Hitman 2

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 is a 14-core, 14-thread desktop processor built on the Arrow Lake architecture at TSMC's 3 nm process node. It runs with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, drawing a 65 W TDP. This is a modern CPU with a large L3 cache of 24 MB shared across the cores, and it supports DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration with a memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. The CPU sits at the 89th percentile among all CPUs in aggregate benchmark scores, with an average benchmark score of 46062.

For Hitman 2, a stealth game with dense crowd and AI simulation, the CPU's single-thread performance and cache hierarchy matter considerably. In Cinebench R23, the processor scores 2085 in single-core and 14769 in multi-core. The single-core score is notable because Hitman 2's game logic, NPC pathfinding, and level streaming often depend on a few heavily loaded threads. A boost clock of 5.00 GHz helps maintain responsiveness in these scenarios, while the 14 cores provide headroom for background tasks and the game's multi-threaded rendering pipeline.

When placed against nearest rivals in the aggregate CPU benchmark, the Ultra 5 235 is effectively tied with several strong competitors. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 scores 46030, a delta of 0.1% relative to this chip. The Intel Core i9-13900HX scores 46098, a delta of -0.1%. The AMD EPYC 4364P and AMD EPYC 7303 score 45970 and 45960 respectively, each a delta of 0.2%. This means the Ultra 5 235 sits in the same performance tier as these processors in synthetic workloads, though Hitman 2's specific engine may favor one architecture over another.

The CPU's memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s is paired with DDR5 support, which can influence how quickly level geometry and textures stream to the GPU. In Hitman 2, large sandbox levels like Miami or Mumbai contain many independent AI agents, and the CPU must keep track of their states. The 14-thread configuration, while not offering hyper-threading, still provides enough parallelism for the game's background simulation tasks. The L3 cache of 24 MB is shared, which helps when multiple cores access the same game data simultaneously.

Benchmark results indicate that the CPU's single-thread performance is strong relative to its multi-thread showing. In Cinebench R20, the single-core score is 875 while multi-core is 6202, a ratio that suggests balanced scaling. The PassMark single-thread score of 4516 reinforces that this CPU can handle the lightly threaded portions of Hitman 2's engine. In practical terms, the CPU should not be the primary bottleneck at lower resolutions where the GPU is less stressed, but at 1080p with low settings, the CPU's role becomes more prominent.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 is a Turing-architecture GPU built on TSMC's 12 nm process, featuring the TU106 chip with 10,800 million transistors on a 445 mm² die. It has 1920 shading units, 120 texture mapping units, and 48 raster operation units, along with 30 RT cores and 240 tensor cores. The GPU operates with a base clock of 1365 MHz and a boost clock of 1680 MHz. Memory is 6 GB of GDDR6 on a 192-bit bus, providing 336.0 GB/s of bandwidth.

This GPU sits at the 58th percentile among all GPUs in aggregate benchmark scores, with an average benchmark score of 15290. In 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, it scores 1242, which gives a sense of its raw DirectX 12 performance. In PassMark's DirectX 12 test, it scores 53, while DirectX 11 scores 110. These numbers place the RTX 2060 as a mid-range card by modern standards, adequate for 1080p gaming but stretched at higher resolutions.

For Hitman 2, the RTX 2060's 6 GB VRAM is a critical constraint. The game's detailed environments, high-resolution textures, and lighting effects can consume VRAM quickly. At 4K Ultra settings, the measured FPS drops to 19, which strongly suggests that the GPU is hitting both compute and memory limits. The memory bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s is another factor; at 4K resolution, the GPU must move a massive amount of pixel data, and the 192-bit bus can become a bottleneck.

The RTX 2060's nearest rivals in aggregate GPU benchmarks include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 at 15283 (0% delta), the AMD Radeon 680M at 15270 (0.1% delta), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM at 15199 (0.6% delta), and the AMD Radeon RX 7600 at 15171 (0.8% delta). The RTX 2060 is essentially at the same performance level as these GPUs in synthetic benchmarks, though Hitman 2's real-world performance may differ due to driver optimizations and specific engine features.

The GPU's FP32 performance of 6.451 TFLOPS and texture rate of 201.6 GTexel/s indicate its theoretical throughput. In Hitman 2, which uses a custom engine with heavy use of screen-space reflections and ambient occlusion, the GPU's shading units are under load. The RTX 2060 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), which means it can run the game's DX12 path, but the measured FPS data shows that even at Medium settings, 4K resolution yields only 34 FPS.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combination to maintain a playable frame rate?

A: At 1920x1080 with High settings, the combo achieves 75 FPS. With Medium settings at the same resolution, it averages 99 FPS, and with Low settings it reaches 132 FPS. At 2560x1440, the frame rates drop to 48 FPS on High and 63 FPS on Medium. The 4K resolution produces only 25 FPS on High, which is below playable thresholds.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in aggregate performance?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 has an average benchmark score of 46062. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 scores 46030, a delta of 0.1%. The Intel Core i9-13900HX scores 46098, a delta of -0.1%. The AMD EPYC 4364P and AMD EPYC 7303 score 45970 and 45960, each with a delta of 0.2%. This places the Ultra 5 235 within 0.2% of all four rivals.

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

A: At 2560x1440, Low settings produce 84 FPS, while Ultra settings produce 35 FPS. This is a difference of 49 FPS, representing a roughly 58% drop from Low to Ultra. The Medium setting at 63 FPS sits between these extremes, with a minimum of 54 FPS and maximum of 73 FPS.

Q: Does the RTX 2060 support the latest DirectX version for Hitman 2?

A: Yes, the RTX 2060 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), along with OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.4. In PassMark's DirectX 12 test, the GPU scores 53, while its DirectX 11 score is 110. The game's DX12 path is supported, though performance metrics vary by settings and resolution.

Q: How does the GPU's aggregate benchmark score compare to the AMD Radeon RX 7600?

A: The RTX 2060 has an average benchmark score of 15290, while the AMD Radeon RX 7600 scores 15171. The delta percentage is 0.8%, meaning the RTX 2060 is slightly ahead of the RX 7600 in aggregate GPU benchmarks, though the difference is minimal.

Q: What frame rates can be expected at 4K with Medium settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Medium settings, the measured average FPS is 34, with a minimum of 29 FPS and a maximum of 39 FPS. This is below the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay, indicating that 4K is not a viable resolution for this combo at Medium settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of how this CPU-GPU combination performs across three resolutions and four settings presets. Starting at 1920x1080, the combo delivers its strongest results. With Low settings, the average FPS is 132. Medium settings yield 99 FPS, with a minimum of 84 and maximum of 114. High settings produce 75 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 55 FPS. This resolution is clearly where the RTX 2060 and Core Ultra 5 235 work best together, with all settings presets except Ultra maintaining frame rates above 60 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops noticeably. Low settings average 84 FPS, which remains playable. Medium settings average 63 FPS, with a minimum of 54 and maximum of 73. High settings fall to 48 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 35 FPS. The transition from 1080p to 1440p shows the GPU becoming more of a limiting factor, as the frame rate reductions are substantial across all settings. The Medium preset at 1440p is the highest setting that stays above 60 FPS on average, though the minimum of 54 FPS indicates some stutter potential.

At 3840x2160, the performance is marginal at best. Low settings average 45 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS standard. Medium settings average 34 FPS, with a minimum of 29 and maximum of 39. High settings drop to 25 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 19 FPS. None of these frame rates are suitable for smooth gameplay, and even the Low preset struggles to maintain 45 FPS. The 4K data clearly indicates that this combo is not designed for 4K gaming in Hitman 2, as the GPU's 6 GB VRAM and 336.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for the resolution's demands.

The data shows a consistent pattern: each settings tier at a given resolution costs a similar percentage of performance. At 1080p, going from Low to Medium reduces FPS from 132 to 99, a 25% drop. From Medium to High, it drops from 99 to 75, another 24% reduction. From High to Ultra, it drops from 75 to 55, a 27% decrease. This linear scaling suggests that the GPU's compute resources are the primary constraint, as the CPU has ample headroom at this resolution. The same pattern holds at 1440p, where Low to Medium drops from 84 to 63 (25%), Medium to High from 63 to 48 (24%), and High to Ultra from 48 to 35 (27%).

Resolution Scaling

The resolution scaling behavior reveals which component is the limiting factor. From 1920x1080 to 2560x1440, the frame rate drops are significant across all settings. At Low settings, the drop is from 132 FPS to 84 FPS, a 36% reduction. At Medium settings, the drop is from 99 to 63, a 36% reduction. At High settings, the drop is from 75 to 48, a 36% reduction. At Ultra settings, the drop is from 55 to 35, a 36% reduction. The consistent 36% reduction across all settings indicates that the GPU is the bottleneck, as increasing resolution proportionally increases the pixel count, which directly impacts GPU load.

From 2560x1440 to 3840x2160, the scaling is even more punishing. At Low settings, the drop is from 84 to 45 FPS, a 46% reduction. At Medium settings, the drop is from 63 to 34, a 46% reduction. At High settings, the drop is from 48 to 25, a 48% reduction. At Ultra settings, the drop is from 35 to 19, a 46% reduction. The larger percentage drop from 1440p to 4K compared to 1080p to 1440p suggests that the GPU is not just pixel-bound but also VRAM-bound. The 6 GB VRAM on the RTX 2060 may be exceeded at 4K, causing the GPU to spill to system memory, which would explain the disproportionate performance loss.

The resolution scaling data indicates that the CPU is not the limiting factor in this game. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the frame rates would remain relatively constant across resolutions, as the CPU workload does not change with resolution. Instead, the frame rates drop significantly as resolution increases, which is a classic sign of GPU limitation. At 1080p, the CPU has enough headroom to feed the GPU, but at higher resolutions, the GPU's shading units, memory bandwidth, and VRAM capacity become the constraints.

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K shows that the combo is best suited for 1080p gaming. The jump from 55 FPS at 1080p Ultra to 19 FPS at 4K Ultra represents a 65% reduction. Even at Low settings, the drop from 132 FPS to 45 FPS is a 66% reduction. This pattern suggests that the RTX 2060's 192-bit memory bus and 336.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for the data throughput required at 4K. The GPU's FP32 performance of 6.451 TFLOPS is also modest by modern standards, further limiting high-resolution performance.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings preset depends on the target resolution and the desired frame rate. At 1920x1080, the Medium preset offers the best balance between visual quality and performance. With an average FPS of 99, a minimum of 84, and a maximum of 114, this preset maintains smooth gameplay while providing moderate visual fidelity. The High preset at 75 FPS is also acceptable, but the drop from Medium to High is noticeable. The Ultra preset at 55 FPS is borderline, falling below the 60 FPS threshold that many players consider the minimum for smooth gameplay.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the only option that maintains an average above 60 FPS. With 63 FPS average, 54 FPS minimum, and 73 FPS maximum, this preset is playable but may experience occasional dips below 60 FPS during heavy scenes. The Low preset at 84 FPS offers a more comfortable margin, but the visual quality reduction may not be worth the extra 21 FPS. High and Ultra presets at 48 and 35 FPS respectively are not recommended for 1440p gaming, as they fall well below the playable threshold.

At 3840x2160, no preset provides a playable experience. The Low preset at 45 FPS is the closest to playable, but it still falls below 60 FPS and may feel stuttery. Medium at 34 FPS, High at 25 FPS, and Ultra at 19 FPS are all unplayable for a stealth game that requires precise timing and observation. For 4K gaming, this combination is not viable, and players should either lower the resolution or accept significantly reduced frame rates.

The best experience per the measured rows is at 1920x1080 with Medium settings. This preset delivers an average FPS of 99, which provides smooth gameplay with a reasonable visual quality. The minimum FPS of 84 ensures that there are no significant frame drops, even during complex scenes with many NPCs. The maximum FPS of 114 indicates that the combo has headroom to handle less demanding scenes without hitting a hard ceiling. For a stealth game like Hitman 2, where frame consistency matters for precise movement and aiming, the Medium preset's tight FPS range is ideal.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 ranks 2360 out of 3001 tested combos in Hitman 2. This places it in the bottom 21% of all tested combinations, indicating that this system is not optimized for this game. The rank reflects the measured FPS data, which shows strong 1080p performance but poor 4K performance. The combo's percentile position suggests that most other tested systems outperform it, which is expected given that the RTX 2060 is an older, lower-tier GPU.

The CPU's aggregate benchmark percentile of 89% is strong, but the GPU's percentile of 58% drags the overall combo down. In Hitman 2, the GPU is the bottleneck at higher resolutions, as evidenced by the resolution scaling data. The combo rank of 2360 out of 3001 indicates that there are 641 tested combos that perform worse, but the majority of tested systems deliver better results. This rank is consistent with the RTX 2060's position as a mid-range GPU from the Turing generation, now several generations old.

The measured FPS data shows that this combo is capable of delivering a satisfactory 1080p experience, particularly at Medium settings where it achieves 99 FPS. However, the 4K data points are poor, with even the Low preset failing to reach 60 FPS. The combo's rank would likely be higher if the game were tested at 1080p only, but the inclusion of 1440p and 4K results in the ranking penalizes the GPU's limitations at higher resolutions.

Compared to the CPU's nearest rivals, the Ultra 5 235 holds its own in aggregate benchmarks, but the GPU's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580, a much older card, and the AMD Radeon 680M, an integrated GPU. This comparison highlights that the RTX 2060's performance is now comparable to integrated graphics in some synthetic tests, though its real-world gaming performance in Hitman 2 at 1080p is still respectable. The combo's rank of 2360 out of 3001 reflects the GPU's age and the system's limited ability to handle higher resolutions in this specific game.