Hitman 2

# How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i7-14700KF with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D secures the top position in Hitman 2, ranking 1st out of 3,001 tested combos. This places it at the very apex of the database for this specific title, indicating that no other tested pairing of CPU and GPU achieves higher average frame rates. The data shows this combo outperforms the overwhelming majority of alternatives, with the percentile ranking for the CPU at 94th among all processors and the GPU at 92nd among all graphics cards, reinforcing that both components are high-end, though the GPU's relative standing is slightly lower, which may influence bottleneck characteristics.

Benchmark results indicate that the margin between this combo and the rest of the field is substantial. Being ranked #1 out of 3,001 does not merely suggest a slight edge; it implies that the measured FPS at nearly every resolution and setting tier is either the highest recorded or tied for the highest. This is particularly noteworthy given that Hitman 2 is a 2018 title, suggesting that the hardware is far ahead of the game's typical requirements, yet the measured data shows meaningful performance scaling rather than a hard cap, which will be explored in the resolution scaling section.

# GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is the dominant graphics component in this pairing, built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with a 5 nm process at TSMC. It features 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s. The memory clock runs at 1750 MHz, which translates to 28 Gbps effective. These specifications are critical for Hitman 2 because the game's larger levels and detailed environments can consume significant VRAM, though the 32 GB capacity is far beyond what this title requires. The GPU's boost clock of 2407 MHz, with a base clock of 2017 MHz, drives the shading units (21,760) and texture mapping units (680) at a rate that produces the high frame counts seen in the measured data.

The GPU's benchmark scores provide context for its raw compute capability. It achieves a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 14,326, a Geekbench OpenCL score of 310,674, and a Geekbench Vulkan score of 376,915. Its Passmark G3D score is 44,065, with a GPU compute score of 28,396. These numbers place the GPU at the 92nd percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 77,712. In the nearest rival comparisons, the RTX 5090 D is 1.1% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT (score 76,904), but it trails the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT by 1.6% (score 78,940), the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB by 2.1% (score 79,396), and the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB by 2.4% (score 79,605). This suggests that while the RTX 5090 D is a top-tier consumer card, its raw benchmark averages are closely matched or slightly behind some workstation and mobile parts, yet in Hitman 2 specifically, it leads the combo to rank #1.

In Hitman 2, the GPU's role is to handle the rendering of complex scenes, including crowd simulations, reflections, and lighting effects. The measured FPS at 4K Ultra (52 FPS) versus 4K Low (124 FPS) shows a 2.4x difference, indicating that the GPU is heavily taxed by the highest settings. The 32 GB VRAM is never a limiting factor in this game, as even at 4K Ultra, the data does not suggest any memory-related stutters, though min FPS data is only available for Medium settings (79 FPS at 4K). The GPU's pixel rate of 423.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 1,636.8 GTexel/s are more than sufficient for Hitman 2's engine, allowing for the high average FPS observed at lower settings.

# CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700KF serves as the compute backbone for this combo, featuring 20 cores and 28 threads from the Raptor Lake architecture. Its base clock is 3.40 GHz with a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, and it carries a TDP of 125 W. The cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 33 MB of shared L3 cache. This CPU is built on Intel's 10 nm process with a die size of 257 mm², and it supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration. For Hitman 2, the CPU's high single-thread performance is crucial, as the game's AI and physics calculations often rely on a few cores, while the 28 threads help maintain frame pacing when many NPCs are on screen.

The CPU's benchmark results show strong multi-threaded and single-threaded capabilities. It scores 44,167 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 6,235 in single-core, while Geekbench scores are 21,462 (multi) and 2,578 (single). Passmark tests show a multi-thread score of 52,425 and a single-thread score of 4,480. The average benchmark score is 70,163, placing it at the 94th percentile among all CPUs. Compared to nearest rivals, the i7-14700KF is 0.2% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F (avg score 69,996) and 0.4% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX (avg score 69,875). It is 0.9% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (avg score 69,515), but it trails the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K by 1% (avg score 70,879). These narrow margins indicate that the i7-14700KF is competitive with the latest offerings, though not the absolute fastest in synthetic tests.

In Hitman 2, the CPU's role is to manage game logic, and the data shows that at lower resolutions, the CPU becomes more relevant. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 365 FPS, while at 4K Low, it drops to 124 FPS, suggesting that at 1080p, the CPU is still capable of feeding the GPU, but the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions. The boost clock of 5.60 GHz is particularly beneficial for Hitman 2's single-threaded engine calls, ensuring that the GPU is never starved for draw calls. The 33 MB of L3 cache helps reduce memory latency for frequently accessed game data, which is reflected in the high average FPS at 1080p High (207 FPS) despite the game's age.

# Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four settings tiers. At 1080p, the lowest resolution tested, the combo delivers exceptional frame rates. At Low settings, the average FPS is 365, which is the highest recorded in the entire dataset. Moving to Medium, the average drops to 274 FPS, with a min of 233 FPS and a max of 315 FPS. High settings produce 207 FPS on average, and Ultra settings yield 153 FPS. This scaling from Low to Ultra at 1080p shows a 58% reduction in FPS, indicating that the GPU is still the primary bottleneck, as the CPU has ample headroom at this resolution.

At 1440p, the performance remains high but scales down as expected. Low settings average 234 FPS, Medium averages 175 FPS (min 149, max 201), High averages 132 FPS, and Ultra averages 98 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 136 FPS, a 58% drop, which mirrors the 1080p scaling. This consistency suggests that the GPU is handling the increased pixel count without introducing a CPU bottleneck. The Medium settings at 1440p show a min FPS of 149, which is still above 60 FPS, ensuring smooth gameplay.

At 4K, the resolution pushes the GPU significantly. Low settings average 124 FPS, Medium averages 93 FPS (min 79, max 107), High averages 71 FPS, and Ultra averages 52 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra at 4K is 72 FPS, a 58% reduction, which is consistent with other resolutions. However, the absolute numbers show that even at 4K Ultra, the combo maintains an average of 52 FPS, which is borderline for a smooth experience but still playable. The min FPS at 4K Medium is 79, indicating that frame pacing is stable even under load, with no severe dips recorded. The data shows that across all settings, the combo never falls below 50 FPS on average, making it a high-performance option for Hitman 2 at any resolution.

# FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combination for the highest FPS?

A: The highest average FPS is 365, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This is the maximum measured performance for this combo, with no other resolution or settings tier exceeding it.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K Ultra settings?

A: At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 52, which is the lowest measured in the dataset. While this is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, it is still above 30 FPS, ensuring playability for most users.

Q: Is there a significant FPS drop when moving from Medium to High settings?

A: Yes, the drop from Medium to High is consistent across resolutions. At 1080p, it drops from 274 to 207 FPS (67 FPS difference), at 1440p from 175 to 132 FPS (43 FPS difference), and at 4K from 93 to 71 FPS (22 FPS difference). The percentage drop is roughly 24-26% at each resolution.

Q: Which component is the bottleneck at 1080p Low settings?

A: At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 365, which is extremely high. Since the GPU is not heavily taxed at this resolution and settings, the CPU's single-thread performance (boost clock of 5.60 GHz) is likely the limiting factor, as it must process game logic fast enough to feed the GPU.

Q: What are the min FPS values for Medium settings?

A: The min FPS values are only recorded for Medium settings. At 4K, the min is 79 FPS, at 1440p it is 149 FPS, and at 1080p it is 233 FPS. These values indicate that the combo maintains high minimum frame rates, avoiding stutters.

Q: How does the combo rank relative to other tested combinations?

A: This combo ranks 1st out of 3,001 tested combos in Hitman 2. This means it is the top-performing pairing in the database for this game, with no other combo achieving higher measured FPS.

# Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the best experience depends on the user's display resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p users with high refresh rate monitors (144Hz or higher), High settings offer an average of 207 FPS, which is well above the refresh rate, while Ultra drops to 153 FPS, still sufficient for a 144Hz display. For maximum smoothness, Low settings at 365 FPS are overkill, but Medium settings at 274 FPS provide a good balance of visual quality and frame rate. The data shows that at 1080p, even Ultra settings deliver above 144 FPS, so users can prioritize visual fidelity without sacrificing responsiveness.

At 1440p, the recommended preset is High, which averages 132 FPS, comfortably above 120Hz refresh rates. Ultra at 1440p averages 98 FPS, which is still playable on 100Hz monitors, but the drop from High to Ultra is 34 FPS, so users with 144Hz displays should stick with High. Medium at 1440p offers 175 FPS, which is ideal for competitive play, but the visual compromise may not be worth it for a stealth game like Hitman 2. Low at 1440p provides 234 FPS, but it is unnecessary unless the user has a 240Hz monitor.

For 4K, the data suggests that Medium settings (93 FPS) provide the best experience for most users, as they exceed 60 FPS and offer better visuals than Low (124 FPS). High settings at 71 FPS are also viable for 60Hz displays, but the 22 FPS drop from Medium to High may be noticeable in fast-paced scenes. Ultra at 4K averages 52 FPS, which is below 60 FPS and not recommended for a smooth experience. Given that the min FPS at 4K Medium is 79, it ensures stable frame times without dips below 60 FPS, making it the sweet spot for 4K gaming with this combo.

# Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals the limiting component's behavior. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 365 at 1080p to 234 at 1440p, a 36% reduction, and then to 124 at 4K, a further 47% reduction from 1440p. This steep decline indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at lower settings, as the CPU's performance is sufficient to maintain high frame rates at 1080p, but the GPU's rendering load increases quadratically with resolution. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the combo is likely CPU-bound, as the GPU is not fully utilized, but at 4K Low, the GPU becomes the limiting factor.

At Ultra settings, the scaling is more moderate in absolute terms but similar in percentage. The average FPS drops from 153 at 1080p to 98 at 1440p (a 36% reduction), and then to 52 at 4K (a 47% reduction from 1440p). This consistent percentage drop across settings tiers suggests that the GPU's performance scales predictably with pixel count, and the CPU's role remains secondary. The fact that the drop from 1080p to 4K is nearly identical (58% for Low and 58% for Ultra) indicates that the CPU is not introducing a variable bottleneck; instead, the GPU's fill rate and shading capacity are the determining factors.

The min FPS data for Medium settings further illustrates this trend. At 1080p, the min FPS is 233, at 1440p it is 149, and at 4K it is 79. The percentage drops are 36% and 47%, respectively, matching the average FPS scaling. This consistency in both average and min FPS scaling confirms that the limiting component is the GPU across all resolutions, with the CPU's 20 cores and boost clock of 5.60 GHz providing enough headroom to avoid frame rate drops. The 32 GB VRAM and 1.79 TB/s bandwidth of the GPU ensure that memory bandwidth is not a constraint at any resolution, allowing the scaling to be purely driven by the GPU's compute and rasterization capabilities.