Hitman 2

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

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K is a 20-core, 20-thread desktop processor built on the Arrow Lake architecture using a 3 nm process node. Its base clock runs at 3.90 GHz and it boosts to 5.50 GHz, with 30 MB of shared L3 cache. In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU posts a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 50009 and a single-core score of 7060, placing it in the 97th percentile of all tested CPUs.

For Hitman 2, a stealth game released in 2018, the CPU's high single-core performance matters more than its massive thread count. The game's engine is not heavily threaded, so the 265K's boost clock and per-core efficiency drive the measured frame rates. The PassMark single-thread score of 4904 reinforces that this processor can handle the game's primary simulation thread without bottlenecking. The CPU's multi-core strength—evidenced by a PassMark multithread score of 58838—provides headroom for background tasks, but it does not directly translate to higher FPS in this title.

The 265K's nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks are the Intel Core Ultra 7 265KF (0.2% lower average score), Intel Core i9-14900KF (0.2% lower), Intel Core i9-14900K (0.9% lower), and AMD EPYC 7413 (1.2% lower). This indicates that the 265K sits in a performance tier where CPU differences are minimal for gaming workloads. In Hitman 2 specifically, the data shows that the CPU is rarely the limiting factor—the FPS scaling across settings reveals the GPU takes over as the primary constraint at higher resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER ranks 318th out of 1795 tested combos in Hitman 2. This places the pairing in the top 18% of all configurations in the database, which is a strong result for a mainstream desktop setup.

The combo rank reflects the balance between CPU and GPU capabilities. While the 265K is a high-end processor (97th percentile among CPUs), the RTX 4070 SUPER sits in the 84th percentile among GPUs. The pairing's rank of 318 suggests that the GPU is the more limiting component in this game, as the CPU's performance headroom exceeds what the GPU can utilize at most settings. The measured FPS data confirms this: at 1080p Ultra, the combo achieves 112.7 FPS, while at 4K Ultra it drops to 37.6 FPS—a scaling pattern typical of GPU-bound scenarios.

The nearest GPU rivals in synthetic benchmarks include the NVIDIA RTX A6000 (0.2% higher average score), AMD Radeon RX 7650 GRE (0.3% higher), AMD Radeon Pro 580X (1.4% lower), and NVIDIA Tesla M40 (1.6% lower). These close margins in raw GPU benchmarks do not necessarily translate to identical gaming performance, but they indicate that the RTX 4070 SUPER is competitively positioned in its performance class.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear GPU-bound pattern as resolution increases. At 1080p Low, the combo delivers 264.7 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops this to 168 FPS, a 36.5% reduction. At 4K Low, the FPS falls to 88.4, which is 66.6% lower than the 1080p result. This steep scaling indicates that the RTX 4070 SUPER's rendering throughput is the limiting factor at higher resolutions.

At Ultra settings, the scaling is even more pronounced. The combo achieves 112.7 FPS at 1080p Ultra, 71.9 FPS at 1440p Ultra, and 37.6 FPS at 4K Ultra. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 36.2%, and from 1440p to 4K is 47.7%. This accelerating decline suggests that the GPU's memory bandwidth and compute resources become increasingly strained as pixel count rises.

The CPU's role in this scaling is minimal. At 1080p Low, the 264.7 FPS result shows that the CPU can feed the GPU well beyond typical refresh rates. Even at 4K Ultra, where the CPU workload is relatively lighter per frame, the processor maintains sufficient performance to avoid becoming the bottleneck. The data indicates that Hitman 2's demand on the 265K is modest, and the GPU dictates the playable experience across all tested resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

1080p: The combo delivers its highest frame rates at this resolution. At Low settings, the average FPS is 264.7. Medium settings yield 199.1 FPS, High settings produce 148.2 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 112.7 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra represents a 57.4% reduction in performance, which is substantial but expected given the increased rendering load.

1440p: At this resolution, the average FPS figures are 168 for Low, 127.6 for Medium, 95.8 for High, and 71.9 for Ultra. The drop from Low to Ultra is 57.2%, nearly identical to the 1080p scaling. This consistency suggests that the GPU's relative performance across settings is stable, with each preset tier imposing a similar proportional cost.

4K: The average FPS at 3840x2160 is 88.4 for Low, 66.8 for Medium, 53.3 for High, and 37.6 for Ultra. The Low-to-Ultra reduction is 57.5%, again matching the pattern seen at lower resolutions. However, the absolute values are significantly lower—even at Low settings, 4K produces fewer frames than 1080p Ultra.

Across all resolutions, the step from Medium to High costs roughly 25-30 FPS at 1080p and 1440p, while the High to Ultra step costs about 35 FPS at those resolutions. At 4K, the Medium-to-High drop is 13.5 FPS, and the High-to-Ultra drop is 15.7 FPS. These numbers indicate that Ultra settings impose a heavy rendering burden that the RTX 4070 SUPER cannot fully offset at higher resolutions.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process node. It features 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, providing 504.2 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The GPU's base clock is 1980 MHz with a boost clock of 2475 MHz, and it contains 7168 shading units, 224 texture mapping units, and 80 raster output units.

In Hitman 2, the GPU's 12 GB VRAM is sufficient for all tested settings and resolutions, as the game does not appear to exceed this capacity. The memory bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s supports the high texture loads at 4K Ultra, though the measured FPS of 37.6 suggests that the GPU's compute throughput—rather than memory capacity—is the limiting factor. The FP32 performance of 35.48 TFLOPS provides the raw shading power needed for the game's lighting and shadow effects.

The RTX 4070 SUPER's PassMark G3D score of 29995 places it in the 84th percentile of all GPUs. In synthetic tests, its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA RTX A6000 (0.2% higher), AMD Radeon RX 7650 GRE (0.3% higher), AMD Radeon Pro 580X (1.4% lower), and NVIDIA Tesla M40 (1.6% lower). These results confirm that the GPU is a mid-to-high-end part, but it lacks the raw performance to maintain high frame rates at 4K Ultra in this title.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data indicates that the best experience depends on the target resolution. At 1080p, the High preset delivers 148.2 FPS, which is well above the 112.7 FPS of Ultra. The 35.5 FPS difference between High and Ultra is significant, but both are playable. For competitive or smooth gameplay, High is the recommended preset at 1080p, as it provides a substantial FPS buffer without the visual cost of Ultra.

At 1440p, High produces 95.8 FPS, which is a solid experience for most displays. Medium yields 127.6 FPS, offering a 33.2% improvement over High with a modest visual reduction. For players prioritizing frame rate, Medium is the better choice; for visual fidelity, High remains viable. Ultra at 71.9 FPS is below the 75 FPS threshold that many consider optimal, so it should be avoided unless the display supports adaptive sync.

At 4K, the situation is more constrained. High produces 53.3 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay. Medium yields 66.8 FPS, providing a better balance. Low at 88.4 FPS is the only preset that comfortably exceeds 60 FPS, but it sacrifices visual quality. The recommendation for 4K is Medium, as it offers the best compromise between visual fidelity and playable frame rates. Ultra at 37.6 FPS is not recommended for any scenario.

FAQ

Q: How does the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K compare to its nearest CPU rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The 265K scores 0.2% lower than the Intel Core Ultra 7 265KF and Intel Core i9-14900KF, 0.9% lower than the Intel Core i9-14900K, and 1.2% lower than the AMD EPYC 7413 in average benchmark scores.

Q: What is the best preset for 1080p gaming with this combo?

A: The High preset at 1080p delivers 148.2 FPS, which is 35.5 FPS higher than Ultra's 112.7 FPS. High provides the best balance of visual quality and performance.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Hitman 2?

A: At 4K, the Medium preset produces 66.8 FPS, which is playable. High yields 53.3 FPS and Low produces 88.4 FPS. Ultra is not recommended as it drops to 37.6 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 4070 SUPER rank among all GPUs?

A: The GPU is in the 84th percentile of all tested GPUs, with a PassMark G3D score of 29995. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA RTX A6000 (0.2% higher) and AMD Radeon RX 7650 GRE (0.3% higher).

Q: What is the FPS difference between 1080p and 4K at Ultra settings?

A: At 1080p Ultra, the combo achieves 112.7 FPS. At 4K Ultra, it drops to 37.6 FPS, a 66.6% reduction in performance.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this game?

A: The GPU is the primary limiting factor. At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 264.7 FPS, showing the CPU is not bottlenecked. The FPS drops consistently as resolution increases, indicating GPU-bound performance.