Hitman 2

The Intel Core i7-13700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 produces a broad spread of frame rates in Hitman 2, ranging from a demanding 43 FPS at 4K Ultra to a fluid 302 FPS at 1080p Low. The data shows a clear pattern where the performance gap between settings narrows as resolution decreases, indicating a shift in the primary bottleneck. At 4K, the GPU is the dominant constraint, while at 1080p, the CPU’s capabilities come to the forefront, allowing the RTX 4080 to stretch its legs. This analysis breaks down the measured results to explain how resolution, settings, and the underlying hardware characteristics of this specific combo dictate its in-game performance.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for this combo reveals how performance scales with resolution across the three tested presets. At 1080p High, the system delivers 172 FPS, which drops to 110 FPS at 1440p and further to 58 FPS at 4K. This represents a 36% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 1440p, and a 66% reduction from 1080p to 4K. This steep decline is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario, where the rendering load at higher pixel counts becomes the limiting factor.

The scaling pattern is even more pronounced at the Low preset. The 1080p Low result of 302 FPS is exceptionally high, suggesting the CPU is the primary limiter at this point. Moving to 1440p Low yields 193 FPS, a 36% drop, and then to 4K Low yields 103 FPS, a 47% drop from 1440p. The transition from 1080p to 1440p at Low settings shows a smaller relative drop than the transition from 1440p to 4K, indicating that the GPU begins to take over as the bottleneck more aggressively at the higher resolution.

Conversely, the Ultra preset shows the most consistent scaling in absolute terms. The frame rates are 126 FPS at 1080p, 81 FPS at 1440p, and 43 FPS at 4K. The percentage drop from 1080p to 1440p is 36%, and from 1440p to 4K is 47%. This suggests that even at Ultra settings, which put maximum load on the GPU, the CPU is still able to feed the graphics card adequately at 1080p, but the GPU’s workload becomes the sole limiting factor at 4K. The data indicates that for this specific game, the RTX 4080’s performance ceiling is best showcased at 1080p, while at 4K, the sheer pixel count dominates the frame rate.

FAQ

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

A: The measured average frame rate at 2560x1440 with High settings is 110 FPS.

Q: How does the 4K Ultra performance compare to the 1080p Ultra performance?

A: The 4K Ultra average is 43 FPS, while the 1080p Ultra average is 126 FPS. This represents a 66% reduction in frame rate when scaling from 1080p to 4K at the highest preset.

Q: Is there a significant difference between Low and Medium settings at 1080p?

A: Yes, the average frame rate at 1080p Low is 302 FPS, while at 1080p Medium it is 227 FPS. This is a 75 FPS difference, indicating that even modest settings increases can have a substantial impact at lower resolutions.

Q: What are the minimum and maximum FPS recorded at 4K Medium?

A: At 3840x2160 with Medium settings, the measured minimum FPS is 66 and the maximum FPS is 89, resulting in an average of 77 FPS.

Q: Which settings preset yields the highest frame rate at 1440p?

A: The Low preset at 2560x1440 yields the highest average frame rate of 193 FPS.

Q: How does the frame rate at 1080p High compare to the frame rate at 4K High?

A: The 1080p High average is 172 FPS, which is nearly three times higher than the 4K High average of 58 FPS.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is the central component driving the visual output in this configuration. Its 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus provides a substantial 716.8 GB/s of bandwidth, which is crucial for handling the texture and geometry data at higher resolutions. The data indicates that at 4K, the GPU’s processing power becomes the primary constraint, with the average FPS dropping to 58 at High settings and 43 at Ultra settings. This suggests that the 16 GB frame buffer is sufficient, but the raw compute throughput of the AD103 chip is taxed heavily at this pixel count.

The GPU’s clock speeds, with a base of 2205 MHz and a boost of 2505 MHz, allow it to perform well at lower resolutions where the CPU can keep up. The 1080p Low result of 302 FPS confirms the RTX 4080’s ability to render frames very quickly when not bound by the CPU. The architecture’s 9728 shading units and 304 texture mapping units contribute to a texture rate of 761.5 GTexel/s, which is more than sufficient for the game’s demands at 1080p and 1440p. The performance gap between 1440p and 4K at Medium settings (145 FPS vs. 77 FPS) highlights how the GPU’s fill rate and pixel processing capabilities are challenged by the increase in output resolution.

The benchmark results for the RTX 4080 show a PassMark G3D score of 34457, placing it in the 86th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the RTX 4080 SUPER, scores 54209, which is only 0.1% higher, indicating that this card is performing right at the expected level for its class. The data from Hitman 2 confirms that the GPU is the limiting factor at 4K, but at 1080p, the CPU becomes the bottleneck, allowing the RTX 4080 to achieve frame rates well above 200 FPS on lower presets.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates for Hitman 2 with this combo provide a detailed picture of performance across all settings. At 1920x1080, the system produces an average of 302 FPS at Low, 227 FPS at Medium, 172 FPS at High, and 126 FPS at Ultra. The Medium preset shows a minimum of 193 FPS and a maximum of 261 FPS, indicating good frame pacing. The spread from Low to Ultra is 176 FPS, showing that the CPU and GPU combination has a wide performance range at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS values are 193 at Low, 145 at Medium, 110 at High, and 81 at Ultra. The Medium preset records a minimum of 123 FPS and a maximum of 167 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is consistent across all settings, with the Low preset dropping by 109 FPS, the Medium by 82 FPS, the High by 62 FPS, and the Ultra by 45 FPS. This shows that higher settings are less affected by the resolution increase in terms of absolute FPS loss, but the relative percentage loss remains similar.

At 3840x2160, the performance becomes heavily GPU-bound. The average FPS is 103 at Low, 77 at Medium, 58 at High, and 43 at Ultra. The Medium preset shows a minimum of 66 FPS and a maximum of 89 FPS. The transition from 1440p to 4K results in a 90 FPS drop at Low, a 68 FPS drop at Medium, a 52 FPS drop at High, and a 38 FPS drop at Ultra. This data reveals that at 4K, even the Low preset cannot maintain a high frame rate, confirming that the pixel count is the dominant factor. The 4K Ultra result of 43 FPS is the lowest measured value in the entire dataset.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-13700K, with its 16 cores and 24 threads, provides a strong foundation for this gaming system. Its architecture, Raptor Lake, is built on a 10 nm process and features a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. The CPU’s performance in synthetic benchmarks is robust, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 30745 and a single-core score of 2116. This processing power is crucial for feeding the RTX 4080 at lower resolutions.

The data from Hitman 2 shows that at 1080p, the CPU is the primary bottleneck for this combo. The 1080p Low result of 302 FPS is likely near the CPU’s maximum frame generation capability in this game. The fact that the Ultra preset at 1080p still achieves 126 FPS suggests that the CPU can handle the game’s simulation and draw call overhead even with higher graphics settings. The CPU’s 30 MB of shared L3 cache helps with data locality, reducing latency in game logic.

However, the CPU’s role diminishes as resolution increases. The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is much steeper than what would be expected from CPU limitations alone, pointing to the GPU becoming the limiting factor. The CPU’s benchmark scores place it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs, with an average score of 46881. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 9 5900, scores 46971, which is only 0.2% higher, showing that the i7-13700K is performing at the top of its class. In this game, the CPU is more than adequate, allowing the RTX 4080 to reach its full potential at 1080p and 1440p.

Settings Recommendations

For this specific combo, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1080p, the High preset offers an excellent balance, delivering 172 FPS, which is significantly higher than the 126 FPS of the Ultra preset. The data shows that the visual fidelity increase from High to Ultra comes at a 27% performance cost, which may not be worth it for competitive play. The Medium preset at 227 FPS is also viable for esports-style gameplay, but High provides a better visual experience without sacrificing too much speed.

At 1440p, the High preset with 110 FPS is the best choice for a high-refresh-rate monitor, as it provides a smooth experience with good image quality. The Ultra preset drops to 81 FPS, which is still playable but may feel less fluid on a 144Hz display. The Medium preset at 145 FPS is a great option for those who prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity. The data suggests that High is the sweet spot for this resolution, offering a balance between the two.

At 4K, the High preset yields 58 FPS, which is on the edge of playability. The Ultra preset drops to 43 FPS, which is not ideal for a smooth experience. The Medium preset at 77 FPS is the recommended choice for 4K, as it provides a playable frame rate while maintaining a reasonable level of detail. The Low preset at 103 FPS is also viable, but the visual quality may be too compromised for a 4K display. The data indicates that at 4K, users should favor Medium settings to achieve a playable frame rate with this combo.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-13700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 combination ranks 255th out of 3711 tested combos in Hitman 2. This places it in the top 7% of all configurations, indicating that it is a high-performing system for this game. The rank reflects the combined capability of the CPU and GPU, and the data shows that this combo excels at delivering high frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, while being adequate at 4K.

The combo’s rank is influenced by the fact that the CPU is not a bottleneck at these resolutions, allowing the GPU to perform to its potential. The GPU’s benchmark scores, such as a PassMark G3D score of 34457, are in line with its peers, and the combo’s rank suggests that it outperforms many other pairings. The nearest rivals for the CPU and GPU individually show that both components are performing as expected, with no significant anomalies in the data.

The rank of 255 out of 3711 is a strong result, but it is not at the very top, which is likely occupied by combos with more powerful GPUs or CPUs that are better optimized for this specific title. The data indicates that this combo is well-balanced, with no single component dragging down performance. For a game like Hitman 2, which is not extremely demanding, this combo provides a premium experience, particularly at lower resolutions where the CPU’s strength is fully utilized. The overall performance is consistent with the high percentile rankings of both the CPU and GPU in their respective benchmark pools.