Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2 is a competitive FPS that thrives on high frame rates, and the combination of the Intel Core i5-10400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti delivers exceptional performance across all tested configurations. The data reveals a system that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, yet transitions to a more balanced state at 1080p where the processor's capabilities become a more significant factor. The measured results indicate a setup capable of far exceeding the refresh rates of standard gaming monitors, even at 4K with high settings.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 shows a classic pattern of increasing GPU load, but with a distinct plateau that reveals the CPU's influence. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 505.7 at 1080p to 409.4 at 1440p, a reduction of 96.3 FPS, and then to 230 at 4K, a further drop of 179.4 FPS. This steep decline at 4K suggests the GPU is finally being pushed to its limits, while the relatively modest drop from 1080p to 1440p indicates the CPU is holding performance back at the lower resolution.

The scaling pattern shifts with higher graphical presets. At High settings, the average FPS falls from 384.6 at 1080p to 251.5 at 1440p (a 133.1 FPS drop), and then to 144.5 at 4K (a 107 FPS drop). The more uniform decline here suggests that the RTX 4070 Ti is becoming the primary bottleneck across all resolutions when visual fidelity is increased. The Ultra preset shows a similar trend, with averages of 296 at 1080p, 197.8 at 1440p, and 108.6 at 4K.

This behavior indicates that the i5-10400F, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, can keep up with the GPU at lower resolutions and settings, but the RTX 4070 Ti is the limiting component as resolution and settings increase. The data shows that the largest performance gap between 1440p and 4K occurs at Low settings (a 179.4 FPS difference), while the gap at Ultra is 89.2 FPS. This demonstrates that the GPU's workload scales more aggressively with resolution when the game is less demanding on other subsystems.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is the dominant performer in this pairing, and its specifications align with the measured results. The card features 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, providing 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth, which is ample for Counter-Strike 2 at the tested resolutions. Its boost clock of 2610 MHz and 7680 shading units contribute to its raw compute power, evidenced by its 40.09 TFLOPS FP32 performance.

The GPU's role becomes more apparent when examining the frame rate differences between presets. The jump from Low to Medium at 1440p is 70.3 FPS (from 409.4 to 339.1), while the jump from Medium to High is 87.6 FPS (from 339.1 to 251.5). The transition from High to Ultra results in a 53.7 FPS drop. These variations show that the card's performance is sensitive to specific settings within the presets, with High appearing to be a sweet spot where the GPU's architecture is efficiently utilized.

The RTX 4070 Ti's 285 W TDP and 600 W suggested PSU indicate it is a power-hungry component, but the benchmark data shows it is capable of delivering sustained high frame rates. The card's percentile rank of 85 among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 44900, places it in the upper echelon of graphics hardware. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile (with a deltaPct of -0.6) and the Intel Arc A730M (deltaPct of -1.5), showing it performs slightly below the mobile flagship but above the Arc mobile solution.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the i5-10400F and RTX 4070 Ti holds a combo rank of 264 out of 1632 tested combinations in Counter-Strike 2. This places it in the top 16.2% of all combos, which is an impressive position given the CPU's relative age and market segment. The data indicates that this pairing is well-suited for the game's engine, with the GPU's strengths compensating for the CPU's older Comet Lake architecture.

Looking at the CPU's individual standing, the i5-10400F has a percentile rank of 73 against all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 14168. Its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks include the AMD EPYC 7552 (deltaPct 0.4) and the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C (deltaPct -0.8), showing it sits in a competitive middle ground for processor performance. However, in this game, the combo rank suggests that the pair performs better than the CPU's individual percentile would imply, highlighting the RTX 4070 Ti's ability to drive high frame rates.

The GPU's individual percentile of 85, with an average benchmark score of 44900, is significantly higher than the CPU's percentile. This disparity explains the combo's strong ranking: the GPU is clearly the star of the show, and the CPU is sufficient to avoid being a major bottleneck at most settings. The combo's rank of 264 indicates that there are 263 other pairings that perform better, likely featuring newer, higher-core-count CPUs paired with similar or more powerful GPUs.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the frame rates are exceptionally high across all settings. The Low preset achieves an average of 505.7 FPS, which is 28.5 FPS higher than the Medium preset's 477.2. The High preset drops to 384.6 FPS, and the Ultra preset falls to 296 FPS. This shows a clear hierarchy where Low and Medium presets are nearly indistinguishable in performance, while High and Ultra introduce more significant GPU load.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains robust but shows more differentiation between presets. The Low preset averages 409.4 FPS, Medium hits 339.1 FPS, High reaches 251.5 FPS, and Ultra drops to 197.8 FPS. The gaps between presets widen here, with a 70.3 FPS difference between Low and Medium, and an 87.6 FPS difference between Medium and High. This suggests that at 1440p, each setting tier has a more pronounced impact on the GPU's workload.

At 3840x2160, the frame rates are still playable but begin to show the GPU's limits. The Low preset averages 230 FPS, Medium achieves 188.5 FPS, High manages 144.5 FPS, and Ultra falls to 108.6 FPS. The difference between Low and Medium is 41.5 FPS, while the gap between High and Ultra is 35.9 FPS. Even at 4K Ultra, the system maintains an average above 100 FPS, which confirms the RTX 4070 Ti's capabilities.

Settings Recommendations

For competitive play where maximum frame rates are paramount, the Low preset at 1080p offers the highest average of 505.7 FPS, which is 128.5 FPS higher than the High preset at the same resolution. This configuration minimizes visual fidelity but maximizes responsiveness, which is crucial for a fast-paced FPS. However, the Medium preset at 1080p, with an average of 477.2 FPS, provides a better balance, offering improved visuals while still maintaining a substantial frame rate advantage over High.

For users with 1440p monitors, the Medium preset appears to be the optimal choice. It delivers 339.1 FPS on average, which is 87.6 FPS higher than High, while the visual upgrade from Low to Medium is often significant in terms of texture quality and shadow detail. The High preset at 1440p, at 251.5 FPS, is still excellent for high-refresh-rate displays, but the data suggests that the extra performance from Medium is worth the minor visual compromise.

At 4K, the recommendation depends on the display's refresh rate. The High preset, averaging 144.5 FPS, is ideal for 144 Hz monitors, providing a smooth experience without hitting the Ultra preset's lower 108.6 FPS. The Low preset at 230 FPS is overkill for most 4K displays but ensures the absolute highest frame rates. The data shows that High is the sweet spot at 4K, offering a significant visual improvement over Medium while staying above the 144 FPS threshold that many high-end monitors target.