Counter-Strike 2

Resolution Scaling

Counter-Strike 2 exhibits a pronounced dependency on resolution scaling with this AMD Ryzen 5 8400F + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER pairing. The measured data shows a clear pattern: as resolution drops, frame rates climb steeply, indicating that the GPU becomes the primary constraint at higher pixel counts while the CPU takes over at lower resolutions.

At 4K (3840x2160) with High settings, the combo delivers 74 FPS average. Dropping to 1440p (2560x1440) at the same settings yields 132 FPS, a substantial 78% improvement. Moving further down to 1080p (1920x1080) at High produces 200 FPS, another 52% jump. This scaling behavior demonstrates that the RTX 2060 SUPER's rendering throughput is heavily taxed at 4K, where the 8 GB GDDR6 frame buffer and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are pushed to their limits.

The Low preset tells a similar story with even larger absolute gains. At 4K Low, the system reaches 119 FPS. At 1440p Low, it climbs to 213 FPS, and at 1080p Low it hits 322 FPS. The gap between 4K and 1080p at Low settings is 203 FPS, or roughly 2.7 times the 4K figure. This nonlinear scaling suggests that at 1080p Low, the frame rate is likely approaching the CPU's ceiling for this game, with the Ryzen 5 8400F's 6 cores and 12 threads becoming the limiting factor.

Ultra settings show the steepest drop-off. From 155 FPS at 1080p Ultra to 103 FPS at 1440p Ultra to just 57 FPS at 4K Ultra, the performance curve steepens as pixel count rises. The 4K Ultra result of 57 FPS falls below the 60 FPS threshold that competitive FPS players typically target, making this preset impractical at that resolution. The RTX 2060 SUPER's FP32 throughput of 7.181 TFLOPS is simply insufficient to maintain high frame rates at 4K with maximum graphical fidelity.

The Medium preset provides the only complete min/max data in the measured set, revealing consistent frame pacing. At 4K Medium, the system averages 99 FPS with a minimum of 84 and maximum of 114. At 1440p Medium, the average rises to 177 FPS with min/max of 151/204. At 1080p Medium, the average reaches 268 FPS with min/max of 228/308. These ranges indicate that frame time variance remains controlled even as the GPU load changes, which is encouraging for a game where consistent input response matters.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Counter-Strike 2?

A: Based on the measured data, 1440p offers the best balance of visual fidelity and performance. At High settings, the system delivers 132 FPS average, comfortably above the 144 Hz refresh rate many gamers use. At Medium settings, it reaches 177 FPS with a minimum of 151 FPS, ensuring smooth gameplay even during intense firefights.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Counter-Strike 2?

A: Yes, but with caveats. At 4K Low settings, the combo achieves 119 FPS average, which is playable. At 4K Medium, it drops to 99 FPS with a minimum of 84 FPS. However, at 4K High and 4K Ultra, the averages fall to 74 FPS and 57 FPS respectively. The Ultra preset at 4K is not recommended for competitive play due to sub-60 FPS performance.

Q: How does the RTX 2060 SUPER compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The RTX 2060 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 18093, placing it in the 62nd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile, scores 18159, a delta of -0.4%. The AMD Radeon Pro 5700 scores 18189 (-0.5%), and the AMD Radeon RX 460 scores 18373 (-1.5%). The Intel Arc A770M scores 18383 (-1.6%). These differences are minimal, indicating the RTX 2060 SUPER performs essentially on par with these competitors.

Q: Is the Ryzen 5 8400F holding back the RTX 2060 SUPER?

A: At lower resolutions and settings, the CPU appears to be the limiting factor. At 1080p Low, the system produces 322 FPS, which is likely near the CPU's maximum for this game. The Ryzen 5 8400F's single-thread score of 951 in 3DMark suggests strong per-core performance, which Counter-Strike 2 relies on heavily. At higher resolutions, the GPU becomes the bottleneck, as evidenced by the steep FPS drops when moving from 1440p to 4K.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested systems in this game?

A: The combo ranks 2620 out of 3719 tested combinations in Counter-Strike 2. This places it in the lower half of all tested systems, which is expected given the RTX 2060 SUPER's age and the game's relatively low graphical demands combined with high CPU sensitivity.

Q: What settings preset provides the smoothest experience?

A: At 1080p, the Medium preset delivers 268 FPS average with a minimum of 228 FPS, providing excellent smoothness. At 1440p, Medium yields 177 FPS average with a minimum of 151 FPS. The Low preset offers even higher frame rates but at reduced visual quality. For competitive play where frame rate is paramount, Low at 1080p or 1440p is the best choice based on the measured data.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER serves as the primary rendering engine in this configuration, and its specifications directly influence the measured results. Based on the Turing architecture and manufactured on a 12 nm process at TSMC, this GPU contains 10,800 million transistors on a 445 mm² die. The chip, designated TU106, operates with a base clock of 1470 MHz and a boost clock of 1650 MHz.

Memory configuration plays a significant role in how this GPU handles Counter-Strike 2. The 8 GB GDDR6 frame buffer is paired with a 256-bit memory bus, yielding a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. This bandwidth is sufficient for the game's texture streaming at 1440p and 4K, as evidenced by the relatively stable frame rates at Medium settings across all resolutions. The memory clock runs at 1750 MHz, which translates to 14 Gbps effective data rate.

The GPU's compute resources include 2176 shading units, 136 texture mapping units, and 64 raster output units. These figures translate to a texture rate of 224.4 GTexel/s and a pixel rate of 105.6 GPixel/s. The FP32 performance of 7.181 TFLOPS represents the theoretical peak for single-precision calculations, which directly impacts how quickly the GPU can process shader instructions in Counter-Strike 2.

Ray tracing capabilities are present via 34 RT cores, and 272 tensor cores handle AI-accelerated workloads. However, Counter-Strike 2 is not known for heavy ray tracing use, so these resources likely remain underutilized. The GPU supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, ensuring compatibility with the game's rendering API requirements.

The GPU's benchmark scores provide context for its performance tier. In PassMark G3D testing, it scores 16462, while 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 yields 2011 points. The Geekbench OpenCL and Vulkan scores are 76957 and 77402 respectively. These results place the RTX 2060 SUPER in the 62nd percentile of all GPUs, indicating it performs better than a majority of graphics cards but is not a high-end solution.

The GPU's power characteristics include a TDP of 175 W, requiring a 450 W suggested power supply and a single 8-pin power connector. The dual-slot cooler with a length of 229 mm (9 inches) allows for compatibility with most mid-tower cases. The display outputs include 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0, 2x DisplayPort 1.4a, and 1x USB Type-C, providing flexible monitor connectivity options.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 8400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER achieves a rank of 2620 out of 3719 tested combos in Counter-Strike 2. This places the system in the 70.5th percentile of all tested configurations, meaning roughly 30% of tested systems perform worse and 70% perform better. This ranking reflects the mid-range positioning of both components.

The CPU contributes significantly to this ranking. The Ryzen 5 8400F sits in the 77th percentile of all CPUs based on its average benchmark score of 25005. This places it comfortably in the upper quartile of processors, which is noteworthy given its 6-core/12-thread configuration. The CPU's nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F, scores 24964 (a delta of 0.2%), showing that the 8400F performs essentially identically to its close relative. The Intel Core i7-11850H scores 24935 (0.3%), the Intel Core i7-13620H scores 24911 (0.4%), and the AMD EPYC 9474F scores 25103 (-0.4%).

The GPU's ranking is less impressive. The RTX 2060 SUPER's 62nd percentile placement among all GPUs indicates it is a mid-tier performer. This is consistent with the combo's overall ranking, as the GPU likely drags down the system's position in a game that can be quite demanding at high resolutions.

The gap between the CPU's high percentile and the GPU's mid-level percentile suggests that the RTX 2060 SUPER is the primary factor limiting this combo's rank. If paired with a more powerful GPU, the Ryzen 5 8400F could potentially push this system significantly higher in the rankings. However, in its current configuration, the GPU's performance ceiling constrains the overall results, particularly at 4K resolution where the GPU is clearly the bottleneck.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F, based on the Zen 4 (Phoenix) architecture and manufactured on a 4 nm process at TSMC, provides the computational foundation for this system. Its 6 cores and 12 threads operate at a base clock of 4.20 GHz with a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. The chip contains 25,000 million transistors on a 178 mm² die, demonstrating the density advantages of the 4 nm manufacturing process.

Cache hierarchy is crucial for gaming performance, and this CPU features 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 cache per core, and 16 MB of shared L3 cache. This configuration provides low-latency access to frequently used game data, which is particularly important for Counter-Strike 2's physics calculations and entity updates. The absence of 3D V-Cache means there is no additional L3 cache beyond the 16 MB shared pool.

Memory bandwidth is another factor. The CPU supports DDR5 memory on a dual-channel bus, providing 83.2 GB/s of theoretical bandwidth. This is more than sufficient for the game's memory access patterns, especially when compared to the GPU's 448.0 GB/s bandwidth. The CPU's memory controller does not support ECC memory, which is unimportant for gaming workloads.

Benchmark scores reveal the CPU's strengths. In Cinebench R23, the CPU scores 20851 in multi-core and 2943 in single-core tests. The 3DMark tests show 951 in single-thread and 6165 in max-thread scenarios. PassMark results include a multi-thread score of 24389 and a single-thread score of 3685. These figures indicate strong per-core performance, which is essential for Counter-Strike 2's relatively light multi-threading requirements.

The CPU's 65 W TDP is modest, and it runs on the AMD Socket AM5 platform with PCIe Gen 4 support providing 20 CPU lanes. The integrated graphics are listed as N/A, meaning the discrete GPU is mandatory for any display output. The CPU was released on 2024-03-31 with a launch MSRP of $170, positioning it as an affordable option in the 8000 series.

For Counter-Strike 2 specifically, the CPU's role becomes evident when examining frame rates at 1080p Low. The 322 FPS result suggests the CPU is delivering near-maximum frame rates for this game, as further increases would require higher single-thread performance. The CPU's 3DMark single-thread score of 951 and PassMark single-thread score of 3685 indicate that per-core performance is strong, allowing the game's main thread to run efficiently.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of this combo's performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. Each resolution was tested at Low, Medium, High, and Ultra settings, producing a total of 12 data points.

At 1920x1080, the system achieves its highest frame rates. Low settings produce 322 FPS average, Medium settings yield 268 FPS with a minimum of 228 and maximum of 308, High settings deliver 200 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 155 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra represents a 52% reduction in average frame rate, showing the performance cost of higher graphical fidelity.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates remain strong but show clear scaling down. Low settings deliver 213 FPS, Medium settings produce 177 FPS with a minimum of 151 and maximum of 204, High settings reach 132 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 103 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 110 FPS, or 52% of the Low average, mirroring the percentage drop seen at 1080p.

At 3840x2160, the performance takes a significant hit. Low settings average 119 FPS, Medium settings yield 99 FPS with a minimum of 84 and maximum of 114, High settings drop to 74 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 57 FPS. The Ultra result at 4K is less than half of the Low result, representing a 52% reduction. This consistent percentage drop across all resolutions indicates that the settings presets scale linearly in their computational cost.

Comparing resolutions at the same settings reveals the GPU bottleneck. At High settings, moving from 1080p to 1440p reduces frame rate from 200 to 132 FPS (a 34% drop), and moving from 1440p to 4K reduces it further to 74 FPS (a 44% drop). At Low settings, the same resolution changes produce drops from 322 to 213 FPS (34%) and then to 119 FPS (44%). These consistent percentages across settings confirm that the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions.

The Medium preset provides the only complete min/max data, demonstrating stable frame delivery. At 1080p, the range from 228 to 308 FPS represents a 35% variance around the average. At 1440p, the range from 151 to 204 FPS shows a 30% variance. At 4K, the range from 84 to 114 FPS shows a 30% variance. This consistency suggests that frame pacing remains stable regardless of resolution.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the player's resolution and performance priorities. For competitive play where maximum frame rate is paramount, the Low preset at 1080p delivers 322 FPS, providing the highest possible responsiveness. At 1440p, Low still produces 213 FPS, which exceeds the refresh rate of most high-end monitors.

For players with 144 Hz displays, the Medium preset offers an excellent balance. At 1080p, it averages 268 FPS with a minimum of 228 FPS, ensuring the frame rate never drops below the display's refresh rate. At 1440p, Medium averages 177 FPS with a minimum of 151 FPS, which still comfortably exceeds 144 Hz. The visual improvement from Low to Medium is noticeable in texture quality and shadow detail.

For players with 60 Hz displays or those prioritizing visual quality, the High preset is viable at 1080p and 1440p. At 1080p High, the system averages 200 FPS, and at 1440p High, it averages 132 FPS. Both comfortably exceed 60 Hz, though the 1440p result may produce occasional drops below 120 FPS during intense scenes. Ultra settings are not recommended at any resolution for competitive play, as even at 1080p the 155 FPS average is lower than what the Medium preset achieves at 1440p.

At 4K, the recommendations become more restrictive. Low settings at 119 FPS are playable, and Medium at 99 FPS is acceptable for casual play. High settings at 74 FPS are borderline, and Ultra at 57 FPS falls below the 60 FPS threshold, making it unsuitable for smooth gameplay. Players who insist on 4K should stick to Low or Medium settings.

The data shows that the Medium preset provides the most consistent experience across all resolutions. It is the only preset where complete min/max data is available, and the frame ranges indicate stable performance. For players who want to maintain high frame rates without sacrificing too much visual quality, Medium is the recommended choice at both 1080p and 1440p. At 4K, Low is the safest option to ensure frame rates remain above 100 FPS.