Counter-Strike 2

How This Combo Ranks

In the Counter-Strike 2 benchmark database, the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER lands at rank 270 out of 1,632 tested combinations. That places this setup comfortably inside the top 17% of all recorded configs, a strong showing for a mid-range CPU paired with a high-end GPU. The ranking reflects the combination's ability to push very high frame rates across most settings, though the data reveals that the processor is the limiting factor in several scenarios.

The CPU itself sits at the 79th percentile among all processors tested, while the GPU reaches the 84th percentile among all graphics cards. The slight gap between these two percentile positions hints at a system where the graphics card has more headroom than the CPU can consistently feed. In synthetic averages, the Ryzen 5 5500 scores 20,875, which is within 0.1% of the Intel Core i5-12500 (20,897) and the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4655GE (20,900). It edges out the AMD EPYC 7J13 (20,845) by 0.1% and trails the Intel Core i5-12600T (20,917) by 0.2%. This tight cluster means the CPU is performing exactly in line with its expected tier, neither overachieving nor falling behind.

The GPU's average benchmark score of 42,576 puts it within 0.2% of the NVIDIA RTX A6000 (42,653) and 0.3% of the AMD Radeon RX 7650 GRE (42,723). It leads the AMD Radeon Pro 580X (41,991) by 1.4% and the NVIDIA Tesla M40 (41,897) by 1.6%. For Counter-Strike 2 specifically, the measured frame rates show that this combo is capable of exceeding 500 FPS at lower settings, which is exceptional for competitive play. The rank of 270 out of 1,632 indicates that while many faster combos exist, this pairing delivers performance that will satisfy the vast majority of players.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, specifically the Cezanne codename. It operates with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz, with a 65W TDP. The chip features 16 MB of L3 cache, with 512 KB of L2 cache per core and 64 KB of L1 cache per core. It supports DDR4 memory in dual-channel configuration, providing 51.2 GB/s of memory bandwidth, and connects via PCIe Gen 3.

For Counter-Strike 2, a game that is notoriously CPU-sensitive at high frame rates, the processor's single-thread performance is critical. The 3DMark single-thread score of 836 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2,319 indicate solid per-core capability, though not class-leading. The multi-thread results are more robust: Cinebench R23 multicore hits 16,429, and the 3DMark max-threads score reaches 5,411. These numbers suggest the CPU can handle the game's engine threads without becoming a bottleneck at standard refresh rates.

However, the measured FPS data reveals an interesting pattern. At 1080p Low settings, the combo produces 586.3 FPS average. This is an enormous frame rate, but it also shows the CPU is being pushed to its limits. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 5,386 and the 8-thread score of 4,593 indicate that the processor scales reasonably well with additional threads, but the single-thread score of 836 is the more relevant metric for Counter-Strike 2's primary game logic thread. The PassMark single-thread score of 3,058 and the 2-thread score of 1,645 reinforce that this CPU is competent but not exceptional in lightly-threaded workloads.

The 7nm process node and 10,700 million transistors on a 180 mm² die mean the chip runs efficiently, which is beneficial for sustained performance in long gaming sessions. The unlocked multiplier allows for overclocking, and the AM4 socket provides upgrade flexibility, but the data shows the stock configuration is already well-matched for this GPU in most scenarios.

FAQ

Q: How does this combo compare to the nearest CPU rivals in overall benchmark scores?

A: The Ryzen 5 5500's average benchmark score of 20,875 is virtually identical to the Intel Core i5-12500 (20,897, -0.1%) and the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4655GE (20,900, -0.1%). It is 0.1% ahead of the AMD EPYC 7J13 (20,845) and 0.2% behind the Intel Core i5-12600T (20,917). These deltas are negligible, meaning the CPU performs within its expected tier.

Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo achieves in Counter-Strike 2?

A: The maximum recorded average FPS is 586.3, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This is followed by 488.1 FPS at 1080p Medium and 388.2 FPS at 1440p Low. These numbers indicate the combo is more than capable of driving high-refresh-rate monitors at competitive settings.

Q: Does the GPU bottleneck the CPU at any resolution?

A: The data suggests the opposite. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 102.7, while at 4K Low it rises to 218.2. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 4K shows a 53% performance reduction, which indicates the GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher settings. Conversely, at 1080p Low, the CPU is likely the constraint, as the frame rate reaches 586.3.

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

A: The RTX 4070 SUPER's average benchmark score of 42,576 is within 0.2% of the NVIDIA RTX A6000 (42,653) and 0.3% of the AMD Radeon RX 7650 GRE (42,723). It outperforms the AMD Radeon Pro 580X (41,991) by 1.4% and the NVIDIA Tesla M40 (41,897) by 1.6%. These are tight margins, confirming the GPU is well-positioned in its performance class.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested combinations for this game?

A: The combo ranks 270 out of 1,632 tested combinations. This places it in the top 16.5% of all recorded configs, which is a strong result given the mid-range CPU and high-end GPU pairing.

Q: Is the CPU's single-thread performance sufficient for high FPS in this game?

A: Yes. The 3DMark single-thread score of 836 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2,319 are adequate to produce 586.3 FPS at 1080p Low. However, the gap between 586.3 FPS at Low and 366.5 FPS at High suggests the CPU is working hard, and higher settings shift the bottleneck to the GPU.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its highest frame rates. Low settings produce an average of 586.3 FPS, which is exceptional for competitive play. Medium settings drop to 488.1 FPS, still far beyond what most monitors can display. High settings yield 366.5 FPS, and Ultra settings settle at 282.3 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 1080p shows a 51.8% reduction in performance, indicating that the GPU is increasingly taxed as settings rise, but even the lowest number here is well above the refresh rate of most gaming displays.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain very high. Low settings average 388.2 FPS, Medium hits 325.1 FPS, and High reaches 239.3 FPS. Ultra settings drop to 188.2 FPS. The 1440p numbers show a more pronounced GPU dependency, with the gap between Low and Ultra widening to 51.5%. This resolution is still comfortably playable on high-refresh-rate monitors, with even the Ultra preset exceeding 180 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the performance curve steepens. Low settings average 218.2 FPS, which is still excellent for 4K gaming. Medium settings produce 181.4 FPS, and High settings drop to 138.1 FPS. Ultra settings are the most demanding, averaging 102.7 FPS. The 4K results clearly demonstrate that the GPU is nearing its limits at this resolution, particularly at higher settings, where the frame rate falls below the 144 Hz threshold that many competitive players target.

The data shows a consistent pattern: at 1080p and 1440p, the combo provides headroom for high-refresh-rate monitors regardless of settings. At 4K, the user must choose between high frame rates at Low settings or lower frame rates at Ultra settings.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K reveals important information about which component is limiting performance. At Low settings, the transition from 1080p (586.3 FPS) to 1440p (388.2 FPS) represents a 33.8% reduction, and from 1440p to 4K (218.2 FPS) another 43.8% reduction. This steep decline at low settings indicates the GPU is becoming the primary constraint as pixel count increases, since the CPU workload remains relatively constant across resolutions.

At High settings, the scaling is slightly less dramatic. The drop from 1080p (366.5 FPS) to 1440p (239.3 FPS) is 34.7%, and from 1440p to 4K (138.1 FPS) is 42.3%. The similarity in percentage drops between Low and High settings suggests that the GPU is the dominant limiting factor across the board, with the CPU providing enough headroom to avoid becoming a bottleneck except at the very highest frame rates.

The Ultra settings show the most significant scaling. From 1080p (282.3 FPS) to 1440p (188.2 FPS) the drop is 33.3%, and from 1440p to 4K (102.7 FPS) it is 45.4%. The 4K Ultra result of 102.7 FPS is the lowest recorded value, confirming that the RTX 4070 SUPER is fully utilized at this setting. The CPU, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, is sufficient to feed the GPU in most scenarios, but the data at 1080p Low (586.3 FPS) suggests the processor is nearing its maximum output.

The fact that the percentage drops are relatively consistent across settings indicates a balanced system where the GPU is the primary scaling factor. If the CPU were severely limiting, we would expect to see smaller FPS differences between resolutions, particularly at Low settings. Instead, the 4K Low result of 218.2 FPS versus the 1080p Low result of 586.3 FPS shows a 62.8% reduction, which is substantial and points to the GPU as the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. For users targeting maximum frame rates, 1080p Low is the clear choice; for those prioritizing visual quality, 4K Ultra remains playable at over 100 FPS.