Hitman 2

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 delivers a highly playable Hitman 2 experience at mainstream resolutions, though 4K Ultra demands significant compromises. The data shows a clear performance hierarchy across the tested settings, with the combo ranking in the 1042nd position out of 1795 tested combinations, placing it in the upper-middle tier of the database. This pairing is not a top-tier contender, but it provides a solid foundation for smooth gameplay at 1080p and 1440p, with the CPU’s strong showing in synthetic benchmarks suggesting it is not the limiting factor in most scenarios.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Hitman 2?

A: The data indicates 1920x1080 is the sweet spot, with average frame rates ranging from 71.8 FPS at Ultra to 173.2 FPS at Low. At 2560x1440, the combo remains viable, with High settings delivering 61 FPS, but 3840x2160 only achieves a playable 32.6 FPS on High.

Q: How does the RTX 4060 compare to its closest rivals in overall GPU benchmarks?

A: The RTX 4060’s average benchmark score is 23181, placing it 0.7% ahead of the Intel Arc B580 and 0.8% ahead of the AMD Radeon 760M. It trails the AMD Radeon RX 6600M and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti by 0.6% and 0.7% respectively, indicating near-parity with these competing cards.

Q: Is the Core Ultra 7 265K a bottleneck for the RTX 4060?

A: The CPU’s average benchmark score of 79102 places it in the 97th percentile of all CPUs, with its closest rival, the Core Ultra 7 265KF, being only 0.2% faster. Its strong single-threaded performance (7060 in Cinebench R23) suggests it is well-equipped to feed the GPU, meaning the RTX 4060 is likely the primary determinant of frame rates.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: The gap is substantial. The average frame rate at Low settings is 173.2 FPS, which is 101.4 FPS higher than the 71.8 FPS achieved at Ultra. This represents a 141% increase in performance when dropping from the highest to the lowest preset.

Q: Can this combo handle 1440p gaming?

A: Yes, for most presets. The data shows 108.3 FPS at Low, 85.2 FPS at Medium, and 61 FPS at High settings. However, the Ultra preset drops to 47.3 FPS, which may not be ideal for all players seeking a consistently smooth experience.

Q: How does the CPU’s multi-core performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: In the Cinebench R23 multi-core test, the 265K scores 50009 points. This is 0.2% lower than the Core Ultra 7 265KF and 0.9% lower than the Intel Core i9-14900K, showing it is essentially on par with its immediate competitors in heavily threaded workloads.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is the central piece of this combo, and its specifications directly explain the measured frame rates. The GPU operates with a base clock of 1830 MHz and a boost clock of 2460 MHz, and it is equipped with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s. This memory configuration is adequate for the game’s demands at the tested resolutions, but the performance scaling across settings suggests that compute throughput, not memory bandwidth, is the primary constraint.

With 3072 shading units, 96 texture mapping units, and 48 raster output pipelines, the RTX 4060 delivers a FP32 performance of 15.11 TFLOPS. This raw compute power is reflected in the benchmark results, where the card achieves a Passmark G3D score of 19545. In the context of Hitman 2, the data shows that the GPU’s performance scales predictably with resolution. For instance, at High settings, the average frame rate drops from 95.4 FPS at 1920x1080 to 61 FPS at 2560x1440, and further to 32.6 FPS at 3840x2160. This indicates that the card is being pushed to its limits as pixel count increases.

The RTX 4060’s percentile ranking of 66 against all GPUs places it firmly in the mid-range segment. Its average benchmark score of 23181 is nearly identical to that of the AMD Radeon RX 6600M, which trails by only 0.6%. This close competition is reflected in the gaming results, where the RTX 4060 can deliver high refresh rates at 1080p but struggles to maintain playable frame rates at 4K Ultra. The GPU’s 8 GB memory capacity is a notable factor; while it is sufficient for the current settings, it is a limiting factor for extreme resolutions or future titles with higher memory demands.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is ranked 1042 out of 1795 tested combinations in Hitman 2. This places it in the 58th percentile of all tested systems, indicating that it performs better than the majority of combinations in the database, but it is far from the top. The ranking suggests that this is a capable mid-range setup, not a high-end enthusiast configuration.

The CPU’s benchmark scores suggest it is not holding the system back. With a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 50009, the 265K is only 0.2% behind the Core Ultra 7 265KF and 0.9% behind the Intel Core i9-14900K. Its single-threaded score of 7060 is also strong. This means that in a game like Hitman 2, which can be CPU-sensitive in certain scenes, the processor is providing a solid foundation. The GPU, which ranks in the 66th percentile of all GPUs, is more likely the determining factor for the combo’s overall position.

The deltaPct values for the CPU’s rivals highlight the tight competition at the top. The 265K is essentially tied with the 265KF and the i9-14900KF, with a difference of only 0.2%. This indicates that swapping to a slightly different high-end CPU would not materially change the in-game experience. The combo’s rank of 1042, therefore, is a function of the GPU’s mid-range standing rather than any CPU deficiency. This is a balanced pairing where the GPU is the clear performance limiter.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the combo’s performance across three resolutions and four quality presets. At 1920x1080, the results are consistently strong. The Low preset yields an average of 173.2 FPS, Medium produces 130.9 FPS, High drops to 95.4 FPS, and Ultra maintains a solid 71.8 FPS. These numbers show that the combo is well-suited for high-refresh-rate monitors at 1080p, even with maximum settings, as all presets exceed the 60 FPS threshold.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance scales down but remains acceptable for most users. The Low preset still delivers 108.3 FPS, Medium achieves 85.2 FPS, and High hits 61 FPS. However, the Ultra preset falls to 47.3 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target that many players prefer for a smooth experience. This suggests that for 1440p, the High preset is the optimal balance of visual quality and performance.

At 3840x2160, the combo struggles to maintain playable frame rates. The Low preset is the only option that approaches 60 FPS, with an average of 57.9 FPS. Medium drops to 44.7 FPS, High falls to 32.6 FPS, and Ultra is essentially unplayable at 21.9 FPS. The data clearly indicates that 4K gaming is not a viable option for this combination, except perhaps at the lowest settings, and even then it is close to the edge of playability.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal experience for this combo is at 1920x1080 with the Ultra preset, which delivers an average of 71.8 FPS. This provides the highest visual fidelity while still maintaining a frame rate that is above the standard 60 FPS target. For players who prioritize a higher refresh rate, the High preset at 95.4 FPS is an excellent choice, offering a significant increase in smoothness with a minor reduction in visual quality.

At 2560x1440, the High preset is the clear recommendation. It delivers a playable 61 FPS, which is the minimum threshold for a smooth experience. The Ultra preset at 47.3 FPS may be acceptable for slower-paced games, but in a stealth title like Hitman 2, consistent frame pacing is important for precise movement and aiming. The Medium preset at 85.2 FPS is a viable alternative for those who prefer higher frame rates over maximum detail.

For 3840x2160, the data suggests avoiding this resolution entirely. The highest playable preset is Low, which averages 57.9 FPS, but this requires a significant downgrade in visual quality. The Medium preset at 44.7 FPS is borderline, and High and Ultra are not recommended due to sub-30 FPS averages. The best experience at this resolution would be to lower the resolution to 1440p and use the High preset, which provides a much better balance of visuals and performance.