Hitman 2

Hitman 2 with an Intel Core i7-14700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER pairing presents a dataset where the GPU is the clear limiting factor at higher resolutions, but the CPU's headroom allows for exceptional performance at 1080p. The measured frames per second (FPS) across the board indicate that this combination is viable for stealth gameplay, though the experience varies dramatically depending on the resolution and quality preset selected.

Resolution Scaling

The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K in Hitman 2 for this configuration reveals a steep drop-off that is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario. At 1080p with High settings, the average FPS is 80.6, which is already a strong baseline. Moving to 1440p High reduces the average to 55.3 FPS, a significant decline of roughly 31%. The jump to 4K High further craters the average to 29 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth, consistent stealth gameplay.

This pattern holds across all settings. At Low settings, the average FPS falls from 143.4 at 1080p to 93 at 1440p, and then to 47.7 at 4K. The scaling between 1080p and 1440p is substantial, but the drop from 1440p to 4K is even more pronounced, indicating that the RTX 2060 SUPER's 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are being saturated as pixel count increases. The data suggests that the Intel Core i7-14700K, with its 20 cores and 28 threads, is not the bottleneck here; the GPU's raw throughput is the determining factor for frame rates at higher resolutions.

The gap between Low and Ultra settings widens as resolution increases. At 1080p, the difference between Low (143.4 FPS) and Ultra (59 FPS) is 84.4 FPS. At 4K, that difference shrinks to 25.3 FPS (47.7 vs 22.4). This compression at 4K further confirms that the GPU is overwhelmed, as the additional shading work from higher quality settings cannot be translated into proportional frame rate gains. The limiting component is unequivocally the graphics card, not the processor.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p with High settings?

A: The average FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings is 80.6, providing a smooth experience for Hitman 2's stealth mechanics.

Q: Can this system achieve 60 FPS at 1440p?

A: Yes, but only at Medium settings, which yields an average of 67.5 FPS. High settings at 1440p drop to 55.3 FPS, and Ultra falls to 41 FPS.

Q: Is 4K gaming viable with this combo?

A: The data shows it is not viable for a consistently playable experience. At 4K, the highest average FPS is 47.7 on Low settings, with High and Ultra dipping to 29 and 22.4 FPS, respectively.

Q: How does the RTX 2060 SUPER compare to its nearest rival, the RTX 2070?

A: The RTX 2060 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 19774, which is 0.5% higher than the RTX 2070's score of 19680. This indicates near-identical performance in synthetic tests.

Q: What is the CPU's percentile ranking among all processors?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700K ranks in the 96th percentile of all CPUs, indicating it is a top-tier processor for this title, unlikely to bottleneck the GPU.

Q: What is the best preset for a 60 FPS target at 1440p?

A: Medium settings at 2560x1440 deliver an average of 67.5 FPS, making it the only preset at that resolution to comfortably exceed the 60 FPS target.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is the central figure in these benchmark results, and its specifications directly explain the observed frame rates. The card features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. This memory configuration is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but the 4K results show that the capacity and bandwidth are pushed to their limits, leading to the sub-30 FPS averages on High and Ultra settings.

The GPU's clock speeds are listed as a base of 1470 MHz and a boost of 1650 MHz. These clocks, combined with 2176 shading units and 136 texture mapping units, produce a pixel rate of 105.6 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 224.4 GTexel/s. In Hitman 2, these figures translate to strong performance at lower resolutions where the pixel fill rate is not the primary constraint. The FP32 performance of 7.181 TFLOPS is adequate for the game's DirectX 12 rendering path, which is supported via the card's DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) API compatibility.

The RTX 2060 SUPER sits in the 63rd percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19774. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070, scores 19680, a delta of 0.5% in favor of the 2060 SUPER. This suggests that the card is positioned as a solid mid-range performer in synthetic tests. However, the measured FPS in Hitman 2 shows that its real-world gaming performance is heavily dependent on resolution, with the 4K Ultra result of 22.4 FPS being the lowest point in the dataset. The GPU's end-of-life production status and 12 nm process node from TSMC, with 10,800 million transistors, indicate it is a mature design that is now outclassed by newer architectures for high-resolution gaming.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of this combo's capabilities. At 1920x1080, the results are as follows: Low settings average 143.4 FPS, Medium averages 110.1 FPS, High averages 80.6 FPS, and Ultra averages 59 FPS. These numbers show that 1080p is the sweet spot for this pairing, with even the highest quality preset maintaining a playable frame rate above the 60 FPS mark.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops are noticeable. Low settings average 93 FPS, which is still excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors. Medium settings average 67.5 FPS, providing a good balance of quality and speed. High settings drop to 55.3 FPS, which is borderline for smooth gameplay, and Ultra falls to 41 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action sequences.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's limitations become stark. Low settings average 47.7 FPS, which is the only preset at this resolution that approaches playability. Medium settings average 34.6 FPS, High drops to 29 FPS, and Ultra plunges to 22.4 FPS. These results indicate that 4K is not a viable option for this configuration, as even the lowest settings cannot maintain a consistent 60 FPS, and the visual quality trade-off is severe. The data clearly shows that 1080p is the intended resolution for this GPU, with 1440p being a compromise, and 4K being a non-starter.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the optimal experience for this Intel Core i7-14700K and RTX 2060 SUPER combination is at 1920x1080 with High settings, delivering an average of 80.6 FPS. This preset offers a significant visual upgrade over Medium (110.1 FPS) while still maintaining a frame rate well above the 60 FPS threshold, ensuring smooth stealth gameplay and quick camera movements. The jump to Ultra at 1080p yields 59 FPS, which is a marginal drop that may not justify the extra graphical fidelity, though it remains playable.

For users with 1440p monitors, the Medium preset is the recommended choice, as it is the only setting at this resolution that averages above 60 FPS (67.5 FPS). Choosing High at 1440p results in 55.3 FPS, which is acceptable but may introduce noticeable stutter in crowded areas of Hitman 2's sandbox levels. Ultra at 1440p is not recommended, as the 41 FPS average detracts from the game's fluidity.

At 4K, the data suggests that Low settings (47.7 FPS) are the only viable option, but even this is a suboptimal experience. The recommendation is to avoid 4K altogether and instead utilize the headroom at 1080p or 1440p to enable higher quality presets. The RTX 2060 SUPER's 8 GB memory buffer is the limiting factor at 4K, and no amount of CPU power from the i7-14700K can compensate for that hardware constraint. For the best overall experience, the 1080p High preset is the clear winner in the measured data.