Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2 presents a demanding workload for the Intel Core i5-10400F and AMD Radeon RX 570 combination, with the measured data revealing a system that is heavily constrained by the graphics card at higher resolutions. The frame rate progression across the three tested resolutions shows a classic GPU-bound curve, where the cost of rendering each pixel increases dramatically as the resolution scales. At 1080p, the combo delivers playable performance, but the transition to 4K pushes the Radeon RX 570 to its limits, resulting in a significant drop in average frame rates. The data indicates a clear hierarchy where the CPU has enough headroom to feed the GPU at lower resolutions, but the GPU’s architectural limits become the primary bottleneck as the pixel count grows.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS across resolutions illustrates a steep decline in performance as the pixel count increases, a pattern that strongly points to the Radeon RX 570 as the limiting component. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 155 FPS, which is a strong baseline for competitive play. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same Low settings, the average drops to 103 FPS, a reduction of 52 FPS, or roughly 34%. The jump to 3840x2160 is even more punishing, with the average falling to 57 FPS, which is a further 46 FPS drop from the 1440p result. This scaling behavior suggests that the GPU’s 4 GB of GDDR5 memory and 256-bit bus are being saturated at higher resolutions, as the fill rate and memory bandwidth requirements outpace the Polaris 20 chip’s capabilities.

The trend is consistent across all settings presets. For High settings, the average FPS goes from 96 at 1080p, to 64 at 1440p, and finally to 36 at 4K. This represents a 62.5% decrease in performance from 1080p to 4K, which is a substantial hit that makes 4K High settings unplayable for smooth action. The Medium preset shows a similar pattern, with averages of 129, 85, and 48 FPS for 1080p, 1440p, and 4K respectively. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, starting at 75 FPS at 1080p, dropping to 49 FPS at 1440p, and collapsing to 28 FPS at 4K. These numbers indicate that the scaling is not linear; the performance penalty for each resolution step increases as you go higher, which is typical of a GPU that is running out of raw compute throughput and memory bandwidth.

This data implies that the CPU, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, is not the primary constraint at 1080p. The fact that the frame rate nearly doubles when going from Ultra to Low at 1080p (75 to 155 FPS) shows that the GPU is the one reacting to the graphics load. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the FPS would remain relatively flat regardless of resolution changes, as the CPU’s workload is more consistent. The observed drops indicate that the Radeon RX 570’s compute units, which peak at 5.095 TFLOPS, are being overwhelmed. The data suggests that for a smooth 60 FPS experience, 1080p is the realistic ceiling for this combination, and even then, users will need to be selective with settings.

GPU Role

The Radeon RX 570’s specifications directly explain the measured performance degradation at higher resolutions. The GPU features 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 224.0 GB/s. The card’s base clock is 1168 MHz, with a boost clock of 1244 MHz. The memory operates at 1750 MHz, or 7 Gbps effective. These figures are modest by modern standards, and the data shows that they are insufficient for 4K gaming in Counter-Strike 2. The 4K Medium result of 48 FPS, with a minimum of 41 FPS, indicates that the GPU is struggling to maintain a consistent frame delivery, likely due to memory capacity or bandwidth limitations.

The VRAM capacity of 4 GB is a critical factor. At 4K resolution, the texture and geometry data required for a scene can easily exceed this amount, leading to potential stuttering or texture thrashing, which is reflected in the lower average FPS. While Counter-Strike 2 is not typically a VRAM-heavy title, the data suggests that the 4 GB frame buffer is a limiting factor at the highest resolution. The difference between 4K Low (57 FPS) and 4K High (36 FPS) is 21 FPS, which is a 37% drop. This is a larger relative drop than what is seen at 1080p, where the difference between Low (155 FPS) and High (96 FPS) is 59 FPS, or a 38% drop. The similar percentage drop across resolutions indicates that the GPU’s shading units and ROPs are the bottleneck, not just memory bandwidth, as they are being tasked with more complex shaders and effects at High settings.

The GPU’s launch MSRP was 169 USD, but the performance data shows its age. With a pixel rate of 39.81 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 159.2 GTexel/s, the card can handle 1080p gaming well, but the 4K results are below the 60 FPS threshold. The data implies that the card is best suited for 1080p or 1440p gaming with adjusted settings. The measured results show that the GPU is the dominant factor in this combo, as the frame rates scale directly with the graphical load. The CPU’s role becomes more passive, as it waits for the GPU to finish rendering each frame.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-10400F and AMD Radeon RX 570 combination ranks 3538 out of 3719 tested combos in Counter-Strike 2. This places it in the bottom 5% of all tested systems, which is a sobering statistic for this pairing. The rank suggests that while the combo is playable at 1080p, it is far from a high-performance setup in this specific title. The data shows that the GPU is a major contributor to this low ranking, as its average benchmark score of 28766 places it in the 74th percentile of all GPUs, but its performance in this game is clearly limited by its older architecture and 4 GB memory.

Looking at the GPU’s nearest rivals, the Radeon RX 570 is closely matched with the AMD Radeon RX 6800M, with a deltaPct of -0.4, meaning the RX 570 is 0.4% slower on average. It also sits near the AMD Radeon R9 M295X, which is 0.7% slower, and the AMD Radeon RX 470, which is 0.8% faster. The NVIDIA Quadro RTX 8000 is 1.2% faster. These small deltas in average benchmark scores suggest that the RX 570 is not a significant outlier in its performance class, but the actual in-game FPS data shows that it is not sufficient for high-refresh-rate competitive play at higher resolutions.

The CPU’s ranking is slightly better. The Core i5-10400F has an average benchmark score of 14185, which puts it in the 68th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon 6756E, which is 0.2% faster, and the AMD EPYC 7552, which is 0.5% faster. The Intel Core 7 160UL is 0.3% slower, and the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C is 0.6% slower. This puts the CPU in a competitive position relative to other processors, but the overall combo rank is dragged down by the GPU. The data implies that the CPU is not the primary reason for the low rank; instead, the GPU’s inability to handle high resolutions is the main culprit. The combo rank of 3538 suggests that users with this setup should expect to play at 1080p to achieve playable frame rates, as the data shows that the GPU is the bottleneck.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1920x1080, the Low preset provides the best experience for competitive play, with an average of 155 FPS. This frame rate is well above the 144 Hz threshold, making it ideal for fast-paced action. The Medium preset at 1080p is also a viable option, with an average of 129 FPS and a minimum of 110 FPS, which still offers a smooth experience. The High preset at 1080p, with an average of 96 FPS, is playable but may not be sufficient for players with 144 Hz monitors who want to maximize their refresh rate. The Ultra preset at 1080p, with an average of 75 FPS, is the least recommended, as the visual fidelity gains do not justify the 50% performance drop from Low.

For users with 2560x1440 monitors, the data suggests that the Low preset is the only option that provides a consistent competitive experience, with an average of 103 FPS. The Medium preset at 1440p drops to an average of 85 FPS, which is still playable, but the minimum of 72 FPS may dip below 144 Hz, causing some stutter. The High preset at 1440p, with an average of 64 FPS, is marginal for casual play but not recommended for competitive matches. The Ultra preset at 1440p, with an average of 49 FPS, is not recommended, as the frame rate is too low for a fast-paced FPS. At 3840x2160, the data shows that the combo is not suitable for gaming. Even the Low preset only achieves an average of 57 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target. The Medium, High, and Ultra presets at 4K all fall below 48 FPS, making the game difficult to play smoothly.

The measured data indicates that the best experience is achieved by prioritizing frame rate over visual fidelity. For this specific hardware, the Low preset at 1080p is the clear winner, as it offers the highest average FPS and the most headroom for consistent performance. The Medium preset at 1080p is a good compromise for those who want better visuals without sacrificing too much performance. The data strongly suggests that users should avoid 4K resolutions entirely with this combo, as the GPU does not have the raw power to deliver a smooth experience. The recommendation is to stick with 1080p and adjust the settings to achieve a minimum of 100 FPS for the best balance of responsiveness and visual quality.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to use with this CPU and GPU combo in Counter-Strike 2?

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the only resolution that provides consistently playable frame rates. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 155, and at 1080p Medium, it is 129. Moving to 1440p reduces the average FPS to 103 on Low, which is still playable, but 4K is not recommended as even Low settings only achieve 57 FPS.

Q: How does the frame rate change between Low and Ultra at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves an average of 155 FPS, while the Ultra preset achieves an average of 75 FPS. This represents a 52% decrease in performance when moving from the lowest to the highest settings, indicating that the GPU is heavily taxed by the Ultra preset’s effects.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-10400F or the AMD Radeon RX 570 the limiting factor in this setup?

A: The data indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck. The frame rates scale significantly with resolution and settings, which is a sign of a GPU-bound system. The CPU’s 6 cores and 12 threads provide sufficient performance, as evidenced by the high frame rates at 1080p Low, where the CPU is not the limiting factor.

Q: What is the average FPS at 1440p with Medium settings?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the measured average FPS is 85, with a minimum of 72 FPS and a maximum of 98 FPS. This is a playable frame rate for casual gaming, but the minimum FPS may cause occasional dips below the refresh rate of a 144 Hz monitor.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested combinations?

A: This combo ranks 3538 out of 3719 tested combinations in Counter-Strike 2. This places it in the bottom 5% of all tested systems, indicating that it is a lower-performance setup for this specific game, primarily due to the GPU’s limitations.

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

A: The data shows that 4K gaming is not viable with this combo. The highest average FPS at 3840x2160 is 57 on Low settings, which is below the 60 FPS target. The Ultra preset at 4K only achieves 28 FPS, which is unplayable for a competitive FPS.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-10400F plays a supporting role in this combo, and the benchmark data shows that it is not the primary bottleneck. The CPU features 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. It has 12 MB of shared L3 cache and supports dual-channel DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s. The CPU’s benchmark scores indicate solid performance, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 10283 and a single-core score of 1451. The Geekbench multicore score is 6257, and the single-core score is 1420. These scores put the CPU in the 68th percentile of all CPUs, which is a respectable position.

The CPU’s nearest rivals show how close it is to other processors. It is 0.2% slower than the Intel Xeon 6756E and 0.5% slower than the AMD EPYC 7552. It is 0.3% faster than the Intel Core 7 160UL and 0.6% faster than the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C. This indicates that the CPU is well-matched with other mid-range processors from its era. In Counter-Strike 2, the CPU’s role is to handle game logic, physics, and AI, which are not as demanding as the graphics rendering. The high frame rates at 1080p Low (155 FPS) suggest that the CPU can keep up with the GPU’s output at lower resolutions.

However, the data implies that the CPU’s performance is sufficient to support the GPU at higher resolutions. The fact that frame rates drop when resolution increases is a clear sign that the GPU is the limiting factor, not the CPU. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the frame rates would be similar across resolutions. The CPU’s 3DMark scores, such as 4748 for 16 threads and 688 for single-thread, show that it has enough processing power to handle the game’s demands. The data suggests that upgrading the GPU would provide a more significant performance boost than upgrading the CPU, as the current GPU is holding the system back.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this combo in Counter-Strike 2 is as follows:

At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 155 FPS. The Medium preset averages 129 FPS, with a minimum of 110 FPS and a maximum of 148 FPS. The High preset averages 96 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 75 FPS. This shows a clear performance hierarchy, with Low being the most playable and Ultra being the least.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 103 FPS. The Medium preset averages 85 FPS, with a minimum of 72 FPS and a maximum of 98 FPS. The High preset averages 64 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 49 FPS. The data shows a significant drop from 1080p, with the Low preset losing 52 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 57 FPS. The Medium preset averages 48 FPS, with a minimum of 41 FPS and a maximum of 55 FPS. The High preset averages 36 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 28 FPS. The 4K results are all below the 60 FPS target, making this resolution unsuitable for smooth gameplay.

The data shows a consistent pattern of performance degradation as resolution and settings increase. The difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 80 FPS, while at 4K it is 29 FPS. This indicates that the GPU is more sensitive to settings changes at lower resolutions where there is more headroom. The minimum FPS data, available only for the Medium preset, shows that the frame rate can dip significantly, which is important for competitive play where consistency is key. The maximum FPS data for the Medium preset also shows that the system can burst to higher frame rates, but the average is what matters for sustained gameplay.