Hitman 2

Hitman 2, a stealth title from 2018, responds predictably but decisively to the hardware combination of an Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090. The measured data shows a system that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, while the CPU’s strong single-threaded performance becomes the limiting factor only at 1080p. The benchmark results indicate a clear hierarchy in performance scaling, with the RTX 4090’s immense compute resources dictating frame rates until the resolution drops enough to expose the processor’s capabilities.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS deltas across resolutions reveal a classic pattern of GPU-bound scaling, but with a notable inflection point at the lowest tested resolution. At 4K (3840x2160), the average frame rates across presets are 65 (High), 85 (Medium), 114 (Low), and 48 (Ultra). Dropping to 1440p (2560x1440) produces a massive jump in performance: High rises to 121 FPS, Medium to 160 FPS, Low to 214 FPS, and Ultra to 89 FPS. This represents a roughly 86% average increase in frame rate for High settings when moving from 4K to 1440p, which strongly indicates that the RTX 4090’s pixel-pushing capabilities are the primary constraint at 4K.

The scaling from 1440p to 1080p (1920x1080) is less dramatic but still significant. High settings reach 190 FPS, Medium hits 251 FPS, Low climbs to 334 FPS, and Ultra achieves 140 FPS. The percentage gains here are smaller than the 4K-to-1440p transition, suggesting that the system is beginning to encounter other bottlenecks. Specifically, the jump from 1440p Low (214 FPS) to 1080p Low (334 FPS) is a 56% improvement, while the 1440p High to 1080p High transition is only a 57% improvement. This compression of scaling at lower resolutions points to the CPU’s role in frame pacing.

The data suggests that at 1080p, the Intel Core Ultra 5 245’s 14 cores and 5.10 GHz boost clock are starting to limit the frame rate, particularly in a game like Hitman 2 which relies on simulation and AI. The RTX 4090 is so powerful that it can render frames faster than the CPU can feed it draw calls at lower resolutions. The fact that the 1080p Low preset (334 FPS) is over 70% faster than the 1080p Ultra preset (140 FPS) shows that the GPU is still the dominant factor even at 1080p, but the diminishing returns between 1440p and 1080p confirm that the processor is no longer a silent partner.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate recorded for this combo?

A: The highest average frame rate is 334 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

Q: How does the Ultra preset compare to the Low preset at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160, the Low preset delivers an average of 114 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 48 FPS. This makes the Low preset 138% faster than Ultra in this configuration.

Q: Is the system more CPU-bound or GPU-bound at 1440p?

A: The data indicates it is primarily GPU-bound at 1440p. The frame rate at 1440p High (121 FPS) is nearly double the 4K High result (65 FPS), showing that the graphics card’s fill rate is the main constraint, not the processor.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded in the entire dataset?

A: The lowest minimum FPS recorded is 73 FPS, which occurs at 3840x2160 resolution with the Medium settings preset.

Q: What is the performance difference between the High and Medium presets at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the High preset averages 190 FPS, while the Medium preset averages 251 FPS. The Medium preset is 32% faster than High in this scenario.

Q: How many total combinations does this result rank among?

A: This specific CPU and GPU combination ranks 110th out of 3001 tested combinations for Hitman 2.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is the undisputed performance driver in this pairing. Its specifications paint a picture of a graphics card designed for extreme throughput, and the measured FPS data confirms this role. With 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, the card offers a memory bandwidth of 1.01 TB/s. This is critical for Hitman 2’s large, detailed environments, as the card can stream textures and geometry without becoming a bottleneck. The 16384 shading units and 512 texture mapping units provide the raw compute power to handle the game's lighting and shadow calculations.

The clock speeds, with a base of 2235 MHz and a boost of 2520 MHz, are high for a GPU of this size. This allows the RTX 4090 to maintain high utilization even when the scene complexity increases. The benchmark results show that the card operates effectively across all settings. For instance, the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 9223 and a Passmark G3D score of 38194 demonstrate its synthetic performance ceiling, which aligns with the high frame rates observed in-game.

The practical impact of the GPU is most evident in the scaling from 4K to 1440p. The RTX 4090’s pixel rate of 443.5 GPixel/s is taxed at 4K, but as the resolution drops, the card easily keeps pace with the CPU’s output. Even at the Ultra preset, which likely enables heavy anti-aliasing and shadow effects, the card maintains playable frame rates at 1440p (89 FPS) and 4K (48 FPS). The data suggests that the RTX 4090 is not the limiting factor until the resolution and settings push its fill rate to the absolute maximum. Its end-of-life status and launch MSRP of 1,599 USD reflect its position as a top-tier part, and the benchmark data shows it still performs as a flagship part in this title.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 110 out of 3001 tested combinations places this system in the top 3.7% of all tested hardware pairings for Hitman 2. This is a strong result, but the percentile data for the individual components provides context. The CPU sits at the 90th percentile versus all CPUs, while the GPU is at the 88th percentile versus all GPUs. The fact that the combo rank (110th) is worse than the individual component percentiles would suggest is a subtle but important finding.

This discrepancy is likely due to the pairing of a very high-end GPU with a mid-range-to-high-end CPU. The RTX 4090 is capable of pushing frame rates so high that the Core Ultra 5 245 becomes a limiting factor, particularly at lower resolutions. The nearest rivals for the CPU include the AMD Ryzen 9 7900, which has an average benchmark score of 49228, and the Intel Core i5-14600K, which scores 48618. The Core Ultra 5 245’s average benchmark score of 48995 places it between these two, showing it is competitive in general compute tasks.

However, the data shows that the combo’s rank is not solely defined by the CPU's average score. The GPU’s nearest rivals, such as the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M, have a 2.5% lower average score, but the RTX 4090’s performance in gaming is what matters here. The rank suggests that while this is a very fast system, there are 109 other combinations that deliver higher frame rates in Hitman 2, likely featuring even more powerful CPUs that can better feed the RTX 4090 at 1080p and 1440p. The combination is excellent, but it is not the absolute best, and the data indicates the CPU is holding back the GPU in specific scenarios.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 plays a supporting role that becomes more prominent as the resolution decreases. This processor, part of the Core Ultra Series 2 with an Arrow Lake-S architecture, features 14 cores and 14 threads. Its base clock is 3.50 GHz, which can boost up to 5.10 GHz. For a game like Hitman 2, which is known for its complex AI routines and physics simulations, the single-threaded performance is often more critical than raw core count. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4648 and a Passmark single-thread score of 4394 indicate strong single-threaded capability.

The data shows that the CPU’s influence is minimal at 4K. At this resolution, the GPU is the bottleneck, and the CPU is likely waiting for the GPU to finish rendering. However, as the resolution drops to 1440p and then 1080p, the CPU’s role becomes more significant. The frame rate scaling from 1440p to 1080p is smaller than the scaling from 4K to 1440p, which is a classic sign of a CPU limit being approached. The fact that the 1080p Low preset (334 FPS) is over 70% faster than the 1080p Ultra preset (140 FPS) shows that the GPU is still the dominant factor even at 1080p, but the diminishing returns between 1440p and 1080p confirm that the processor is no longer a silent partner.

The CPU’s memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s and support for DDR5 memory help ensure that data can be fed to the processor quickly. The 24 MB of shared L3 cache is also beneficial for game logic that requires frequent access to the same data. The processor’s performance in the Cinebench R20 multi-core test (13828) and Passmark multi-thread test (38706) shows it is a capable multi-threaded part, but the game’s engine likely relies more on the single-thread performance. The Core Ultra 5 245 is not the primary driver of the high frame rates, but it is a capable partner that avoids becoming a major bottleneck until the frame rates exceed 200 FPS.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the system's performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. The dataset includes average, minimum, and maximum frame rates for the Medium preset, while other presets only have average FPS.

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: Average 114 FPS.
• Medium: Average 85 FPS, with a minimum of 73 FPS and a maximum of 98 FPS.
• High: Average 65 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 48 FPS.

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: Average 214 FPS.
• Medium: Average 160 FPS, with a minimum of 136 FPS and a maximum of 184 FPS.
• High: Average 121 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 89 FPS.

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: Average 334 FPS.
• Medium: Average 251 FPS, with a minimum of 213 FPS and a maximum of 288 FPS.
• High: Average 190 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 140 FPS.

The Medium preset is the only one with min/max data, showing a consistent spread. At 4K, the minimum of 73 FPS and maximum of 98 FPS indicate a 25 FPS variance, which is relatively tight. At 1440p, the variance is 48 FPS (136 to 184), and at 1080p, the variance is 75 FPS (213 to 288). This increasing variance at lower resolutions further underscores the growing influence of the CPU, as frame times become less consistent when the processor is working harder to keep up with the GPU’s output. The data shows that the system is capable of extremely high frame rates, but the consistency of those frame rates is better at higher resolutions where the GPU is the sole bottleneck.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings preset for this hardware combination depends entirely on the target resolution and desired frame rate.

For 4K gaming, the High preset (65 FPS average) is the best balance of visual fidelity and performance. The Ultra preset (48 FPS) might be too demanding for a smooth experience on a high-refresh-rate display, while the Medium preset (85 FPS) is also a viable option if a higher frame rate is preferred over maximum graphical details. The Low preset (114 FPS) is playable but sacrifices too much visual quality for a card of this caliber.

For 1440p gaming, the Ultra preset (89 FPS) is the recommended choice. It provides the highest visual quality while maintaining a frame rate that is above 60 FPS and suitable for most displays. If a 144Hz or higher refresh rate monitor is in use, the High preset (121 FPS) is a better option, as it pushes the frame rate into a range that can take advantage of such displays. The Medium preset (160 FPS) is also an excellent option for competitive play.

For 1080p gaming, the High preset (190 FPS) is the sweet spot. It provides excellent visual quality and a frame rate that is well above 144 FPS, making it ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. The Ultra preset (140 FPS) is also a strong choice for those who prioritize image quality, as it still delivers a high frame rate. The Low preset (334 FPS) is only necessary for extreme competitive scenarios where every frame counts, but the visual degradation is significant.

In summary, the data suggests using the High preset for a balanced experience across all resolutions. For users with high-refresh-rate 1080p or 1440p monitors, the Medium or High presets will provide the best combination of responsiveness and visuals. At 4K, the High preset is the most sensible default, with Ultra reserved for slower-paced play or screenshots.