Counter-Strike 2

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for Counter-Strike 2 with this Ryzen 7 5800X + RTX 4090 combination reveals how dramatically frame rates respond to resolution changes. At 1440p High settings, the combo delivers 308.6 FPS average. Dropping to 1080p High pushes that figure to 464.9 FPS — a substantial 156.3 FPS gain. This scaling pattern indicates that at 1080p, the system is moving toward a CPU-bound state, where the graphics card has ample headroom and the processor becomes the limiting factor.

Moving to 4K at High settings, the average FPS falls to 171.7. This represents a 293.2 FPS drop from the 1080p High result. The scaling from 1440p to 4K is more moderate than the 1080p-to-1440p jump, suggesting that at 4K the GPU workload increases significantly and begins to assert its role as the primary limiter. The RTX 4090's 24 GB of GDDR6X memory and 1.01 TB/s bandwidth are clearly sufficient for 4K, as the frame rates remain far above competitive thresholds.

The Low preset at 1080p produces 690.1 FPS, while at 1440p it yields 493.4 FPS, and at 4K it reaches 277.8 FPS. This consistent scaling across presets confirms that resolution is the dominant variable. The gap between 1080p Low and 4K Low is 412.3 FPS, which is larger than the corresponding gap for High settings (293.2 FPS). This wider spread at Low settings indicates that when graphical load is minimal, the CPU's capability to feed frames becomes more exposed, and the resolution-dependent rasterization work still scales with pixel count.

Ultra settings tell a different story. At 1080p Ultra, the system produces 360 FPS, but at 4K Ultra it drops to 132.5 FPS. The 4K Ultra result is the lowest measured across all configurations, confirming that the combination of maximum settings and 4K resolution creates the heaviest GPU workload. The scaling from 1080p Ultra to 4K Ultra represents a 227.5 FPS reduction, showing that even a flagship GPU like the RTX 4090 sees significant performance erosion when both resolution and settings are maxed.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X is an 8-core, 16-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture. Its base clock is 3.80 GHz with a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. In Counter-Strike 2, which is known to be sensitive to single-thread performance, the processor's single-core capabilities are critical. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3327 and Geekbench single-core score of 2194 indicate strong per-thread performance for a desktop CPU of its generation.

The processor's multi-threaded results also matter, even for a game that may not use all 16 threads. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 23571 and 3DMark 16-thread score of 7586 suggest ample headroom for background tasks, streaming, or other concurrent workloads while gaming. The 32 MB L3 cache is shared across all cores, which can benefit game workloads that exhibit temporal locality in data access patterns.

At 1080p Low settings, the 690.1 FPS result demonstrates that the CPU can sustain extremely high frame rates when graphics load is reduced. The fact that 1080p Low produces 412.3 FPS more than 4K Low indicates that the CPU is not the bottleneck at higher resolutions, but rather the GPU's rasterization workload takes over. Conversely, the smaller gap between 1080p High (464.9 FPS) and 1440p High (308.6 FPS) compared to the Low preset's gap suggests that High settings introduce enough GPU work to shift the balance.

The Ryzen 7 5800X's 105 W TDP and 7 nm process node from TSMC place it as an efficient high-end desktop part. Its percentile rank of 84 among all CPUs indicates it sits above most processors in overall benchmark performance. Compared to its nearest rivals, the Ryzen 7 5800 (average score 27535) shows a deltaPct of 0.3, meaning the 5800X is essentially neck-and-neck with that chip. The Intel Core i5-12600KF trails by 0.8 percent, while the Ryzen 5 8500GE and Core i7-13700H are within 0.4 percent in either direction.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process. Its base clock is 2235 MHz with a boost clock of 2520 MHz, and it features 16384 shading units. The 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus provides 1.01 TB/s of bandwidth, which is more than sufficient for Counter-Strike 2 at any resolution tested.

The GPU's raw compute capabilities are substantial: 82.58 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and a pixel rate of 443.5 GPixel/s. These specifications explain why 4K High settings still deliver 171.7 FPS, a result that would be impossible for lesser GPUs. The RTX 4090's percentile rank of 91 among all GPUs places it near the top of the hierarchy, though its nearest rivals in the benchmark database include workstation cards like the Tesla T4 and Quadro P6000, which are not gaming-focused.

The measured results show that the GPU's performance scales predictably with settings. At 4K, the jump from Low (277.8 FPS) to Medium (230 FPS) to High (171.7 FPS) to Ultra (132.5 FPS) demonstrates a clear relationship between graphical fidelity and frame rate. The 145.3 FPS difference between 4K Low and 4K Ultra is substantial, but the absolute numbers remain high enough for competitive play even at Ultra.

At 1080p, the GPU's headroom is evident. The RTX 4090 produces 690.1 FPS at Low settings, but when settings rise to Ultra, the frame rate drops to 360 FPS. This 330.1 FPS spread at 1080p indicates that the GPU is still doing meaningful work even at lower resolutions, but the CPU's frame delivery capability becomes the limiting factor at Low and Medium presets. The GPU's 450 W TDP and 1x 16-pin power connector reflect its high-end positioning, and the suggested 850 W PSU aligns with its power demands.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of AMD Ryzen 7 5800X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 achieves a combo rank of 51 out of 1632 tested combinations in Counter-Strike 2. This places the pairing in the top 3.1 percent of all tested combos, which is a strong result given that the CPU is from the 5000 series (released in 2020) while the GPU is a current flagship.

The ranking reflects that while the RTX 4090 is an elite GPU, the Ryzen 7 5800X's single-thread performance — while excellent for its generation — is not the absolute fastest available. Newer CPUs with higher boost clocks or improved IPC would likely push this combo higher in the rankings. However, the 5800X's 16 threads and 4.70 GHz boost clock are sufficient to feed the RTX 4090 in most scenarios, as evidenced by the high frame rates at every resolution.

The gap between this combo's rank and the top tier is likely attributable to CPU-bound scenarios at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the 690.1 FPS result is impressive, but a newer processor with higher single-core performance might push that figure higher. The fact that this combo still ranks 51st overall demonstrates that the RTX 4090's immense GPU power compensates for any CPU limitations in most settings.

FAQ

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

A: The highest measured average FPS is 690.1, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K resolution?

A: At 3840x2160, the average FPS ranges from 277.8 at Low settings to 132.5 at Ultra settings, with High settings producing 171.7 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1080p?

A: At 1080p Low settings, the 690.1 FPS result suggests the CPU is the primary limiter, as the RTX 4090 has more than enough GPU power to render this simple scene faster.

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

A: The difference is 293.2 FPS, with 1080p High producing 464.9 FPS and 4K High producing 171.7 FPS.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested combinations?

A: This combo ranks 51st out of 1632 tested combinations in Counter-Strike 2, placing it in the top 3.1 percent.

Q: What settings provide the highest frame rate at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, Low settings provide the highest average FPS at 493.4, followed by Medium at 411.9, High at 308.6, and Ultra at 238.1.

Settings Recommendations

For competitive play where frame rate is paramount, the Low preset at 1440p delivers 493.4 FPS, which is more than sufficient for any high-refresh-rate monitor. At 1080p, Low settings reach 690.1 FPS, providing maximum headroom for competitive scenarios. These Low settings reduce graphical effects but prioritize responsiveness, which aligns with Counter-Strike 2's gameplay demands.

For players who want a balance between visual quality and performance, Medium settings at 1440p produce 411.9 FPS, while 1080p Medium reaches 621.2 FPS. These configurations maintain high frame rates while adding some visual fidelity over Low. The High preset at 1440p (308.6 FPS) still exceeds the refresh rate of most gaming monitors, making it a viable choice for those who prefer better visuals.

Ultra settings are playable but require resolution trade-offs. At 1080p Ultra, the combo produces 360 FPS, which is excellent. At 1440p Ultra, the 238.1 FPS result remains above 240 Hz thresholds. However, 4K Ultra drops to 132.5 FPS, which may be below the refresh rate of high-end 4K monitors. The data suggests that for 4K gaming, High settings (171.7 FPS) provide a better experience than Ultra, as the visual difference is often minimal while the frame rate gain is substantial.

The optimal configuration depends on the display's native resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p and 1440p displays, High or Ultra settings are recommended, as frame rates remain above 230 FPS in all cases. For 4K displays, High settings offer the best balance, with Medium (230 FPS) as a strong alternative if higher frame rates are desired. Low settings are recommended only for players who prioritize maximum competitive advantage over visual quality.