings presets. At Low settings, the frame rate scales from 236 FPS at 1080p down to 151 FPS at 1440p and 81 FPS at 4K. The Medium preset shows a similar trajectory: 177 FPS at 1080p, 113 FPS at 1440p, and 60 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset, which is the most demanding, starts at 99 FPS at 1080p, drops to 63 FPS at 1440p, and bottoms out at 34 FPS at 4K.

The scaling data suggests that at 1080p, the CPU is doing much of the heavy lifting, as the frame rates remain exceptionally high even on the Ultra preset. However, the dramatic decline at 4K, particularly the 34 FPS result on Ultra, indicates that the RTX 4070's 12 GB of GDDR6X memory and 192-bit memory bus are the limiting factors at that resolution. The 504.2 GB/s of memory bandwidth is sufficient for 1440p gaming but struggles to maintain playable frame rates at 4K with maximum settings.

Interestingly, the gap between Low and Ultra settings widens as resolution increases. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 137 FPS, while at 4K, that gap narrows to 47 FPS. This compression of the settings range at higher resolutions is a clear indicator that the GPU is becoming the primary bottleneck, as the additional pixel work overwhelms the graphics card's shading units and memory subsystem.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the Intel Core i7-13700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 ranks 916 out of 3711 tested combos in Hitman 2. That places this system in the top 25% of all configurations tested for this game, which is a strong result given the age of the title and the variety of hardware combinations in the database.

The CPU itself sits in the 89th percentile when compared against all processors in the benchmark database. Its average benchmark score of 46881 puts it in close competition with several AMD and Intel rivals. The AMD Ryzen 9 5900 scores 46971, which is a 0.2% delta, while the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375 scores 47022, a 0.3% delta. The Intel Xeon w3-2535 and AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX both score 46653, representing a 0.5% delta in favor of the i7-13700K. These extremely tight margins indicate that the CPU is not the differentiator in this system's performance.

The GPU, meanwhile, ranks in the 81st percentile against all graphics cards. Its average benchmark score of 37648 places it in close proximity to several other cards. The NVIDIA Tesla P4 scores 37628, a 0.1% delta, while the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 scores 37507, a 0.4% delta. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile scores 38135, which is 1.3% higher, and the AMD Radeon PRO W6400 scores 37157, which is 1.3% lower. The RTX 4070's position among these rivals reinforces that it is a mid-to-upper tier graphics solution.

Given the combo's rank of 916 out of 3711, the data shows that this pairing is well-balanced for Hitman 2. The CPU's high single-thread performance, evidenced by its 3dmark single-thread score of 1136 and passmark single-thread score of 4333, complements the GPU's rasterization capabilities.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience depends heavily on the target resolution. For 1080p gaming, the Ultra preset delivers an average of 99 FPS, which is more than adequate for smooth gameplay in a stealth title like Hitman 2. The High preset at 134 FPS offers even more headroom, and the Medium preset at 177 FPS provides exceptional fluidity. The Low preset at 236 FPS is likely overkill for most displays, though competitive players may prefer the responsiveness.

At 1440p, the High preset at 86 FPS is the sweet spot for visual fidelity and performance. The Ultra preset at 63 FPS remains playable but may show occasional dips in demanding scenes. The Medium preset at 113 FPS offers a substantial performance boost with only a moderate visual compromise, making it an excellent choice for high-refresh-rate monitors. The Low preset at 151 FPS is reserved for those who prioritize frame rate above all else.

The 4K resolution presents the most difficult choices. The Medium preset at 60 FPS with a minimum of 51 FPS and maximum of 69 FPS is the only preset that maintains a consistent 60 FPS target. The High preset at 46 FPS is playable but may feel less responsive, and the Ultra preset at 34 FPS is borderline unplayable for a game that requires precise timing and stealth mechanics. The Low preset at 81 FPS is surprisingly capable, though the visual downgrade may detract from the game's detailed environments.

For most players, the data suggests using the High preset at 1440p as the default recommendation, as it balances visual quality with the 86 FPS average. Those with 4K displays should opt for the Medium preset to stay at the 60 FPS threshold, while 1080p users can safely enable Ultra settings without sacrificing performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete measured FPS data for the Intel Core i7-13700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 combination in Hitman 2 is as follows:

At 1920x1080, the Low preset produces an average of 236 FPS. The Medium preset delivers 177 FPS, with a minimum of 151 FPS and a maximum of 204 FPS. The High preset achieves 134 FPS, and the Ultra preset reaches 99 FPS. The 1080p results clearly show that this system is capable of driving high-refresh-rate monitors even at maximum settings.

Moving to 2560x1440, the Low preset drops to an average of 151 FPS. The Medium preset maintains 113 FPS, with a minimum of 96 FPS and a maximum of 130 FPS. The High preset yields 86 FPS, and the Ultra preset produces 63 FPS. At this resolution, the system remains highly capable, with all presets staying above the 60 FPS threshold.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 81 FPS, which is still quite playable. The Medium preset drops to 60 FPS, with a minimum of 51 FPS and a maximum of 69 FPS. The High preset falls to 46 FPS, and the Ultra preset bottoms out at 34 FPS. The 4K results demonstrate a clear limitation: only the Low and Medium presets provide acceptable performance for this resolution.

The minimum FPS data points, which are only available for the Medium preset at each resolution, show that the system maintains reasonably stable frame times. At 1080p, the minimum of 151 FPS versus the average of 177 FPS indicates a 15% deviation, while at 1440p the minimum of 96 FPS versus 113 FPS shows a similar 15% deviation. At 4K, the minimum of 51 FPS versus 60 FPS represents a 15% deviation as well, suggesting consistent frame pacing across all resolutions.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 2560x1440 with the High preset provides an excellent balance, delivering an average of 86 FPS. This resolution allows for high visual quality while maintaining frame rates well above the 60 FPS threshold. The 1080p resolution offers even higher performance, but 4K requires dropping to Medium settings to stay at 60 FPS.

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

A: Yes, but only with settings compromises. The Medium preset at 3840x2160 achieves an average of 60 FPS, while the Low preset reaches 81 FPS. The High and Ultra presets drop to 46 FPS and 34 FPS respectively, which are not ideal for a stealth game requiring precise timing.

Q: How does the i7-13700K compare to its nearest CPU rivals?

A: The i7-13700K has an average benchmark score of 46881, placing it within 0.5% of the AMD Ryzen 9 5900, AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375, AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX, and Intel Xeon w3-2535. All of these processors are statistically tied in performance, with deltas ranging from -0.3% to 0.5%.

Q: What is the significance of the combo's rank of 916 out of 3711?

A: This rank places the i7-13700K and RTX 4070 combination in the top 25% of all tested configurations for Hitman 2. This indicates that the pairing is well-suited for the game, outperforming the majority of other CPU and GPU combinations in the database.

Q: Is the RTX 4070's 12 GB of VRAM sufficient for Hitman 2?

A: The benchmark results suggest that the 12 GB of GDDR6X memory is sufficient, as the measured frame rates do not indicate any VRAM-related stuttering or performance collapse. The 504.2 GB/s memory bandwidth appears adequate for the game's requirements at all tested resolutions.

Q: What is the difference between the CPU's multi-core and single-core performance?

A: The i7-13700K scores 12412 in 3dmark max-threads and 1136 in 3dmark single-thread. In Cinebench R23, it scores 30745 in multi-core and 2116 in single-core. The strong single-core performance, boosted by a 5.40 GHz boost clock, is particularly relevant for Hitman 2's game logic.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-13700K plays a critical role in ensuring that Hitman 2 runs smoothly, particularly at lower resolutions where the GPU is not the primary bottleneck. This processor features 16 cores and 24 threads, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. The architecture is Raptor Lake, built on Intel's 10 nm process node, and it supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration.

The CPU's benchmark results reveal strong performance across a variety of workloads. In 3dmark, it scores 10717 with 16 threads and 12412 with max threads, while the single-thread test produces 1136. The Cinebench R23 results show 30745 in multi-core and 2116 in single-core, indicating that the processor excels in both heavily threaded workloads and latency-sensitive tasks.

For Hitman 2 specifically, the game's stealth mechanics and AI-driven crowd simulations benefit from the i7-13700K's high single-thread performance. The game was released in 2018, and its engine was designed to scale with fewer cores, making the 5.40 GHz boost clock particularly valuable. The 30 MB of shared L3 cache also helps reduce memory latency, which is crucial for maintaining consistent frame times in complex scenes.

The CPU's nearest rivals in the benchmark database all sit within 0.5% of its average score, which means that swapping to an AMD Ryzen 9 5900 or an Intel Xeon w3-2535 would produce nearly identical results in Hitman 2. This suggests that the GPU is the more significant factor in determining overall game performance, especially at higher resolutions.

The processor's integrated UHD Graphics 770 is irrelevant for gaming with a discrete GPU, but it does provide a fallback for troubleshooting. The 125 W TDP and Intel Socket 1700 platform indicate that this is a mainstream desktop processor, and the unlocked multiplier allows for overclocking, though the stock boost clock of 5.40 GHz is already quite high. The data shows that the i7-13700K provides ample CPU headroom for the RTX 4070, ensuring that the graphics card is not starved of data at any resolution.