Hitman 2

Hitman 2, a stealth title from 2018, presents an interesting test for modern mobile hardware. The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile produces a dataset that reveals the distinct workloads each component handles. This analysis breaks down the measured frames per second (FPS) across resolutions and settings, placing the results in the context of the entire benchmark database.

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

The Intel Core Ultra 7 155H is a 16-core, 22-thread processor based on the Meteor Lake architecture. It operates with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and can boost up to 4.80 GHz, built on Intel's 7 nm process node. The chip features a hybrid cache layout: 112 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and a shared 24 MB L3 cache. This configuration places it in the 83rd percentile against all CPUs in the database, with an average benchmark score of 32697.

To understand its standing among peers, the nearest rivals provide context. The Intel Core i5-14600T scores an average of 32707, which is essentially a 0% delta from the Ultra 7 155H. The AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 360 sits just behind at 32662, showing a 0.1% performance advantage for the Intel chip. The AMD Ryzen 5 7400F scores 32750, representing a -0.2% delta, and the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850H leads the group slightly with 32812, a -0.4% delta. These are incredibly tight margins, indicating that the Ultra 7 155H performs at the same level as a cluster of competitive desktop and mobile processors.

In Hitman 2, the CPU's role is significant because the game's simulation of AI, crowd behaviors, and systemic interactions can be demanding. The measured FPS at 1080p provides the clearest view of CPU headroom. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves 153 FPS. This high frame rate at a resolution where the GPU has less work to do suggests the CPU is capable of feeding the rendering pipeline effectively. The 22 threads allow for efficient distribution of game logic across the processor. While the game may not use all threads equally, the high single-core boost of 4.80 GHz ensures that primary game logic threads are handled quickly. The benchmark results show a strong processor, but the real question in this game is how much of the performance ceiling is determined by the CPU versus the GPU. The data from resolution scaling will illuminate this further.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture, specifically using the AD107 chip manufactured on TSMC's 5 nm process. It contains 18,900 million transistors on a 159 mm² die. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1545 MHz and a boost clock of 1890 MHz, with the memory running at 2000 MHz (16 Gbps effective). It has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s. The GPU is equipped with 3072 shading units, 96 TMUs, and 48 ROPs. Ray tracing hardware includes 24 RT cores, and 96 tensor cores handle AI workloads. The theoretical performance is 11.61 TFLOPS for both FP32 and FP16.

This GPU ranks in the 67th percentile against all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 22729. Its nearest rivals show a tight competitive field. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 scores 22895, a -0.7% delta. The AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT scores 22549, giving a 0.8% delta. The Intel Arc B580 scores 23021, a -1.3% delta, and the newer NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile scores 22435, representing a 1.3% delta. The RTX 4060 Mobile sits in the middle of this group, trading blows with desktop GPUs from previous generations and newer mobile parts.

For Hitman 2, the GPU’s role becomes dominant as resolution and settings increase. The 8 GB VRAM buffer is sufficient for this 2018 title, even at 4K. The memory bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s is a critical factor. The frame rates at 4K Ultra drop to 22 FPS, indicating that the GPU's raw compute is the limiting factor at the highest settings. The game's lighting, shadows, and reflections are computationally expensive, and the 11.61 TFLOPS of FP32 throughput is constrained when pushing 3840x2160 with everything enabled. The boost clock of 1890 MHz is relatively modest for a modern GPU, but the Ada Lovelace architecture's efficiency helps it maintain playable frame rates at lower settings. The data shows a mobile GPU that is capable at 1080p and 1440p but faces challenges at 4K with high detail levels.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance on which settings preset delivers the best experience at each resolution. The goal is to find the balance between visual fidelity and smooth frame rates. For this analysis, a playable frame rate is considered to be above 60 FPS for a stealth action game where responsiveness matters.

At 1920x1080, several options are viable. The Ultra preset yields an average of 64 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold and provides the highest visual quality. The High preset gives 87 FPS, and Medium delivers 115 FPS. Low reaches 153 FPS. The data suggests that at 1080p, the Ultra preset is the best choice for players who prioritize visual fidelity, as it maintains a comfortable frame rate. For players who prefer higher refresh rates or more headroom, the High preset at 87 FPS is a strong alternative, offering a significant jump in performance with only a slight reduction in visual effects. The Medium preset at 115 FPS is ideal for high refresh rate displays, but the visual downgrade from High to Medium is noticeable. The Ultra preset is the recommended experience at this resolution, as it provides the best balance of quality and performance.

Moving to 2560x1440, the demands on the GPU increase. The Ultra preset yields an average of 41 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS target and may feel less smooth. The High preset at 55 FPS is also below 60 FPS but is playable for many. The Medium preset at 73 FPS is the first to cross the 60 FPS threshold, and it does so with a solid margin. The Low preset at 98 FPS is very fluid. The recommendation at 1440p is to use the Medium preset. This setting provides a frame rate that is comfortably above 60 FPS, while still maintaining a reasonable level of visual quality. The High preset at 55 FPS is a borderline choice, but the risk of dips below 60 FPS makes Medium the safer and better recommendation. The Ultra preset is not recommended at this resolution due to the sub-60 FPS average.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is under significant stress. The Ultra preset drops to 22 FPS, which is unplayable for a game requiring precise timing. The High preset at 30 FPS is also too low for a smooth experience. The Medium preset at 39 FPS is better but still below ideal. The Low preset at 52 FPS is the only one that approaches playability. At 4K, the recommendation is the Low preset. While the visual quality is reduced, the 52 FPS average is close to the 60 FPS target and is the only setting that provides a fluid enough experience for stealth gameplay. The Medium preset at 39 FPS is a fallback for players who can tolerate lower frame rates for better visuals, but the Low preset is the clear recommendation for overall playability.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile has a measured combo rank of 2271 out of 3711 tested combinations in Hitman 2. This places the combo in the lower half of the database, specifically at approximately the 61st percentile. This ranking is somewhat surprising given the individual performance of the components. The CPU sits in the 83rd percentile, and the GPU is in the 67th percentile. The lower combo rank suggests that the pairing does not translate its component strengths directly into a high game-specific ranking.

Several factors could explain this. The game is from 2018, and its engine may not scale perfectly with the newer architecture of the RTX 4060 Mobile. The game’s performance might be more dependent on raw memory bandwidth or specific shader operations where this GPU is not the strongest. The 8 GB VRAM buffer, while sufficient, is not a differentiator. Comparing to other combos in the database, the 2271 rank means that a large number of other CPU-GPU pairings achieve higher average FPS in Hitman 2. This includes combos with older, but higher-end, desktop GPUs that have more raw compute power. The RTX 4060 Mobile’s nearest GPU rivals, like the RTX 2080, might be paired with CPUs that yield better game-specific results. The data indicates that while the Ultra 7 155H is a powerful processor, and the RTX 4060 Mobile is a capable GPU, their combined performance in this specific title places them in the middle of the pack. The rank of 2271 out of 3711 is a clear signal that this is not a top-tier gaming combo for Hitman 2, despite the individual strengths of its components.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS across resolutions reveals a classic pattern of GPU-bound scaling. At 1080p with High settings, the combo averages 87 FPS. Moving to 1440p High, the frame rate drops to 55 FPS, a reduction of 32 FPS or approximately 37%. Moving from 1440p to 4K High, the frame rate drops further to 30 FPS, a reduction of 25 FPS or approximately 45%. The total drop from 1080p High to 4K High is from 87 FPS to 30 FPS, a 57 FPS reduction, which is a 65.5% decrease.

This scaling behavior indicates that the GPU is the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions. The number of pixels being rendered increases significantly: 1920x1080 has roughly 2.07 million pixels, 2560x1440 has roughly 3.69 million pixels, and 3840x2160 has roughly 8.29 million pixels. The frame rate drops are not perfectly proportional to the pixel count increase, but they are substantial. For instance, the pixel count quadruples from 1080p to 4K, but the frame rate at High settings drops from 87 to 30, which is a 2.9x reduction. This suggests that the GPU is struggling to maintain its efficiency as pixel count rises, which is typical for a mobile GPU with a 128-bit memory bus and 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth.

The CPU’s role becomes less influential as resolution increases. At 1080p, the CPU has more headroom, allowing for high frame rates like 153 FPS on Low settings. At 4K, even with Low settings, the frame rate is only 52 FPS. This implies that the GPU is the bottleneck, as lowering the resolution to 1080p with Low settings yields 153 FPS, showing the CPU can handle a much higher frame rate than what the GPU can deliver at 4K. The data strongly suggests that for this combo in Hitman 2, the RTX 4060 Mobile is the limiting component at 1440p and 4K, while the CPU is sufficient to avoid being a bottleneck at 1080p.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The dataset provides exact FPS measurements for each resolution and settings combination. This breakdown serves as a reference for understanding the performance envelope of this hardware pairing.

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: Average FPS is 153. This is the highest frame rate recorded for this combo, indicating minimal GPU load and strong CPU performance.
• Medium: Average FPS is 115, with a minimum of 97 and a maximum of 132. The variance suggests some scenes are more demanding, but the overall experience is very smooth.
• High: Average FPS is 87. This is a solid frame rate for a stealth game, providing good responsiveness and smooth camera movement.
• Ultra: Average FPS is 64. This is just above the 60 FPS target, making it playable, but the margin is not large.

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: Average FPS is 98. This indicates that at low settings, the GPU can handle 1440p well, though the visual quality is reduced.
• Medium: Average FPS is 73, with a minimum of 62 and a maximum of 84. The minimum frame rate of 62 FPS shows that even in demanding scenes, it stays above 60 FPS.
• High: Average FPS is 55. This is below the 60 FPS threshold, which may result in noticeable stutter or less smooth gameplay.
• Ultra: Average FPS is 41. The visual quality is high, but the frame rate is not ideal for a fast-paced stealth action game.

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: Average FPS is 52. This is the only 4K setting that approaches playability, though it falls short of 60 FPS.
• Medium: Average FPS is 39, with a minimum of 33 and a maximum of 45. The minimum frame rate of 33 FPS indicates significant dips that could harm gameplay.
• High: Average FPS is 30. This is at the edge of playability for some, but the low average suggests inconsistent performance.
• Ultra: Average FPS is 22. This is a slideshow-like experience and not suitable for gameplay.

The data shows a clear tiering of performance. At 1080p, all settings are playable, with Ultra being a viable choice. At 1440p, Medium is the sweet spot. At 4K, only Low is recommended, and even then, it is not ideal. The min and max FPS data for Medium settings at each resolution shows consistency, with 1080p Medium having a range of 97-132, 1440p Medium having a range of 62-84, and 4K Medium having a range of 33-45. This pattern further confirms the GPU as the limiting factor, as the performance degrades predictably with increasing resolution.

FAQ

Q: What is the best settings preset for this combo at 1920x1080?

A: The Ultra preset at 1080p yields an average of 64 FPS, which is above 60 FPS. This provides the best visual quality while maintaining a playable frame rate. The High preset at 87 FPS is also excellent for those who prefer higher frame rates.

Q: Why is the 4K performance so low even on Low settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Low settings, the average FPS is 52. The GPU is the limiting factor, as the RTX 4060 Mobile’s 11.61 TFLOPS of compute and 256.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth are insufficient to render 4K at high frame rates. The pixel count is four times that of 1080p, causing a significant performance drop.

Q: How does the RTX 4060 Mobile compare to its nearest rival GPU?

A: The RTX 4060 Mobile’s nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080, which has an average score of 22895, a -0.7% delta. The AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT is 0.8% faster, and the Intel Arc B580 is 1.3% faster. The performance difference is minimal.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in Hitman 2 for this system?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the bottleneck at 1440p and 4K. At 1080p, the CPU can push frame rates up to 153 FPS on Low settings, but at 4K, even Low settings only achieve 52 FPS, showing the GPU is limiting performance.

Q: What is the combo’s overall rank in the database for this game?

A: The combo of the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile ranks 2271 out of 3711 tested combinations in Hitman 2. This places it in the lower half of all tested systems.

Q: Does the CPU have enough cores and threads for Hitman 2?

A: Yes, the 16 cores and 22 threads are more than sufficient. The CPU’s performance is not a limiting factor, as evidenced by the high frame rates at 1080p Low. The processor’s 4.80 GHz boost clock and 24 MB of L3 cache provide ample performance for the game’s logic.