Hitman 2

# FAQ

Q: What is the combo rank of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265HX paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 in Hitman 2?

A: This combo ranks 1606 out of 3001 tested combinations, placing it in the 54th percentile of all measured setups. This mid-pack position suggests balanced but not exceptional performance for this specific title.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in average benchmark score?

A: The Core Ultra 7 265HX has an average benchmark score of 63173, which is 0.1% higher than the Intel Core i7-13790F (63080), 0.2% lower than the AMD Ryzen AI 7 450G (63331), 0.5% higher than the AMD Ryzen AI Embedded P185 (62839), and 0.7% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX (62738). These are extremely tight margins, indicating near-identical overall CPU performance among these four processors.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking among all GPUs?

A: The RTX 4070 sits at the 81st percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 37648. Its closest rival is the NVIDIA Tesla P4, which scores 37628 (0.1% lower), followed by the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 at 37507 (0.4% lower).

Q: What is the maximum average FPS achievable with this combo at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves 171 FPS average. This is the highest average FPS recorded across all tested settings and resolutions.

Q: Does this CPU support overclocking?

A: Yes, the Intel Core Ultra 7 265HX has an unlocked multiplier, making it overclockable. It features 20 cores and 20 threads with a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz.

Q: What is the GPU's memory configuration?

A: The RTX 4070 comes with 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, providing 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The memory operates at 1313 MHz, translating to 21 Gbps effective.

# How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265HX and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 combination achieves rank 1606 out of 3001 tested combos in Hitman 2. This places the pairing almost exactly in the middle of the distribution — a notable outcome given that both components individually sit at respectable positions in their respective benchmark hierarchies. The CPU holds the 93rd percentile among all processors, while the GPU holds the 81st percentile among all GPUs. The fact that the combined result lands at the 54th percentile of game-specific combos suggests that Hitman 2's workload characteristics do not fully leverage the strengths of either component, or that the game's optimization favors different hardware pairings.

The combination's mid-pack rank becomes more telling when examining the individual component performance deltas. The CPU's average benchmark score of 63173 places it within 0.7% of its four nearest rivals, all of which are within a narrow 593-point band. This clustering indicates that the 265HX offers no meaningful CPU advantage over the Core i7-13790F, Ryzen AI 7 450G, Ryzen AI Embedded P185, or Core Ultra 7 255HX in synthetic workloads. Similarly, the RTX 4070's average score of 37648 is nearly identical to the Tesla P4's 37628, with the RTX 4080 Mobile only 1.3% higher at 38135. The game-specific rank therefore reflects a combination that is neither CPU-bound nor GPU-bound in an exceptional way — it simply performs at a level consistent with its component positions, landing in the middle of the field.

This rank carries practical implications for expectations. At rank 1606, roughly 46% of tested combos outperform this pairing, while 47% underperform it. The data suggests that users seeking top-tier Hitman 2 performance would need to look toward combos ranked significantly higher, potentially those pairing higher-end CPUs with the RTX 4080 Mobile or above. However, the measured FPS data reveals that this mid-pack rank does not translate into poor playability — the combo delivers playable frame rates at most settings, with only the most demanding configuration falling below 30 FPS.

# GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 plays the primary role in determining Hitman 2's frame rates across the tested configurations. Built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process from TSMC, the GPU houses 35,800 million transistors on a 294 mm² die. Its 5888 shading units, 184 texture mapping units, and 64 raster output pipelines provide the raw throughput necessary for the game's rendering demands. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1920 MHz with a boost clock of 2475 MHz, and its 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus delivers 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth — a configuration well-suited to Hitman 2's detailed environments and crowd scenes.

The memory subsystem deserves particular attention. Hitman 2's levels feature dense geometry, complex lighting, and numerous interactive elements that benefit from ample VRAM. The 12 GB capacity ensures the GPU does not experience memory pressure at any tested setting, even at 4K Ultra where the average FPS drops to 24. The 504.2 GB/s bandwidth provides sufficient throughput for texture streaming and geometry processing, though the performance scaling across resolutions suggests that raw compute power — specifically the 29.15 TFLOPS FP32 throughput — becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions.

The GPU's benchmark results contextualize its performance. The PassMark G3D score of 26927 and DirectX 12 score of 103 indicate strong DirectX 12 performance, which is relevant since Hitman 2 supports modern API features. The Geekbench Vulkan score of 174152 further demonstrates the GPU's capability in modern graphics APIs. The GPU's 81st percentile ranking among all GPUs confirms it sits in the upper tier of available hardware, though its nearest rival comparisons — being within 1.3% of the RTX 4080 Mobile and only 0.4% from the RX Vega 56 — show that the competitive field is tight at this performance level.

# Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its strongest results. Low settings produce an average of 171 FPS, which drops to 129 FPS at Medium (with a minimum of 109 and maximum of 148), 97 FPS at High, and 72 FPS at Ultra. The scaling from Low to Ultra represents a 58% reduction in average FPS, from 171 down to 72. This range indicates that even at the highest settings, the game remains comfortably playable on a 60 Hz display, and at Low settings, the system can drive high-refresh-rate monitors effectively.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance profile shifts downward. Low settings yield 110 FPS average, Medium drops to 82 FPS (minimum 70, maximum 95), High produces 62 FPS, and Ultra falls to 46 FPS. The percentage drop from 1080p to 1440p ranges from 30% at Low (171 to 110) to 36% at Ultra (72 to 46). All settings remain above 45 FPS, meaning the game stays playable throughout, though Ultra at 1440p approaches the threshold where competitive players might notice reduced smoothness.

At 3840x2160, the demands of 4K rendering become evident. Low settings produce 58 FPS average, Medium drops to 44 FPS (minimum 37, maximum 50), High falls to 33 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 24 FPS. The Medium setting at 4K shows the only recorded minimum below 40 FPS at 37, while Ultra's 24 FPS average is the sole configuration that falls below the 30 FPS playability threshold. The scaling from 1080p to 4K shows reductions of 66% at Low (171 to 58), 66% at Medium (129 to 44), 66% at High (97 to 33), and 67% at Ultra (72 to 24).

The frame time consistency, where available, shows reasonable behavior. At 1080p Medium, the 109-148 FPS range represents a 36% spread between minimum and maximum, while at 1440p Medium the 70-95 range shows a 36% spread, and at 4K Medium the 37-50 range shows a 35% spread. This consistency across resolutions suggests stable frame pacing rather than sporadic spikes or drops.

# CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265HX provides the computational foundation for this combo. With 20 cores and 20 threads, the CPU offers substantial parallel processing capability, though Hitman 2's engine may not fully utilize all available threads. The base clock of 2.60 GHz and boost clock of 5.30 GHz represent a wide dynamic range, allowing the processor to scale from power-efficient operation to high-performance bursts as needed. The 30 MB of shared L3 cache, supplemented by 192 KB of L1 and 3 MB of L2 per core, provides ample on-chip storage for game data.

The CPU's benchmark scores indicate strong single-threaded and multi-threaded performance. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 40642 and single-core score of 5737 demonstrate capability in both metrics. The PassMark multi-thread score of 47985 and single-thread score of 4500 reinforce this picture. The 93rd percentile ranking among all CPUs places the 265HX in the top 7% of processors, indicating it is not a bottleneck in most gaming scenarios.

In Hitman 2, the CPU's role appears secondary to the GPU based on the measured FPS scaling. The game's AI routines, physics calculations, and scene management can benefit from strong single-threaded performance, which the 265HX provides with its 5.30 GHz boost clock. The 20-thread configuration ensures that background processes and game logic do not compete for resources, though the relatively modest performance differences between this CPU and its nearest rivals — all within 0.7% in average benchmark score — suggest that CPU choice among these alternatives would have minimal impact on Hitman 2 frame rates.

The CPU's memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s via dual-channel DDR5 support provides adequate data throughput for feeding the GPU. The 20 PCIe Gen 5 lanes from the CPU ensure that the GPU has sufficient bandwidth for data transfer, though the RTX 4070's PCIe 4.0 x16 interface means it operates within its native bandwidth envelope.

# Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance for optimal settings at each resolution. At 1920x1080, Ultra settings deliver 72 FPS average, which exceeds the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay on standard displays. For users with high-refresh-rate monitors, High settings at 97 FPS offer a better balance between visual quality and frame rate, while Medium at 129 FPS provides even higher headroom. Low at 171 FPS is only recommended for competitive play where maximum frame rates take priority over visual fidelity.

At 2560x1440, High settings at 62 FPS average provide the best experience for users targeting 60 FPS gameplay. Ultra drops to 46 FPS, which may be acceptable for slower-paced stealth gameplay but falls short of the smoothness most players expect. Medium at 82 FPS offers a comfortable margin above 60 FPS and represents the sweet spot for 1440p if visual quality can be slightly compromised. Low at 110 FPS is unnecessary given the playable frame rates at higher settings.

At 3840x2160, the recommendations shift toward lower settings. Low at 58 FPS is the only 4K configuration that exceeds 60 FPS, making it the clear choice for players prioritizing frame rate at this resolution. Medium at 44 FPS remains playable for Hitman 2's methodical gameplay, though the 37 FPS minimum recorded in this configuration approaches the edge of comfort. High at 33 FPS and Ultra at 24 FPS are only recommended for players who prioritize visual fidelity above all else and can tolerate reduced smoothness.

The overall recommendation across all resolutions is Medium settings as the baseline. This setting consistently delivers playable frame rates — 129 FPS at 1080p, 82 FPS at 1440p, and 44 FPS at 4K — while maintaining reasonable visual quality. Users with lower resolution displays or higher tolerance for reduced quality can step up to High, while those with high-refresh-rate monitors at 1080p may prefer Medium or Low to maximize frame rates.

# Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals the system's performance characteristics under increasing resolution demands. At every settings level, the frame rate reduction from 1080p to 4K is remarkably consistent: Low drops from 171 to 58 (66% reduction), Medium drops from 129 to 44 (66%), High drops from 97 to 33 (66%), and Ultra drops from 72 to 24 (67%). This uniform scaling pattern indicates that the GPU's compute and memory resources scale predictably with pixel count, with no sudden bottlenecks emerging at specific resolutions.

The consistent 66-67% reduction across all settings suggests that the GPU is the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the scaling would be less pronounced at lower settings (where frame rates are higher and CPU load increases) and more pronounced at higher settings (where GPU load dominates). Instead, the uniform scaling indicates that GPU throughput governs performance at all settings, with the CPU providing sufficient headroom to avoid becoming a constraint.

The intermediate step from 1080p to 1440p shows reductions of 36% at Low (171 to 110), 36% at Medium (129 to 82), 36% at High (97 to 62), and 36% at Ultra (72 to 46). The step from 1440p to 4K shows reductions of 47% at Low (110 to 58), 46% at Medium (82 to 44), 47% at High (62 to 33), and 48% at Ultra (46 to 24). The larger percentage drop from 1440p to 4K reflects the 2.25x pixel increase between these resolutions, compared to the 1.78x increase from 1080p to 1440p.

This scaling behavior has practical implications. Players targeting 4K must accept significantly lower settings to maintain playable frame rates, with Low settings being the only configuration that stays above 55 FPS. Those willing to drop to 1440p gain substantial headroom, with even Ultra settings maintaining 46 FPS. The data suggests that 1440p represents the optimal resolution for this combo — it offers a 78% improvement in pixel count over 1080p while maintaining playable frame rates at all settings, whereas 4K's additional pixel density comes at a cost of reduced settings and frame rates.