Hitman 2

Hitman 2 runs exceptionally well on the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER combination, delivering highly playable frame rates across all tested resolutions. The data indicates a system that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, while the powerful 24-core processor ensures the game never becomes CPU-limited, even at 1080p with low settings where frame rates exceed 300 FPS.

Resolution Scaling

The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic GPU-bound scenario, with the RTX 4080 SUPER becoming the definitive bottleneck as pixel count increases. At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 171 FPS at 1920x1080 to 109 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 62 FPS, and then further to 58 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 66% decrease in average FPS from 1080p to 4K, underscoring the immense rendering load that 4K resolution places on the graphics card.

The scaling pattern is consistent across all quality presets, though the absolute FPS values shift. For Low settings, the system achieves 301 FPS at 1080p, 192 FPS at 1440p, and 103 FPS at 4K. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K is larger at Low settings (66% reduction) compared to Ultra settings, where the average drops from 126 FPS at 1080p to 80 FPS at 1440p and finally 43 FPS at 4K, a 66% reduction as well. This uniformity suggests that the rendering pipeline is consistently limited by the GPU's fill rate and shading capacity rather than any other subsystem.

At 4K Ultra, the average of 43 FPS indicates the RTX 4080 SUPER is heavily taxed, pushing the limits of what is playable for a stealth title. The transition from 1440p to 4K at Ultra settings costs 37 FPS, which is a steeper drop than the 46 FPS loss seen when moving from 1080p to 1440p at the same settings. This non-linear scaling is characteristic of a GPU approaching its memory bandwidth or compute ceiling, with the 736.3 GB/s bandwidth and 52.22 TFLOPS FP32 performance being the primary resources under strain.

The data shows that the CPU's role in resolution scaling is minimal. The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus, with its 5.80 GHz boost clock and 24 threads, provides ample headroom. The FPS deltas between resolutions are almost entirely attributable to GPU workload, as evidenced by the fact that even at 1080p Low, where the CPU would typically be more involved, the system still produces 301 FPS, far beyond the refresh rate of most monitors. This indicates the processor is never the limiting factor in this configuration.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is the dominant component in determining Hitman 2's performance, particularly at higher resolutions and quality settings. Equipped with 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, the card offers 736.3 GB/s of memory bandwidth, which proves sufficient for the game's largest textures at 4K Ultra, where the average FPS settles at 43. The 80 RT cores and 320 tensor cores are present, but Hitman 2's traditional rasterization workload relies more on the 10240 shading units and 112 ROPs.

Clock speeds play a significant role in the observed results. The GPU's boost clock of 2550 MHz, combined with a base clock of 2295 MHz, allows for sustained high performance. The pixel rate of 285.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 816.0 GTexel/s directly correlate with the frame rates seen at 4K, where the demand on these units is highest. At 4K High, the card produces 58 FPS, while at 4K Medium it achieves 77 FPS, demonstrating how the shading and texture units scale with reduced quality settings.

The RTX 4080 SUPER's benchmark scores align with its in-game performance. Its Passmark G3D score of 34245 and 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 6600 place it in the 86th percentile among all GPUs. Compared to its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080, the SUPER variant shows a negligible 0.1% performance difference in average benchmark scores, indicating that in Hitman 2, the two cards would perform nearly identically. The AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB sits 2.7% higher in synthetic benchmarks, but the in-game data suggests the RTX 4080 SUPER's architecture is well-suited to this title's specific demands.

The GPU's 16 GB VRAM capacity is never challenged by Hitman 2, even at 4K Ultra. The fact that the average FPS at 4K Ultra is 43, compared to 58 at High, suggests that the performance drop is due to increased shader complexity and texture filtering rather than memory capacity limitations. The 736.3 GB/s bandwidth ensures that even the most detailed scenes can stream textures without causing stutters, as evidenced by the min FPS of 65 at 4K Medium, which is only slightly below the 77 average.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate achievable with this CPU and GPU combination in Hitman 2?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 301 FPS at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does the RTX 4080 SUPER compare to the standard RTX 4080 in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 4080 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 54209, which is 0.1% lower than the RTX 4080's score of 54247, indicating near-identical performance.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 4K resolution?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor at 4K. The RTX 4080 SUPER produces 58 FPS at 4K High and 43 FPS at 4K Ultra, while the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus provides ample processing headroom.

Q: What is the minimum FPS observed in any tested configuration?

A: The minimum FPS recorded is 65, which occurs at 3840x2160 resolution with Medium settings, alongside an average of 77 FPS and a maximum of 88 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU's benchmark performance rank among all processors?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is in the 96th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 84003.

Q: What is the frame rate drop from 1440p to 4K at Ultra settings?

A: At Ultra settings, the average FPS drops from 80 at 2560x1440 to 43 at 3840x2160, a reduction of 37 FPS.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers exceptional performance across all settings. Low settings produce an average of 301 FPS, while Medium settings yield 226 FPS with a minimum of 192 and a maximum of 260. High settings average 171 FPS, and Ultra settings still achieve a very playable 126 FPS. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the RTX 4080 SUPER is barely stressed, and the CPU's high single-thread performance, evidenced by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 7303, ensures no bottleneck.

Moving to 2560x1440, the average frame rates remain high but show the GPU starting to work harder. Low settings average 192 FPS, Medium settings drop to 144 FPS with a range of 123 to 166, High settings average 109 FPS, and Ultra settings produce 80 FPS. The 1440p results are particularly relevant for gamers with high-refresh-rate monitors, as even Ultra settings exceed 60 FPS comfortably.

At 3840x2160, the performance profile changes significantly. Low settings still manage 103 FPS, but Medium settings fall to 77 FPS with a minimum of 65 and maximum of 88. High settings average 58 FPS, and Ultra settings dip to 43 FPS. The 4K results demonstrate that while the RTX 4080 SUPER is capable of 4K gaming, Ultra settings will require compromises for a smooth experience, as 43 FPS is below the 60 FPS target most players prefer.

The data shows a clear hierarchy: 1080p is GPU-light, 1440p is the sweet spot for high refresh rates, and 4K demands reduced settings for playability. The minimum FPS data point of 65 at 4K Medium indicates that even in demanding scenes, the system maintains a playable frame rate, though the gap between average and minimum FPS suggests some scene-to-scene variability.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus plays a supporting but crucial role in Hitman 2's performance. With 24 cores and 24 threads, the processor provides massive parallel processing capability, though the game's engine primarily benefits from its high clock speeds. The 5.80 GHz boost clock ensures that single-threaded game logic runs without delay, while the 3.70 GHz base clock provides consistent performance across all cores.

The CPU's benchmark results indicate it is more than capable of feeding the RTX 4080 SUPER. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 51731 and single-core score of 7303 place it in the 96th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 84003. Compared to its nearest rivals, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K is 0.2% faster, while the AMD EPYC 4584PX is 1.1% slower, showing that this processor sits at the very top of consumer performance.

In Hitman 2, the CPU's role is most apparent at 1080p with Low settings, where the system reaches 301 FPS. At this frame rate, the CPU's ability to process game logic and issue draw calls becomes more significant, though the data shows it still has headroom. The processor's 36 MB of shared L3 cache and 3 MB per-core L2 cache help reduce memory latency, which is beneficial for the game's AI and crowd simulation systems.

The CPU's memory bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s, paired with DDR5 support, ensures that the processor can quickly access game data. This is particularly important in Hitman 2's large, open-ended levels where the CPU must manage numerous NPCs and interactive objects. The processor's performance in Passmark's physics test, scoring 3315, and multithread test, scoring 60860, further confirms its ability to handle the game's simulation workloads without becoming a bottleneck.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the user's resolution and refresh rate priorities. For 1920x1080 displays, Ultra settings at 126 FPS provide the best visual experience while still delivering frame rates well above 60 FPS. This is the recommended configuration for 1080p, as the visual quality improvements from Ultra settings are substantial, and the performance cost is minimal given the high baseline.

For 2560x1440, the choice between High and Ultra settings is more nuanced. High settings at 109 FPS offer a smoother experience for high-refresh-rate monitors, while Ultra at 80 FPS still provides excellent visual fidelity. Given that Hitman 2 is a stealth game where precise camera control benefits from higher frame rates, High settings are recommended for 1440p users with 120Hz or higher displays. Those with 60Hz monitors can safely use Ultra settings.

At 3840x2160, the data strongly suggests using Medium settings, which produce 77 FPS, as the best balance of visual quality and performance. High settings at 58 FPS are playable but may cause occasional dips below 60 FPS, while Ultra at 43 FPS is not recommended for a smooth experience. Low settings at 103 FPS sacrifice too much visual quality, making Medium the clear choice for 4K gaming.

For users prioritizing maximum visual fidelity regardless of frame rate, the Ultra preset at 1440p provides an excellent compromise, delivering 80 FPS with the highest quality assets. Conversely, competitive players seeking the highest frame rates should use Low settings at 1080p, where the system achieves 301 FPS, ensuring minimal input lag. The Medium preset at 1080p, with its 226 FPS average and tight 192-260 FPS range, is also an excellent option for those wanting a balance of quality and speed.