Hitman 2

Hitman 2’s measured frame rates for the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 combination reveal a classic resolution-scaling curve, but with a distinct twist. At 1080p, the combo is clearly capable of high refresh rates, but the GPU becomes the primary limiter as resolution climbs. The data shows a steep drop from the 1080p High average of 75 FPS to the 1440p High average of 48 FPS, a 36% reduction. Pushing further to 4K High yields an average of just 25 FPS, which is a 67% drop from the 1080p figure. This pattern indicates that the RTX 2060’s rendering pipeline is saturated well before the CPU’s capabilities are exhausted.

The scaling from Medium to High settings at each resolution is also telling. At 1080p, the difference between Low (132 FPS) and Medium (99 FPS) is a 25% performance hit, while the jump from Medium to High (75 FPS) costs another 24%. This suggests that the game’s visual fidelity settings have a significant impact on the GPU’s workload. At 4K, the progression is even more brutal: Low (45 FPS) to Medium (34 FPS) drops 24%, and Medium to High (25 FPS) drops another 26%. The 4K Ultra preset is practically unplayable at 19 FPS. This data strongly suggests that the 6 GB VRAM frame buffer and the GPU’s memory bandwidth are being overwhelmed at higher resolutions and detail levels, rather than the CPU being a bottleneck.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS across the three tested resolutions illustrates a GPU-bound scenario, especially at higher settings. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 132 FPS, showing headroom. However, the 1440p Low average of 84 FPS is a 36% reduction, and the 4K Low average of 45 FPS is a further 46% drop. This steep decline indicates that the RTX 2060’s compute units and memory subsystem are struggling to fill the increasing pixel count. The data suggests that the limiting component at 1440p and 4K is definitively the GPU, as the CPU’s performance headroom is not being utilized. The 1080p Medium result of 99 FPS versus the 1440p Medium result of 63 FPS shows a 36% drop, reinforcing the GPU-bound nature of the title.

The most dramatic scaling is seen in the Ultra preset. The 1080p Ultra average is 55 FPS, which is playable, but the 1440p Ultra average collapses to 35 FPS, a 36% decrease. At 4K Ultra, the average plummets to 19 FPS, a 65% drop from 1440p. This pattern is consistent with the GPU’s 192-bit memory bus and 336.0 GB/s bandwidth being insufficient for the massive texture and shading workloads at 4K. The game’s engine appears to be heavily dependent on raw pixel throughput, and the RTX 2060, with its 48 ROPs and 80.64 GPixel/s pixel rate, is simply outmatched at this resolution. For a smooth experience, the data indicates that 1080p is the realistic target for high-refresh displays, while 1440p is viable only at Low or Medium settings.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of hardware combinations, this pairing sits in the lower half of the pack. The comboRankInGame data places this specific CPU-GPU pair at rank 2360 out of 3001 tested combos, putting it in the 21st percentile of all systems. This is a low ranking, indicating that most other pairings will outperform it in Hitman 2. The ranking is primarily dragged down by the GPU, which is an older, end-of-life product. The RTX 2060’s percentileVsAllGpus is 58, meaning it performs better than 58% of all GPUs, but its raw performance is dwarfed by more modern parts.

The CPU, however, is a much stronger component. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 sits in the 90th percentile for all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 48995. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 7900, which scores 49228, a delta of -0.5%, and the Intel Core i5-14600K, which scores 48618, a delta of 0.8%. This shows the Ultra 5 245 is a high-performing processor that is not the bottleneck in this system. The data suggests that if this CPU were paired with a more powerful GPU, the combo’s rank would be significantly higher. The low overall rank is a direct consequence of the GPU’s age and performance class, not a reflection of the CPU’s capabilities. The deltaPct values against rivals show the CPU is within 1% of its closest competitors, underscoring its competitive position.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 is the defining component in this system, and its specifications explain the measured frame rates. It features 1920 shading units, 120 TMUs, and 48 ROPs, clocked at a base of 1365 MHz and a boost of 1680 MHz. The 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus provides 336.0 GB/s of bandwidth. These numbers are the root of the performance scaling observed. At 4K Ultra, the game demands more memory capacity and bandwidth than the 2060 can provide, resulting in the 19 FPS average. The GPU’s 12 nm process node and Turing architecture are also dated, limiting its efficiency compared to newer parts.

The benchmark data for the GPU shows a passmark_g3d score of 14111, which places it near the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 (15283) and AMD Radeon 680M (15270) in its nearest rivals, with deltaPct values of 0.0% and 0.1% respectively. This is a stark indication of its performance class relative to modern integrated graphics, which are nearly matching it. The RTX 2060’s 6 GB VRAM is a critical constraint; in Hitman 2, moving from Medium to High settings at 1440p drops the average from 63 FPS to 48 FPS, a 24% hit, likely due to increased texture memory pressure. The GPU’s DirectX 12 Ultimate support (12_2) is present, but the hardware lacks the raw throughput to leverage it effectively at high resolutions. The data clearly shows that the RTX 2060 is the limiting factor in this pairing, and its end-of-life status means no driver optimizations will save it from being the bottleneck.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1080p is the only resolution where all presets are playable. The 1080p High average of 75 FPS and Medium average of 99 FPS provide smooth experiences. 1440p is viable only at Low (84 FPS) or Medium (63 FPS), while 4K is only acceptable at Low (45 FPS).

Q: Why is the 4K Ultra performance so poor?

A: The 4K Ultra average is 19 FPS. This is due to the RTX 2060’s 6 GB VRAM and 336.0 GB/s memory bandwidth being insufficient for the high-resolution textures and shading effects, leading to a severe bottleneck.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck?

A: The GPU is definitively the bottleneck. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 scores in the 90th percentile for CPUs, while the RTX 2060 sits in the 58th percentile for GPUs. The frame rate scaling shows a steep drop with resolution, which is a classic sign of a GPU limitation.

Q: How does this combo rank against other systems?

A: This combination ranks 2360 out of 3001 tested combos in Hitman 2, placing it in the bottom 21% of all systems. This low rank is directly attributable to the GPU’s performance class.

Q: Can I use a higher refresh rate monitor with this setup?

A: At 1080p, the data suggests yes. With Low settings averaging 132 FPS, you can exceed 120 Hz. For a more balanced experience, Medium at 99 FPS still supports a 100 Hz refresh rate, but High at 75 FPS is better suited for a standard 75 Hz monitor.

Q: What is the GPU’s closest rival in performance?

A: The RTX 2060’s nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580, with a deltaPct of 0.0% in average benchmark scores. This indicates they have nearly identical overall performance, despite the significant generational gap.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and frame rate. For a 1080p display, the Medium preset is the sweet spot, delivering an average of 99 FPS with a minimum of 84 FPS. This provides a fluid experience with good visual quality. The High preset at 75 FPS is also viable, but the 24% drop from Medium suggests it adds significant strain for marginal visual gains. The Low preset at 132 FPS is best for competitive play or high-refresh-rate monitors, but sacrifices too much visual fidelity for most users. The Ultra preset at 55 FPS is technically playable but does not offer enough of a visual improvement over High to justify the 27% performance penalty.

For 1440p, the data recommends lowering expectations. The Medium preset is the only reasonable choice, averaging 63 FPS with a minimum of 54 FPS. The High preset at 48 FPS is borderline, and the Ultra preset at 35 FPS is too choppy for a smooth experience. The Low preset at 84 FPS is an option for those prioritizing frame rate over visuals, but it negates the benefits of the higher resolution. At 4K, only the Low preset is recommended, with an average of 45 FPS. The Medium preset at 34 FPS is below the threshold for comfortable play, and the High and Ultra presets are unplayable. The data suggests that this combo is best used at 1080p Medium or High, or 1440p Medium, to balance visual quality and performance.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 is a powerful processor that is not the limiting factor in this system. It has 14 cores and 14 threads, with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. The CPU’s benchmark results are strong, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32924 and a single-core score of 4648. These numbers show it has ample headroom for gaming. In Hitman 2, the frame rates are consistently GPU-bound, as evidenced by the resolution scaling data. The CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with data, and its performance is more than sufficient for this task.

The CPU’s nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 7900, which scores 49228 in average benchmarks, a delta of -0.5%, and the Intel Core i5-14600K, which scores 48618, a delta of 0.8%. This places the Ultra 5 245 in the same performance tier as these top-tier processors. Its 24 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR5 memory support ensure low latency and high bandwidth for game logic and asset streaming. The PassMark single-thread score of 4394 is particularly important for gaming, as many game engines rely heavily on single-core performance. The data clearly indicates that the CPU is not the bottleneck; if the RTX 2060 were replaced with a more powerful GPU, the CPU would be able to push significantly higher frame rates without being a constraint. The CPU’s 90th percentile ranking confirms its high performance relative to all other processors, making it a solid foundation for a gaming system.