Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2 is a competitive FPS that heavily favors high frame rates, and the combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 delivers exceptional performance across all tested resolutions. The measured data shows a system that is well-balanced, though the scaling patterns reveal where each component’s strengths and limitations lie. This analysis breaks down the FPS results by resolution and settings, explains the CPU and GPU roles, and provides practical recommendations based solely on the measured rows.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent, which tells a clear story about the bottleneck shifting from the CPU to the GPU as pixel count rises. At 1080p with Low settings, the system reaches 382 FPS, but at 1440p Low it falls to 253 FPS (a 34% drop), and at 4K Low it drops further to 141 FPS (a 44% drop from 1440p). This pattern is typical for a CPU-heavy game like Counter-Strike 2 at lower resolutions, where the Ryzen 9 8945HX’s strong single-thread performance is the main driver.

Moving to High settings, the scaling is similar but with lower absolute numbers: 237 FPS at 1080p, 157 FPS at 1440p, and 88 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops are 34% from 1080p to 1440p, and 44% from 1440p to 4K, matching the Low settings pattern almost exactly. This consistency suggests that the resolution scaling is primarily a GPU limitation, as the CPU headroom remains sufficient even at 1080p High.

The Medium settings row provides the only min and max FPS data in the pack, which adds context. At 1080p Medium, the average is 317 FPS with a minimum of 270 and maximum of 365. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 210 FPS with a range of 179 to 242. At 4K Medium, the average is 117 FPS with a range of 100 to 135. The gap between min and max FPS widens slightly at higher resolutions (95 FPS at 1080p, 63 FPS at 1440p, 35 FPS at 4K), indicating that frame pacing becomes more consistent as the GPU becomes the limiting factor.

Ultra settings show the most dramatic scaling, which is expected given the added visual load. From 184 FPS at 1080p to 122 FPS at 1440p (a 34% drop) and then to 68 FPS at 4K (a 44% drop from 1440p). The 4K Ultra result of 68 FPS is the lowest measured average in the entire dataset, and it suggests that this setting is not viable for competitive play at that resolution. The data indicates that the GPU is the primary limiter at 4K across all settings, while at 1080p the CPU’s capability is what allows such high frame rates.

CPU Role

The Ryzen 9 8945HX is a 16-core, 32-thread processor based on Zen 4 architecture, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. Its benchmark scores place it in the 95th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 76212. This is a high-end mobile part, and its performance in Counter-Strike 2 reflects that, particularly at lower resolutions where the CPU has more influence.

The CPU’s single-thread performance is crucial for Counter-Strike 2’s game logic and draw call processing. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 6030 and Passmark single-thread score of 3907 indicate strong per-core capability. This translates directly to the 382 FPS result at 1080p Low, which is the highest measured average in the dataset. The fact that 1080p Low achieves nearly 400 FPS shows the CPU is not a bottleneck at that resolution, even with the GPU being capable.

The nearest rivals for the CPU are close in average benchmark score: the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX is 0.1% ahead, the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D is 0.6% ahead, while the AMD EPYC Embedded 8224P and AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX are both 0.4% behind. These small deltas suggest that the 8945HX is competitive with top-tier desktop and mobile parts, and in a game like Counter-Strike 2, the difference in real-world FPS would be minimal.

However, the CPU’s multi-core performance is also notable, with Cinebench R23 multi-core scoring 42713 and Passmark multithread at 51405. While Counter-Strike 2 does not heavily utilize all 32 threads, having 16 cores and 32 threads ensures that background tasks and streaming won’t interfere with game performance. The 64 MB of L3 cache also helps with game data access, though the exact impact is not quantified in the measured FPS.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is a desktop-class GPU with 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s. Its boost clock is 2475 MHz, and it has 5888 shading units, 46 RT cores, and 184 tensor cores. In the benchmark database, it sits in the 81st percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 37648 and a Passmark G3D score of 26927.

The GPU’s role becomes more apparent as resolution increases. At 4K, the GPU is clearly the limiting factor across all settings. The difference between 4K Low (141 FPS) and 4K High (88 FPS) is 53 FPS, which is a 38% drop. This is a significant performance hit for visual quality improvements, and it shows that the RTX 4070’s 12 GB VRAM and memory bandwidth are sufficient for the game but not overkill at 4K.

At 1080p, the GPU is less stressed, and the CPU takes over as the primary driver. The difference between 1080p Low (382 FPS) and 1080p High (237 FPS) is 145 FPS, which is a 38% drop as well. This scaling suggests that the GPU can handle the load at 1080p, but the CPU’s performance ceiling is what allows such high frame rates in the first place.

The RTX 4070’s nearest rivals are close in average score: the NVIDIA Tesla P4 is 0.1% ahead, the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 is 0.4% ahead, and the AMD Radeon PRO W6400 is 1.3% ahead, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile is 1.3% behind. These small deltas indicate that the RTX 4070 is well-positioned among its peers, and in Counter-Strike 2, the measured FPS reflects a capable GPU that can hit high frame rates at 1440p and below, but struggles to maintain competitive frame rates at 4K Ultra.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the best experience depends on the resolution and the player’s priority for frame rate versus visual fidelity. For competitive play, where high FPS is paramount, the Low settings at 1080p (382 FPS) or 1440p (253 FPS) are the clear winners. Even at 4K Low, the average of 141 FPS is above the 144 Hz refresh rate common on high-end monitors, making it viable for less competitive but still smooth play.

For a balance of visuals and performance, Medium settings are the sweet spot. At 1080p Medium, the average of 317 FPS with a minimum of 270 FPS ensures that frame drops are unlikely to impact gameplay. At 1440p Medium, the average of 210 FPS with a minimum of 179 FPS is still well above the 144 Hz threshold, and the min FPS suggests stable performance. At 4K Medium, the average of 117 FPS is playable but not ideal for high refresh rate displays, and the minimum of 100 FPS could cause noticeable stutters in intense moments.

High settings offer a meaningful visual upgrade but at a cost. At 1080p High, 237 FPS is still excellent for competitive play, but at 1440p High, 157 FPS is borderline for 144 Hz monitors, and at 4K High, 88 FPS is below the 100 FPS threshold that many players consider minimum for smooth play. Ultra settings are only recommended at 1080p, where 184 FPS is still high, but at 1440p Ultra (122 FPS) and 4K Ultra (68 FPS), the visual quality gains do not justify the frame rate drops.

For most players, the recommendation is to use Medium settings at 1080p or 1440p. The measured data shows that Medium provides a significant frame rate buffer over High and Ultra, while still offering better visuals than Low. At 4K, Low is the only setting that keeps the average above 120 FPS, so that is the choice for players with 4K displays who want competitive frame rates.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest FPS achievable with this hardware combo?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 382, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This is followed by 317 FPS at 1080p Medium and 253 FPS at 1440p Low.

Q: Can this system run Counter-Strike 2 at 1440p with high refresh rates?

A: Yes, at 1440p Medium the average FPS is 210 with a minimum of 179, which is well above 144 Hz. At 1440p High, the average drops to 157 FPS, which is still playable but closer to the 144 Hz limit.

Q: Is the RTX 4070 the bottleneck at 4K?

A: The data suggests yes. At 4K, the FPS drops significantly across all settings, with the gap between Low (141 FPS) and Ultra (68 FPS) being 73 FPS. This indicates the GPU is the limiting component at this resolution.

Q: How does the Ryzen 9 8945HX compare to its closest rivals?

A: The 8945HX has an average benchmark score of 76212, which is 0.1% behind the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX and 0.6% behind the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D, but 0.4% ahead of both the AMD EPYC Embedded 8224P and the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX.

Q: What settings provide the best frame rate stability?

A: The Medium settings row is the only one with min and max FPS data. At 1080p Medium, the min FPS is 270, and at 1440p Medium, the min FPS is 179. This suggests Medium offers the most stable frame pacing among the measured settings.

Q: Is 4K Ultra playable with this setup?

A: At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 68, which is below the 100 FPS threshold that most competitive players consider minimum. It is playable for casual use but not recommended for competitive play.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete measured FPS data for Counter-Strike 2 with the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is as follows:

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Low: 382 FPS average
• Medium: 317 FPS average, with a minimum of 270 FPS and maximum of 365 FPS
• High: 237 FPS average
• Ultra: 184 FPS average

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Low: 253 FPS average
• Medium: 210 FPS average, with a minimum of 179 FPS and maximum of 242 FPS
• High: 157 FPS average
• Ultra: 122 FPS average

3840x2160 (4K)

• Low: 141 FPS average
• Medium: 117 FPS average, with a minimum of 100 FPS and maximum of 135 FPS
• High: 88 FPS average
• Ultra: 68 FPS average

The data shows a clear hierarchy: 1080p Low is the fastest, and 4K Ultra is the slowest. The Medium settings provide the only frame time data, and those numbers indicate that the system maintains a consistent performance level without major drops. The combo rank in game is 1510 out of 2870 combinations, which places it in the top half of tested systems. The measured data is marked as real, not estimated, so these numbers are reliable for planning system expectations.