Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2 is a competitive FPS where frame rate is king, and this pairing of the AMD Ryzen 7 7700 with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 delivers exceptional headroom. The measured data shows this combination is not the absolute top performer in the database, ranking 31st out of 1632 tested combos, but its performance across resolutions and settings is staggeringly high, often exceeding the refresh rates of even the best gaming monitors. The analysis below breaks down how each component contributes to these results, how the system scales across resolutions, and which settings provide the best experience.

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

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700 is an 8-core, 16-thread processor based on the Zen 4 architecture, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. It has a 65W TDP and supports DDR5 memory on the AMD Socket AM5 platform. In synthetic benchmarks, its multi-threaded performance is strong, scoring 29,302 in Cinebench R23 multicore, while its single-thread score of 4,136 indicates excellent per-core capability. This combination of high single-core speed and a modern architecture is critical for Counter-Strike 2, which relies heavily on strong per-core performance for game logic and draw calls.

The data shows that the CPU is not the bottleneck in this configuration at lower resolutions. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves a massive 743.6 FPS average. This figure is so high that it clearly demonstrates the Ryzen 7 7700's ability to feed frames to the GPU without being a limiting factor. Even when the resolution drops to 1440p with Low settings, the system maintains 495.4 FPS, still far above the threshold where CPU limitations would typically manifest. The CPU's 32 MB of shared L3 cache helps keep frequently accessed game data close at hand, reducing latency and ensuring consistent frame pacing in high-action scenes.

The CPU's position in the broader market reinforces its strength. It ranks in the 91st percentile among all CPUs tested. Its nearest rivals in average benchmark score include the AMD Ryzen 9 7940H with a delta of 0.1%, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 at 0.5%, the Intel Core i9-13905H at -0.6%, and the Intel Core Ultra 5 235T at 1.2%. These are all extremely close scores, indicating that the Ryzen 7 7700 is sitting right at the top tier of processors, with only negligible differences separating it from other top contenders. For a game like Counter-Strike 2, this level of CPU performance ensures that the focus remains on the GPU and the resolution, not on the processor struggling to keep up.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is the flagship of the GeForce 40-series, built on the Ada Lovelace architecture. It features 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, offering a massive 1.01 TB/s of memory bandwidth. Its boost clock is rated at 2520 MHz. This hardware provides an extraordinary amount of graphical processing power, as evidenced by its strong benchmark scores, including a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 9,223 and a Geekbench Vulkan score of 270,615. The GPU ranks in the 91st percentile among all GPUs, with its nearest rivals being professional-grade cards like the NVIDIA Tesla T4, NVIDIA Tesla P40, AMD Radeon Pro Vega 56, and NVIDIA Quadro P6000.

In Counter-Strike 2, the RTX 4090's role shifts depending on the resolution and settings. At 1080p, the GPU is often underutilized, as the CPU is capable of generating frames at a rate that the GPU can render easily. The jump from 1080p Low (743.6 FPS) to 1080p High (466.5 FPS) shows that the GPU is still doing significant work, but the absolute numbers are so high that the GPU is not the primary constraint. However, at 4K with Ultra settings, the GPU becomes the definitive bottleneck, with the average frame rate dropping to 134 FPS. This is a direct result of the massive pixel count and the demanding rendering effects that the Ultra preset enables.

The GPU's 24 GB of VRAM is far more than Counter-Strike 2 requires, even at 4K Ultra. This means there is no risk of texture thrashing or memory-related stutters. The sheer compute power of the RTX 4090 allows it to maintain high frame rates even under the most demanding settings, but the data shows that the scaling from 1080p to 4K is not linear, indicating that the GPU's capabilities are being pushed to their limits at the highest resolution and quality settings.

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

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of scaling as resolution increases. At Low settings, the average frame rate drops from 743.6 FPS at 1080p to 495.4 FPS at 1440p (a 33.4% decrease) and then to 277.2 FPS at 4K (a 44.1% decrease from 1440p). This substantial drop indicates that even with a top-tier GPU, the workload of rendering at higher resolutions becomes increasingly demanding. The fact that Low settings at 4K still produce 277.2 FPS shows that the RTX 4090 has enormous headroom, but the scaling is still steep.

At High settings, the drop is even more pronounced. From 466.5 FPS at 1080p, the frame rate falls to 306.4 FPS at 1440p and further to 174 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops are similar to Low settings, suggesting that the scaling factor is consistent regardless of the quality preset. This is a strong indicator that the limiting component at higher resolutions is the GPU. The CPU is capable of maintaining high frame rates, as seen by the exceptional 1080p numbers, but it is the GPU that must work harder to fill the increasing number of pixels.

This analysis is confirmed by looking at the Ultra settings. At 1080p, the system achieves 359.6 FPS, which is a significant drop from the 466.5 FPS at High settings. The gap between High and Ultra widens further at 4K, where Ultra produces 134 FPS compared to High's 174 FPS. The data shows that the performance penalty for moving from High to Ultra is roughly 23% at 1080p, 23% at 1440p, and 23% at 4K. This consistent penalty suggests that the Ultra preset adds a similar amount of rendering work relative to High across all resolutions, and it is the GPU that is handling this extra load. The system is clearly GPU-limited at 4K, and the CPU's role becomes less significant as resolution increases.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

In the database of tested combinations for Counter-Strike 2, this pairing of the AMD Ryzen 7 7700 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 holds a rank of 31 out of 1,632 combos. This places it in the top 2% of all tested systems, which is an exceptionally strong result. The rank is determined by the average FPS across all tested settings and resolutions, and this combination's consistent high performance across the board ensures a high placement.

The fact that this combo is not ranked number one is not a knock against it. The top 30 combos likely include processors with even higher single-thread performance, such as those in the Ryzen 7000 X3D series or the latest Intel Core i9 processors, which are specifically optimized for gaming. However, the difference in rank does not translate to a perceptible difference in gameplay, as the frame rates achieved are already far beyond the refresh rates of most monitors. The data shows that this combination is at the absolute pinnacle of performance, and the only systems that could be faster are those with the most extreme, highest-clocked gaming CPUs available. The 31st rank reflects the balanced power of the Ryzen 7 7700 and the raw might of the RTX 4090.

FAQ

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

A: The highest average FPS is 743.6, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

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

A: At 3840x2160 with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 277.2 FPS.

Q: What is the performance difference between High and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, High settings produce an average of 306.4 FPS, while Ultra settings produce 235.9 FPS, representing a drop of 70.5 FPS.

Q: Is this combo ranked first in the database for Counter-Strike 2?

A: No, it is ranked 31st out of 1,632 tested combos, placing it in the top 2%.

Q: Which component is likely the bottleneck at 4K resolution?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting component, as frame rates drop significantly with increasing resolution, especially at higher settings.

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p with Medium settings?

A: At 1920x1080 with Medium settings, the combo achieves an average of 617.9 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides a clear picture of how different settings impact performance. For competitive play, the Low preset at 1080p is the obvious choice, delivering a staggering 743.6 FPS. This maximizes the frame rate headroom, which can reduce input latency and provide the smoothest possible experience on high refresh rate monitors. At 1440p, Low settings still provide an excellent 495.4 FPS, making it a great choice for players who prefer a higher resolution without sacrificing frame rate.

For a more balanced experience, the High preset at 1440p is a strong recommendation. It produces 306.4 FPS, which is well above the 240Hz refresh rate of many high-end gaming monitors, while providing significantly better visual fidelity than Low. At 4K, the High preset offers 174 FPS, which is sufficient for a 144Hz monitor, but the Ultra preset drops to 134 FPS. Given the performance penalty, the High preset at 4K provides the best balance between visual quality and smooth gameplay. The Ultra preset, while looking the best, is only recommended for players who prioritize image quality over frame rate and have a display that cannot take advantage of the higher refresh rates.

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

The following table details the exact average FPS values measured for this combination across all tested scenarios:

| Resolution | Settings | Average FPS |

|:--------- |:------- |:---------- |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 743.6 |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 617.9 |

| 1920x1080 | High | 466.5 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 359.6 |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 495.4 |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 414.1 |

| 2560x1440 | High | 306.4 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 235.9 |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 277.2 |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 233.2 |

| 3840x2160 | High | 174.0 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 134.0 |

These numbers demonstrate the raw power of this combination. Even the lowest performance scenario, 4K Ultra with 134 FPS, is a very high frame rate that would be considered exceptional on most other systems. The data shows a consistent pattern of performance scaling, with the frame rate roughly doubling from 4K to 1080p at each setting tier. The system is incredibly fast, and the choice of settings ultimately comes down to a preference for maximum frame rate or maximum visual fidelity, with the hardware being capable of delivering an outstanding experience in either case.