Hitman 2

Hitman 2 is a stealth title from 2018 that scales across a surprisingly wide range of hardware. For the configuration examined here, the combination of an Intel Core Ultra 5 125H and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 produces a clear performance profile, moving from comfortably playable at 1080p to a slideshow at 4K Ultra. The data shows a system where the GPU is the primary constraint at higher resolutions, while the CPU provides a solid foundation that never appears to bottleneck the frame rate.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a steep and consistent performance drop as resolution increases. At 1080p with High settings, the combo produces 71 FPS. Moving to 1440p High drops the average to 46 FPS, a reduction of approximately 35%. The step to 2160p High yields just 24 FPS, which is only about 34% of the 1080p performance. This pattern indicates that the rendering load is scaling heavily with pixel count, a classic sign of a GPU-bound scenario.

The scaling curve steepens further at the highest settings. At 1080p Ultra, the average is 53 FPS. This falls to 34 FPS at 1440p Ultra and then to a nearly unplayable 18 FPS at 2160p Ultra. The difference between 1440p and 2160p at Ultra is a 47% drop, while the drop from 1080p to 1440p is 36%. This non-linear degradation suggests that the RTX 5050's memory bandwidth or raw compute throughput becomes a severe limiting factor when pushing over 8.3 million pixels, especially with the extra shader work demanded by Ultra presets.

When examining the Low preset, the scaling is slightly less punishing but still significant. The system achieves 126 FPS at 1080p Low, which is excellent for high-refresh displays. At 1440p Low, it still manages 81 FPS. The 4K Low result of 43 FPS shows that even with minimal graphical features, the GPU simply cannot handle the pixel throughput required at that resolution. The fact that 4K Low (43 FPS) is slower than 1440p High (46 FPS) is telling: the sheer number of pixels at 2160p is a more significant hurdle than the extra effects in the High preset at 1440p.

The data indicates that the limiting component shifts with resolution. At 1080p, the margins between settings are wide, going from 53 FPS at Ultra to 126 FPS at Low, which suggests the CPU has enough headroom to feed the GPU at lower resolutions. However, the compression of FPS at 4K, where even Low struggles to hit 43 FPS, points to the GPU being the absolute bottleneck. The RTX 5050's 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus are likely saturated at 2160p, particularly with higher detail textures.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 125H is a 14-core, 18-thread processor from the Meteor Lake architecture, running on a 7 nm process. Its base clock of 3.60 GHz and boost clock of 4.50 GHz are moderate figures for a mobile chip, but the benchmark scores show it has ample single-thread capability for a 2018 title like Hitman 2. In Cinebench R23, it scores 1647.5 in the single-core test, which is a strong result. This is crucial because Hitman 2's core game logic and AI routines are typically single-thread bound.

The multi-core performance is even more robust. The CPU scores 12804.5 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 7161 in Cinebench R20. It sits in the 79th percentile against all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 27507. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 5800 and Intel Core i5-12600K, with the 125H trailing them by only 0.1% to 0.3% in average score. This places it in a competitive tier for gaming, ensuring that it will not be the limiting factor in most scenarios.

Given the game's release in 2018, the 125H's 18 threads are overkill for threading workloads in Hitman 2. The game rarely uses more than 8 threads effectively. The data from the measured FPS confirms this: at 1080p Low, the combo hits 126 FPS, which is a high enough frame rate that a weaker CPU would likely start to cap performance. The fact that the FPS scales so dramatically with resolution and settings suggests the CPU is delivering frames faster than the GPU can render them, especially at higher resolutions.

The 89.6 GB/s memory bandwidth and dual-channel support are adequate for this processor. They do not appear to be a constraint in this game, as the performance drop-offs align with GPU load rather than CPU stall. The 18 MB of shared L3 cache is also sufficient for the game's working set. In summary, the CPU role here is to provide a stable, high-throughput platform, which it does effectively, allowing the RTX 5050 to be the sole determinant of frame rate based on resolution and quality settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the playable frame rate at 1440p with High settings?

A: The measured average FPS is 46 at 2560x1440 with High settings. This is a playable, though not perfectly smooth, experience for a stealth game, where a steady frame rate is more important than a high maximum.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming?

A: The data shows it cannot handle 4K with playable frame rates. Even at 2160p Low, the average FPS is only 43, and at 2160p High, it drops to 24 FPS. This indicates the GPU is not powerful enough for 4K gaming in this title.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its direct rivals?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 125H has an average benchmark score of 27507. It is 0.1% slower than the AMD Ryzen 7 5800 and 0.3% slower than the Intel Core i5-12600K. It is 0.5% faster than the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G.

Q: What is the best resolution for a high refresh rate experience?

A: At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves 126 FPS, which is ideal for a 120Hz or 144Hz display. Even at 1080p Medium, it hits 95 FPS, making 1080p the only resolution where high refresh rates are attainable.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU at any point?

A: The benchmark results indicate the CPU is not the bottleneck. The FPS scales linearly with resolution and settings, which is characteristic of a GPU-bound workload. The CPU's strong single-core score (1647.5 in Cinebench R23) supports this analysis.

Q: What is the performance difference between Medium and High at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Medium preset averages 60 FPS, while High averages 46 FPS. This is a 30% performance cost for the increased visual fidelity of the High preset.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 ranks 2389 out of 3001 tested combos for Hitman 2. This places it in the lower half of the database, which is consistent with the measured FPS results. A rank of 2389 indicates that while the combo is not the weakest, it is outclassed by a significant number of other pairings, likely those using desktop-class CPUs and higher-tier GPUs.

The GPU's percentile ranking of 66 against all GPUs is decent, but it is the CPU's 79th percentile that helps the combo. However, the game's performance is heavily GPU-bound, so the GPU's capabilities are the primary driver of the combo's overall rank. The RTX 5050's average benchmark score of 21035 is only slightly higher than the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL, which is an older integrated solution, highlighting that this is an entry-level discrete GPU.

The rank suggests that for Hitman 2, this combo is positioned for 1080p gaming. The data supports this: the combo achieves 53 FPS at 1080p Ultra, which is just at the edge of playability, and 71 FPS at High. For a title that rewards smoothness, the 1080p Medium preset at 95 FPS offers the best balance. The combo's performance at higher resolutions is too weak to be considered competitive, explaining its lower ranking among the 3001 tested combinations.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 is an entry-level mobile GPU based on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture and manufactured on a 5 nm process by TSMC. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 320.0 GB/s of bandwidth. This is a modest memory configuration that is a key factor in its performance limits. The GPU has 2560 shading units, 80 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, with a boost clock of 2572 MHz.

The GPU's role in Hitman 2 is clearly the limiting factor at resolutions above 1080p. The 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K, the texture data and frame buffer demands can exceed this, leading to performance degradation. The 320.0 GB/s bandwidth is also a constraint; at 2160p, the GPU must move significantly more data per frame, and this bandwidth becomes saturated.

The RTX 5050's FP32 performance of 13.17 TFLOPS is reasonable for 1080p gaming. The measured results show it can deliver 126 FPS at 1080p Low, indicating a strong raw compute capability. However, the pixel rate of 82.30 GPixel/s is not sufficient for high-quality 4K rendering. The texture rate of 205.8 GTexel/s also limits how quickly it can apply detailed textures at higher resolutions.

The GPU's 66th percentile ranking against all GPUs is a fair assessment. It sits between the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT and the NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile in average score, but it is notably slower than the RTX A4000 Mobile by 1.6%. This positions it as a capable 1080p card that can handle older titles at high settings, but it struggles with modern games at 1440p and above. For Hitman 2, the GPU is the definitive bottleneck at 1440p and 4K, as evidenced by the steep FPS drops.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The data provides a complete matrix of average FPS across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the results are strong: Low averages 126 FPS, Medium 95 FPS (with a minimum of 80 and maximum of 109), High 71 FPS, and Ultra 53 FPS. This is a classic descending scale, with the gap between Low and Ultra being 73 FPS. The Medium preset's minimum of 80 FPS ensures a smooth experience on standard 60Hz monitors.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops noticeably. Low is the only preset to exceed 60 FPS, averaging 81 FPS. Medium averages exactly 60 FPS, with a minimum of 51 FPS, which might cause occasional stutters on a 60Hz display. High averages 46 FPS, and Ultra drops to 34 FPS. The transition from 1080p to 1440p represents a 36% to 40% performance penalty across all settings, which is a typical cost for 78% more pixels.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 5050 is overwhelmed. Low averages 43 FPS, Medium 32 FPS (with a minimum of 27), High 24 FPS, and Ultra a mere 18 FPS. None of these results are playable for a smooth experience, as even the Low preset's 43 FPS is below the 60 FPS target. The minimum FPS of 27 at Medium confirms the GPU is struggling to maintain consistent frame pacing. The data shows that 4K is not a viable option for this combo, regardless of settings.

The pattern is clear: the combo is designed for 1080p gaming. The 1440p results are borderline, requiring a reduction in settings to Medium for a 60 FPS average. The 4K results are universally poor, making the 4K row in the data more of a stress test than a practical gaming configuration.

Settings Recommendations

The best experience per the measured rows is at 1920x1080 with the Medium preset. This configuration yields an average of 95 FPS, with a minimum of 80 FPS and a maximum of 109 FPS. The minimum of 80 FPS ensures the frame rate stays well above the 60 FPS threshold, providing a smooth and responsive experience for a stealth game. Medium settings also retain a good level of visual fidelity, balancing performance and quality.

For players with a 144Hz or higher refresh rate monitor, the Low preset at 1080p is the only option that can fully utilize it, delivering 126 FPS. However, this comes at the cost of reduced visual quality. The Medium preset's 95 FPS is still a high frame rate and likely the sweet spot for most users, as the visual jump from Low to Medium is significant in terms of texture and shadow quality.

The High preset at 1080p delivers 71 FPS, which is playable but introduces a 25% performance penalty over Medium. Given that Hitman 2's art style and lighting are still well represented at Medium, the extra fidelity of High is not worth the frame rate loss. The Ultra preset at 1080p is not recommended, as it drops to 53 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target and does not provide a sufficiently better visual experience to justify the performance hit.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the only viable option for a 60 FPS experience, averaging exactly 60 FPS. However, the minimum of 51 FPS could cause noticeable dips. The Low preset at 81 FPS is the safer choice for 1440p, ensuring a consistently smooth frame rate. For 4K, no settings are recommended, as all presets fail to reach 60 FPS, and the visual quality of Hitman 2 is not worth the severe performance degradation. The recommendation is clear: stick to 1080p Medium for the best balance of visual quality and performance.