Hitman 2

Hitman 2 is a stealth game that stresses both the CPU's ability to manage complex AI routines and the GPU's raw throughput for scene rendering. The Intel Core i7-14700K is a 20-core, 28-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. With a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 44534 and a single-core score of 6287, this CPU ranks in the 96th percentile among all tested processors. It sits effectively at parity with its direct rival, the Intel Core i7-14700KF, showing a 0% delta in average benchmark score, while it edges out the AMD EPYC 9115 by 0.3% and the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X by -0.5%. For a game like Hitman 2, the high boost clock and substantial core count ensure that the CPU is rarely the bottleneck, allowing the GPU to become the primary factor in determining frame rates.

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

The Core i7-14700K's architecture is built for high throughput in both lightly-threaded and heavily-threaded workloads, which is crucial for a simulation-heavy stealth title. The 20-core count, paired with a 33 MB shared L3 cache, provides ample headroom for the game's background simulation and player-triggered events. The processor's single-thread performance, evidenced by a Geekbench single-core score of 2932, is what drives the game's core logic and input responsiveness. In benchmark results, the CPU's raw power is more than sufficient to feed the GeForce RTX 2060, meaning that observed frame rate drops are almost entirely attributable to the graphics card's capabilities rather than processor limitations. The data shows that even at lower resolutions where CPU load typically increases, the processor maintains its end of the bargain, allowing the GPU to hit its maximum output. The 125 W TDP and support for both DDR4 and DDR5 memory give system builders flexibility, though the benchmark data does not isolate memory performance impacts.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 is a Turing-architecture card with 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing 336.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its base clock is 1365 MHz with a boost clock of 1680 MHz. The card ranks in the 58th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 16074, placing it slightly above the AMD Radeon RX 7600S (0.5% delta) and just below the AMD Radeon Pro 5600M and Pro 5700 (both -1.7% delta). For Hitman 2, the 6 GB VRAM capacity is a critical constraint. At higher resolutions and settings, the game's texture and geometry data can exceed this capacity, causing performance to plummet. The measured FPS data shows a stark pattern: at 4K Ultra, the card produces only 19.1 FPS, indicating that the GPU is severely overwhelmed. The card's 1920 shading units and 120 TMUs are adequate for 1080p gaming, but they struggle to maintain playable rates at 4K, as the benchmark results show a clear ceiling in the card's ability to process pixels efficiently.

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

The scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic GPU-bound scenario. At 1080p Low settings, the combo achieves 130.1 FPS, which drops to 83.7 FPS at 1440p Low, a 35.7% reduction, and then to 42.7 FPS at 4K Low, a further 49% drop. This steep decline in performance as resolution increases is a textbook indicator that the RTX 2060 is the limiting factor. The CPU has ample headroom to process the game at any of these resolutions, but the GPU's pixel fill rate and memory bandwidth cannot keep pace with the increasing pixel count. The pattern holds across all settings: from 1080p High (74.5 FPS) to 4K High (26.7 FPS) represents a 64.2% loss in performance. Similarly, Medium settings show a drop from 97.5 FPS at 1080p to 35.7 FPS at 4K, a 63.4% loss. The most extreme case is Ultra settings, where 1080p yields 53.3 FPS but 4K craters to 19.1 FPS, a 64.2% loss. These consistent ~64% drops between 1080p and 4K across different settings indicate that the GPU's compute units and memory subsystem are saturated, while the i7-14700K continues to provide frames as fast as the GPU can render them.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

In the database of tested combinations for Hitman 2, this pairing of the Intel Core i7-14700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 ranks 1491st out of 1795 total combos. This places it in the lower 17% of all tested systems, which is a surprising result given the high-end CPU. The ranking reflects the severe bottleneck created by the RTX 2060, which holds back the i7-14700K's potential. In comparison to other combos that pair the i7-14700K with more capable graphics cards, this setup underperforms, as the CPU's high percentile ranking (96th) is negated by the GPU's middling 58th percentile. The data suggests that the system's overall gaming performance is dictated almost entirely by the graphics card, which is a common theme in GPU-bound titles like Hitman 2 at higher resolutions. This low rank indicates that for users with this specific combination, the CPU is essentially wasted in this game, as it has no opportunity to demonstrate its processing advantage.

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

The measured FPS data provides a detailed picture of the system's capabilities across the full spectrum of settings.

At 1920x1080, the system performs best on Low settings, delivering 130.1 FPS. Medium settings produce 97.5 FPS, which is a 25% reduction from Low. High settings yield 74.5 FPS, a 23.6% reduction from Medium, and Ultra settings drop to 53.3 FPS, a 28.5% reduction from High. This progression shows that at 1080p, the GPU can still handle the load, but each increase in graphical fidelity takes a toll.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops are more pronounced. Low settings yield 83.7 FPS, which is 35.7% lower than the 1080p Low result. Medium settings produce 60.7 FPS, a 27.5% drop from 1080p Medium. High settings fall to 48.4 FPS, a 35% drop from 1080p High. Ultra settings are the most demanding, producing 34.3 FPS, a 35.6% drop from 1080p Ultra. The consistent ~35% penalty for moving from 1080p to 1440p highlights the GPU's memory bandwidth and pixel processing limitations.

At 3840x2160, the system is clearly out of its depth. Low settings produce 42.7 FPS, which is a 49% drop from 1440p Low. Medium settings yield 35.7 FPS, a 41.2% drop from 1440p Medium. High settings drop to 26.7 FPS, a 44.8% reduction, and Ultra settings produce a nearly unplayable 19.1 FPS, a 44.3% drop from 1440p Ultra. The 4K results confirm that the RTX 2060's 6 GB VRAM and 336.0 GB/s bandwidth are simply insufficient for this resolution, as even Low settings struggle to maintain a smooth experience.

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

Based on the measured FPS values, the optimal experience for this combo is at 1920x1080 with Medium or High settings. At 1080p Medium, the system provides 97.5 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, while still offering better visual fidelity than Low. High settings at 1080p yield 74.5 FPS, which remains fluid and provides a noticeable upgrade in texture detail and shadow quality. For players who prioritize frame rate over visuals, Low settings at 1080p deliver 130.1 FPS, which is excellent for competitive play or high-refresh-rate monitors.

At 2560x1440, the system can handle Low settings at 83.7 FPS, which is playable, but Medium settings at 60.7 FPS are borderline. High settings at 1440p drop to 48.4 FPS, which may be acceptable for slower-paced stealth gameplay, but it is not ideal. Ultra settings at 1440p should be avoided, as 34.3 FPS is below the playable threshold for most users.

At 3840x2160, the system is not viable for a good experience. Even Low settings at 42.7 FPS are marginal, and the visual downgrade is severe. The data suggests that 4K gaming with this GPU is not recommended, as the card's hardware limitations are too great to overcome with settings adjustments. The best overall recommendation is to use 1080p High settings, which provides a 74.5 FPS average, balancing visual quality and performance. If a higher resolution is desired, 1440p Low at 83.7 FPS is the only reasonable option, but it sacrifices visual fidelity for a smoother frame rate. The measured data shows that this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming, where the RTX 2060 can still flex its muscles without being overwhelmed by pixel count.