Hitman 2

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and AMD Radeon RX 7700 combination produces a highly playable Hitman 2 experience at 1080p and 1440p, with performance scaling predictably as resolution increases. The data places this pairing at rank 1371 out of 3001 tested combos, positioning it in the upper-middle tier of the database. Benchmark results indicate that the system is well-balanced for this stealth title, with the CPU providing ample headroom and the GPU becoming the primary constraint only at 4K Ultra settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 brings substantial processing power to Hitman 2, featuring 20 cores and 20 threads based on the Arrow Lake architecture. Its base clock of 2.40 GHz can boost up to 5.30 GHz, providing strong single-thread performance that matters for game logic and AI calculations. The CPU's L3 cache totals 30 MB shared across the cores, with 192 KB L1 and 3 MB L2 per core, ensuring fast access to frequently used data.

In CPU-centric benchmarks, this processor demonstrates excellent capability. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 42216 and single-core score of 5960 place it in the 93rd percentile among all CPUs tested. PassMark's multithread score of 49682 and single-thread score of 4689 reinforce this picture. The data shows the Ultra 7 265 sits very close to several enterprise-class rivals: it trails the AMD EPYC 4464P by only 0.3%, edges out the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F by 0.3%, and leads the AMD EPYC 7343 by 0.7% in average benchmark scores.

For Hitman 2 specifically, the CPU's role is evident in the FPS consistency across settings at 1080p. At Low settings, the system achieves 182 FPS, which is remarkably high and suggests the CPU can feed frames far beyond typical display refresh rates. The CPU's 20 threads handle the game's simulation and AI workloads without becoming a bottleneck, as evidenced by the fact that frame rates scale almost linearly with GPU load when moving from 1080p to 1440p.

The processor's 65W TDP and dual-channel DDR5 memory support with 102.4 GB/s bandwidth provide sufficient memory throughput for Hitman 2's open-ended level design. While the game launched in 2018, the modern architecture ensures compatibility with contemporary system requirements. The PassMark physics score of 2923 and data compression score of 522983 indicate robust general-purpose performance that translates well to game physics and asset streaming.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 serves as the primary graphics engine, built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with the Navi 32 chip. It features 2560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 96 ROPs, with 40 ray tracing cores. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1900 MHz, boosting to 2459 MHz, with a game clock of 2041 MHz. Memory configuration includes 16 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, delivering 624.1 GB/s of bandwidth.

In synthetic benchmarks, the RX 7700 achieves a PassMark G3D score of 20974 and a Geekbench OpenCL score of 106028. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test yields 2865 points. These results place the GPU in the 58th percentile among all GPUs tested. The nearest rivals show tight competition: the AMD Radeon R9 370X is just 0.1% behind, the AMD Radeon RX 9060 leads by 1%, and the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 trails by 1.1%. Notably, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti scores 1.7% higher on average.

For Hitman 2, the GPU's 16 GB VRAM proves ample even at 4K Ultra settings, where the game's large environments and detailed textures demand significant memory. The 96 ROPs deliver a pixel rate of 236.1 GPixel/s, while the 393.4 GTexel/s texture rate handles the game's detailed surfaces. The FP32 performance of 25.18 TFLOPS provides comfortable headroom for the game's DirectX 12 rendering path.

The GPU's role becomes clear when examining frame rates across resolutions. At 1080p Low, the system hits 182 FPS, showing the GPU is not limiting at lower settings. However, at 4K Ultra, performance drops to 26 FPS, indicating the GPU becomes the bottleneck as pixel count quadruples from 1080p. The GPU's 200W TDP and dual-slot design with 2x 8-pin power connectors suggest it can sustain high clock speeds during extended gaming sessions.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals clear scaling patterns across the three tested resolutions. At 1080p, the system delivers 182 FPS at Low settings, 136 FPS at Medium, 103 FPS at High, and 76 FPS at Ultra. Moving to 1440p, these figures drop to 116 FPS at Low, 87 FPS at Medium, 66 FPS at High, and 49 FPS at Ultra. At 4K, performance falls further to 62 FPS at Low, 46 FPS at Medium, 35 FPS at High, and 26 FPS at Ultra.

The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a reduction of approximately 36-37% across all settings, which aligns with the pixel count increase of about 78%. This suggests that the system remains GPU-bound at these resolutions, with the CPU providing consistent frame delivery. The drop from 1440p to 4K is more dramatic: Low settings fall from 116 to 62 FPS (a 47% reduction), Medium from 87 to 46 FPS (47% reduction), High from 66 to 35 FPS (47% reduction), and Ultra from 49 to 26 FPS (47% reduction).

These consistent percentage drops indicate that the GPU is the limiting component at 4K, as the CPU's performance headroom remains constant across resolutions. The 16 GB VRAM does not appear to be a constraint, as the game does not show anomalous behavior at 4K that would suggest memory pressure. The data shows that 1080p is clearly CPU-bound at Low settings, where 182 FPS likely exceeds the CPU's ability to feed frames faster, but becomes progressively GPU-bound as settings increase.

The 4K Ultra result of 26 FPS is notably below playable thresholds, while 4K Low at 62 FPS remains smooth. The 1440p results are universally playable, with even Ultra settings maintaining 49 FPS. The 1080p results are excellent across the board, with Ultra still delivering 76 FPS. This scaling pattern suggests that the system's sweet spot for high refresh rate gaming is at 1080p, with 1440p offering a good balance of visual quality and performance.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1080p, all settings deliver playable performance, but the data shows diminishing returns above High settings. The jump from High at 103 FPS to Ultra at 76 FPS represents a 26% performance cost for incremental visual improvements. For competitive or fast-paced play, Medium at 136 FPS offers excellent smoothness, while High at 103 FPS provides a good balance.

At 1440p, the Medium preset at 87 FPS emerges as the best overall choice, delivering fluid gameplay while maintaining solid visual quality. The High preset at 66 FPS remains playable for most users, but the gap to Ultra at 49 FPS widens. The measured minimum and maximum values for Medium at 1440p (74-100 FPS) confirm consistent frame delivery without significant dips. For users prioritizing visual fidelity over frame rate, High at 66 FPS is recommended over Ultra at 49 FPS, as the latter approaches the threshold where motion smoothness degrades noticeably.

At 4K, the situation is more constrained. The Low preset at 62 FPS is the only setting that consistently stays above 60 FPS, while Medium at 46 FPS and High at 35 FPS are borderline playable. The Ultra preset at 26 FPS is not recommended for active gameplay. The data suggests that 4K users should either accept Low settings for smooth performance or consider reducing resolution to 1440p for better visual quality at higher frame rates.

The Medium preset's measured min/max values across all resolutions show the most stable frame pacing: 116-157 FPS at 1080p, 74-100 FPS at 1440p, and 39-53 FPS at 4K. This consistency makes Medium the recommended default for users who want predictable performance. The High preset lacks min/max data in the measured rows, suggesting the benchmark focused on average performance for that setting.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU-GPU combination in Hitman 2?

A: The data shows 1440p as the optimal balance, with Medium settings delivering 87 FPS and High settings maintaining 66 FPS. At 1080p, all settings exceed 76 FPS, while 4K only achieves playable frame rates at Low settings (62 FPS).

Q: How does the RX 7700 compare to the RTX 3060 Ti in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The average benchmark scores show the RTX 3060 Ti is 1.7% higher than the RX 7700. The RX 7700 scores 15852 on average, while the RTX 3060 Ti achieves 16129 in the nearest rivals comparison.

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 strong enough for this game?

A: Yes, the CPU's 93rd percentile ranking among all CPUs and its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 42216 indicate it provides ample performance. The 1080p Low result of 182 FPS suggests the CPU is not the limiting factor at any tested resolution.

Q: Can this system run Hitman 2 at 4K?

A: It can run at 4K, but only at Low settings does it maintain smooth performance (62 FPS). Medium drops to 46 FPS, High to 35 FPS, and Ultra to 26 FPS, making these settings less suitable for active gameplay.

Q: What are the measured frame ranges for Medium settings?

A: At 1080p, Medium ranges from 116 to 157 FPS with an average of 136. At 1440p, Medium ranges from 74 to 100 FPS with an average of 87. At 4K, Medium ranges from 39 to 53 FPS with an average of 46.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested systems?

A: This combination ranks 1371 out of 3001 tested combos, placing it in the 54th percentile overall. The rank reflects the balanced performance of the Core Ultra 7 265 and RX 7700 for this title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rate data provides a comprehensive view of performance across all tested configurations. At 1920x1080, the system achieves its highest frame rates: Low settings produce 182 FPS, Medium averages 136 FPS with a range of 116 to 157 FPS, High delivers 103 FPS, and Ultra drops to 76 FPS. These results indicate that 1080p gaming is exceptionally smooth, with even Ultra settings maintaining frame rates well above 60 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain strong but show the expected impact of increased pixel count. Low settings average 116 FPS, Medium averages 87 FPS with a range of 74 to 100 FPS, High delivers 66 FPS, and Ultra drops to 49 FPS. The 1440p results demonstrate that the system can handle high refresh rate gaming at medium settings, while maintaining playable frame rates even at Ultra.

At 3840x2160, performance becomes more constrained. Low settings average 62 FPS, making this the only 4K preset that consistently exceeds 60 FPS. Medium averages 46 FPS with a range of 39 to 53 FPS, High drops to 35 FPS, and Ultra falls to 26 FPS. The 4K results show that the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck at this resolution, with frame rates declining proportionally as settings increase.

The Medium preset is the only setting with complete min/max data across all three resolutions, providing insight into frame pacing. At 1080p, the 116-157 FPS range shows minimal variation, indicating stable performance. At 1440p, the 74-100 FPS range maintains consistency, while at 4K, the 39-53 FPS range shows more relative variation but remains within acceptable bounds. The absence of min/max data for Low, High, and Ultra presets in the measured rows limits direct comparison, but the average values follow expected scaling patterns.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and AMD Radeon RX 7700 achieves a rank of 1371 out of 3001 tested combos for Hitman 2. This places the system in the 54th percentile of all tested configurations, indicating that it outperforms a slight majority of setups while remaining behind top-tier combinations. The rank reflects the balanced nature of this pairing, where neither component severely bottlenecks the other.

The CPU's 93rd percentile ranking among all processors suggests that the Ultra 7 265 is not the limiting factor in this combo. Its nearest rivals in average benchmark score include the AMD EPYC 4464P at 64823 (0.3% higher), the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F at 64438 (0.3% lower), the AMD EPYC 7343 at 64202 (0.7% lower), and the AMD EPYC 9124 at 65104 (0.7% higher). This grouping shows that the CPU performs consistently with other high-end processors.

The GPU's 58th percentile ranking among all graphics cards indicates that the RX 7700 is closer to the mid-range of tested GPUs. Its nearest rivals in average benchmark score include the AMD Radeon R9 370X at 15862 (0.1% higher), the AMD Radeon RX 9060 at 16014 (1% higher), the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 at 15679 (1.1% lower), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti at 16129 (1.7% higher). This positioning explains why the combo ranks in the middle of the overall distribution.

The measured FPS data supports this ranking by showing that the system performs best at 1080p and 1440p, where the CPU's strength complements the GPU's capabilities. At 4K, the GPU's mid-range positioning becomes apparent, with frame rates dropping to levels that limit the overall experience. The combo's rank of 1371 reflects this mixed performance profile, where excellent 1080p and 1440p results are tempered by weaker 4K performance.