Hitman 2

The Intel Core i7-14700K paired with the Intel Arc B370 represents a stark contrast in processing and graphical capabilities within the Hitman 2 benchmark suite. The data shows a system where the CPU provides substantial compute resources, but the integrated graphics solution severely limits the overall gaming experience across all tested resolutions and settings.

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

The Intel Core i7-14700K is a 20-core, 28-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, manufactured on Intel's 10 nm process node. It operates with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, with a 125 W TDP. The processor features a substantial cache hierarchy, including 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 2 MB of L2 cache per core, and 33 MB of shared L3 cache. Memory support includes both DDR4 and DDR5 across a dual-channel bus, with ECC memory support enabled.

Benchmark results for this CPU place it in the 94th percentile among all tested processors, indicating strong performance relative to the broader market. The average benchmark score of 69355 is nearly identical to that of the AMD EPYC 9115, which scores 69288, a delta of just 0.1%. This places the i7-14700K in close competition with high-end workstation and desktop parts. The data shows it trails the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X by a negligible margin of 0.2%, with that rival scoring 69515. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX and AMD Ryzen 7 9700F are slightly ahead, with scores of 69875 and 69996, representing deltas of -0.7% and -0.9% respectively.

In the context of Hitman 2, which is a stealth game with complex AI routines and detailed environments, the CPU's strong single-thread and multi-thread performance should theoretically provide ample headroom for game logic and physics calculations. The Cinebench R23 results show a multi-core score of 33440.5 and a single-core score of 2160, while Geekbench reports a multi-core score of 20767 and a single-core score of 2569. The Passmark suite shows a multi-thread score of 52392 and a single-thread score of 4472. These numbers indicate a processor well-suited for handling the simulation aspects of the game, but the measured frame rates suggest the CPU is not the limiting factor in this specific configuration, as the GPU bottleneck dominates the performance profile.

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

The Intel Arc B370 is an integrated graphics processor based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on a 3 nm process node. It operates with a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2400 MHz. The GPU features 1280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 20 render output units, along with 10 ray tracing cores. Its pixel rate is 48.00 GPixel/s, texture rate is 96.00 GTexel/s, and it delivers 6.144 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. The memory configuration is system shared, meaning the GPU draws from the main system memory rather than dedicated VRAM, with bandwidth described as system dependent.

The GPU's benchmark presence is minimal, with only a single 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1184. This places the Arc B370 in the 5th percentile among all tested GPUs, indicating very low performance relative to the rest of the market. Its nearest rivals include the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 with a score of 1186, a delta of -0.2%, and the ATI Radeon HD 5770 with a score of 1190, a delta of -0.5%. The AMD Radeon HD 7650M scores 1192, a delta of -0.7%, while the AMD FirePro M2000 scores 1168, a delta of 1.4%. These comparisons place the Arc B370 in the company of older discrete mobile and entry-level desktop parts, underscoring its limited graphical horsepower.

In Hitman 2, the GPU's role is critical for rendering the game's detailed environments, character models, and lighting effects. The data shows that the Arc B370 struggles to maintain playable frame rates even at the lowest settings, which indicates that the integrated graphics solution is the primary bottleneck in this configuration. The system-shared memory, while flexible, does not provide the dedicated bandwidth required for high-resolution textures and complex shaders, leading to the low performance observed across all measurement points.

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 performance degradation as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At 1080p with Low settings, the average FPS is 73, which drops to 46 at 1440p and further to 25 at 4K. This represents a 68.5% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 4K at Low settings. At Medium settings, the average FPS goes from 54 at 1080p to 35 at 1440p to 19 at 4K, a 64.8% drop. High settings show a similar trend, with 41 FPS at 1080p, 26 FPS at 1440p, and 14 FPS at 4K, a 65.9% reduction. Ultra settings yield 30 FPS at 1080p, 19 FPS at 1440p, and 10 FPS at 4K, a 66.7% drop.

The scaling behavior indicates a GPU-bound scenario, where the rendering workload increases with pixel count, and the Arc B370's limited computational resources are unable to keep pace. The proportional drops in frame rate across all settings suggest that the integrated GPU is saturated even at the lowest resolution, and the additional pixel workload at higher resolutions directly translates to lower FPS. The CPU, with its high benchmark scores, is not the limiting factor, as it would show more consistent frame rates across resolutions if it were the bottleneck. The data confirms that the GPU's fill rate and shading capabilities are the primary constraint, and the resolution scaling analysis points to a component that cannot handle the demands of Hitman 2 beyond the most modest settings.

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

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four quality presets. At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves an average of 73 FPS, the Medium preset averages 54 FPS with minimum and maximum values of 46 and 63 FPS respectively, the High preset averages 41 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 30 FPS. These numbers indicate that only the Low preset at 1080p reaches a frame rate that could be considered comfortably playable, while the Medium preset is borderline, and High and Ultra fall short of smooth gameplay standards.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 46 FPS, the Medium preset averages 35 FPS with minimum and maximum values of 30 and 40 FPS, the High preset averages 26 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 19 FPS. The data shows a significant drop from 1080p, with the Low preset losing 27 FPS, and the Ultra preset losing 11 FPS. None of these values provide a consistently smooth experience, with even the lowest settings dipping below 50 FPS on average.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 25 FPS, the Medium preset averages 19 FPS with minimum and maximum values of 16 and 21 FPS, the High preset averages 14 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 10 FPS. The 4K results are uniformly poor, with the highest average frame rate being 25 FPS at Low settings, which is still below the threshold for acceptable playability. The minimum FPS values, where available, show that the system can drop to 16 FPS at Medium settings, indicating significant frame time spikes that would negatively impact the gameplay experience.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core i7-14700K and the Intel Arc B370 ranks 2768 out of 3001 tested combos in Hitman 2. This places the combo in the bottom 7.8% of all configurations, indicating that it is among the lowest-performing systems in the database for this game. The rank reflects the severe GPU bottleneck, as the CPU's strong benchmark scores are effectively neutralized by the integrated graphics' inability to render the game at competitive frame rates.

The ranking suggests that the majority of tested combos, including those with older or less capable CPUs but dedicated GPUs, outperform this configuration. The data implies that the Arc B370's performance, which is comparable to very old discrete graphics cards like the ATI Radeon HD 5770, is the primary determinant of the combo's low standing. The CPU's 94th percentile ranking does not compensate for the GPU's 5th percentile ranking, resulting in a system that is poorly suited for Hitman 2 despite its modern processor.

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

Based on the measured FPS data, the only setting that provides a playable experience is the Low preset at 1920x1080, which achieves an average of 73 FPS. This is the only configuration where the average frame rate exceeds 60 FPS, providing a smooth and responsive experience for the stealth-based gameplay. The Medium preset at 1080p, with an average of 54 FPS and a minimum of 46 FPS, is borderline playable but may exhibit noticeable frame drops during intense scenes.

For users who prioritize visual quality over frame rate, the High preset at 1080p offers an average of 41 FPS, but the data indicates this is below the ideal threshold for a smooth experience. The Ultra preset at 1080p, with an average of 30 FPS, should be avoided as it provides a suboptimal frame rate that would hinder gameplay. At higher resolutions, no preset achieves a playable frame rate, with the best result being 46 FPS at 1440p Low, which is still below 60 FPS. The recommendation based on the data is to use 1080p Low settings as the primary configuration, with the option to try 1080p Medium if the user can tolerate occasional frame rate dips to the mid-40s.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate achieved by this combo in Hitman 2?

A: The highest average frame rate is 73 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does the Intel Core i7-14700K compare to its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700K has an average benchmark score of 69355, which is 0.2% lower than the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X's score of 69515.

Q: What is the performance of the Intel Arc B370 relative to the ATI Radeon HD 5770?

A: The Intel Arc B370 scores 1184 in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, while the ATI Radeon HD 5770 scores 1190, representing a delta of -0.5% for the Arc B370.

Q: At which resolution and settings does the combo achieve its lowest average frame rate?

A: The lowest average frame rate is 10 FPS, recorded at 3840x2160 resolution with Ultra settings.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested configurations in Hitman 2?

A: The combo ranks 2768 out of 3001 tested combos in Hitman 2.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU act as the limiting factor in this configuration?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor, as evidenced by the Intel Arc B370's 5th percentile ranking and the significant frame rate drops across resolutions, while the CPU's 94th percentile ranking indicates it is not a bottleneck.