Hitman 2

# Hitman 2 with Intel Core Ultra 7 165H + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060

The Intel Core Ultra 7 165H paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 lands at rank 1817 out of 3001 tested combos in Hitman 2, placing it in the lower half of the database. This mobile-first pairing delivers playable frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, but struggles at 4K, with performance scaling that reveals a GPU-bound workload at higher resolutions. The data paints a picture of a competent mid-range laptop configuration that handles Hitman 2's stealth sandboxes well at mainstream settings, yet the combination's overall standing suggests that many desktop-oriented combos outperform it in this particular title.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 165H brings 16 cores and 22 threads to the table, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. This Meteor Lake architecture chip, built on Intel's 7 nm process, features a 24 MB shared L3 cache and 2 MB L2 per core, with an integrated Arc Xe-LPG 128EU graphics solution. In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU scores 2641 in Cinebench R15 multi-core, 9233 in R20 multi-core, and 14551 in R23 multi-core, with single-core scores of 257, 1303, and 1759 respectively. The PassMark multi-thread score of 25933 and single-thread score of 3509 indicate solid all-around compute capability, placing this chip in the 84th percentile against all CPUs.

For Hitman 2, a game from 2018, the CPU's single-thread performance is particularly relevant. The game's AI routines and physics calculations in crowded environments benefit from strong per-core performance, and the 5.00 GHz boost clock helps here. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1759 suggests this processor handles the game's logic threads efficiently. The multi-core scores, while strong, are less critical for Hitman 2, which typically doesn't scale across all 16 cores. The data shows the chip's nearest rivals include the Intel Core Ultra 5 338H with an average score of 33989 (0.3% delta), the AMD EPYC 4244P at 34220 (-0.4%), and the AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 at 34222 (-0.4%). These tight deltas indicate that in CPU-bound scenarios, the Core Ultra 7 165H performs nearly identically to these alternatives.

The CPU's TDP of 28 watts, combined with its mobile BGA 2049 socket, positions it as an efficiency-focused part. In Hitman 2, where frame rates at 1080p Low reach 153 FPS, the CPU is clearly capable of feeding the GPU enough data. However, the measured FPS data suggests that even at lower resolutions, the GPU becomes the limiting factor quickly. At 1080p Ultra, the average drops to 64 FPS, which is more than half the Low setting's 153 FPS — a pattern that points to GPU workload rather than CPU bottlenecks. The CPU's 89.6 GB/s memory bandwidth and dual-channel DDR5 support provide adequate data throughput for the game's streaming needs, though the 24 MB L3 cache may help with repeated texture access in the game's large, detailed maps.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with the AD107 chip, manufactured on TSMC's 5 nm process. It packs 3072 shading units, 96 TMUs, and 48 ROPs, with 24 RT cores and 96 tensor cores. The GPU runs at a base clock of 1830 MHz with a boost of 2460 MHz, and its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory operates at 2125 MHz (17 Gbps effective) across a 128-bit bus, yielding 272.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The card's FP32 performance is rated at 15.11 TFLOPS, and it supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, Vulkan 1.4, and OpenGL 4.6.

In Hitman 2, the RTX 4060's 8 GB VRAM is a defining characteristic. The game's detailed environments, with their dense crowds and complex lighting, require substantial memory at higher settings. The measured FPS data shows clear VRAM pressure at 4K: at 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 22, while 4K High achieves only 30 FPS. This steep decline from 1080p to 4K suggests the GPU runs out of memory bandwidth or capacity at higher resolutions. The 272.0 GB/s bandwidth, while respectable for the 128-bit bus, limits 4K performance. The GPU's PassMark G3D score of 19545 places it in the 61st percentile against all GPUs, with nearest rivals including the AMD Radeon HD 7790 (17666, -0.2% delta), AMD Radeon 780M (17588, 0.3%), and AMD Radeon Pro 560 (17551, 0.5%). These close scores indicate that in pure compute terms, the RTX 4060 sits near these older or integrated parts in this benchmark suite, though its gaming optimizations and feature set extend beyond raw scores.

The GPU's 115 W TDP and dual-slot design make it suitable for laptops, and the 300 W suggested PSU indicates modest system power requirements. In Hitman 2, the GPU's performance at 1080p Medium (115 FPS average) and 1440p Medium (73 FPS) shows it handles mainstream settings well. The drop from 1080p Medium to 1440p Medium is 36.5%, and from 1440p Medium to 4K Medium is 46.6%, highlighting how the GPU's memory bandwidth becomes a bottleneck at higher resolutions. The RTX 4060's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2302 and Geekbench Vulkan score of 48643 provide additional context, though Hitman 2's engine appears to favor the GPU's raw rasterization throughput over its ray tracing capabilities, which this 2018 title doesn't heavily utilize.

How This Combo Ranks

This combo ranks 1817 out of 3001 tested combinations, placing it in the 39.4th percentile. This means roughly 60% of tested combos outperform it in Hitman 2, while 39% perform worse. The rank reflects the pairing's mid-range positioning: the RTX 4060 is a capable 1080p card, and the Core Ultra 7 165H is a solid mobile CPU, but neither is top-tier. The data indicates that many desktop CPU and GPU pairings, even from older generations, achieve higher frame rates in this game.

The combo's rank relative to the CPU's 84th percentile and GPU's 61st percentile suggests the GPU is the weaker link in this pairing for Hitman 2. The CPU outperforms 84% of all CPUs in the database, yet the combined system only beats 39% of combos, implying the GPU drags down overall gaming performance. In Hitman 2, which is more GPU-intensive at higher settings, this imbalance becomes apparent. The 1080p Low score of 153 FPS shows the CPU's potential, but the 4K Ultra score of 22 FPS reveals the GPU's limitations.

The nearest rival combos in the database likely include systems with similar GPUs but different CPUs, or vice versa. Given the CPU's close benchmark scores to the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X and AMD Ryzen AI 7 350, combos with those processors and different GPUs could rank nearby. The data suggests that for Hitman 2, the combo's rank is primarily driven by the GPU's 4K performance ceiling rather than the CPU's capability. At 1080p and 1440p, the combo performs admirably, but the 4K results are weak enough to pull the overall ranking down.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1080p, the combo delivers strong performance across all settings. Low settings produce an average of 153 FPS, Medium yields 115 FPS (with a range of 97 to 132 FPS), High achieves 87 FPS, and Ultra drops to 64 FPS. These numbers show a clear progression: each settings tier costs roughly 25-30% performance. The jump from Low to Medium is 24.8%, Medium to High is 24.3%, and High to Ultra is 26.4%. This consistent scaling suggests the GPU is the primary bottleneck at this resolution.

Moving to 1440p, the averages drop significantly. Low settings deliver 98 FPS, Medium 73 FPS (range 62 to 84), High 55 FPS, and Ultra 41 FPS. The percentage drops from 1080p are substantial: Low falls 36.0%, Medium 36.5%, High 36.8%, and Ultra 35.9%. This uniformity indicates that resolution scaling affects all settings equally, pointing to a GPU-bound scenario where the 128-bit memory bus limits data throughput. The 1440p Medium range of 62-84 FPS shows variability, likely due to scene complexity in Hitman 2's crowded environments.

At 4K, performance becomes marginal. Low settings achieve 52 FPS, Medium 39 FPS (range 33 to 45), High 30 FPS, and Ultra 22 FPS. The drop from 1440p to 4K is stark: Low falls 46.9%, Medium 46.6%, High 45.5%, and Ultra 46.3%. This consistent ~46% reduction across all settings reinforces the GPU-memory-bound analysis. The 4K Medium range of 33-45 FPS indicates that even at medium quality, the game becomes borderline unplayable in demanding scenes. The 4K Ultra result of 22 FPS is below the 30 FPS threshold generally considered minimum for playable action, though Hitman 2's slower stealth gameplay might tolerate it.

Settings Recommendations

For 1080p gaming, the data supports High settings as the best balance. The 87 FPS average at High provides smooth gameplay while maintaining visual quality, and the 64 FPS at Ultra suggests that the extra visual fidelity comes at a 26.4% performance cost. Medium at 115 FPS is also viable for players prioritizing frame rate over visuals, but High's 87 FPS is well above the 60 FPS target. Low at 153 FPS offers no advantage for most displays and sacrifices too much visual detail.

At 1440p, Medium settings present the optimal choice. The 73 FPS average (with a range of 62 to 84 FPS) stays above 60 FPS for the majority of gameplay, while High drops to 55 FPS and Ultra to 41 FPS. The 1440p Medium minimum of 62 FPS indicates that even in demanding scenes, the game remains playable. High settings at 1440p might be acceptable for players who tolerate occasional dips below 60 FPS, but Medium provides the most consistent experience.

For 4K, the data suggests sticking with Low or Medium settings. Low at 52 FPS is the only 4K setting that approaches playable smoothness, while Medium at 39 FPS (range 33 to 45) can dip into the low 30s. High at 30 FPS and Ultra at 22 FPS are not recommended for active gameplay. Given Hitman 2's stealth mechanics, which require precise timing, frame rates below 30 FPS are problematic. The 4K Low setting of 52 FPS is the only viable option for 4K displays, and even then, players should expect occasional stutters in complex scenes.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drops from 1080p to 4K reveal a clear GPU bottleneck. At every settings level, the drop from 1080p to 1440p is approximately 36%, and from 1440p to 4K is approximately 46%. This consistent scaling across all settings indicates that the limiting factor is the GPU's memory bandwidth and processing power, not the CPU. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we'd expect smaller percentage drops at higher settings (where the GPU works harder) and larger drops at lower settings (where the CPU is more stressed).

The uniform ~36% drop from 1080p to 1440p and ~46% drop from 1440p to 4K suggests that the RTX 4060's 128-bit memory bus and 272.0 GB/s bandwidth are the primary constraints. At 4K, the GPU must process roughly four times the pixels of 1080p, and the memory subsystem struggles to keep up. The 8 GB VRAM capacity also becomes a factor at 4K Ultra, where the game's high-resolution textures likely exceed available memory, causing additional performance degradation.

The CPU's role in this scaling is minimal. The Core Ultra 7 165H's strong single-thread performance (Cinebench R23 score of 1759) ensures that even at 1080p Low (153 FPS), the CPU can feed frames quickly. However, the GPU's performance ceiling at 4K means that resolution scaling is entirely GPU-bound. The data shows that players wanting higher resolutions should consider a GPU with more memory bandwidth, while the CPU has headroom for future upgrades without becoming a bottleneck in this title.

FAQ

Q: What is the combo's overall rank in Hitman 2?

A: This combo ranks 1817 out of 3001 tested combinations, placing it in the lower half of the database at approximately the 39th percentile.

Q: Can this combo achieve 60 FPS at 1080p?

A: Yes, at 1080p Medium (115 FPS), High (87 FPS), and even Ultra (64 FPS) settings, the combo maintains averages above 60 FPS. Only at 4K does it struggle to hit 60 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 4K?

A: The GPU is clearly the limiting factor at 4K. The FPS drops from 1440p to 4K are consistent across all settings (approximately 46%), indicating the RTX 4060's 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus are the primary constraints.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1440p gaming?

A: Medium settings at 1440p provide the best experience, with an average of 73 FPS and a minimum of 62 FPS. This keeps gameplay above the 60 FPS threshold while maintaining reasonable visual quality.

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

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 165H's average benchmark score of 34083 is within 0.5% of the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X (34260), AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 (34222), and AMD EPYC 4244P (34220), indicating nearly identical compute performance.

Q: Does this combo support 4K gaming in Hitman 2?

A: Marginal support at best. At 4K Low, it achieves 52 FPS, but Medium drops to 39 FPS, High to 30 FPS, and Ultra to 22 FPS. Only Low settings provide a consistently playable experience at 4K.