Hitman 2

Hitman 2, a stealth title from 2018, presents an interesting case study for the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 combination. The measured data reveals a system that is heavily capable at mainstream resolutions but begins to show its limitations when pushed to the extreme. The benchmark results paint a picture of a pairing where the GPU is the clear driving force for most of the performance curve, though the CPU's architecture ensures it is never a bottleneck in typical scenarios.

Resolution Scaling

The most striking observation from the data is how performance degrades as resolution increases. At 1080p with High settings, the system delivers a very smooth 134 FPS average. Moving to 1440p, the average drops to 86 FPS, a significant 35.8% reduction. The jump to 4K is even more punishing, with the average plummeting to 46 FPS, which is a 65.7% decrease from the 1080p figure. This steep scaling curve indicates that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is the primary limiting component.

The behavior across all settings presets reinforces this conclusion. At Low settings, the system achieves 236 FPS at 1080p, 151 FPS at 1440p, and 81 FPS at 4K. The frame rate is nearly halved when moving from 1080p to 4K, a trend that is consistent with a GPU-bound workload. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see a smaller frame rate difference between resolutions, as the CPU's workload would remain constant while the GPU's workload increases. The data suggests the opposite.

However, the CPU is not entirely irrelevant. The fact that the system can push past 200 FPS at 1080p Low indicates that the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 has sufficient single-thread performance to feed the GPU in less demanding scenarios. The performance cliff at 4K Ultra, where the average drops to just 34 FPS, is a clear sign that the RTX 4070 is being overwhelmed by the sheer pixel count and graphical complexity. This resolution scaling analysis shows that for a consistent 60 FPS experience, 1440p is the practical ceiling for this combo, while 4K gaming requires significant compromises in visual fidelity.

Settings Recommendations

The measured rows allow for a clear stratification of the settings presets. At 4K, the choice is between Low and Medium. The Low preset yields a playable 81 FPS, while Medium provides 60 FPS with minimums of 51 FPS. For a stealth game where precision is key, the Medium preset at 4K delivers a more stable and visually polished experience without dropping below the 60 FPS target, making it the optimal choice for this resolution.

At 1440p, the situation is more comfortable. The High preset achieves 86 FPS, which is a solid experience. The Medium preset offers 113 FPS, and Low reaches 151 FPS. The Ultra preset, while visually superior, drops to 63 FPS. The data suggests that High at 1440p is the sweet spot, providing a significant visual upgrade over Medium while maintaining a frame rate well above 60 FPS and leaving headroom for demanding scenes.

For 1080p, the system has ample performance. The High preset delivers 134 FPS, which is excellent for fast-paced action. The Medium preset jumps to 177 FPS, and Low to 236 FPS. The Ultra preset at 99 FPS is the only one that dips below the 100 FPS mark, but it still provides a very smooth experience. The recommendation here is Ultra, as the 99 FPS average is more than sufficient for a fluid experience, and the visual benefits are substantial. The data indicates that the user can prioritize visual quality at 1080p without sacrificing performance.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is the central figure in this performance analysis. Its 12 GB of GDDR6X memory and 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth are clearly being utilized heavily at higher resolutions. The 4K results, which range from 34 FPS at Ultra to 81 FPS at Low, demonstrate that the GPU's memory interface and processing power are the main constraints. The data shows a clear correlation between the increasing resolution and the plummeting frame rates, which is the classic signature of a GPU bottleneck.

The card's clock speeds, with a base of 1920 MHz and a boost of 2475 MHz, are what allow it to achieve the high frame rates seen at 1080p. At this resolution, the GPU is less strained, and its high boost clock enables it to process frames rapidly, resulting in the 236 FPS observed at Low settings. The 5888 shading units are also a key factor, as they handle the bulk of the pixel and vertex processing. The performance drop at 4K Ultra to 34 FPS suggests that the 12 GB frame buffer is being filled, and the GPU is hitting its computational limits. The data implies that while the RTX 4070 is a powerful card, it is not designed for maxed-out 4K gaming in a title like Hitman 2.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Hitman 2 with this combo?

A: The data suggests 1440p is the optimal resolution. At High settings, the system averages 86 FPS, which provides a smooth and responsive experience. While 4K is playable at Medium settings (60 FPS), 1440p offers a better balance of visual quality and performance headroom.

Q: Is this system capable of 4K gaming in Hitman 2?

A: Yes, but with compromises. The benchmark results show that 4K is playable at Low (81 FPS) and Medium (60 FPS) settings. However, at High and Ultra settings, the average frame rate drops to 46 FPS and 34 FPS, respectively, which may not be ideal for a game requiring precision.

Q: How much of a performance difference is there between Low and Ultra settings?

A: The difference is substantial. At 1080p, the average frame rate drops from 236 FPS on Low to 99 FPS on Ultra, a decrease of 58%. At 4K, the drop is from 81 FPS on Low to 34 FPS on Ultra, which is a 58% reduction as well, showing a consistent scaling cost for the higher visual fidelity.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this game?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the primary limiting factor. This is evident from the steep frame rate drops as resolution increases. For example, at High settings, the system loses 48 FPS when going from 1080p to 1440p, a trend that would not be as pronounced if the CPU were the bottleneck.

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

A: The benchmark shows an average of 134 FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings. This suggests the system is highly capable for high-refresh-rate 1080p monitors.

Q: Does the system maintain a 60 FPS experience at 4K?

A: It can, but only at Medium settings. The data shows an average of 60 FPS with a minimum of 51 FPS at 3840x2160 on Medium. The Low preset also exceeds 60 FPS, averaging 81 FPS. Higher presets do not maintain this standard.

CPU Role

While the GPU is the star of the show, the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 provides a solid foundation. With 10 cores and 10 threads, it is a modern desktop processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture. Its benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 25891 and a single-core score of 3655, indicate strong performance. The data suggests that the CPU is not a bottleneck, as the frame rates scale with resolution and settings in a manner consistent with a GPU-limited workload.

The processor's boost clock of 4.90 GHz is likely a key factor in the high frame rates observed at 1080p. At this resolution, the CPU's speed is crucial for processing game logic and draw calls quickly enough to keep the GPU fed. The fact that the system achieves 236 FPS at 1080p Low suggests that the CPU is capable of very high throughput. However, the performance at 4K, where the frame rates are much lower, shows that the CPU has plenty of headroom and is not the constraining factor. The Core Ultra 5 225's 20 MB of shared L3 cache also likely helps with game asset streaming, contributing to the stable performance seen across different settings. The data implies that this CPU is more than sufficient for this game and will not hold back the RTX 4070 in any scenario.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the system's performance across different configurations.

At 1920x1080, the system excels. With Low settings, it achieves an average of 236 FPS. The Medium preset delivers 177 FPS, with a minimum of 151 FPS and a maximum of 204 FPS. High settings yield 134 FPS, while Ultra is the only setting that dips below the 120 FPS mark, averaging 99 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong. Low settings produce an average of 151 FPS. Medium settings are also very playable, with an average of 113 FPS and a range of 96 to 130 FPS. High settings deliver 86 FPS, and Ultra drops to 63 FPS.

The 3840x2160 resolution shows the system's limits. Low settings are the most playable, with an average of 81 FPS. Medium settings provide exactly 60 FPS on average, with a minimum of 51 FPS and a maximum of 69 FPS. High settings drop to 46 FPS, and Ultra is the most demanding, averaging just 34 FPS. This data shows a clear progression of performance and makes it easy to select the appropriate settings for a desired frame rate and resolution.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, this specific pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 holds a rank of 716 out of 3001 combos for Hitman 2. This places it in the top 24% of all tested systems, which is a strong showing.

The CPU itself has an average benchmark score of 36938, putting it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F with an average score of 36945 and a delta of 0%, and the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D with a score of 37018 and a delta of -0.2%, show that it is a well-matched competitor in synthetic benchmarks. The GPU, with an average benchmark score of 37648, is in the 81st percentile of all GPUs. Its rivals, including the NVIDIA Tesla P4 (37628, delta 0.1%) and the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 (37507, delta 0.4%), are also closely matched in synthetic tests.

The in-game rank of 716 suggests that while the components are competitive individually, their combined performance in Hitman 2 is solid, though not top-tier. The data implies that many systems with more powerful GPUs or CPUs will outperform this combo, but it still offers a very capable and enjoyable gaming experience for this title. The rank reflects the balance of the system: it is not an extreme powerhouse, but it is a high-performing combination that can handle the game well at most settings and resolutions.