Hitman 2

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

The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor built on Arrow Lake Refresh architecture, fabricated on a 3 nm process at TSMC. It operates with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, with a 125 W TDP and support for DDR5 memory over a dual-channel interface at 115.2 GB/s. This is a desktop-class part with an unlocked multiplier, targeting the Socket 1851 platform with PCIe Gen 5 support (20 CPU lanes).

In synthetic multi-threaded workloads, the chip delivers a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 44,253, a Cinebench R20 multi-core score of 24,461, and a Cinebench R15 multi-core score of 6,656. Single-thread performance is equally strong, with Cinebench R23 single-core at 2,439, R20 at 3,453, and R15 at 354. PassMark multi-thread and single-thread scores come in at 68,574 and 5,068, respectively. The CPU ranks in the 96th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 93,785.

Looking at nearest rivals, this score is effectively identical to the Intel Xeon 6520P, which scores 93,786 (0% delta). The AMD EPYC 4564P leads by 1.5%, the EPYC 9175F by 1.9%, and the EPYC 4565P by 2.1%. In the context of Hitman 2 — a stealth game that relies on complex AI routines, NPC pathfinding, and physics interactions across large sandbox maps — the CPU's high integer and floating-point throughput is relevant. PassMark integer math scores 175,986 and floating-point math scores 229,491, which indicates strong capability for the game's simulation-heavy systems.

For this game's measured results, the CPU is unlikely to be the primary bottleneck at most settings. At 1080p Low, the combo delivers 183 FPS average, which suggests the CPU can feed the GPU sufficiently at lower resolutions. The data shows that even at 1080p Ultra, the system maintains 76 FPS, indicating the CPU has headroom. Given the 24 threads and high boost clock, Hitman 2's multi-threaded workload is well-served, but the game's age (released in 2018) means it likely does not fully utilize all 24 threads. The CPU's PassMark physics score of 4,064 provides context — this is a metric that correlates with game physics performance, and it is substantial enough to support smooth gameplay at high frame rates.

# GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with the GB206 chip, fabricated on a 5 nm process at TSMC with 21,900 million transistors on a 181 mm² die. It features 8 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU has 3,840 shading units, 120 TMUs, and 48 ROPs, with 30 RT cores and 120 tensor cores. The base clock is 2,280 MHz with a boost clock of 2,497 MHz, and memory runs at 1,750 MHz (28 Gbps effective). The card has a 145 W TDP, requires a 300 W suggested PSU, and connects via PCIe 5.0 x8.

In synthetic benchmarks, the RTX 5060 scores 20,891 in PassMark G3D, 11,287 in Geekbench OpenCL, and 11,332 in Geekbench Vulkan. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 3,628. PassMark DirectX 11 and DirectX 12 scores are 200 and 77, respectively, while DirectX 10 and DirectX 9 scores are 127 and 225. The GPU ranks in the 72nd percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 26,331.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the RTX 5060's average score is 0.3% lower than the AMD Radeon 860M (26,401) and 0.3% lower than the NVIDIA GeForce MX550 (26,421). It is 0.8% lower than the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary (26,553) but 1.2% higher than the AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT (26,011). These deltas are small, indicating that the RTX 5060 sits in a tightly contested performance band.

For Hitman 2, the 8 GB VRAM capacity is a crucial factor. The game's high-resolution textures and complex environments can be memory-intensive, and the measured FPS data shows a clear pattern: at 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 26, while at 4K High it is 35. This suggests that at 4K with high settings, the GPU is severely stressed. The 128-bit memory bus and 448 GB/s bandwidth are moderate, and the 8 GB VRAM may limit texture streaming at 4K Ultra. The GPU's pixel rate of 119.9 GPixel/s and texture rate of 299.6 GTexel/s provide context for its fill-rate capabilities, which are adequate for 1080p and 1440p but insufficient for 4K with demanding settings.

# Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance on the optimal settings for this combo. Across all three resolutions, the Medium preset offers the best balance of visual quality and frame rate, based on the available data points.

At 1920x1080, the Medium preset delivers 137 FPS average, with a minimum of 117 and maximum of 158. This is a substantial improvement over High (104 FPS) and Ultra (76 FPS), while Low runs at 183 FPS. The Medium preset maintains a frame rate above 120 FPS, which is excellent for smooth gameplay in a stealth title where quick camera movements and AI awareness matter. The minimum FPS of 117 ensures that even in demanding scenes, the frame rate stays comfortably above 60 FPS.

At 2560x1440, Medium delivers 88 FPS average, with a range of 75 to 101. High drops to 66 FPS, and Ultra falls to 49 FPS. Low runs at 117 FPS. The Medium preset at 1440p provides a solid 88 FPS average, which is playable and smooth for most users, with the minimum of 75 FPS being acceptable. This is the recommended setting for 1440p.

At 3840x2160, Medium achieves 47 FPS average, with a minimum of 40 and maximum of 54. High runs at 35 FPS, Low at 62 FPS, and Ultra at 26 FPS. The Medium preset at 4K is borderline playable, but the 40 FPS minimum may cause noticeable stutter in busy scenes. Low at 62 FPS is the only 4K setting that maintains a consistently smooth experience, but it sacrifices significant visual fidelity.

The data indicates that Medium is the sweet spot for this combo, offering the best trade-off between visual quality and performance. At 1080p, Medium provides high refresh-rate gameplay; at 1440p, it delivers a smooth 88 FPS; and at 4K, it is marginally playable. For users prioritizing frame rate over visuals, Low at 4K (62 FPS) is the alternative, but Medium at 1440p (88 FPS) offers a better overall experience than Low at 4K.

# How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combo of the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 ranks 1,313 out of 3,001 tested combinations in Hitman 2. This places it in the 56th percentile of tested combos, meaning it outperforms roughly 56% of all tested systems while being outperformed by about 44%.

This mid-pack ranking is consistent with the individual component profiles. The CPU is in the 96th percentile among all CPUs, indicating it is a high-end processor. The GPU is in the 72nd percentile among all GPUs, indicating it is an upper-mid-range graphics card. However, the game's results show that the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions and settings, which drags the combo's overall ranking down from what the CPU alone would suggest.

The ranking of 1,313 out of 3,001 indicates that this combo is not at the top tier for Hitman 2, which likely requires higher-end GPUs to achieve 4K Ultra playable frame rates. The data shows that at 4K Ultra, this combo only manages 26 FPS, which is below the playability threshold. Meanwhile, at 1080p Medium, it achieves 137 FPS, which is competitive. The combo's ranking reflects its versatility: it is strong at mainstream resolutions and settings but falls short at extreme configurations.

Relative to the nearest rival combos, the CPU's performance parity with the Intel Xeon 6520P (0% delta) and the GPU's close grouping with the AMD Radeon 860M and NVIDIA GeForce MX550 (both -0.3% delta) suggest that slightly different component pairings could shift the ranking marginally. However, the data shows that the RTX 5060's 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit bus limit its 4K performance, which is a key factor in the combo's mid-pack placement.

# FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to maintain 60+ FPS?

A: At 1080p, all settings except Ultra (76 FPS) exceed 100 FPS, with Medium at 137 FPS and Low at 183 FPS. At 1440p, Low (117 FPS) and Medium (88 FPS) stay above 60 FPS, but High (66 FPS) is also above 60 FPS. At 4K, only Low (62 FPS) achieves above 60 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus has an average benchmark score of 93,785, which is 0% different from the Intel Xeon 6520P (93,786). The AMD EPYC 4564P scores 95,183 (1.5% higher), the EPYC 9175F scores 95,615 (1.9% higher), and the EPYC 4565P scores 95,764 (2.1% higher).

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

A: At 1080p Medium, the combo achieves 137 FPS average. At 4K Medium, it drops to 47 FPS average. This represents a 65.7% decrease in frame rate when moving from 1080p to 4K at the same settings.

Q: Is the GPU's VRAM sufficient for 4K gaming in Hitman 2?

A: The RTX 5060 has 8 GB of GDDR7 memory. The measured data shows that at 4K High, the average FPS is 35, and at 4K Ultra, it drops to 26. These low frame rates suggest the GPU is memory-constrained at 4K with high settings, as the 8 GB capacity and 128-bit bus limit texture throughput.

Q: How does the GPU rank among all GPUs, and what are its closest rivals?

A: The RTX 5060 ranks in the 72nd percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 26,331. Its closest rivals are the AMD Radeon 860M (26,401, -0.3% delta), NVIDIA GeForce MX550 (26,421, -0.3% delta), AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary (26,553, -0.8% delta), and AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT (26,011, +1.2% delta).

Q: What is the combo's ranking among all tested combinations in Hitman 2?

A: This combo ranks 1,313 out of 3,001 tested combinations, placing it in the 56th percentile. This means it performs better than roughly 56% of tested systems in this game.

# Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets.

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 183 FPS average
• Medium: 137 FPS average, with minimum 117 and maximum 158
• High: 104 FPS average
• Ultra: 76 FPS average

At 1080p, the scaling from Low to Ultra shows a clear progression. Low delivers 183 FPS, which is 33.6% higher than Medium's 137 FPS. Medium is 31.7% higher than High's 104 FPS. High is 36.8% higher than Ultra's 76 FPS. The minimum FPS of 117 at Medium indicates that even in demanding scenes, the frame rate stays above 100 FPS, providing a smooth experience.

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 117 FPS average
• Medium: 88 FPS average, with minimum 75 and maximum 101
• High: 66 FPS average
• Ultra: 49 FPS average

At 1440p, the scaling is less forgiving. Low delivers 117 FPS, which is 33.0% higher than Medium's 88 FPS. Medium is 33.3% higher than High's 66 FPS. High is 34.7% higher than Ultra's 49 FPS. The minimum FPS of 75 at Medium is still above 60 FPS, making it a viable choice for smooth gameplay.

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 62 FPS average
• Medium: 47 FPS average, with minimum 40 and maximum 54
• High: 35 FPS average
• Ultra: 26 FPS average

At 4K, the performance drops significantly. Low delivers 62 FPS, which is 31.9% higher than Medium's 47 FPS. Medium is 34.3% higher than High's 35 FPS. High is 34.6% higher than Ultra's 26 FPS. The minimum FPS of 40 at Medium indicates that 4K gaming is only marginally playable at this setting, with potential stutters in busy scenes.

# Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals critical insights about which component is the bottleneck in this combo.

At Low settings, the progression is: 183 FPS (1080p) → 117 FPS (1440p) → 62 FPS (4K). The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 36.1%, and from 1440p to 4K is 47.0%. The total drop from 1080p to 4K is 66.1%. This steep decline indicates that the GPU is heavily stressed at higher resolutions, even at Low settings.

At Medium settings, the progression is: 137 FPS (1080p) → 88 FPS (1440p) → 47 FPS (4K). The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 35.8%, and from 1440p to 4K is 46.6%. The total drop is 65.7%. The minimum FPS at 4K (40) is 65.8% lower than the minimum at 1080p (117).

At High settings, the progression is: 104 FPS (1080p) → 66 FPS (1440p) → 35 FPS (4K). The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 36.5%, and from 1440p to 4K is 47.0%. The total drop is 66.3%.

At Ultra settings, the progression is: 76 FPS (1080p) → 49 FPS (1440p) → 26 FPS (4K). The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 35.5%, and from 1440p to 4K is 46.9%. The total drop is 65.8%.

The consistency of these percentage drops across all settings is striking. The FPS reduction from 1080p to 4K is consistently around 65-66%, regardless of the settings preset. This uniformity indicates that the limiting factor is resolution-dependent, which points to the GPU as the primary bottleneck. The RTX 5060's 8 GB VRAM, 128-bit memory bus, and 448 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for 4K rendering, as the pixel and texture throughput requirements scale dramatically with resolution.

The CPU's role in this scaling is minimal. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 183 FPS, which suggests the CPU can handle the game's logic at high frame rates. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the FPS would not scale this dramatically with resolution — instead, the FPS would plateau at higher resolutions as the CPU becomes the limiting factor. The data shows a clean resolution-based scaling pattern, confirming that the GPU is the limiting component at 1440p and 4K.

The 4K results are particularly telling. At 4K Ultra, the combo only manages 26 FPS, which is unplayable. Even at 4K Low, the 62 FPS average is barely above the 60 FPS threshold, with no minimum FPS data to confirm stability. This indicates that 4K gaming is not a practical use case for this combo, and the 8 GB VRAM appears to be a constraint at this resolution. The GPU's memory bandwidth of 448 GB/s is also a limiting factor, as 4K textures require significantly more data to be streamed.