Hitman 2

# How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-13700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 ranks 1837 out of 3001 tested combinations in Hitman 2. This places the combo in the 38.8th percentile of all tested systems, meaning roughly 61% of tested configurations deliver higher average frame rates in this title. The ranking reflects a mid-pack position, consistent with a CPU that sits in the 89th percentile among all processors but a GPU that only reaches the 66th percentile among all graphics cards. The disparity between the CPU’s strong relative standing and the GPU’s more modest position suggests the graphics card is the primary constraint in this pairing.

Benchmark results indicate the combo’s overall ranking is pulled down by the GPU’s performance ceiling. The RTX 5050’s average benchmark score of 21035 places it within 0.6% of the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL and 1% of the AMD Radeon HD 8970M, while sitting 1.6% above the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT. These are not the typical rivals one would expect for a modern GeForce 50-series part, indicating that in raw compute terms, the RTX 5050 punches well below what its architecture might suggest. The Core i7-13700K, by contrast, posts an average score of 46881, essentially matching the AMD Ryzen 9 5900 (0.2% lower) and the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375 (0.3% lower), while edging out the AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX and Intel Xeon w3-2535 by 0.5% each.

This rank suggests that in Hitman 2, the experience will be dictated by the GPU’s limits rather than the CPU’s capabilities. The game is not particularly demanding on processor resources, and the i7-13700K’s 16 cores and 24 threads are more than sufficient for the title’s stealth-focused gameplay. The measured FPS data confirms this interpretation, as frame rates scale predictably with resolution and settings in a manner consistent with a GPU-bound scenario.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 brings 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 320.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The card operates at a base clock of 2317 MHz and boosts to 2572 MHz, with memory running at 2500 MHz (20 Gbps effective). These specifications place the card in a peculiar position: it has the modern architecture of Blackwell 2.0 with 2560 shading units, 80 texture mapping units, and 32 raster output units, yet its memory subsystem and raw throughput numbers suggest a more entry-level positioning.

In Hitman 2, the GPU’s role is decisive across all tested configurations. The measured FPS data shows clear GPU-bound behavior: at 1080p Low, the combo achieves 152 FPS, but this drops to 86 FPS at High and 64 FPS at Ultra. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is sufficient for this 2018 title, as Hitman 2 does not require the larger memory pools that more modern games demand. However, the 320.0 GB/s bandwidth and 13.17 TFLOPS of FP32 performance create a ceiling that becomes apparent at higher resolutions and settings.

The RTX 5050’s 20 RT cores and 80 tensor cores provide feature support for ray tracing and DLSS, but the measured data in this benchmark does not include those features enabled. The card’s pixel rate of 82.30 GPixel/s and texture rate of 205.8 GTexel/s are modest figures that explain the frame rate drops observed when moving from Low to Ultra settings. At 4K Ultra, the GPU manages only 22 FPS, indicating that the card is overwhelmed by the combination of high resolution and maximum detail settings.

The GPU’s benchmark scores reinforce this analysis. A PassMark G3D score of 17326 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2502 place the RTX 5050 in a performance tier that is competitive with much older hardware. The Geekbench OpenCL score of 90334 and Vulkan score of 89381 show similar levels, suggesting consistent performance across different API workloads. These numbers indicate that while the RTX 5050 is a modern part with current feature support, its raw rendering capabilities are closer to mid-range cards from several generations ago.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers 152 FPS, which is well above the threshold for competitive play and provides significant headroom for any frame rate caps. The Medium preset at 114 FPS (with minimums of 97 and maximums of 131) offers a better balance of visual quality and performance, making it the recommended choice for most players at this resolution. The High preset drops to 86 FPS, which remains playable but begins to show the GPU’s limitations, while Ultra at 64 FPS is the lowest acceptable option for those prioritizing visual fidelity.

At 2560x1440, the situation changes. The Low preset at 97 FPS is the only setting that maintains a triple-digit frame rate, while Medium at 73 FPS (with minimums of 62 and maximums of 84) provides a smooth experience for most gameplay scenarios. The High preset at 55 FPS is borderline for fast-paced action, and Ultra at 41 FPS dips into territory where responsiveness may suffer. For 1440p, Medium is the recommended setting as it offers the best compromise between visual detail and playable frame rates.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 5050 struggles to maintain playable performance at most settings. The Low preset at 52 FPS is the only option that approaches a comfortable frame rate, while Medium at 39 FPS (with minimums of 33 and maximums of 45) is marginal. The High preset at 29 FPS and Ultra at 22 FPS are not recommended for actual gameplay, as these frame rates will result in noticeable stuttering and input lag. For 4K, players should use the Low preset if they insist on this resolution, but the data clearly shows that 1440p is the practical ceiling for this combo.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive picture of the combo’s performance across three resolutions and four settings levels. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 152 FPS, which drops to 114 FPS at Medium (with minimums of 97 and maximums of 131), 86 FPS at High, and 64 FPS at Ultra. This represents a 57.9% reduction in frame rate from Low to Ultra, indicating that the GPU’s rendering load increases substantially with each settings tier.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset achieves 97 FPS, Medium drops to 73 FPS (with minimums of 62 and maximums of 84), High reaches 55 FPS, and Ultra falls to 41 FPS. The transition from 1080p to 1440p results in a 36.2% frame rate reduction at Low settings, but only a 35.9% reduction at Ultra. This relatively consistent scaling suggests that the GPU is the limiting factor across all settings at these resolutions.

At 3840x2160, the performance drops are more pronounced. The Low preset manages 52 FPS, Medium falls to 39 FPS (with minimums of 33 and maximums of 45), High reaches only 29 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 22 FPS. The jump from 1440p to 4K causes a 46.4% reduction at Low settings and a 46.3% reduction at Ultra, showing that the pixel count increase affects all settings similarly.

The data reveals that the Medium preset consistently provides the most stable frame rate experience, as it is the only settings level where minimum and maximum FPS values are recorded. This suggests that Medium is the sweet spot for frame time consistency, with Low, High, and Ultra likely exhibiting more variance in frame delivery despite having comparable average FPS figures.

FAQ

Q: Is this combo capable of running Hitman 2 at 1080p with high settings?

A: Yes, the combo achieves an average of 86 FPS at 1080p High, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. However, the Ultra preset drops to 64 FPS, so High is the recommended setting for this resolution.

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

A: Based on the measured data, 2560x1440 at Medium settings (73 FPS average, 62 minimum, 84 maximum) provides the best balance of visual quality and performance. At 1080p, the combo can push higher frame rates, but the visual improvement from 1440p is significant.

Q: How does the RTX 5050 compare to its nearest rivals in overall GPU performance?

A: The RTX 5050’s average benchmark score of 21035 is 0.6% below the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL, 1% below the AMD Radeon HD 8970M, and 1.6% above the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT. The NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile is 1.6% faster. These are all older or lower-tier parts, indicating the RTX 5050’s modest performance position.

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

A: The data shows that 4K performance is limited. The Low preset achieves 52 FPS, but Medium drops to 39 FPS and High falls to 29 FPS. Ultra is not playable at 22 FPS. For a consistently smooth experience, 1440p is the highest resolution recommended for this combo.

Q: How does the CPU’s performance compare to its closest rivals?

A: The Core i7-13700K’s average benchmark score of 46881 is essentially tied with the AMD Ryzen 9 5900 (0.2% lower) and AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375 (0.3% lower). It is 0.5% faster than both the AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX and Intel Xeon w3-2535.

Q: What is the relationship between the CPU and GPU performance in this combo?

A: The CPU sits in the 89th percentile among all processors, while the GPU is in the 66th percentile among all graphics cards. This mismatch indicates that the GPU is the bottleneck in most scenarios, which is confirmed by the consistent frame rate scaling tied to GPU settings rather than CPU load.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-13700K is a 16-core, 24-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, built on Intel’s 10 nm process. It has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, with a 125 W TDP. The CPU features a cache hierarchy of 80 KB L1 per core, 2 MB L2 per core, and 30 MB of shared L3 cache. This configuration provides substantial multi-threading capabilities that are largely unnecessary for Hitman 2, which is not a heavily threaded title.

In the context of Hitman 2, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic without becoming a bottleneck. The benchmark data shows that the CPU’s performance is more than adequate for this task, as frame rates are consistently limited by the GPU across all tested settings. The CPU’s 3DMark scores illustrate its capability: 1136 in single-thread, 2262 in 2-thread, 4469 in 4-thread, 8193 in 8-thread, 10717 in 16-thread, and 12412 in max-thread tests. These scores indicate strong single-thread performance, which is what matters most for Hitman 2’s game engine.

The CPU’s Cinebench results reinforce this picture, with R15 multicore at 4507.5 and singlecore at 303, R20 multicore at 16292 and singlecore at 2299, and R23 multicore at 30745 and singlecore at 2116. The Geekbench scores of 19429 multicore and 2529 singlecore further confirm the i7-13700K’s position as a high-performance desktop processor. In PassMark tests, the CPU achieves 45887 in multithread and 4333 in single-thread, with specialized scores like 595292 in data compression and 154446 in integer math.

For Hitman 2 specifically, the CPU’s 16 cores and 24 threads provide ample headroom, and the processor’s 89th percentile ranking among all CPUs means it outperforms the vast majority of installed processors. The nearest rivals — the AMD Ryzen 9 5900, AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375, AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX, and Intel Xeon w3-2535 — all fall within 0.5% of the i7-13700K’s average score, indicating that any of these CPUs would deliver similar performance in this game. The CPU supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory on a dual-channel bus, and its PCIe Gen 5 interface with 20 lanes provides ample bandwidth for the GPU and other peripherals.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a consistent pattern of frame rate reduction as resolution increases, which is characteristic of GPU-bound performance. From 1080p to 1440p, the average frame rate drops by approximately 36% across all settings. From 1440p to 4K, the drop is approximately 46%. This scaling pattern is nearly uniform across the four settings levels, indicating that the GPU’s rendering throughput is the limiting factor.

At Low settings, the frame rates progress from 152 FPS at 1080p to 97 FPS at 1440p to 52 FPS at 4K. This represents a 36.2% reduction from 1080p to 1440p and a 46.4% reduction from 1440p to 4K. The Medium settings show similar scaling: 114 FPS at 1080p, 73 FPS at 1440p, and 39 FPS at 4K, with reductions of 36.0% and 46.6% respectively. High settings follow the same pattern: 86 FPS to 55 FPS to 29 FPS, with reductions of 36.0% and 47.3%. Ultra settings show the most consistent scaling: 64 FPS to 41 FPS to 22 FPS, with reductions of 35.9% and 46.3%.

This uniform scaling pattern is a strong indicator that the GPU is the primary bottleneck. If the CPU were limiting performance, we would expect to see smaller frame rate differences at lower resolutions where the GPU has less work to do. Instead, the consistent percentage drops suggest that the RTX 5050’s rendering capabilities are being saturated at every resolution and settings combination. The CPU’s performance headroom is evident from its benchmark scores, but the GPU’s 13.17 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 320.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth create a ceiling that cannot be overcome by the processor.

The resolution scaling data also highlights the impracticality of 4K gaming with this combo. Even at Low settings, the 52 FPS average is below the 60 FPS target that most players prefer. The Medium preset’s 39 FPS and High’s 29 FPS are clearly insufficient for smooth gameplay. In contrast, 1080p and 1440p provide viable experiences at Medium and High settings, with 1440p Medium offering the best combination of visual fidelity and performance. The data suggests that players who want to use this combo should target 1440p as their maximum resolution, with 1080p serving as the resolution for maximum frame rates or Ultra settings.