Hitman 2

Hitman 2 is a stealth game built around large, dense sandbox levels, and the benchmark data for this Intel Core Ultra 5 235 + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER combo shows a system that is highly capable at mainstream resolutions but falls behind at 4K. The measured FPS reveals a clear hierarchy of settings that balances visual fidelity with playability. For this pairing, the data indicates that Medium is the sweet spot at 1440p and 1080p, delivering a smooth experience without the significant frame rate penalty seen at Ultra. At 4K, however, the system struggles to maintain playable frame rates even at Medium, suggesting that users should prioritize resolution over detail.

Analyzing the measured rows, the performance scaling is consistent with expectations for a game of this era. The GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, while the CPU provides ample headroom. The data shows that the most practical approach for most users will be to target 1080p or 1440p, where the system can deliver high frame rates. Specifically, at 2560x1440, the Medium preset yields an average of 76 FPS, which is a substantial improvement over the 43 FPS average at Ultra. Similarly, at 1920x1080, Medium delivers 120 FPS, making it an excellent choice for high-refresh-rate displays. The 4K results are notably poor, with the High preset averaging only 31 FPS and Ultra dropping to 23 FPS, which is unplayable for a stealth game that requires precise timing.

Settings Recommendations

The benchmark results point to a clear recommendation for most users: use the Medium preset. This is not a compromise but a strategic choice based on the measured data. At 1920x1080, Medium produces an average of 120 FPS with a minimum of 102 FPS, ensuring a consistently fluid experience. Moving to Ultra at the same resolution drops the average to 67 FPS, a 44% reduction in frame rate for what is often a marginal visual improvement in a game like Hitman 2, where the art style and level design are the primary visual drivers.

At 2560x1440, the case for Medium becomes even stronger. The Medium preset averages 76 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The High preset at this resolution averages 58 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for a game that rewards quick, precise camera movements. The Ultra preset at 1440p averages just 43 FPS, making it the least desirable option for this combo. The data shows that the performance gap between Medium and High is significant, but the gap between High and Ultra is even more pronounced, suggesting that Ultra is poorly optimized for this hardware combination.

For 4K, the situation is different. The highest playable setting is Low, which averages 54 FPS. While this is technically playable, it means sacrificing the visual quality that makes the game’s environments so impressive. The Medium preset at 4K averages 41 FPS with a minimum of 35 FPS, which is borderline. The High and Ultra presets at 4K are not viable options, with averages of 31 FPS and 23 FPS respectively. If 4K is a priority, the data suggests that users should accept the Low preset to maintain a playable frame rate, but for most users, dropping to 1440p with Medium or High settings will provide a far better experience.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 is a 14-core, 14-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. For Hitman 2, a game that is not heavily multithreaded, the high boost clock is the most relevant factor. The CPU’s performance in synthetic benchmarks supports this: it scores 2085 in Cinebench R23 single-core, which is a strong result that indicates excellent single-threaded performance. This is crucial for a stealth game where the AI and game logic are often running on a few primary threads.

The CPU’s multi-core performance is also substantial, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14769. However, the measured FPS data shows that this is not a limiting factor for this combo. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves 159 FPS, which is likely near the CPU’s maximum frame delivery in this game. The fact that the frame rate does not increase significantly when moving to lower settings at 1080p suggests that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU enough data to saturate it at these settings. The CPU’s 24 MB of shared L3 cache and 102.4 GB/s memory bandwidth are more than sufficient for the game’s data requirements.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the Core Ultra 5 235 is in a tight performance band. Its average benchmark score of 46062 is 0.1% higher than the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 and 0.1% lower than the Intel Core i9-13900HX. This indicates that the CPU is not the differentiating factor in this combo’s performance; the GPU is. The 14 threads are sufficient for Hitman 2, as the game does not scale well beyond a handful of cores, and the high single-core performance ensures that the game’s main thread runs efficiently.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER is the clear performance limiter in this combo, especially at higher resolutions. It has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its base clock is 1605 MHz with a boost clock of 1770 MHz. The GPU’s 2560 shading units are capable of delivering 9.062 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. In the context of Hitman 2, the 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but the data suggests it may be a constraint at 4K with higher textures.

The GPU’s benchmark percentile is 65, indicating it performs better than the average GPU. However, its measured performance in this game is heavily dependent on resolution. At 1920x1080, the GPU is able to maintain high frame rates, with a 159 FPS average at Low settings. This drops to 90 FPS at High and 67 FPS at Ultra, showing a clear scaling curve. At 2560x1440, the GPU’s limitations become more apparent, with the High preset averaging 58 FPS, which is just below the 60 FPS target. At 4K, the GPU is simply outclassed, as evidenced by the 31 FPS average at High settings.

The GPU’s nearest rivals provide context for its performance. Its average benchmark score of 20282 is 1% lower than the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M and 1.3% lower than the Intel Arc B570. This places it in a similar performance tier to those cards. For Hitman 2, the practical advice is that the RTX 2070 SUPER is a solid 1080p and capable 1440p card, but it is not a 4K card. Users should not expect to run Ultra settings at 1440p or any settings at 4K beyond Low without significant frame rate compromises.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, this specific pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER ranks 1725 out of 3001 combos for Hitman 2. This puts it in the lower half of the ranking, which is a direct reflection of the GPU’s age and performance class. The CPU is not the bottleneck, but the GPU’s performance at higher resolutions drags the combo down in the rankings. For perspective, a combo ranked in the top 1000 would likely feature a much more powerful GPU, as the CPU is already performing well above average.

The combo’s rank of 1725 indicates that while it is not a top-tier setup, it is also not at the bottom. The data shows that the system can deliver a good experience at 1080p and a decent one at 1440p, which is more than enough for many users. The ranking is heavily influenced by the 4K results, where the system falls behind. If the benchmark only considered 1080p results, this combo would likely rank much higher. The rank suggests that users should focus on 1080p and 1440p gameplay to get the most out of this hardware, rather than pushing for 4K.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Hitman 2?

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the best resolution, with the Medium preset averaging 120 FPS. At 2560x1440, the Medium preset averages 76 FPS, which is also playable. 4K is not recommended, as the highest playable setting is Low, averaging 54 FPS.

Q: Can this system run Hitman 2 at Ultra settings?

A: Yes, but only at 1080p, where it averages 67 FPS. At 1440p, Ultra settings drop to 43 FPS, and at 4K, Ultra is unplayable with an average of 23 FPS.

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

A: The GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU has strong single-core performance, scoring 2085 in Cinebench R23, which is sufficient for the game. The GPU’s performance drops significantly at higher resolutions, indicating it is the bottleneck.

Q: How does the GPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RTX 2070 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 20282, which is 1% lower than the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M and 1.3% lower than the Intel Arc B570. This places it in a similar performance tier.

Q: What is the average FPS at 1440p with High settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 2560x1440 with High settings is 58 FPS. This is slightly below the 60 FPS target, so users may prefer the Medium preset, which averages 76 FPS.

Q: Does the CPU’s performance affect the frame rate at 1080p?

A: The data suggests the CPU is not a bottleneck at 1080p. The system achieves 159 FPS at Low settings, which is a high frame rate that indicates the CPU is capable of delivering frames quickly enough.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this combo provides a detailed look at its performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. The data is consistent, with a clear pattern of decreasing frame rates as resolution and settings increase.

At 3840x2160, the system’s performance is poor. The Low preset averages 54 FPS, making it the only playable option. The Medium preset averages 41 FPS, with a minimum of 35 FPS and a maximum of 47 FPS, indicating noticeable frame dips. The High preset averages 31 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 23 FPS, both of which are not suitable for a stealth game that requires smooth, responsive controls.

At 2560x1440, the system shows much better performance. The Low preset averages 102 FPS, providing a very smooth experience. The Medium preset averages 76 FPS, with a minimum of 65 FPS and a maximum of 88 FPS, which is a solid result for most gamers. The High preset averages 58 FPS, which is playable but not ideal. The Ultra preset averages 43 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target and not recommended for this resolution.

At 1920x1080, the system performs best. The Low preset averages 159 FPS, making it ideal for high-refresh-rate displays. The Medium preset averages 120 FPS, with a minimum of 102 FPS and a maximum of 137 FPS, providing a consistently smooth experience. The High preset averages 90 FPS, which is very good. The Ultra preset averages 67 FPS, which is still playable but represents a significant drop from Medium. The data shows that the Medium preset is the best choice at 1080p, offering a good balance of visual quality and performance.