Hitman 2

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 pairs a 10-core, 10-thread layout with a 3.30 GHz base clock and a 4.90 GHz boost clock. This configuration, built on the Arrow Lake architecture with a 3 nm process node, positions it as a solid mid-range desktop processor. Its benchmark data shows a strong single-thread performance, evidenced by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3655, which is critical for games like Hitman 2 that often rely heavily on one primary thread for game logic and physics. The multi-core performance is also robust, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 25891, indicating that the processor can handle background tasks and the game's additional AI-driven threads without becoming a bottleneck.

The processor's memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s, supported by dual-channel DDR5, provides ample data throughput for the game's engine. In the context of this benchmark, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and process the game's simulation. The data suggests that at lower resolutions, the CPU's performance becomes a more significant factor. For instance, at 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 314 FPS, a figure that requires a CPU capable of issuing many frames per second. This high frame rate indicates that the Core Ultra 5 225 is not a limiting factor at this resolution, as its single-core capabilities are sufficient to keep up with the GPU's output. The processor sits in the 85th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 36938, placing it in close competition with the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F, which has a deltaPct of 0, and the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D, which is 0.2% slower. This suggests the CPU's performance is well-balanced for a high-refresh-rate gaming setup.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 is the dominant component in this pairing, featuring 16 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a substantial 960.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its 10752 shading units and 84 RT cores deliver immense raw processing power, with an FP32 performance of 56.28 TFLOPS. This GPU is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with a 5 nm process and operates at a boost clock of 2617 MHz. In the benchmark results, the RTX 5080's influence is most apparent at higher resolutions and settings, where the workload shifts heavily onto the graphics card. The GPU's 16 GB VRAM is a critical asset, ensuring that even at 4K resolution with High settings, the game does not run out of memory, as evidenced by the playable 61 FPS average at 3840x2160.

The RTX 5080's performance is substantial, but the data reveals a clear pattern of it being the limiting factor as resolution increases. At 1080p with Low settings, the system reaches 314 FPS, a frame rate that suggests the GPU is not the bottleneck at this setting. However, when the resolution jumps to 4K, the frame rates drop significantly, indicating that the GPU is now the primary constraint. The GPU's percentile rank is 87, with an average benchmark score of 56083. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon 8060S, is 0.6% faster, while the AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE is 2.2% faster. These comparisons show that while the RTX 5080 is a top-tier performer, it is not the absolute fastest, and its capabilities are best utilized at 1440p and 4K resolutions where its high bandwidth and compute power are fully engaged.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and expected trend: performance decreases as resolution increases, but the rate of this decrease is not uniform across all settings. At 1080p with Low settings, the system averages 314 FPS. Moving to 1440p at the same Low settings drops the average to 201 FPS, a decrease of 36%. Further moving to 4K at Low settings yields 107 FPS, which is another 47% drop from the 1440p figure. This steep decline from 1080p to 4K, a total decrease of 66%, strongly indicates that the GPU is the limiting component at higher resolutions. The CPU's performance is sufficient at 1080p to allow the GPU to run at its maximum output, but as the pixel count increases, the GPU's rendering workload becomes the primary constraint on frame rate.

The scaling pattern is different at higher settings, but the conclusion remains the same. At 1080p with Ultra settings, the system achieves 131 FPS. At 1440p Ultra, this drops to 84 FPS, a 36% reduction. At 4K Ultra, the average falls to 45 FPS, a 46% reduction from the 1440p result and a 66% reduction from 1080p. This consistent pattern across all settings, where the frame rate roughly halves when moving from 1080p to 4K, is a classic sign of GPU-bound performance. The CPU's role is to maintain a high enough frame ceiling, which it does at 1080p, but it cannot compensate for the increased rendering load at higher resolutions. The data implies that for a 4K experience, the RTX 5080 is the sole determinant of performance, and the Core Ultra 5 225 is more than capable of supporting it.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the 'High' preset offers the most balanced experience for this hardware combination, particularly at 1440p. At 2560x1440 with High settings, the system delivers an average of 114 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold and suitable for smooth gameplay. This frame rate is high enough to benefit from a high-refresh-rate monitor without sacrificing visual fidelity. Moving to the 'Medium' preset at the same resolution yields 150 FPS, an improvement of 32%, but this comes with a reduction in visual quality that may not be worth the performance gain for a stealth game where detail matters. The 'Ultra' preset at 1440p drops to 84 FPS, which is still playable but begins to approach the lower bound of what is considered ideal for fast-paced action.

At 4K resolution, the choice is more constrained. The 'High' preset at 3840x2160 averages 61 FPS, which is right at the edge of smooth playability. This is the recommended setting for 4K, as it provides a playable experience while maintaining good visual quality. The 'Medium' preset at 4K averages 80 FPS, which is more comfortable, but the jump to 'Ultra' at 4K results in an average of 45 FPS, which is likely too low for a consistently smooth experience. The data suggests that the 'High' preset is the optimal choice for this combo, as it provides a high frame rate at 1440p and a playable frame rate at 4K. The 'Ultra' preset is only viable at 1080p, where it averages 131 FPS, but this resolution does not take full advantage of the RTX 5080's capabilities.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 pairing ranks 179th out of 3001 combos. This places it in the top 6% of all tested systems, indicating a very high level of overall performance. This ranking reflects the strength of the RTX 5080, as the CPU is a mid-range part, yet the combined performance is in the upper echelon of gaming systems. The ranking suggests that this combo is capable of handling almost any game at high settings, with the primary limitation being the resolution and the specific demands of the game. The data implies that this rank is driven by the GPU's dominance in most gaming scenarios, while the CPU provides sufficient support to avoid being a significant bottleneck.

The 179th rank out of 3001 combos is impressive, but it also highlights the competitive nature of high-end hardware. The combo's position is likely influenced by the fact that the RTX 5080 is a recent and powerful GPU, while the Core Ultra 5 225 is a more modest CPU. In games that are heavily GPU-bound, this combo will perform exceptionally well, matching systems with more expensive CPUs. However, in CPU-bound scenarios at lower resolutions, the combo's rank might be slightly lower than those with top-tier processors. The data shows that this is a well-balanced pairing that offers a high level of performance for its components, but it is not the absolute fastest combination available, as indicated by the 178 combos that rank ahead of it.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS achieved by this combo at 1080p?

A: The highest average FPS is 314, which is achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K with the 'High' preset?

A: At 3840x2160 with High settings, the combo delivers an average FPS of 61, which is playable.

Q: What is the difference in average FPS between 'Low' and 'Ultra' settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the 'Low' preset averages 201 FPS, while the 'Ultra' preset averages 84 FPS, a difference of 117 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to be the limiting factor at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the high frame rates (e.g., 314 FPS on Low) indicate that the GPU is not the primary bottleneck, suggesting the CPU is capable of feeding frames fast enough.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested systems?

A: The combo ranks 179th out of 3001 tested combinations.

Q: Does the RTX 5080 have more or less VRAM than the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB?

A: The RTX 5080 has 16 GB of GDDR7 VRAM, which is more than the 12 GB on the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table details the exact average FPS figures for each resolution and settings preset combination, as measured for the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080.

| Resolution | Settings | Average FPS | Min FPS | Max FPS |

|------------|----------|-------------|---------|---------|

| 3840x2160 | High | 61 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 107 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 80 | 68 | 92 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 45 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | High | 114 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 201 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 150 | 128 | 173 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 84 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | High | 178 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 314 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 235 | 200 | 270 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 131 | - | - |

The data shows a consistent performance hierarchy: Low settings provide the highest frame rates, followed by Medium, then High, and finally Ultra. The gaps between settings are also notable. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 183 FPS, while at 4K, the difference is 62 FPS. This narrowing gap at higher resolutions further confirms that the GPU becomes the limiting factor, as the relative cost of increasing visual quality is smaller when the absolute rendering load is already high. The minimum and maximum FPS figures for the Medium preset provide insight into frame time consistency, with the 1080p Medium preset showing a range from 200 to 270 FPS, indicating a relatively stable experience.