Hitman 2

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i7-14700F brings a substantial 20 cores and 28 threads to this benchmark configuration, built on the Raptor Lake-R architecture. Its base clock of 2.10 GHz and boost clock of 5.40 GHz provide a wide operating range, which matters for a game like Hitman 2 that scales across both lightly-threaded and heavily-threaded workloads. The CPU's 33 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB per-core L2 cache are notable for keeping frequently accessed game data close to the execution cores, reducing latency in the simulation-heavy sections of Hitman 2.

In synthetic benchmarks, this processor posts a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 35443 and a single-core score of 5003, while Geekbench shows 16571 multi-core and 2711 single-core. The PassMark multi-thread score of 41765 and single-thread score of 4261 place the chip in the 94th percentile among all CPUs. The data suggests a balanced design: strong enough single-thread performance to drive the game's AI and physics logic, while the massive core count ensures background tasks and engine threads do not starve the main game loop.

The nearest rivals contextualize this CPU's standing. The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X posts an average score of 54450, which is just 0.6% higher than the i7-14700F's 54097 average. The Ryzen 9 9900X3D sits 1.1% above, while the Intel Xeon Phi 7290 trails by 1.2% and the AMD EPYC 7313P by 1.7%. These deltas are remarkably tight, indicating that the i7-14700F is positioned within a performance band where no single competitor holds a commanding lead. For Hitman 2, this means the CPU is unlikely to be the primary constraint at most settings, as the measured FPS deltas across resolutions are more indicative of GPU limitations.

FAQ

Q: How does the Core i7-14700F compare to its closest CPU rivals in overall benchmark score?

A: The i7-14700F averages 54097 across benchmarks, placing it 0.6% below the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X (54450) and 1.1% below the Ryzen 9 9900X3D (54681). It outperforms the Intel Xeon Phi 7290 (53469) by 1.2% and the AMD EPYC 7313P (53206) by 1.7%.

Q: What is the CPU's single-threaded performance relative to its multi-threaded performance?

A: The processor scores 5003 in Cinebench R23 single-core versus 35443 in multi-core, a ratio of roughly 1:7. In PassMark, the single-thread score of 4261 and multi-thread score of 41765 show a similar pattern, indicating strong scaling across its 20 cores.

Q: Does the CPU's memory support affect its suitability for Hitman 2?

A: The i7-14700F supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration. This flexibility means the memory subsystem can be matched to the motherboard and budget, though the benchmark data does not isolate memory speed as a variable in the measured FPS results.

Q: How does the CPU's percentile ranking translate to gaming performance?

A: Sitting in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, the i7-14700F is positioned well above average. For Hitman 2, a game that benefits from high single-thread performance for NPC and stealth AI, this ranking suggests the CPU provides ample headroom for the GPU to become the limiting factor at most settings.

Q: What is the CPU's launch MSRP and how does it relate to its benchmark standing?

A: The launch MSRP is $359. The chip's average benchmark score of 54097 with a 94th percentile ranking indicates performance that competes with far more expensive server and high-end desktop parts, based on the nearest rival deltas.

Q: What architecture and process node is the i7-14700F built on?

A: It uses Raptor Lake architecture (codename Raptor Lake-R) on Intel's 10 nm process node, with a die size of 257 mm². This is a mature node that balances clock speeds and power efficiency for a 65 W TDP.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of GPU-bound scaling as resolution increases. At 1080p High settings, the combo achieves 111 FPS, but at 1440p High it drops to 69.7 FPS (a 37.2% reduction), and at 4K High it falls further to 36 FPS (a 67.6% reduction from 1080p). This steep decline as pixel count rises is the signature of a GPU-limited scenario—the CPU is capable of feeding the Radeon RX 7700 XT at lower resolutions, but the GPU's rendering throughput becomes the bottleneck as fill rate demands increase.

The Low settings row amplifies this conclusion. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 198 FPS, which is extraordinarily high and suggests the CPU can push well beyond typical display refresh rates. At 1440p Low, the frame rate drops to 125.3 FPS, and at 4K Low it settles at 66 FPS. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K at Low settings is 66.7%, almost identical to the 67.6% drop at High settings. This consistency across settings indicates the scaling is driven by resolution alone, not by the complexity of the graphics workload.

Ultra settings tell a harsher story. At 1080p Ultra, the combo manages 82 FPS, but this falls to 53.8 FPS at 1440p (a 34.4% drop) and 28.1 FPS at 4K (a 65.7% drop from 1080p). The 4K Ultra result of 28.1 FPS is below the 30 FPS threshold commonly considered playable, strongly indicating that the RX 7700 XT's 12 GB VRAM and 432.0 GB/s bandwidth are not sufficient for the highest fidelity at that resolution in this title.

The data implies that the i7-14700F is not the limiting factor at any resolution tested. The CPU's high single-core and multi-core scores, combined with the massive FPS at 1080p Low (198 FPS), demonstrate that it can drive Hitman 2 far beyond what the GPU can render at higher resolutions. The bottleneck shifts entirely to the GPU as resolution increases, which is the expected behavior for a balanced mid-range-to-high-end combination.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its strongest results. Low settings produce 198 FPS, Medium drops to 146.8 FPS, High sits at 111 FPS, and Ultra falls to 82 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 116 FPS, showing that the RX 7700 XT has ample headroom at this resolution to handle even the most demanding preset while maintaining smooth frame rates. The step from High to Ultra costs 29 FPS, a 26.1% reduction, which is significant but not prohibitive for gamers targeting 60 FPS or higher.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance curve steepens. Low yields 125.3 FPS, Medium 92.7 FPS, High 69.7 FPS, and Ultra 53.8 FPS. The High setting at 1440p is just above 60 FPS, while Ultra dips below 60 FPS. This resolution is where the GPU's 192-bit memory bus and 12 GB VRAM begin to show strain under the highest settings, as the pixel count increases by 78% compared to 1080p, requiring significantly more fill rate and memory throughput.

At 3840x2160, the results are more constrained. Low achieves 66 FPS, Medium 51.5 FPS, High 36 FPS, and Ultra 28.1 FPS. None of the settings exceed 72 FPS, and only Low maintains a comfortable 60+ FPS experience. The step from Low to Medium costs 14.5 FPS, from Medium to High costs 15.5 FPS, and from High to Ultra costs 7.9 FPS. The diminishing returns at the highest setting suggest that the GPU is hitting a hard performance ceiling, likely related to its 432.0 GB/s bandwidth and 96 ROPs, which are taxed heavily by 4K resolution.

The data shows that the combo is most efficient at 1080p, where every preset delivers playable frame rates. At 1440p, Medium and High are the sweet spots, while at 4K, only Low and Medium are viable for smooth gameplay. The measured FPS values are consistent with a GPU that ranks in the 73rd percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 30097.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core i7-14700F and AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT ranks 823rd out of 1795 tested combos in Hitman 2. This places it in the 54.2nd percentile of all configurations tested, meaning it outperforms slightly more than half of the other combos in the database. Given that the CPU is in the 94th percentile and the GPU is in the 73rd percentile, the combo's overall ranking is dragged down by the GPU, which is the weaker link in this pairing.

This ranking suggests that the i7-14700F is overqualified for the RX 7700 XT in Hitman 2. The CPU's benchmark scores are within 1.7% of much more powerful server and high-end desktop processors, but the GPU's average score of 30097 is only 0.6% different from the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 (30109) and 0.6% from the AMD Radeon RX 570 (30158). The GPU's percentile of 73 means it is a solid mid-range part, but it cannot fully leverage the CPU's potential in a frame-rate-limited scenario.

The rank of 823 out of 1795 indicates that many combos with lower-tier CPUs but higher-tier GPUs outperform this pairing in Hitman 2. This is typical for a game that is more GPU-intensive at higher resolutions, as the FPS data shows. The combo's position in the middle of the pack reflects a balanced but not optimized pairing—the CPU provides headroom for future GPU upgrades, while the GPU limits current performance at 1440p and 4K.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

For the best experience at 1080p, the High preset at 111 FPS is the recommended choice. It offers a substantial visual upgrade over Medium (146.8 FPS) while maintaining frame rates well above 60 FPS, and it avoids the 26.1% performance penalty of Ultra (82 FPS) for what is often a marginal visual difference in Hitman 2's stealth environments. Players with 144 Hz or 165 Hz monitors could also consider Medium for the higher 146.8 FPS, but High provides a better balance of fidelity and smoothness.

At 1440p, the High preset at 69.7 FPS is the best option for maintaining a 60+ FPS experience. Medium at 92.7 FPS is also viable for players prioritizing frame rate over visual quality, while Ultra at 53.8 FPS falls just below the 60 FPS threshold and may introduce noticeable stutter on standard 60 Hz displays. Low at 125.3 FPS is only recommended for competitive play where maximum responsiveness is required, as the visual downgrade is significant.

For 4K, the Low preset at 66 FPS is the only setting that provides a consistently smooth experience above 60 FPS. Medium at 51.5 FPS is playable but may feel less fluid, and High at 36 FPS and Ultra at 28.1 FPS are below the threshold for comfortable gameplay. The data indicates that 4K is not this combo's strong suit, and players targeting 4K should either accept Low settings or consider a GPU upgrade.

Overall, the High preset at 1080p or 1440p delivers the best combination of visual quality and performance for this pairing. The measured FPS values show that the combo excels at mainstream resolutions and settings, while the higher-end presets at 4K stretch the GPU beyond its comfortable operating range.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT is built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with the Navi 32 chip, manufactured on TSMC's 5 nm process with 28,100 million transistors on a 346 mm² die. Its 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus provides 432.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is a critical factor for Hitman 2's detailed environments and texture streaming. The memory clock runs at 2250 MHz (18 Gbps effective), while the base clock of 1435 MHz and boost clock of 2544 MHz (with a game clock of 2171 MHz) define the GPU's computational throughput.

The GPU's 3456 shading units, 216 TMUs, and 96 ROPs produce a pixel rate of 244.2 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 549.5 GTexel/s, with FP32 performance of 35.17 TFLOPS. These specifications explain the measured FPS results: at 1080p, the GPU has enough fill rate to push 198 FPS on Low and 111 FPS on High, but at 4K, the 96 ROPs become a bottleneck, limiting Ultra to 28.1 FPS. The 12 GB VRAM is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p at all settings, but 4K Ultra may approach the memory capacity limit, especially in Hitman 2's large, texture-rich levels.

In synthetic benchmarks, the GPU scores 22547 in PassMark G3D and 3316 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, with a DirectX 12 score of 79 in PassMark. Its average benchmark score of 30097 places it in the 73rd percentile, with nearest rivals including the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 (30109, 0% delta) and the AMD Radeon RX 570 (30158, -0.2% delta). The GPU's 2x 8-pin power connectors and 245 W TDP require a 550 W suggested PSU, which is a reasonable requirement for a mid-range card.

The data shows that the RX 7700 XT is well-matched to the i7-14700F at 1080p, where the CPU's high single-thread performance is not the limiting factor. However, at 1440p and 4K, the GPU's memory bandwidth and ROP count become the primary constraints, capping performance at levels that the CPU could easily exceed. The GPU's role in this combo is to provide solid mainstream gaming performance, but it is not designed for extreme 4K fidelity in a demanding title like Hitman 2.