Counter-Strike 2

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

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X is an 8-core, 16-thread processor built on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge) using TSMC's 4 nm process node. It runs at a base clock of 3.80 GHz and boosts up to 5.50 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The CPU features an 80 KB L1 cache per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and a shared 32 MB L3 cache. This configuration places it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs tested, with an average benchmark score of 36,029.

In Counter-Strike 2, the CPU's role is significant at lower resolutions where frame rates exceed 300 FPS. At 1080p Low settings, the combo achieves 506.8 FPS average. That figure drops to 421.4 FPS at Medium and 316.9 FPS at High, then settles at 242.4 FPS on Ultra. The scaling pattern suggests that even at 1080p, the game's engine leverages the 16 threads efficiently, but the single-thread performance matters more for the highest frame rates. The 9700X's single-thread score in 3DMark is 1,280, and its Cinebench R23 single-core result is 4,459, both strong indicators for a competitive FPS title where physics and game logic updates often bottleneck on one or two threads.

The CPU's multi-threaded capabilities are also relevant. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 31,588 and Geekbench multi-core result of 17,002 show headroom for background tasks, streaming, or recording while gaming. The nearest rivals in the database — the Intel Core i5-14500HX (avg score 35,940, +0.2% delta) and the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5845 (avg score 35,802, +0.6% delta) — are within a fraction of a percent in aggregate benchmarks, meaning the 9700X is not uniquely dominant but rather sits in a tightly contested performance band. The Intel Core Ultra 9 185H (36,165, -0.4% delta) and Core Ultra 5 225H (36,328, -0.8% delta) are slightly ahead in raw compute averages, yet the 9700X's 5.50 GHz boost clock and 32 MB L3 cache provide the low-latency memory access that a fast-paced shooter like Counter-Strike 2 demands.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 is built on the Ampere architecture (GA102 chip) using Samsung's 8 nm process. It carries 10 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 320-bit bus, delivering 760.3 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's base clock is 1440 MHz with a boost of 1710 MHz, while memory runs at 1188 MHz (19 Gbps effective). With 8,704 shading units, 272 TMUs, 96 ROPs, 68 RT cores, and 272 tensor cores, the RTX 3080 delivers 29.77 TFLOPS of FP32 compute. It sits in the 80th percentile of all GPUs tested, with an average benchmark score of 35,787.

In Counter-Strike 2, the RTX 3080's role becomes clearer as resolution increases. At 4K Ultra, the combo drops to 93.2 FPS average, while at 4K High it recovers to 114.3 FPS. The GPU's 10 GB VRAM is not a limiting factor in this title — even at 4K Ultra, the game's demands stay well within that capacity. The bandwidth figure of 760.3 GB/s is more relevant, as Counter-Strike 2's texture streaming and draw calls benefit from rapid memory access.

The GPU's nearest rivals in the database provide context. The AMD Radeon Pro Duo (35,860, -0.2% delta) and AMD Radeon 880M (35,646, +0.4% delta) are essentially matched in average scores, while the AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE (36,101, -0.9% delta) edges ahead slightly. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Mobile (35,435, +1% delta) is the closest competitor below. None of these show a dramatic separation, meaning the RTX 3080 is positioned in a crowded mid-to-high tier. For Counter-Strike 2 specifically, the GPU's 1710 MHz boost clock and 96 ROPs are what drive the high fill rates needed at 1440p and 4K, where the combo still delivers playable frame rates even on Ultra settings.

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

The measured FPS data shows a clear pattern of scaling across resolutions and settings. At 1080p Low, the combo averages 506.8 FPS; at 1440p Low, that falls to 333.2 FPS (-34.3%); at 4K Low, it reaches 184.7 FPS (-63.6% from 1080p). The same trend appears at High settings: 316.9 FPS at 1080p, 205.4 FPS at 1440p, and 114.3 FPS at 4K. Ultra settings show the steepest drop: 242.4 FPS at 1080p, 159.5 FPS at 1440p, and 93.2 FPS at 4K.

These numbers reveal a dual-limiting scenario. At 1080p, the CPU is the primary constraint — the 506.8 FPS ceiling at Low settings is far beyond what most displays refresh at, but the GPU is not yet saturated. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1080p (506.8 vs 242.4 FPS) is a 2.09x difference, indicating that the GPU begins to matter even at this resolution when settings increase. At 1440p, the GPU's load grows: Low delivers 333.2 FPS while Ultra drops to 159.5 FPS, a 2.09x spread again. At 4K, the GPU becomes the dominant limiter — the spread from Low to Ultra narrows to 1.98x (184.7 vs 93.2 FPS), and the absolute numbers sit in a range where the RTX 3080's 760.3 GB/s bandwidth and 29.77 TFLOPS compute are the deciding factors.

The data shows that 1440p High (205.4 FPS) is the sweet spot where the combo's balance is most favorable — the CPU still has headroom to feed the GPU, and the GPU is not overburdened. At 4K Ultra, the 93.2 FPS average is below the 114.3 FPS at 4K High, suggesting that players should dial back settings to maintain smooth competitive play. The 1080p numbers, especially the 506.8 FPS Low result, are far beyond typical 144 Hz or 240 Hz monitors, so the CPU's 5.50 GHz boost clock is what enables those esports-level frame rates.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific pairing of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 ranks 493rd out of 1,632 tested combos in Counter-Strike 2. That places it in the 70th percentile of all combinations in the database. The rank reflects a mid-to-upper tier position — the CPU is in the 89th percentile and the GPU in the 80th percentile, but the combo's rank is slightly lower, indicating that the RTX 3080 is the weaker link for this title.

The rank of 493 out of 1,632 means there are 492 combos that deliver higher average FPS in Counter-Strike 2. These are likely pairings with newer GPUs (like the RTX 40-series successor to the 3080) or higher-end CPUs with more cache or faster clocks. However, the combo's measured FPS at 1440p High (205.4 FPS) and 1080p High (316.9 FPS) are strong playable numbers for competitive play. At 4K Ultra (93.2 FPS), the combo falls below the 100 FPS threshold that many players consider minimum for smooth competitive play, which explains why it doesn't rank higher.

The delta between the CPU's percentile (89) and the combo rank percentile (70) suggests that in Counter-Strike 2, the GPU is the bottleneck at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the CPU's strength shows — the 506.8 FPS Low result would place this combo among the top tier, but the 4K results drag the average down. The data indicates that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p play, where it outpaces the 4K results by a wide margin. For players targeting 4K, the RTX 3080's 10 GB VRAM and 760.3 GB/s bandwidth are adequate but not exceptional, and the 93.2 FPS Ultra result confirms that the GPU is the limiting factor.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows 1440p High delivers 205.4 FPS average, which is a strong balance between visual quality and frame rate. At 1080p High, the combo reaches 316.9 FPS, while 4K High drops to 114.3 FPS. For competitive play, 1440p High offers the best trade-off.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck at 4K Ultra?

A: At 4K Ultra, the combo averages 93.2 FPS, which is the lowest measured result. The GPU's 10 GB VRAM and 760.3 GB/s bandwidth are the limiting factors here, as the CPU's 8-core/16-thread configuration and 5.50 GHz boost clock are sufficient to feed the GPU at lower resolutions.

Q: How does the RTX 3080 compare to its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE?

A: In aggregate benchmarks, the RX 7900 GRE scores 36,101, which is 0.9% higher than the RTX 3080's 35,787. In Counter-Strike 2, the RTX 3080's 10 GB GDDR6X memory and 760.3 GB/s bandwidth contribute to the measured FPS, but the RX 7900 GRE's slight compute advantage may translate to a few extra frames per second at the same settings.

Q: What frame rate can I expect at 1080p Low settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 1080p Low is 506.8 FPS. This is the highest result in the dataset, and it indicates that the CPU's single-thread performance (3DMark single-thread score of 1,280) is the primary driver at this resolution and settings level.

Q: Does the 10 GB VRAM on the RTX 3080 cause issues in Counter-Strike 2?

A: The data does not show VRAM-related performance drops. At 4K Ultra, the combo still averages 93.2 FPS, and the memory bandwidth of 760.3 GB/s appears sufficient for this game's texture loads. No min FPS data is available, so stutter analysis is not possible from this dataset.

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

A: This combo ranks 493rd out of 1,632 tested combos in Counter-Strike 2. The CPU is in the 89th percentile of all CPUs, and the GPU is in the 80th percentile, but the combo's overall rank reflects that the GPU limits performance at higher resolutions.