Hitman 2

Hitman 2 is not a new game, but the data for the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 combination reveals a pairing that is heavily constrained by the graphics card at higher resolutions. The CPU is a 24-core, 24-thread Arrow Lake Refresh part with a 5.50 GHz boost clock, placing it in the 96th percentile of all CPUs tested, while the RTX 4060 is a more modest Ada Lovelace GPU with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and a 61st percentile ranking. This imbalance is the defining characteristic of the measured results, creating a clear split between CPU-bound performance at 1080p and GPU-bound performance at 4K.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K tells a textbook story of a GPU-limited system at higher resolutions. At 1080p with High settings, the combo delivers 97 FPS. Moving to 1440p reduces that to 62 FPS, a 36% drop, and then 4K High settings drop the average to just 33 FPS, a 66% reduction from 1080p. This steep decline is the signature of a graphics card reaching its limits, as the rendering load increases geometrically with pixel count.

The pattern is consistent across all settings presets. At Low settings, the frame rate falls from 171 FPS at 1080p to 110 FPS at 1440p (a 36% drop) and then to 58 FPS at 4K (a 66% drop from 1080p). The identical percentage drops at both High and Low settings are particularly telling—it indicates the CPU is not the bottleneck even at the lowest settings, as the scaling remains perfectly linear with the GPU's fill rate and shading capabilities.

Ultra settings show the most dramatic scaling, with 72 FPS at 1080p dropping to 46 FPS at 1440p (36% drop) and then to 24 FPS at 4K (a 67% drop). The 4K Ultra result of 24 FPS is essentially unplayable, and the data suggests that the 8 GB VRAM buffer on the RTX 4060 may be a contributing factor, as the combination of high resolution and maximum texture quality can exceed the available memory.

What this scaling data says about the limiting component is unambiguous: the RTX 4060 is the primary constraint. The CPU's capability is evident in the 1080p Low result of 171 FPS, which is a high enough frame rate to suggest that even a more powerful GPU would see headroom at lower resolutions. However, the 4K results across all settings show the GPU struggling, with even Low settings failing to reach 60 FPS at 4K. The 8 GB memory size and 128-bit bus width of the GPU are likely limiting factors, as is the 272.0 GB/s memory bandwidth.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1440p is the sweet spot. At High settings, the combo delivers 62 FPS, and at Medium settings it reaches 82 FPS. 4K is not playable, as even Low settings only manage 58 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 24 FPS.

Q: Does the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus bottleneck the RTX 4060?

A: No. The CPU is ranked in the 96th percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU is in the 61st percentile. The resolution scaling shows a GPU-limited system, with a 66% frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K at both High and Low settings, indicating the CPU has ample headroom.

Q: How does the RTX 4060 compare to its nearest rivals in benchmark scores?

A: The RTX 4060 has an average benchmark score of 17639, which is 0.2% behind the AMD Radeon HD 7790 (17666) and 0.3% ahead of the AMD Radeon 780M (17588). It is also 0.5% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro 560 (17551) and 0.7% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro 460 (17509).

Q: What is the best settings preset for a smooth experience at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the Medium preset delivers 129 FPS, which is a substantial improvement over High's 97 FPS. Ultra runs at 72 FPS, which is still playable, but Medium offers the best balance of visual quality and performance in the measured data.

Q: Is the CPU's multi-threaded performance relevant to this game?

A: The game is not particularly CPU-intensive, as evidenced by the GPU-bound scaling. The CPU's Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 44253 is high, but the game's performance is limited by the GPU. The single-core score of 2439 is more relevant for gaming, and it is sufficient to not bottleneck the GPU at 1080p.

Q: Can this combo handle Ultra settings at any resolution?

A: Yes, but only at 1080p, where it produces 72 FPS. At 1440p, Ultra drops to 46 FPS, and at 4K, it falls to 24 FPS, which is not a playable frame rate. The 4K Ultra result is likely also impacted by the 8 GB VRAM capacity.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake Refresh architecture, built on a 3 nm process from TSMC. It has a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, with 36 MB of shared L3 cache. The CPU's benchmark scores are impressive, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 44253 and a single-core score of 2439. In PassMark, it scores 68574 in multithread tests and 5068 in single-thread tests.

In the context of Hitman 2, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic. The data shows that it performs this role without issue, as the frame rate scaling is consistently GPU-bound. The 1080p Low result of 171 FPS suggests that the CPU is capable of driving frame rates well above 170 FPS, which is more than enough for the RTX 4060 to reach its limits at higher resolutions.

The CPU's 96th percentile ranking places it above the vast majority of tested processors. Its nearest rivals in average benchmark score are the Intel Xeon 6520P (93786, 0% delta), the AMD EPYC 4564P (95183, -1.5%), the AMD EPYC 9175F (95615, -1.9%), and the AMD EPYC 4565P (95764, -2.1%). This indicates that the 270K Plus is a top-tier desktop processor, and its performance is more than sufficient for a game like Hitman 2.

The high core count (24 cores) is not directly utilized by this game, as it is not designed to scale across that many threads. However, the high boost clock of 5.50 GHz and strong single-core performance (Cinebench R15 single-core score of 354) ensure that the game's primary thread runs efficiently. The data shows that the CPU is not the limiting factor in any of the measured configurations.

How This Combo Ranks

In the comprehensive database of tested CPU and GPU combinations, this pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 ranks 1606th out of 3001 total combinations for Hitman 2. This places it in the 46th percentile of all tested combos, which is a moderate ranking given the high-end CPU and mid-range GPU.

The ranking reflects the GPU's limitations. While the CPU is in the 96th percentile, the GPU's 61st percentile ranking drags the overall combo down. The RTX 4060's average benchmark score of 17639 is close to its nearest rivals, all of which are older or integrated GPUs. This suggests that the GPU is the weak link in this pairing, and the combo's rank would be significantly higher with a more powerful graphics card.

The rank of 1606 out of 3001 is not a poor result, but it indicates that this combo is best suited for 1080p or 1440p gaming rather than high-refresh-rate or 4K play. The data shows that the combo outperforms many others in the database, but it is also outclassed by combos that pair the same CPU with a more capable GPU. The CPU's potential is untapped in this configuration, as the GPU is the limiting factor.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1080p, the combo delivers its best results. With Low settings, the average frame rate is 171 FPS, which is excellent for competitive or high-refresh-rate play. Medium settings reduce this to 129 FPS, with a minimum of 109 FPS and a maximum of 148 FPS. High settings produce 97 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 72 FPS. All 1080p results are playable, with even Ultra clearing the 60 FPS threshold.

At 1440p, the performance becomes more moderate. Low settings yield 110 FPS, which is still very smooth. Medium settings produce 82 FPS, with a minimum of 70 FPS and a maximum of 95 FPS. High settings drop to 62 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS target. Ultra settings fall to 46 FPS, which is borderline playable but not ideal for fast-paced stealth sequences.

At 4K, the GPU's limitations become severe. Low settings produce 58 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target. Medium settings drop to 44 FPS, with a minimum of 37 FPS and a maximum of 50 FPS. High settings yield only 33 FPS, and Ultra settings produce an unplayable 24 FPS. The 4K results across all settings indicate that this combo is not suitable for 4K gaming in Hitman 2.

The data shows a clear hierarchy: 1080p is excellent, 1440p is good, and 4K is not viable. The Medium settings at 1080p and 1440p offer the best balance of performance and visual fidelity, with frame rates of 129 FPS and 82 FPS respectively. The Ultra preset at 4K is the worst result, at 24 FPS, which is a 86% reduction from the 1080p Medium result.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal experience for this combo is at 1440p with Medium settings. This produces an average of 82 FPS, which is smooth and responsive, with a reasonable minimum of 70 FPS. The visual quality at Medium is sufficient for a stealth game like Hitman 2, where environmental detail matters but not as much as frame rate consistency.

For players prioritizing frame rate over visuals, 1080p with Low settings is the best choice, delivering 171 FPS. This is ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors or for players who value the smoothest possible experience. However, the visual compromise is significant, and the Medium settings at 1080p (129 FPS) are a better trade-off for most players.

At 1440p, High settings are also viable, with 62 FPS, but the margin above 60 FPS is thin. The Medium preset provides a more comfortable buffer, making it the recommended choice for 1440p. Ultra settings at 1440p (46 FPS) are not recommended, as they drop below the playable threshold.

4K is not recommended for this combo under any settings. Even at Low settings, the 58 FPS average is below the 60 FPS target, and the visual quality at Low is poor. The 4K Medium result of 44 FPS is playable but not ideal, and the High and Ultra presets (33 FPS and 24 FPS) are too slow for a stealth game requiring precision. Players with 4K displays should consider lowering the resolution to 1440p for a better experience.

The best overall experience is 1440p Medium, which provides a balance of visual fidelity and performance. The data shows that this configuration achieves 82 FPS, with a minimum of 70 FPS, ensuring smooth gameplay. For 1080p users, Medium is also the best choice, at 129 FPS, offering excellent performance without the visual compromises of Low settings.