Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2 is a competitive FPS that rewards high frame rates, and the pairing of the Intel Core i5-14400F with the AMD Radeon RX 9060 delivers a range of performance that scales predictably across resolutions and settings. Measured data for this combo covers 4K, 1440p, and 1080p, with Low, Medium, High, and Ultra presets at each resolution. The results show a system that is clearly capable of high-refresh 1080p play, remains strong at 1440p, and only starts to struggle at 4K Ultra. The i5-14400F, with its 10 cores and 16 threads, provides solid CPU headroom, while the RX 9060, based on the RDNA 4.0 architecture with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory, handles the GPU load across most tested scenarios.

FAQ

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

A: Based on the measured average FPS, 1920x1080 is the strongest choice, where even the High preset averages 220 FPS and Low reaches 355 FPS. At 2560x1440, the average FPS stays above 113 FPS across all presets, making it a viable option for high-refresh monitors. 3840x2160 is playable but with more variance, ranging from 63 FPS at Ultra to 131 FPS at Low.

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

A: The combo rank is 1640 out of 2870 tested combos. This places it in the upper-middle portion of the overall ranking, indicating that while it is not at the top tier for Counter-Strike 2, it offers a performance level that is competitive with a majority of other tested systems.

Q: Which in-game settings preset provides the best balance of visual quality and frame rate?

A: The Medium preset is the most balanced option. At 1920x1080, it averages 295 FPS with a minimum of 250 FPS. At 2560x1440, it averages 195 FPS with a minimum of 166 FPS. This preset offers a substantial frame rate increase over High while maintaining a smooth experience. At 3840x2160, the Medium preset averages 109 FPS, which is a significant improvement over the High preset’s 81 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU a limiting factor for this GPU in this game?

A: The data does not show a CPU bottleneck at the tested settings. The Core i5-14400F has 10 cores (likely a mix of performance and efficiency cores), 16 threads, a base clock of 2.50 GHz, and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. Its benchmark scores, such as 21645 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 3055 in single-core, are strong, and the measured FPS scales consistently with resolution and settings changes, indicating the GPU is the primary driver of performance differences.

Q: How does the RX 9060 compare to its nearest rivals in raw GPU benchmarks?

A: The RX 9060 has an average benchmark score of 16014, which is 0.7% lower than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti (16129). It is 1% higher than the AMD Radeon R9 370X (15862) and the AMD Radeon RX 7700 (15852), and 2.1% higher than the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 (15679). These are all close scores, indicating the RX 9060 sits in a performance band similar to those cards in synthetic tests.

Q: Does the RX 9060 have enough VRAM for Counter-Strike 2 at these settings?

A: The GPU has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus with 288.0 GB/s bandwidth. The measured FPS data shows playable averages across all presets and resolutions, including 4K Ultra at 63 FPS. There is no data in the pack indicating VRAM capacity issues, so the 8 GB allocation appears sufficient for this game’s tested configurations.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-14400F and AMD Radeon RX 9060 achieves a rank of 1640 out of 2870 tested combos in Counter-Strike 2. This percentile position, roughly in the 57th percentile of all tested systems, indicates a solid mid-pack performer. It is not a top-tier combination for pushing maximum frame rates at 4K Ultra, but it is far from the bottom. The rank reflects a system that can handle the game well at competitive settings, particularly at lower resolutions where the frame rates are high enough for esports play.

The rank should be interpreted in context. Counter-Strike 2 is a game where high average FPS is critical for competitive advantage, and this combo delivers that at 1080p and 1440p. The fact that it ranks 1640 out of 2870 suggests that many other combos are faster, but a large number are also slower. Data from the measured FPS tables shows that the combo’s performance is more than adequate for standard high-refresh monitors at 1080p, and it can even drive 1440p at frame rates above 113 FPS on all presets. The ranking is a general indicator, but the specific resolution and settings data provides a clearer picture of its capabilities. The CPU’s percentile rank of 83 vs all CPUs and the GPU’s percentile rank of 59 vs all GPUs offer a hint: the CPU is a stronger component relative to its peers than the GPU, but the combination still performs cohesively.

Settings Recommendations

For players targeting the highest possible frame rates, the Low preset is the clear choice. At 1920x1080, it averages 355 FPS, and at 2560x1440, it averages 235 FPS. Even at 3840x2160, the Low preset yields an average of 131 FPS, which is playable. This preset minimizes visual fidelity but maximizes performance, making it ideal for competitive play where every frame counts.

The Medium preset is the best recommendation for most users. It provides a substantial visual upgrade over Low while maintaining high frame rates. At 1920x1080, the average is 295 FPS with a minimum of 250 FPS, ensuring smooth gameplay even in intense firefights. At 2560x1440, the average drops to 195 FPS with a minimum of 166 FPS, which is still well above the 144 Hz refresh rate common on many monitors. The Medium preset also performs respectably at 4K, with an average of 109 FPS.

The High preset is a middle ground. At 1080p, it still delivers 220 FPS, which is excellent. At 1440p, it averages 146 FPS, which is good for high-refresh 1440p monitors. At 4K, the average drops to 81 FPS, which is just on the edge of playable for fast-paced games. The Ultra preset is only recommended for those who prioritize visual quality over frame rate. At 1080p, it averages 171 FPS, which is still competitive, but at 1440p, it drops to 113 FPS, and at 4K, it falls to 63 FPS, which may feel less responsive. For a balanced experience, the Medium preset at 1080p or 1440p offers the best compromise between visual fidelity and the high frame rates that Counter-Strike 2 benefits from.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160 (4K), the RX 9060 and i5-14400F combo shows a clear scaling pattern. The Low preset averages 131 FPS, which is surprisingly high for 4K. The Medium preset averages 109 FPS, with a minimum of 93 FPS and a maximum of 125 FPS, showing some frame time variance. The High preset averages 81 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 63 FPS. This data indicates that 4K is playable with this combo, but only at lower presets if you want to maintain high refresh rates. The step from Medium to High is a 28 FPS drop, and from High to Ultra is an 18 FPS drop, showing diminishing returns as settings increase.

At 2560x1440, the performance is significantly stronger. The Low preset averages 235 FPS, providing a very smooth experience. The Medium preset averages 195 FPS, with a minimum of 166 FPS and a maximum of 224 FPS. This is a solid result for 1440p gaming. The High preset averages 146 FPS, which is still excellent for most monitors. The Ultra preset averages 113 FPS, which is playable but shows a larger gap from Medium. The scaling from Low to Medium is a 40 FPS drop, from Medium to High is a 49 FPS drop, and from High to Ultra is a 33 FPS drop. This shows that the GPU is more stressed at 1440p, but the combo handles it well.

At 1920x1080, the performance is exceptional. The Low preset averages 355 FPS, making it ideal for 360 Hz monitors. The Medium preset averages 295 FPS, with a minimum of 250 FPS and a maximum of 339 FPS, showing very stable frame delivery. The High preset averages 220 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 171 FPS. All presets at 1080p produce frame rates that are well above the 144 Hz threshold, so users can choose settings based on visual preference without worrying about playability. The delta between the highest and lowest preset at 1080p is 184 FPS, showcasing the wide range of performance available. The data shows that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K being a secondary option for less demanding scenarios.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9060 is the primary driver of frame rate changes across different settings. It has a base clock of 1700 MHz, a game clock of 2400 MHz, and a boost clock of 2990 MHz. These clocks, combined with 1792 shading units, 112 TMUs, and 64 ROPs, allow it to handle varying workloads. The GPU’s memory configuration includes 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s. This is sufficient for the textures and data in Counter-Strike 2 at the tested resolutions, as evidenced by the playable frame rates at 4K.

The GPU’s benchmark scores give context to its performance. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 3322, and its Geekbench Vulkan score is 39476. These numbers indicate a mid-range GPU. Its percentile rank of 59 vs all GPUs shows it is above average but not a high-end part. In comparison to its nearest rivals, it is nearly identical in average score to the RTX 3060 Ti (difference of 0.7%), which is a known 1080p and 1440p card. The RX 9060’s FP32 performance is 21.43 TFLOPS, and its pixel rate is 191.4 GPixel/s, with a texture rate of 334.9 GTexel/s. These specs support the measured FPS results, where the GPU is able to maintain high frame rates at lower resolutions and presets.

The data shows that the GPU is the bottleneck at higher settings and resolutions. For example, at 1080p, the frame rate drops from 355 FPS at Low to 171 FPS at Ultra, a 48% reduction. At 4K, the drop is more severe, from 131 FPS at Low to 63 FPS at Ultra, a 52% reduction. This indicates that the GPU’s processing power is the limiting factor when increasing the visual workload. The 8 GB VRAM is not shown to be a limitation, as the frame rates scale in a predictable manner with settings changes. The GPU’s 132 W TDP and dual-slot design suggest it is a power-efficient card that can be cooled by a standard air cooler, but no cooler specifics are in the data.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14400F provides the processing foundation for this combo. It has 10 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. This CPU is based on the Raptor Lake architecture and is built on a 10 nm process. Its cache configuration includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 20 MB of shared L3 cache. These specifications are important for a game like Counter-Strike 2, which can be CPU-sensitive at high frame rates.

The CPU’s benchmark scores are strong. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score is 21645, and its single-core score is 3055. Its Geekbench multicore score is 11268, and its single-core score is 2058. These results show that the i5-14400F has significant single-thread and multi-thread capabilities. Its percentile rank of 83 vs all CPUs indicates it is a high-performing CPU relative to the broader market. This is crucial because Counter-Strike 2 relies on strong single-core performance for game logic and physics, and the high boost clock of 4.70 GHz helps ensure the CPU does not become a bottleneck.

In the measured FPS data, the CPU’s role is less apparent because the GPU is the main variable. However, the fact that the combo achieves 355 FPS at 1080p Low shows that the CPU can feed the GPU enough data to reach very high frame rates. At higher resolutions, the CPU’s workload remains relatively constant, while the GPU’s workload increases, which is why we see frame rates drop with resolution and settings. The CPU’s 10 cores and 16 threads also provide headroom for background tasks and other applications. Compared to its nearest rivals, the i5-14400F has an average score that is 0.1% higher than the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U and 0.2% higher than the Intel Core i9-11900, and 0.5% higher than the Intel Core i7-12800H. This places it in a competitive position for gaming workloads. The CPU’s support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory, along with its 20 MB of L3 cache, further ensures it can maintain high performance in this game. The data indicates the CPU is more than capable of supporting the RX 9060’s performance in Counter-Strike 2, with no evidence of a CPU-induced frame rate cap.