Hitman 2

The Intel Core i7-14700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER combination delivers exceptionally strong performance in Hitman 2, placing at rank 315 out of 3711 tested combos. This puts the pairing in the top 8.5% of all configurations in the database, a position driven by the GPU's raw throughput and the CPU's high core count. The data indicates this combo is built for high-refresh-rate play at 1440p and smooth 4K experiences, though the most demanding settings will still challenge it at the highest resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

At rank 315 of 3711 tested combos, this configuration sits comfortably in the upper echelon of systems tested for Hitman 2. The ranking reflects a balanced pairing where neither component becomes a consistent bottleneck across the tested settings. The RTX 4080 SUPER's average benchmark score of 54209 places it just 0.1% behind the standard RTX 4080, which is a negligible difference in real-world gameplay. The CPU's average score of 69355 is similarly competitive, sitting just 0.2% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X and 0.7% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX. This near-parity among top-tier components means the combo's rank is largely determined by how the specific game engine utilizes both the CPU's 20 cores and the GPU's 10240 shading units.

The data shows that Hitman 2 scales well with this hardware, but the scaling is not linear. The combo's position in the top 10% of all tested systems indicates that users can expect high frame rates at most settings, but the game's engine does show limitations at the absolute highest preset. The 94th percentile ranking for the CPU and 86th percentile for the GPU among all parts suggest that while this is a high-end pairing, there are faster components available. However, the measured FPS results in this game show that the combo extracts nearly all available performance from the hardware, with only the 4K Ultra preset falling below 60 FPS.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is the primary driver of frame rate in most tested configurations. With 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, the card provides 736.3 GB/s of bandwidth, which is ample for Hitman 2's detailed environments at 4K. The GPU's boost clock of 2550 MHz and base clock of 2295 MHz are relatively high, allowing the card to maintain consistent performance across the tested settings. The 80 RT cores and 320 tensor cores are present, but Hitman 2 does not heavily utilize ray tracing in the measured frames, so the standard rasterization performance from the 10240 shading units is what drives the results.

The GPU's benchmark scores reflect its position relative to rivals. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 6600 and a Passmark G3D score of 34245 show strong raw performance. The nearest rival, the RTX 4080, scores 54247 on average, just 0.1% higher than the SUPER variant. This near-identical performance means the SUPER's advantage comes from its 16 GB VRAM capacity rather than raw speed. In Hitman 2, the 4K High preset achieves 58 FPS, while the 4K Medium preset reaches 77 FPS with a minimum of 65 FPS. These numbers suggest the GPU is the limiting factor at 4K, as the CPU has headroom to push more frames if the GPU could render them faster. The 4K Low preset at 103 FPS further confirms this, showing that reducing GPU load allows the system to more than double the frame rate from the Ultra preset's 43 FPS.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700K provides the computational backbone for this combo, with 20 cores and 28 threads running at a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. This Raptor Lake architecture part, built on a 10 nm process, has a 33 MB shared L3 cache and supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory. For Hitman 2, the CPU's role is less demanding than in simulation-heavy titles, but it still matters for maintaining high frame rates, particularly at lower resolutions. The benchmark results show the CPU's strength: a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 33440.5 and a single-core score of 2160 indicate strong per-thread performance, which is critical for game logic and draw call processing.

The CPU's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, which scores 69515 on average, just 0.2% higher. This negligible difference means the i7-14700K does not bottleneck the RTX 4080 SUPER in any meaningful way. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 301 FPS, which is likely CPU-limited to some degree, but the high single-core performance keeps the system from hitting a hard wall. The 1440p Low preset at 192 FPS and 4K Low at 103 FPS show that the CPU can feed the GPU effectively even at lower settings where frame rates are highest. The 20-core configuration also provides headroom for background tasks, though the game itself likely uses only a few cores. The data indicates that the CPU's 94th percentile ranking among all CPUs is well-earned, and it does not detract from the combo's overall gaming performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of performance across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers 301 FPS on Low, 226 FPS on Medium, 171 FPS on High, and 126 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset shows a minimum of 192 FPS and a maximum of 260 FPS, indicating good frame pacing. At 2560x1440, the numbers drop to 192 FPS on Low, 144 FPS on Medium, 109 FPS on High, and 80 FPS on Ultra. The 1440p Medium preset maintains a minimum of 123 FPS and a maximum of 166 FPS, which is still well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. At 3840x2160, performance becomes more demanding: 103 FPS on Low, 77 FPS on Medium, 58 FPS on High, and 43 FPS on Ultra. The 4K Medium preset shows a minimum of 65 FPS and a maximum of 88 FPS, making it the only 4K setting that consistently stays above 60 FPS.

These numbers reveal distinct performance tiers. At 1080p, even the Ultra preset exceeds 120 FPS, making this resolution ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. The 1440p resolution offers the best balance, with High and Ultra settings both playable, and Medium hitting 144 FPS average. At 4K, the system requires settings adjustments to maintain 60 FPS, with High falling just short at 58 FPS and Medium providing a comfortable margin. The spread between Low and Ultra at each resolution is substantial, ranging from a 58% increase at 1080p (301 vs 126 FPS) to a 140% increase at 4K (103 vs 43 FPS), which highlights how the GPU becomes more stressed as resolution increases.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K shows a predictable pattern, but the magnitude varies by setting. At Low settings, the FPS drops from 301 at 1080p to 192 at 1440p (a 36% decrease) and then to 103 at 4K (a 46% decrease from 1440p). This indicates that at Low settings, the CPU is playing a significant role at 1080p, as the GPU is not fully utilized. At Ultra settings, the drop is less severe in percentage terms: 126 FPS at 1080p, 80 FPS at 1440p (a 37% decrease), and 43 FPS at 4K (a 46% decrease from 1440p). This suggests that at Ultra, the GPU is the primary bottleneck at all resolutions, and the CPU has enough headroom to keep up.

The data reveals that the limiting component shifts with resolution and settings. At 1080p Low and Medium, the CPU is likely the limiting factor, as the GPU could render more frames if the CPU could process game logic faster. At 1080p High and Ultra, the GPU becomes more involved, but the CPU still has influence. At 1440p, the balance shifts toward the GPU, with the gap between Low and Ultra narrowing. At 4K, the GPU is clearly the bottleneck, as evidenced by the 58 FPS High result and 43 FPS Ultra result. This means that users with 4K displays should prioritize GPU settings, while those with 1080p displays can benefit from the CPU's strong single-core performance. The 1440p resolution appears to be the sweet spot where both components are utilized effectively, providing high frame rates without either becoming a hard limitation.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience per the measured rows, the 1440p High preset at 109 FPS average is the standout choice. It provides a smooth, high-detail experience that takes advantage of the RTX 4080 SUPER's capabilities without pushing the GPU to its limits. The 1440p Medium preset at 144 FPS is even better for competitive play or high-refresh-rate monitors, offering a 32% frame rate increase over High while still looking good. The 1440p Ultra preset at 80 FPS is playable but sacrifices significant performance for marginal visual gains, making it less optimal. At 4K, the Medium preset at 77 FPS with a minimum of 65 FPS is the recommended choice, as it is the only 4K setting that consistently stays above 60 FPS. The 4K High preset at 58 FPS is close, but the minimum frame rate data is not available, and the average falls short of the 60 FPS target.

At 1080p, the High preset at 171 FPS is excellent, but the Ultra preset at 126 FPS still provides a high refresh rate experience. Users with 1080p 240Hz monitors might prefer the Medium preset at 226 FPS, which exceeds 200 FPS and provides a very responsive experience. The Low presets at any resolution are unnecessary on this hardware, as even the Medium presets deliver high frame rates. The data suggests that the Ultra preset is not worth the performance cost on this combo, as the visual difference between High and Ultra in Hitman 2 is not reflected in the frame rate numbers. For most users, the 1440p High or Medium presets provide the best balance of visual quality and performance, while 4K users should stick to Medium to ensure a consistent 60 FPS experience.