Hitman 2

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 delivers a high-performance experience in Hitman 2, demonstrating a clear shift in bottleneck behavior depending on resolution and settings. The data indicates this combination is capable of extreme frame rates at lower resolutions, while 4K Ultra presents a demanding challenge that requires careful settings management.

FAQ

*Q: What is the overall performance ranking of this CPU and GPU combination in Hitman 2?*

A: This combo ranks 255th out of 3711 tested combinations, placing it in the top 7% of all systems tested for this specific game.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its closest rival, the Intel Core i7-14700KF?

A: The Core Ultra 7 265K has an average benchmark score of 70,879, which is 1% higher than the Intel Core i7-14700KF's score of 70,163.

Q: What is the GPU's performance percentile relative to all other graphics cards?

A: The RTX 4080 is in the 86th percentile of all GPUs, indicating it outperforms the vast majority of graphics cards in the benchmark database.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 4K gaming based on the measured data?

A: At 4K, the High preset provides the most balanced experience, achieving an average of 58 FPS. While the Low preset is much faster at 103 FPS, High offers a significantly better visual experience while maintaining playable frame rates.

Q: How much faster is the Low preset compared to Ultra at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves an average of 302 FPS, which is 176 FPS higher than the Ultra preset's 126 FPS average.

Q: Does the data show a minimum FPS for the Medium preset at 1440p?

A: Yes, at 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the measured frame rate fluctuated between a minimum of 123 FPS and a maximum of 167 FPS, with an average of 145 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 secures the 255th position out of 3,711 tested combinations in Hitman 2. This places the system in the 93rd percentile of all tested hardware pairings, indicating that it delivers performance that is superior to the overwhelming majority of systems in the database for this title. The ranking is a product of both components working in concert; the CPU's strong multi-threaded capabilities and the GPU's high raw throughput ensure that the system is rarely the limiting factor.

This high ranking is supported by the individual component benchmarks. The RTX 4080, with an average benchmark score of 54,247, sits in the 86th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the RTX 4080 SUPER, is virtually identical in performance, with a deltaPct of only 0.1%. The CPU is similarly well-positioned, achieving an average score of 70,879 and ranking in the 94th percentile of all CPUs. This near-top-tier placement for both components translates directly into a top-tier gaming experience, as evidenced by the combo's high rank. The system's performance is not just about having a single powerful part; it is the synergy between the 20-core processor and the high-bandwidth graphics card that allows it to achieve frame rates that many other combinations cannot reach, particularly at lower resolutions where the CPU's role is more prominent.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is the primary driver of visual fidelity and high-resolution performance in this configuration. It is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture and features 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a substantial 716.8 GB/s of memory bandwidth. This high bandwidth is crucial for feeding the GPU's 9,728 shading units, especially at higher resolutions and with demanding texture packs. The card's boost clock of 2505 MHz allows it to process geometry and pixel data at a rapid pace, which is reflected in its strong benchmark scores.

In Hitman 2, the GPU's role becomes increasingly dominant as resolution and graphical settings are increased. The benchmark results show a clear pattern: at 1080p with Low settings, the system can achieve an average of 302 FPS, a scenario where the CPU is likely the limiting factor. However, as the resolution increases to 4K, the GPU's workload grows exponentially. At 4K Ultra settings, the average frame rate drops to 43 FPS, indicating that the RTX 4080 is being pushed to its limits. The data shows a direct correlation between the GPU's rendering load and the resulting frame rate. With 16 GB of VRAM, the card is well-equipped to handle the game's textures and assets at 4K, avoiding potential bottlenecks from memory capacity. The transition from High to Ultra at 4K results in a 15 FPS drop (from 58 to 43 FPS), demonstrating that the Ultra preset introduces a significant amount of additional GPU-intensive effects that this card can only process at the cost of substantial performance.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings preset depends entirely on the user's target resolution and preference for frame rate versus visual quality. The data provides a clear trade-off at each resolution, allowing for a data-driven recommendation.

For 4K (3840x2160), the High preset is the recommended choice. It is the only preset that consistently maintains an average frame rate above 60 FPS, achieving 58 FPS. While the Ultra preset offers the highest visual quality, its 43 FPS average is below the 60 FPS target that is generally considered ideal for smooth gameplay. The Medium preset at 77 FPS is a viable alternative for those who want a higher frame rate but are willing to sacrifice some visual details, but High offers the best balance of image quality and performance.

At 1440p (2560x1440), the High preset again provides the best experience, delivering a stellar 110 FPS average. This is well above the 60 FPS threshold for high-refresh-rate monitors and provides a smooth, responsive experience. While the Medium preset is faster at 145 FPS, the visual difference between Medium and High is often significant, making the 35 FPS trade-off worthwhile for most users. The Ultra preset, at 81 FPS, is also playable and offers the highest fidelity, but the High preset provides a more comfortable margin of performance.

For 1080p (1920x1080), the High preset is more than sufficient, providing an average of 172 FPS. This is ideal for 144Hz or even 240Hz monitors. The Low and Medium presets provide even higher frame rates (302 and 227 FPS, respectively), but these are only necessary for competitive play on extremely high refresh rate displays (240Hz+). The Ultra preset, at 126 FPS, is also a strong option, as it still provides a high frame rate while showcasing the game's best visuals. In summary, the High preset offers the best overall experience across all tested resolutions, providing a strong foundation of performance that can be adjusted based on the user's specific monitor and preferences.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive look at the system's performance across a matrix of resolutions and settings.

At 1920x1080, the system's performance is staggering. With Low settings, the average frame rate is 302 FPS, showcasing the system's immense capability when the GPU load is light. Moving to Medium settings, the average drops to 227 FPS, with a minimum of 193 FPS and a maximum of 261 FPS. High settings yield 172 FPS, and the Ultra preset still manages a very high 126 FPS average. This suggests that at 1080p, even at Ultra settings, the CPU and GPU have enough headroom to keep frame rates at levels that exceed the refresh rate of most monitors.

At 2560x1440, the performance scales down predictably but remains excellent. The Low preset averages 193 FPS, which is still incredibly high. Medium settings provide an average of 145 FPS, with a minimum of 123 and a maximum of 167 FPS. High settings deliver a very smooth 110 FPS average. The Ultra preset sees a more significant drop, averaging 81 FPS, but this remains well within the range for a high-refresh-rate 1440p experience. The step from High to Ultra at this resolution is a 29 FPS drop, indicating an increase in GPU-intensive effects.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the clear limiting factor. The Low preset is the only one to provide a high frame rate, averaging 103 FPS. Medium settings drop the average to 77 FPS, with a minimum of 66 and a maximum of 89 FPS. The High preset brings the system to the edge of 60 FPS gameplay, averaging 58 FPS. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, with the average falling to 43 FPS. This data shows that for 4K gaming, the user must choose between high visual fidelity (High/Ultra) and high frame rates (Low), as the gap between the presets is substantial.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K is a 20-core, 20-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 3.90 GHz and can boost up to 5.50 GHz. This high core count and boost capability make it a formidable processor for gaming and multi-threaded workloads. Its benchmark scores are strong, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 35,850 and a single-core score of 2,020, placing it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs.

In Hitman 2, the CPU's role is most evident at lower resolutions and settings where the GPU is not the primary bottleneck. The data shows this clearly: at 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 302 FPS. This is a scenario where the CPU's ability to process game logic and draw calls is the determining factor. The processor's high single-core performance, evidenced by its 2,713 Geekbench single-core score, allows it to handle the game's main thread efficiently. Its 20 cores also ensure that there is ample processing power for background tasks and other game systems.

As the resolution and settings increase, the GPU takes on a more significant role, and the CPU's influence on the final frame rate diminishes. However, the CPU must still be capable enough to feed the GPU with data. The 265K's high boost clock and substantial L3 cache (30 MB shared) help ensure that the GPU is not starved of data, even at 4K. The processor's performance is competitive with its nearest rivals; it is 1% faster than the Intel Core i7-14700KF and 1.3% faster than the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F in average benchmark scores. This indicates that the 265K is a top-tier gaming CPU that provides a solid foundation for the high-performance RTX 4080.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data provides a clear illustration of how the system's performance scales with resolution, and this scaling reveals the nature of the system's bottleneck.

When comparing the High preset across resolutions, a clear trend emerges. At 1080p, the system averages 172 FPS. This drops by 36% to 110 FPS at 1440p. Then, moving from 1440p to 4K, the frame rate drops by a further 47% to 58 FPS. This non-linear scaling pattern is typical of a system where the GPU becomes progressively more dominant as the resolution increases. The frame rate drop from 1080p to 1440p is substantial because the GPU's workload increases by roughly 78% (from ~2.1 million pixels to ~3.7 million pixels). The drop from 1440p to 4K is even more significant because the pixel count jumps by another 125% (from ~3.7 million to ~8.3 million).

The data strongly suggests that the system is CPU-limited at 1080p and GPU-limited at 4K. At 1080p, the RTX 4080 is not being fully utilized, as the CPU is able to prepare frames faster than the GPU can render them at lower resolutions. This is why the frame rate at 1080p Low (302 FPS) is so high. As the resolution increases, the GPU's rendering workload grows, and it begins to take more time to render each frame, eventually becoming the limiting factor. The fact that the frame rate drops so significantly at 4K, even on the High preset, indicates that the RTX 4080 is working at or near its maximum capacity. The system's performance at 4K is therefore a direct reflection of the RTX 4080's capabilities, while the performance at 1080p reflects the strength of the Core Ultra 7 265K in keeping up with a very fast GPU.