Counter-Strike 2

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 pairing in Counter-Strike 2 produces a fascinating dataset that highlights the extreme performance ceiling of this esports title. The 5600F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, with a base clock of 3.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.00 GHz. It features a 32 MB shared L3 cache, which is a significant factor for gaming workloads that rely on rapid data access. The processor's 65 W TDP and 7 nm process node indicate an efficient design, and its PassMark single-thread score of 2872 places it in the 85th percentile among all CPUs, suggesting strong per-core performance that is critical for a game like Counter-Strike 2, which often scales with single-thread speed.

The RTX 4090, built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process, is a brute-force solution. It houses 16,384 shading units, 128 ray tracing cores, and 512 tensor cores, operating at a boost clock of 2520 MHz. The 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus provides 1.01 TB/s of bandwidth, an enormous amount that is unlikely to be a constraint in this context. Its average benchmark score of 60347 puts it in the 88th percentile of all GPUs. The data shows that this combo ranks 177th out of 2,870 tested configurations, placing it in the top 6% of all pairings tested for this game, which is a strong result but not the absolute top, leaving room for analysis of what limits its performance.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Ryzen 5 5600F's role in Counter-Strike 2 is defined by its balance of core count and clock speed. With 6 cores and 12 threads, it is not a high-core-count behemoth, but its 4.00 GHz boost clock and Zen 3 architecture deliver the kind of responsive, low-latency performance that competitive shooters demand. The PassMark single-thread score of 2872, which places the CPU in the 85th percentile, is particularly relevant. This suggests that when the game is not GPU-bound, the CPU is capable of feeding frames rapidly. The processor's performance in synthetic tests, such as a PassMark physics score of 1043 and an integer math score of 59339, indicates solid computational throughput.

When we look at the measured FPS, the CPU's influence becomes clearer at lower resolutions and settings. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo hits 561 FPS on average. This high frame rate indicates that the CPU is able to process the game's simulation and draw calls quickly enough to keep up with the GPU's output. In contrast, at 4K with Ultra settings, the average FPS drops to 133, a figure that is far below the CPU's potential. The data suggests that the CPU's performance headroom is vast; the bottleneck in this pairing is almost entirely the GPU at higher resolutions and settings. The CPU's 32 MB of L3 cache is also a notable asset, as it likely helps reduce memory latency, which is a common performance factor in fast-paced games.

The difference between Low and Ultra settings at the same resolution illustrates this point. At 1080p, the jump from Low (561 FPS) to Ultra (359 FPS) represents a 36% reduction in performance, which is caused by increased GPU load, not CPU limitation. At 4K, the drop from Low (276 FPS) to Ultra (133 FPS) is a 52% reduction, further emphasizing the GPU's role as the limiting factor. The CPU's closest rivals, such as the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 (deltaPct 0) and AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D (deltaPct -0.2), show that the 5600F is competitive in its class, but the data here suggests that its performance is not the primary constraint in this specific combination.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the highest average frame rate recorded for this combo in Counter-Strike 2?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 561, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does the combo rank compared to other tested configurations?

A: This pairing ranks 177th out of 2,870 tested combos, placing it in the top 6% of all systems tested for this game.

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

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor at 4K. The average FPS drops from 276 at Low settings to 133 at Ultra settings, a significant decline that points to GPU rendering load, while the CPU's single-thread performance (2872 PassMark score) remains robust.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between 1080p and 4K at High settings?

A: At 1080p High, the average FPS is 462, while at 4K High, it falls to 171. This represents a 63% reduction in frame rate when moving to 4K.

Q: Are there any recorded minimum FPS values in the dataset?

A: Yes, minimum FPS values are only recorded for Medium settings. At 1080p Medium, the minimum is 446 FPS; at 1440p Medium, it is 348 FPS; and at 4K Medium, it is 195 FPS.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the RTX 4090?

A: The launch MSRP of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is 1,599 USD.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The resolution scaling behavior in this dataset is a textbook example of GPU-bound performance. At Low settings, the average FPS goes from 561 at 1080p, to 489 at 1440p, and then to 276 at 4K. The drop from 1440p to 4K is a 44% reduction, while the drop from 1080p to 1440p is only 13%. This pattern shows that the GPU's rendering workload scales exponentially with pixel count, and the RTX 4090, despite its massive 24 GB memory buffer and 1.01 TB/s bandwidth, begins to feel the strain at 4K.

At High settings, the trend is more dramatic. The average FPS falls from 462 at 1080p to 306 at 1440p, a 34% drop, and then down to 171 at 4K, a 44% drop from 1440p. The overall reduction from 1080p to 4K at High settings is 63%, which is a substantial performance penalty. This suggests that the game's visual effects at High settings, which may include more complex lighting and shadows, are heavily taxing the GPU's shader units and rasterization pipeline.

The data at Ultra settings confirms this narrative. The average FPS at 1080p is 359, at 1440p it is 238, and at 4K it is 133. The drop from 1080p to 4K is 63%, nearly identical to the High settings drop. What is notable is that the CPU's performance, as measured by its PassMark single-thread score of 2872, is unchanged across these scenarios. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see similar FPS numbers regardless of resolution, especially at lower settings. Instead, we see FPS values that scale inversely with resolution, which is the definitive sign of a GPU-limited system. The CPU is providing more than enough headroom, leaving the RTX 4090 as the sole determinant of frame rate in this title.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Given the measured data, the choice of settings depends on the user's display and performance goals. For a 1080p gamer with a high refresh rate monitor, the Low preset at 561 FPS is the clear winner. This frame rate far exceeds the capabilities of most displays, which typically cap at 240 Hz or 360 Hz, and the low latency from such high frame rates is advantageous in a competitive shooter. The Medium preset at 525 FPS is also viable, offering a 36 FPS reduction but potentially better visual clarity, with a recorded minimum of 446 FPS ensuring no dips below high refresh rates.

At 1440p, the Low preset still delivers a massive 489 FPS, which is sufficient for even the fastest 360 Hz monitors. Medium drops to 410 FPS, still excellent, and even High at 306 FPS is playable on a 240 Hz display. The Ultra preset at 238 FPS is the lowest here, but it remains above the 144 Hz threshold, making it a reasonable choice for those prioritizing visual fidelity over maximum frame rate.

At 4K, the situation changes. The Low preset at 276 FPS is the only one that comfortably supports a 240 Hz display. Medium at 229 FPS is suitable for 144 Hz, and High at 171 FPS is playable but may not fully saturate a 144 Hz screen in all scenarios. Ultra at 133 FPS is just below the 144 Hz mark, which could lead to frame pacing issues on such displays. The data suggests that for 4K, Low or Medium settings provide the best balance of visual quality and performance, as the GPU is the limiting factor. The recommendation is to prioritize Low or Medium presets at 1080p and 1440p for esports-level performance, while at 4K, users should accept a lower preset to maintain high frame rates.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combo rank of 177 out of 2,870 tested configurations places this pairing in the top 6.2% of all systems. This is an exceptional result, but the data implies that it is not the absolute best, which raises the question of what could outperform it. The RTX 4090 is an end-of-life product, and the Ryzen 5 5600F, while capable, is not a top-tier enthusiast CPU. The gap between this combo and the number one spot is likely due to the CPU's single-thread performance ceiling, as a more powerful processor could potentially push frame rates even higher in CPU-bound scenarios.

However, the ranking must be contextualized by the game's nature. Counter-Strike 2 is a highly optimized esports title where high frame rates are paramount. A rank of 177 means that 2,693 other combos performed worse, which reflects the strength of this pairing. The nearest rivals to the CPU, such as the Intel Core i9-12900T (deltaPct -0.5) and AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D (deltaPct -0.2), suggest that the 5600F is in good company, but the GPU's dominance in the dataset is clear. The ranking indicates that this system is more than capable of delivering a competitive experience, but it is not the ultimate configuration for those seeking the absolute maximum FPS.

The percentile for the GPU is 88, and for the CPU it is 85, both high but not perfect. This suggests that while both components are strong, there are faster options available. The combo rank of 177 reflects a system that is well-balanced but leaves some performance on the table, likely due to the CPU's 6-core design being less optimal for the game's engine at extremely high frame rates compared to a higher-clocked 8-core part.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four settings levels. At 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from a low of 359 at Ultra to a high of 561 at Low. The Medium setting yields 525 FPS with a minimum of 446 and a maximum of 604, while High produces 462 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra is 202 FPS, which is a significant 36% reduction, highlighting the GPU's workload scaling.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS drops across all settings. Low delivers 489 FPS, Medium 410 FPS (with a minimum of 348 and maximum of 471), High 306 FPS, and Ultra 238 FPS. The reduction from Low to Ultra is 251 FPS, a 51% decrease. This shows that the transition from 1080p to 1440p has a more pronounced effect on higher settings, as the pixel count increases the GPU's rendering burden.

At 3840x2160, the average FPS values are considerably lower. Low produces 276 FPS, Medium 229 FPS (with a minimum of 195 and maximum of 263), High 171 FPS, and Ultra 133 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra is 143 FPS, a 52% decrease. The minimum FPS at 4K Medium is 195, which is still above 144 Hz, but the Ultra preset's 133 FPS average is below that threshold. The data shows a clear pattern: at 1080p, the system can push beyond 500 FPS on most settings, at 1440p it stays above 238 FPS, and at 4K it falls to between 133 and 276 FPS, making the resolution the primary factor in performance.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 plays a dominant role in this combo, as evidenced by the FPS scaling with resolution and settings. Its 24 GB of GDDR6X memory is more than sufficient for Counter-Strike 2, which is not a VRAM-intensive title; the data shows no signs of memory capacity being a limiting factor. The GPU's 1.01 TB/s memory bandwidth and 384-bit bus provide ample data throughput for the game's textures and geometry. The boost clock of 2520 MHz and the 16,384 shading units are the key drivers of performance, as they determine the rate at which pixels can be processed.

The GPU's PassMark G3D score of 38194 and its 88th percentile ranking among all GPUs confirm its high-end status. In comparison to its nearest rivals, such as the Intel Arc Pro A60 (deltaPct 0) and AMD Radeon Pro W6600M (deltaPct -2.5), the RTX 4090 is clearly superior in raw compute power. However, the measured FPS at 4K Ultra (133 FPS) shows that even this powerhouse is not immune to the demands of high-resolution rendering.

The relationship between the GPU's clock speed and the frame rates is direct. At 1080p Low, the GPU is likely not fully utilized, as the CPU's single-thread performance (2872 PassMark score) may cap the frame rate around 561 FPS. As resolution increases, the GPU's shading units and texture units (512 TMUs) become the bottleneck, causing the FPS to drop. The GPU's 176 ROPs and 443.5 GPixel/s pixel rate are sufficient for 1080p and 1440p but struggle to maintain high frame rates at 4K with Ultra settings. The data indicates that the RTX 4090's role is to provide exceptional performance at lower resolutions while still offering playable frame rates at 4K, but the CPU's 6-core design prevents it from being the absolute fastest pairing in every scenario.