Hitman 2

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER delivers a wide performance envelope in Hitman 2, scaling from highly playable 4K Ultra settings to extremely high refresh rate territory at 1080p. The measured data reveals a system where the GPU becomes the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions, while the CPU's strong single-thread performance ensures the frame rate ceiling is rarely capped by the processor. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS figures, contextualizes them against rival components, and provides actionable settings guidance based solely on the provided data.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and predictable scaling pattern as resolution increases, but the magnitude of the performance drop is telling. At 1080p High settings, the combo produces 149 FPS. Moving to 1440p High drops that to 95 FPS, a 36% reduction. At 4K High, the average falls to 51 FPS, which is a further 46% drop from 1440p. This steep decline indicates that the RTX 4070 SUPER is the dominant bottleneck at higher resolutions, as the rendering workload scales directly with pixel count.

The scaling pattern is even more pronounced at Ultra settings. The 1080p Ultra average is 110 FPS, which falls to 70 FPS at 1440p (a 36% decrease) and then to 37 FPS at 4K (a 47% decrease from 1440p). The consistent ~36% drop from 1080p to 1440p and ~47% drop from 1440p to 4K across both High and Ultra presets strongly suggests that the GPU's raw throughput is the governing factor. The CPU, with its high boost clock, is not struggling to feed the GPU frames at these settings.

At Low settings, the scaling pattern reveals the CPU's headroom. The 1080p Low average is 263 FPS, which is a massive 77% higher than 1080p High. This gap narrows at higher resolutions: 1440p Low is 168 FPS (77% higher than 1440p High), and 4K Low is 90 FPS (76% higher than 4K High). The fact that Low settings consistently deliver roughly 75% more FPS than High across all resolutions indicates that the GPU is being relieved of a significant workload, but the CPU is still capable of pushing those frames. The 263 FPS at 1080p Low is a strong indicator of the CPU's single-thread capability, as the game's engine is known to be sensitive to this metric.

The gap between Medium and High settings also provides insight. At 1080p, Medium produces 197 FPS versus 149 FPS for High, a 32% difference. At 1440p, the difference is 126 FPS versus 95 FPS, a 33% gap. At 4K, Medium yields 67 FPS versus 51 FPS, a 31% gap. This consistent ~32% delta suggests that the High preset introduces a uniform level of additional GPU workload compared to Medium, regardless of resolution. The Ultra preset, however, is disproportionately expensive: 1080p Ultra is 110 FPS (44% lower than High), 1440p Ultra is 70 FPS (26% lower than High), and 4K Ultra is 37 FPS (27% lower than High). The Ultra preset appears to include effects that are particularly taxing on the GPU's shading and memory subsystems.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.80 GHz. Its benchmark scores place it in the 96th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 84003. In the context of Hitman 2, the game's engine benefits from high single-thread performance, and the 5.80 GHz boost clock is the key specification here. The measured FPS at 1080p Low (263 FPS) is a direct reflection of this capability, as the GPU is not fully saturated at this resolution and the CPU is able to generate frames at a very high rate.

Comparing to its nearest rivals, the 290K Plus sits within a narrow band. It is 0.2% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K (average score 83807) and 1.1% ahead of the AMD EPYC 4584PX (average score 83090). The only rival that scores higher is the AMD EPYC 7F72, which is 1.3% ahead. These deltas are minimal, indicating that the 290K Plus is essentially at parity with the top-tier desktop and server CPUs in general compute tasks. However, in a game like Hitman 2, the boost clock of 5.80 GHz is the differentiating factor, as the game's frame rate at low settings is often limited by the single-core speed.

The CPU's 36 MB of shared L3 cache and 115.2 GB/s memory bandwidth also contribute to its performance in this title. The game's level data and AI routines benefit from fast cache access, and the high memory bandwidth ensures that the CPU can quickly feed the GPU. The PassMark single-thread score of 4823 is a strong indicator of the CPU's ability to handle the game's main thread, which is often the limiting factor in stealth games with complex AI and NPC interactions. The data shows that even at 4K Ultra, where the GPU is clearly the bottleneck, the CPU is not causing frame drops below the 37 FPS average, suggesting it has sufficient headroom to maintain consistent frame pacing.

FAQ

Q: What is the maximum average FPS achievable with this combo?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 263 at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This is the only configuration that exceeds 200 FPS, with 1080p Medium coming second at 197 FPS.

Q: Can this system maintain 60 FPS at 4K?

A: Yes, but only at Low settings, where the average FPS is 90. At Medium settings, the average is 67 FPS, which is also above 60. High settings average 51 FPS, and Ultra settings average 37 FPS, both below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its closest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K?

A: The 290K Plus is 0.2% ahead of the 285K in average benchmark score (84003 vs 83807). This is a negligible difference, suggesting near-identical general performance between the two processors.

Q: What is the performance difference between High and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, High settings produce an average of 95 FPS, while Ultra settings produce 70 FPS. This represents a 26% decrease in performance when moving from High to Ultra.

Q: Is the GPU or CPU the limiting factor at 1080p High?

A: At 1080p High, the average FPS is 149. Given that 1080p Low produces 263 FPS, the CPU is capable of much higher frame rates. The 114 FPS difference between Low and High at 1080p indicates that the GPU is the primary limiting factor even at this resolution.

Q: What is the lowest average FPS recorded in the dataset?

A: The lowest average FPS is 37, recorded at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings. This is the only configuration that drops below 40 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

For a smooth 60 FPS experience at 4K, the data indicates that Medium settings are the optimal choice, yielding an average of 67 FPS with a minimum of 57 FPS. This provides a playable frame rate with a slight buffer above the 60 FPS target. Low settings at 4K offer a much higher 90 FPS average, but the visual quality reduction may not be worth the extra frames for most players.

For 1440p gaming, High settings are the sweet spot, delivering an average of 95 FPS. This is well above the 60 FPS threshold and provides a good balance between visual fidelity and performance. Ultra settings at 1440p drop to 70 FPS, which is still playable, but the 26% performance hit over High settings may not justify the incremental visual improvements. Medium settings at 1440p (126 FPS) are excellent for competitive play or for users with high refresh rate monitors.

At 1080p, the choice depends on the display's refresh rate. For 144Hz displays, High settings (149 FPS) are ideal. For 240Hz displays, Medium settings (197 FPS) are recommended. Low settings at 1080p produce 263 FPS, which can only be fully utilized by 240Hz or higher refresh rate monitors. Ultra settings at 1080p (110 FPS) are not recommended over High, as the 26% performance loss yields minimal visual gains.

The data shows that the Medium preset offers the most consistent performance across all resolutions, with the smallest relative gap between the minimum and average FPS. At 1080p Medium, the minimum FPS is 168 against an average of 197, a 15% variance. At 1440p Medium, the minimum is 107 against an average of 126, a 15% variance. At 4K Medium, the minimum is 57 against an average of 67, a 15% variance. This consistency suggests that Medium is the most stable preset for this combo, avoiding the frame time spikes that can occur at higher settings.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER combination ranks 499th out of 3001 tested combos in Hitman 2. This places it in the 83rd percentile of all tested systems, meaning it outperforms roughly 83% of all configurations tested for this game. Given the GPU's percentile rank of 83 against all GPUs and the CPU's 96th percentile rank, the combo's overall ranking is slightly above the GPU's individual percentile, suggesting that the CPU's strength helps boost the system's standing.

The ranking is notable because the RTX 4070 SUPER is not a top-tier GPU; its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile, is only 1% higher in average benchmark score. This indicates that the 4070 SUPER's desktop performance is competitive with high-end mobile parts, and the 499th rank reflects a strong mid-to-high tier position. The CPU's 96th percentile ranking helps ensure that there is no CPU bottleneck holding the GPU back, allowing the system to achieve its full potential in this game.

The rank of 499 out of 3001 indicates that while this is a capable system, there are 498 other tested combos that produce higher average FPS in Hitman 2. These would likely include combinations with higher-end GPUs such as the RTX 4090 or RTX 4080 SUPER, which would provide more headroom at 4K Ultra settings. However, for the majority of gaming scenarios, particularly at 1440p and 1080p, this combo's ranking suggests it delivers a very good experience, as the 83rd percentile placement puts it well above the median tested system.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the full range of settings shows a clear hierarchy. Low settings produce an average of 263 FPS, which is the highest measured value in the entire dataset. Medium settings average 197 FPS, with a minimum of 168 and maximum of 227. High settings average 149 FPS. Ultra settings average 110 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a steady decline: Low to Medium is a 25% drop, Medium to High is a 24% drop, and High to Ultra is a 26% drop. This consistent ~25% reduction between each step suggests that each preset level introduces a similar incremental GPU workload.

At 2560x1440, the same pattern holds but with lower absolute values. Low settings average 168 FPS. Medium settings average 126 FPS, with a minimum of 107 and maximum of 145. High settings average 95 FPS. Ultra settings average 70 FPS. The percentage drops are nearly identical to 1080p: Low to Medium is 25%, Medium to High is 25%, and High to Ultra is 26%. This consistency across resolutions confirms that the settings presets are scaling the GPU workload in a linear fashion, independent of resolution.

At 3840x2160, the averages drop significantly. Low settings average 90 FPS. Medium settings average 67 FPS, with a minimum of 57 and maximum of 77. High settings average 51 FPS. Ultra settings average 37 FPS. The percentage drops are slightly different at this resolution: Low to Medium is 26%, Medium to High is 24%, and High to Ultra is 27%. The 4K Ultra result of 37 FPS is the only configuration that falls below the 40 FPS threshold, indicating that this setting is too demanding for the RTX 4070 SUPER at this resolution.

The minimum FPS data is only available for Medium settings. At 1080p, the minimum is 168 FPS against an average of 197. At 1440p, the minimum is 107 FPS against an average of 126. At 4K, the minimum is 57 FPS against an average of 67. In all three cases, the minimum is approximately 15% below the average, which indicates that the game's frame rate is relatively stable at Medium settings, with no severe dips or stutters. This makes Medium the most predictable preset for maintaining a consistent framerate.

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 has a base clock of 1980 MHz and a boost clock of 2475 MHz. Its 7168 shading units and 80 ROPs are responsible for the rasterization performance that Hitman 2 relies on. The GPU's 83rd percentile ranking against all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 43223, places it in the upper tier of graphics cards.

In Hitman 2, the GPU's role is clearly the dominant factor at higher resolutions and settings. The measured FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K, as detailed in the Resolution Scaling section, shows a consistent ~36% drop from 1080p to 1440p and ~47% drop from 1440p to 4K across High and Ultra settings. This pattern is characteristic of a GPU-limited scenario, where the rendering workload increases with pixel count but the CPU can keep up. The GPU's 12 GB of VRAM is sufficient for this game, as Hitman 2's textures and geometry do not exceed this capacity at the tested settings, even at 4K.

The GPU's boost clock of 2475 MHz and FP32 performance of 35.48 TFLOPS are the key specifications driving the 4K Medium result of 67 FPS. The GPU's 504.2 GB/s memory bandwidth is also sufficient for the game's streaming requirements, as evidenced by the stable minimum FPS at Medium settings. The nearest rival to the 4070 SUPER is the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 24 GB, which is 0.1% higher in average benchmark score. The RTX 4090 Mobile is 1% higher, which confirms the 4070 SUPER's efficiency in a desktop form factor.

The GPU's performance at 4K Ultra (37 FPS) highlights its limitations. The Ultra preset likely includes additional shadow mapping, ambient occlusion, and post-processing effects that heavily tax the GPU's shading units and memory subsystem. The 12 GB VRAM may also approach its limit at this setting, although the data does not indicate a hard bottleneck. For users seeking 4K Ultra performance, a higher-tier GPU would be required, but for 1440p High and below, the 4070 SUPER demonstrates that it is more than capable of delivering excellent frame rates.