Counter-Strike is a game where every frame counts. Even in casual games, a higher FPS (frames per second) can make the difference between victory and defeat. And of course, we all know that even a split second of lag can cost you the match. So today, let’s dive into practical tips to boost FPS in CS2 and optimize your game’s performance!

Contents

• Pick a Lower Resolution
• Adjust Other Graphics Settings
• Use Launch Options that Boost FPS
• Optimize Your PC
• Upgrade Your Hardware

Pick a Lower Resolution

If the system is struggling with any game, the first thing most players will do is lower the resolution. This will almost always give your PC’s performance a boost, since lower resolutions mean fewer pixels to render at any given time. Of course, lower resolutions mean fewer details and overall poorer image quality.

The good news? Many CS2 players actually prefer to use a lower resolution, including the pros. Most pro players use the 1280×960 resolution, which shouldn’t strain most systems. For the 16:10 aspect ratio, 1280×800 is among the most popular resolutions.

Try not to go much lower than that, though, as the image may become too blurry, and the pixels too stretched for precise shots. 

Read more: Best CS2 Resolution and Aspect Ratio

Adjust Other Graphics Settings

Just dropping your resolution down a notch or two can help boost your FPS, but if you’re still experiencing issues, take a look at the graphics-related CS2 settings for FPS: 

• Texture Detail: Set this to “Low” or “Medium.” High textures demand significant VRAM.
• Shadows: Switch to “Low” or “Off” as shadows can be performance-intensive.
• VSync: Disable it to reduce input lag and improve responsiveness.
• Anti-Aliasing: Lower or turn it off to reduce GPU strain.

Keep in mind that some laptops have both an internal GPU (usually relatively weak) and a dedicated GPU (much more efficient). This is often the case with gaming laptops in particular. Make sure that your laptop is using the dedicated GPU to run CS2, or you’ll never see decent performance. The easiest way to do this is to set the stronger GPU as the default for running the CS2 app. 

Use Launch Options that Boost FPS

Launch options are special commands entered in Steam that optimize how CS2 runs. Here are some tried-and-tested ones for improving performance:

-high – Runs the game in high CPU priority
-threads [number] – Allocates a specific number of CPU threads to the game
+fps_max [number] – Limits or removes FPS caps. Set to 0 for no cap. For more information, check out our guide on how to cap FPS in CS2 effectively
-vulkan – Uses the Vulkan API, which can boost performance on compatible systems
-nojoy – Disables controller support to free up some RAM

You can also use launch options to disable advanced graphics features, potentially taking some strain off your GPU (but lowering graphics quality):

+r_drawparticles 0 – Disables particle animations
+mat_disable_fancy_blending 1 – Disables advanced texture blending
+r_dynamic 0 – Disables dynamic lighting

Read more: Best CS2 Launch Options: Full List and Guide

Optimize Your PC

Optimizing the game is one thing, but you can also take a look at your PC itself to see what can be streamlined or improved. Here are the key steps to try: 

• Update drivers: Ensure your GPU drivers are up-to-date. NVIDIA and AMD regularly release improved drivers for their products, and updating your graphics card drivers can make a huge difference in its performance. 
• Close background apps: Shut down unnecessary programs like browsers or streaming software to free up RAM and processing power. 
• Adjust power settings: On laptops, set your power plan to “High Performance” under Power Options in the Control Panel.
• Enable Game Mode: Windows offers the option to enable Game Mode, which can give performance a boost. 
• Give Counter-Strike higher priority: Use the Windows Task Manager to give the game’s process higher priority, which should help allocate more resources and power to running the game smoothly. 

Upgrade Your Hardware

If your computer doesn’t meet Counter-Strike’s minimum requirements, no amount of tweaking and adjusting will give you completely smooth performance. You don’t necessarily have to completely replace your PC, though—smaller improvements can make a big difference. 

This’ll be easier if you’re using a desktop PC. Depending on your motherboard, you may be able to upgrade your GPU to get more graphics processing power. In most cases, you should be able to add more RAM to your PC, which would also give your computer a massive boost. 

All is not lost for laptop owners, though—many gaming laptops offer additional RAM slots, enabling you to add more RAM easily and at a fairly small cost. You can also upgrade the hard drive in both laptops and desktops if your computer is using an HDD. Swapping it out for an SSD will get you much faster file retrieval, improving the overall performance of your rig. 

Improving your FPS in CS2 involves a mix of software tweaks, in-game settings, and sometimes hardware upgrades. You should be able to boost FPS in CS2 with a combination of these methods—best of luck optimizing your system!