Hitman 2

The Intel Core Ultra 9 185H paired with the AMD Radeon 760M is a mobile combination that is heavily weighted toward CPU performance, and the measured Hitman 2 results reflect this imbalance. The data shows an integrated graphics solution struggling to maintain playable frame rates at standard resolutions, while the processor demonstrates high compute potential that remains largely untapped in this gaming scenario. This analysis breaks down how the system scales across resolutions and settings, the distinct roles of each component, and where this configuration ranks against other tested combos.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data illustrates a steep performance cliff as resolution increases, which is a classic indicator of a GPU-limited scenario. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 49 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same Low preset, the average drops to 32 FPS, a reduction of 17 FPS or approximately 35%. The most severe degradation occurs when pushing to 3840x2160, where the Low preset average falls to 17 FPS—a further 47% decrease from the 1440p result. This pattern of near-halving performance at each major resolution step is symptomatic of the Radeon 760M’s limited fill rate and pixel throughput capabilities.

When examining the Medium preset, the resolution scaling follows a similar trajectory but from a lower baseline. At 1080p Medium, the average is 37 FPS, which drops to 24 FPS at 1440p (a 35% reduction) and then to 13 FPS at 4K (a 46% reduction from 1440p). The consistency of these percentage drops across settings suggests that the rendering pipeline is uniformly constrained by the GPU rather than by any memory bandwidth or CPU-side bottleneck. The 4K Ultra setting, which yields only 7 FPS average, is essentially unplayable and indicates that the integrated GPU has exhausted its capability long before reaching the highest visual fidelity.

The scaling behavior strongly implies that the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H is not the limiting factor at any resolution tested. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see smaller FPS deltas between 1080p and 1440p, with a more pronounced drop only at 4K. Instead, the nearly linear decline in frame rate with pixel count suggests the Radeon 760M is saturated even at 1080p High, where the average is 28 FPS. The frame time data for Medium settings at 1080p (min 31, max 42) versus 1440p (min 20, max 27) further confirms that the GPU is the primary constraint, as the entire distribution shifts downward consistently.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon 760M is an integrated graphics processor based on the RDNA 3.0 architecture, manufactured on a 4 nm process by TSMC. Its benchmark percentile of 35 versus all GPUs places it in the lower third of the performance spectrum, and the measured gaming results align with this modest standing. The GPU operates with a base clock of 800 MHz and a boost clock of 2599 MHz, which are typical for an IGP designed to balance power consumption and thermal output within a mobile chassis. The 512 shading units and 16 ROPs provide a baseline compute capacity that the Hitman 2 data shows is insufficient for high-fidelity gaming at modern resolutions.

The memory configuration is system-shared, meaning the GPU draws from the same DDR5 pool as the CPU, with bandwidth described as “System Dependent.” This architecture creates a potential bottleneck for texture-heavy scenes, although the measured FPS data suggests that raw shader throughput is the more immediate limitation. The GPU’s FP32 performance is rated at 5.323 TFLOPS, which is competitive for an integrated solution but pales in comparison to discrete graphics cards. The pixel rate of 41.58 GPixel/s and texture rate of 83.17 GTexel/s provide theoretical maxima that the Hitman 2 results show are rarely approached in practice.

The Radeon 760M’s nearest rivals in the benchmark database include the AMD Radeon RX 6400 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M, with deltaPct values of 0.3% and 0.3% respectively. This indicates that the 760M performs nearly identically to those older or lower-tier discrete options in synthetic benchmarks. However, in Hitman 2, the integrated nature of the 760M means it must share power and thermal budget with the CPU, which can lead to sustained clock reductions during extended gaming sessions. The 15 W TDP for the GPU is remarkably low, and while the boost clock of 2599 MHz is high, maintaining that frequency under load is challenging when the CPU is also active.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 185H is a 16-core, 22-thread processor based on the Meteor Lake architecture, built on Intel’s 7 nm process. Its base clock of 3.90 GHz and boost clock of 5.10 GHz are strong for a mobile part, and the benchmark results reflect substantial compute capability. The CPU scores 17,984.5 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 1,810.5 in single-core, placing it in the 85th percentile versus all CPUs. This high percentile is notable because it sits far above the GPU’s 35th percentile, creating a significant performance asymmetry in this combo.

The CPU’s nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 350 and Intel Core 7 250H, with deltaPct values of -0.1% and -0.2% respectively, indicating near-identical average benchmark scores. The Ryzen 7 7700X, a desktop part, is also within 0.7% of the Ultra 9 185H’s average score, which highlights how competitive this mobile processor is against desktop hardware. However, in Hitman 2, the CPU’s role is largely relegated to feeding the GPU with draw calls and handling game logic, which the 16 cores and 22 threads can accomplish without breaking a sweat at these low frame rates.

The L3 cache is 24 MB shared, which is ample for a game like Hitman 2 that benefits from cached level geometry and AI pathfinding data. The dual-channel memory bus with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth provides sufficient throughput for the CPU, though the GPU shares this bandwidth for its own operations. At 1080p Low, where the CPU has the least amount of graphics work to offload, the 49 FPS average is still well below what the processor could theoretically drive—indicating that even the most CPU-favorable settings are GPU-limited. The CPU’s 45 W TDP is three times that of the GPU, and its passmark single-thread score of 3,697 ensures that no single-threaded bottleneck emerges in Hitman 2’s AI calculations.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal balance between visual quality and playability is found at 1920x1080 with Low settings, which delivers a 49 FPS average. This is the only configuration that approaches the 60 FPS threshold typically desired for smooth gameplay, though it still falls short. The Medium preset at 1080p yields 37 FPS, which is playable for a stealth game where reaction times are less critical, but the 31 FPS minimum recorded in the data indicates potential stutter during crowded scenes. The High preset at 1080p drops to 28 FPS, which is borderline for comfortable play, while Ultra at 21 FPS is best avoided.

At 2560x1440, the data shows that even Low settings only produce a 32 FPS average, which is marginal for a game that relies on precise movement and timing. The Medium preset at 1440p drops to 24 FPS, and the minimum of 20 FPS suggests that combat encounters with multiple NPCs could become choppy. For users with 1440p displays, the recommendation is to use Low settings and accept the lower frame rate, or alternatively, to render at 1080p and let the display scale the image. The 4K resolution is not viable for this combo, as the best result is 17 FPS at Low, which is below the threshold for any meaningful gameplay experience.

The data suggests that the Medium preset at 1080p offers the best compromise for users who prioritize visual fidelity over raw frame rate. The 37 FPS average with a 31-42 FPS range is smoother than the High preset’s 28 FPS, and the visual upgrade from Low to Medium is more noticeable than from Medium to High on an integrated GPU. For competitive play or precision stealth sections, the Low preset at 1080p is the only configuration that provides a reasonable frame time consistency, even though it sacrifices shadow quality and texture detail.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 9 185H and AMD Radeon 760M combination ranks 2990 out of 3001 tested combos in Hitman 2, placing it in the bottom 0.4% of all configurations. This rank is remarkably low, especially given the CPU’s high percentile standing. The data indicates that the combo’s performance is almost entirely dictated by the GPU, which is among the weakest in the database relative to its CPU counterpart. The rank of 2990 means that only 11 other combos perform worse in this specific game, a staggering figure for a system built around a premium mobile processor.

The disparity between the CPU’s 85th percentile and the combo’s 0.4th percentile ranking highlights the severe bottleneck created by the Radeon 760M. In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU outperforms most rivals, but in Hitman 2, the GPU’s limitations cap the experience at levels far below what the processor can support. This combo is a textbook example of an imbalanced build, where the CPU investment is effectively wasted in gaming scenarios that are GPU-bound. The rank suggests that users would see similar gaming performance with a much weaker and less expensive processor, as long as it could keep up with the GPU’s modest demands.

The nearest rivals for the GPU, such as the AMD Radeon RX 6400 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M, are discrete solutions that likely pair with older CPUs in the database. That this integrated GPU can match those older discrete cards in synthetic scores but still rank so poorly in Hitman 2 indicates that the game’s rendering load is particularly demanding on the 760M’s limited ROPs and memory subsystem. The combo rank serves as a warning that high-end CPU specifications do not translate into gaming performance when paired with entry-level integrated graphics.

FAQ

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

A: The measured data shows that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where playable frame rates are achieved. At 1080p Low, the average is 49 FPS, and at 1080p Medium it drops to 37 FPS. Both 2560x1440 and 3840x2160 produce averages below 32 FPS even on Low settings, making them unsuitable for smooth gameplay.

Q: Why does the CPU have such a high benchmark score but the combo ranks so low?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 185H scores in the 85th percentile versus all CPUs, but the AMD Radeon 760M only reaches the 35th percentile versus all GPUs. In Hitman 2, the GPU is the limiting component, so the CPU’s power cannot be utilized. The combo ranks 2990 out of 3001, showing that the GPU bottleneck negates the CPU’s advantage.

Q: How does the Radeon 760M compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The Radeon 760M has an average benchmark score of 6019, which is 0.3% higher than the AMD Radeon RX 6400 and 0.3% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M. It is 0.5% lower than the NVIDIA Quadro P2000. These close margins indicate performance parity with older discrete entry-level cards.

Q: What frame rate can I expect at 1440p with Medium settings?

A: The measured data shows a 24 FPS average at 2560x1440 with Medium settings, with a minimum of 20 FPS and a maximum of 27 FPS. This is below the 30 FPS threshold typically considered minimum for playable, so users should expect a suboptimal experience.

Q: Is the Ultra preset ever viable with this combo?

A: No. The Ultra preset produces an average of 21 FPS at 1080p, 13 FPS at 1440p, and 7 FPS at 4K. These frame rates are not suitable for a stealth game that requires precise timing, and the data suggests avoiding Ultra entirely.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1080p to 4K?

A: At Low settings, the average drops from 49 FPS at 1080p to 17 FPS at 4K, a reduction of 65%. At Medium settings, the drop is from 37 FPS to 13 FPS, a 65% reduction. At High, it goes from 28 FPS to 10 FPS, a 64% reduction.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table presents the exact measured average FPS for each resolution and settings combination tested. Minimum and maximum values are provided where recorded in the data.

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS | Min FPS | Max FPS |

|------------|----------|---------|---------|---------|

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 7 | — | — |

| 3840x2160 | High | 10 | — | — |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 13 | 11 | 14 |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 17 | — | — |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 13 | — | — |

| 2560x1440 | High | 18 | — | — |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 24 | 20 | 27 |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 32 | — | — |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 21 | — | — |

| 1920x1080 | High | 28 | — | — |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 37 | 31 | 42 |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 49 | — | — |

The data reveals a consistent pattern where each settings tier at a given resolution yields approximately 10-15 FPS differences between Low and Ultra. At 1080p, the spread from Low to Ultra is 28 FPS, while at 1440p it narrows to 19 FPS, and at 4K it is just 10 FPS. This compression at higher resolutions indicates that the GPU’s pixel processing limits become more dominant as resolution increases, diminishing the impact of quality settings. The Medium preset at each resolution shows the only recorded min/max values, suggesting that frame time variance is most pronounced at this middle setting, likely due to variable scene complexity from the game’s dynamic AI systems.