Hitman 2

# Hitman 2 with Intel Core i7-14700KF + AMD Radeon RX 7700

The Intel Core i7-14700KF paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7700 delivers a mid-pack performance profile in Hitman 2, with benchmark results showing a clear GPU-bound pattern at higher resolutions. Across 12 measured configurations spanning three resolutions and four quality presets, the combo produces average frame rates from 26 FPS at 4K Ultra to 182 FPS at 1080p Low, placing it at rank 1371 out of 3001 tested combos. The data reveals a system that excels at 1080p and 1440p gaming but struggles to maintain playable frame rates at 4K with high-quality settings.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate progression across resolutions follows a predictable curve, but the magnitude of the drops reveals critical information about system balance. Moving from 1080p to 1440p to 4K at High settings, the average FPS goes from 103 to 66 to 35. That represents a 36% drop from 1080p to 1440p, followed by another 47% drop from 1440p to 4K. The scaling pattern is consistent with a GPU-limited scenario, where each pixel count increase places proportionally higher demand on the rendering hardware.

At Low settings, the same resolution progression shows 182 FPS at 1080p, 116 FPS at 1440p, and 62 FPS at 4K. The 1080p-to-1440p drop here is 36%, identical to the High preset percentage, while the 1440p-to-4K drop is 47%, again matching the High preset figure. This consistency across presets suggests that resolution scaling behaves uniformly regardless of quality settings, reinforcing that the GPU is the primary constraint at all tested configurations.

The Medium preset provides the most complete data with min and max frame rates recorded. At 1080p Medium, the average is 136 FPS with a range of 116 to 157 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 87 FPS with a range of 74 to 100 FPS. At 4K Medium, the average falls to 46 FPS with a range of 39 to 53 FPS. The frame time consistency, measured by the gap between min and max, remains proportionally similar across resolutions, indicating no sudden stuttering or frame pacing issues emerge at higher pixel counts.

The 4K Ultra result of 26 FPS stands as the lowest measured performance, while 1080p Low reaches 182 FPS as the highest. The ratio between these extremes is 7:1, demonstrating the enormous performance range this combination can deliver depending on settings. For a stealth game like Hitman 2, where precise timing and observation matter, the difference between 26 FPS and 182 FPS represents the difference between a slideshow and buttery-smooth gameplay.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700KF brings substantial processing power to this pairing, with 20 cores and 28 threads running at a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. Its benchmark scores place it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 70,163. In Cinebench R23, it achieves 44,167 multi-core and 6,235 single-core points. These numbers indicate a processor capable of handling any game's CPU demands without becoming the limiting factor.

The nearest CPU rivals show how closely matched this processor is to its competition. The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F scores 69,996, just 0.2% lower. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX scores 69,875, 0.4% lower. The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X scores 69,515, 0.9% lower. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K scores 70,879, which is 1% higher. This cluster of scores within a 1% band demonstrates that the i7-14700KF sits at the top tier of CPU performance, with no meaningful gap to any direct competitor.

In Hitman 2, the CPU's role is primarily to feed the GPU with draw calls, handle game logic, and manage AI for the sandbox-style levels. The 28 threads provide ample headroom for background tasks and streaming, while the 5.60 GHz boost clock ensures strong single-threaded performance for the game's main simulation thread. The PassMark single-thread score of 4,480 confirms this processor's strength in lightly threaded workloads, which many games still rely on.

The data suggests that the CPU is never the bottleneck in this pairing. At 1080p Low, where the GPU has the least work, the system still achieves 182 FPS, a figure that could theoretically be CPU-limited on weaker processors. The fact that this combo reaches such high frame rates indicates the i7-14700KF has sufficient headroom to push the RX 7700 to its limits. The L3 cache of 33 MB shared across all cores helps maintain consistent performance in Hitman 2's large, detailed levels where asset streaming and NPC management require substantial memory bandwidth.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 serves as the rendering engine for this combination, built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus providing 624.1 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1900 MHz, a game clock of 2041 MHz, and a boost clock of 2459 MHz. With 2,560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 96 render output units, it delivers 25.18 TFLOPS of FP32 compute performance.

The GPU's benchmark results place it in the 58th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 15,852. Its nearest rivals show tight competition: the AMD Radeon R9 370X scores 15,862, a 0.1% difference; the AMD Radeon RX 9060 scores 16,014, which is 1% higher; the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 scores 15,679, 1.1% lower; and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti scores 16,129, 1.7% higher. This grouping places the RX 7700 in a competitive mid-range segment where small performance differences separate products.

In Hitman 2, the GPU's 16 GB VRAM capacity proves more than sufficient for all tested settings. The game, released in 2018, does not demand excessive memory even at 4K Ultra, and the RX 7700's generous allocation ensures no texture thrashing or memory-related stuttering occurs. The 96 ROPs handle pixel fill rates well, with a pixel rate of 236.1 GPixel/s, while the 160 TMUs deliver 393.4 GTexel/s for texture filtering.

The measured frame rates show the GPU scaling predictably with settings. At 1080p, the jump from Low (182 FPS) to Medium (136 FPS) represents a 25% reduction, while Medium to High (103 FPS) drops another 24%, and High to Ultra (76 FPS) drops 26%. This consistent 25% penalty per quality tier indicates the GPU is responding to increasing shader complexity and draw call loads in a linear fashion. At 4K, the same progression shows 62 FPS at Low, 46 FPS at Medium, 35 FPS at High, and 26 FPS at Ultra, with each tier costing approximately 25-26% performance.

FAQ

Q: Is this combination capable of 60 FPS at 1440p in Hitman 2?

A: Yes, the data shows 66 FPS at 1440p High, 87 FPS at 1440p Medium, and 116 FPS at 1440p Low. Only the Ultra preset at 49 FPS falls below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: What is the best resolution for this setup?

A: 1440p provides the best balance, with all presets except Ultra achieving 60 FPS or higher. At 1080p, even Ultra reaches 76 FPS, while 4K only achieves playable frame rates at Low (62 FPS) and Medium (46 FPS).

Q: How does the RX 7700 compare to the RTX 3060 Ti?

A: The RX 7700 scores 15,852 in average benchmark scores, which is 1.7% lower than the RTX 3060 Ti's 16,129. This places them in the same performance tier, with the NVIDIA card holding a slight edge.

Q: Is the i7-14700KF overkill for this GPU?

A: The CPU's 94th percentile ranking and average score of 70,163 far exceeds what Hitman 2 requires. However, the high single-thread performance (6,235 in Cinebench R23 single-core) ensures no CPU bottleneck at any resolution, allowing the GPU to operate at its full potential.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming?

A: At 4K, the combo achieves 62 FPS on Low, 46 FPS on Medium, 35 FPS on High, and 26 FPS on Ultra. Smooth 60 FPS gameplay is only possible at Low settings, making 4K marginal for this pairing.

Q: What does the combo's rank of 1371 out of 3001 mean?

A: The rank places this combination in the 54th percentile of all tested combos in Hitman 2. This means roughly 54% of tested systems perform better, while 46% perform worse, reflecting a mid-range performance level.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1080p, the system delivers its strongest results. With Low settings, the average frame rate reaches 182 FPS, providing maximum headroom for high-refresh-rate monitors. The Medium preset produces 136 FPS average with a range of 116 to 157 FPS, ensuring smooth gameplay even during intense firefights or crowded street scenes. High settings yield 103 FPS average, still well above the 60 FPS standard. The Ultra preset drops to 76 FPS average, which remains playable but shows the cost of maximum visual quality.

At 1440p, performance remains strong but begins to show the GPU's limits. Low settings achieve 116 FPS, a figure that would satisfy most competitive players. Medium settings produce 87 FPS average with a range of 74 to 100 FPS, maintaining smooth gameplay throughout. High settings deliver 66 FPS, just above the 60 FPS threshold for most displays. Ultra settings fall to 49 FPS, dipping below the ideal playability threshold and suggesting players should avoid this preset at 1440p.

At 4K, the system struggles to maintain playable frame rates. Low settings achieve 62 FPS, which is playable but represents the only preset that clears 60 FPS. Medium settings produce 46 FPS average with a range of 39 to 53 FPS, showing noticeable frame drops during demanding scenes. High settings drop to 35 FPS, which is below the smoothness threshold for most players. Ultra settings bottom out at 26 FPS, making the game nearly unplayable at this configuration.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance for optimal settings at each resolution. At 1080p, the High preset at 103 FPS offers the best experience for most players, providing strong visual quality while maintaining frame rates that exceed display refresh rates for most monitors. Players with 144Hz or higher refresh displays can consider the Medium preset at 136 FPS for maximum smoothness, while those prioritizing visual fidelity can use Ultra at 76 FPS without dropping below playable thresholds.

At 1440p, the High preset at 66 FPS represents the sweet spot, delivering good visual quality while staying above the 60 FPS mark. The Medium preset at 87 FPS offers additional headroom for players with 100Hz or higher displays, and the 74 FPS minimum ensures no significant stuttering. Players should avoid Ultra at 49 FPS, as the visual improvements over High do not justify the performance penalty. Low at 116 FPS is viable for competitive play but sacrifices too much visual detail for a stealth game where environmental observation matters.

At 4K, only the Low preset at 62 FPS provides a consistently smooth experience. The Medium preset at 46 FPS is playable for those willing to accept occasional frame drops, but the 39 FPS minimum suggests potential stuttering in demanding scenes. High and Ultra settings are not recommended at this resolution, as their 35 FPS and 26 FPS averages respectively fall below acceptable playability standards. For 4K gaming, the trade-off between visual quality and frame rate heavily favors Low settings.

Across all resolutions, the Medium preset offers the most consistent frame pacing, as evidenced by the recorded min and max values. The 116-157 FPS range at 1080p, 74-100 FPS range at 1440p, and 39-53 FPS range at 4K all show relatively tight distributions, indicating stable performance without major frame time spikes. Players seeking the most predictable experience should prioritize this preset.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of Intel Core i7-14700KF and AMD Radeon RX 7700 achieves a rank of 1371 out of 3001 tested combos in Hitman 2, placing it in the upper-middle portion of the ranking distribution. This position reflects the balanced nature of the pairing: the CPU ranks in the 94th percentile of all processors, while the GPU sits in the 58th percentile of all graphics cards. The resulting system performance is constrained by the GPU, which is the weaker component in this pairing.

The CPU's performance class, as evidenced by its average benchmark score of 70,163 and its clustered rivals within a 1% band, means the processor contributes no meaningful limitation to Hitman 2 performance. The GPU's 58th percentile ranking, with its nearest rival cluster spanning just 1.7% in either direction, determines the system's overall capability. In a game like Hitman 2 that scales well with GPU power, the frame rates achieved at each resolution and settings combination directly reflect the RX 7700's rendering throughput.

The rank of 1371 indicates that this combo outperforms approximately 54% of all tested systems in this specific game. This places it above average but not in the top tier. Given the i7-14700KF's exceptional CPU performance, the ranking could be improved by pairing it with a more powerful GPU, but the current combination delivers a coherent mid-range experience. The data shows that at 1080p and 1440p with reasonable settings, this system provides smooth, enjoyable Hitman 2 gameplay, while 4K remains a stretch goal achievable only at the lowest quality settings.