Counter-Strike 2

The Intel Core i5-14400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER pairing delivers exceptional performance in Counter-Strike 2, placing firmly in the top tier of tested configurations. The data shows this combo ranks 105th out of 1,632 tested combinations, putting it in roughly the top 6% of all systems evaluated. This is a combination that leverages a strong mid-range CPU with a high-end GPU to produce frame rates that far exceed the requirements of competitive play.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall rank of this CPU and GPU combination in Counter-Strike 2?

A: This combo ranks 105th out of 1,632 tested combinations, placing it in the top 6.4% of all systems benchmarked for this game.

Q: Which component is the stronger performer relative to its peers?

A: Both are strong, but the GPU sits slightly higher. The RTX 4080 SUPER achieves an average benchmark score of 53,610, placing it in the 88th percentile of all GPUs. The i5-14400F also reaches the 88th percentile among CPUs, but its average score of 32,508 is nearly identical to its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-12800H, which scores 32,513.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its closest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The i5-14400F is essentially tied with its nearest competitors. It is 0.2% faster than the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 7645 (which scores 32,446) and 0.2% slower than both the AMD Ryzen 7 250 (32,584) and Intel Core i7-13705H (32,586).

Q: What is the best frame rate this combo can achieve at 1080p?

A: The highest recorded average frame rate is 668.6 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: What is the most demanding setting tested, and what performance does it yield?

A: The most demanding configuration tested is 3840x2160 resolution with Ultra settings, which produces an average of 120.1 FPS.

Q: Is the GPU's performance close to any of its direct competitors?

A: Yes, the RTX 4080 SUPER is very close to the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT, which scores 53,489. The RTX 4080 SUPER is just 0.2% faster than that card. It is also 2.1% faster than the AMD Radeon RX 7700S and 2.9% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is the undisputed workhorse of this pairing, and its specifications align perfectly with the demands of Counter-Strike 2. It features 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 736.3 GB/s. This memory configuration is more than ample for the game's textures and assets at any resolution tested. The GPU's clock speeds, with a base of 2295 MHz and a boost of 2550 MHz, allow it to push the high frame rates seen in the data.

The GPU's raw compute power is substantial, with 10,240 shading units and an FP32 performance of 52.22 TFLOPS. This raw throughput is what allows the card to maintain high frame rates even when the resolution increases. However, the benchmark results indicate that in Counter-Strike 2, the GPU is often not the primary bottleneck, especially at lower resolutions. The data shows a massive jump from 325.1 FPS at 1080p Ultra to 668.6 FPS at 1080p Low, indicating that the GPU is capable of far more than the game asks of it at lower settings. Its average benchmark score of 53,610 places it in the 88th percentile of all GPUs, and it is a mere 0.2% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT in that metric.

The GPU's performance scaling is also telling. At 4K, the gap between Low and Ultra settings is a significant 125.9 FPS (246.0 vs 120.1). This shows that at higher resolutions, the RTX 4080 SUPER's processing power is being more fully utilized. The card's 80 RT cores and 320 Tensor cores are present, but in a competitive title like Counter-Strike 2, the focus is on pure rasterization and frame throughput, where this GPU excels.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14400F plays a critical role in ensuring the GPU is fed with enough data to hit its maximum potential. With 10 cores and 16 threads, this Raptor Lake processor is well-equipped for modern gaming. Its base clock of 2.50 GHz and boost clock of 4.70 GHz are strong, and the 20 MB of shared L3 cache helps reduce latency, which is crucial for a fast-paced FPS. The CPU supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, and with a dual-channel memory bus, it can provide sufficient bandwidth for the system.

In synthetic benchmarks, the i5-14400F shows a balanced profile. Its multi-core performance is solid, with a Cinebench R23 score of 21,914, while its single-core score of 3,093 is also respectable. The PassMark single-thread score of 3,723 indicates that it can handle the primary game thread efficiently. The CPU's average benchmark score of 32,508 puts it in the 88th percentile of all CPUs, but its nearest rivals show how tight the competition is. It is 0.2% faster than the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 7645 and only 0.2% slower than the AMD Ryzen 7 250.

The importance of the CPU becomes apparent when looking at the FPS data at lower resolutions. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo hits 668.6 FPS. This is a scenario where the CPU is often the limiting factor, and the i5-14400F is able to feed the RTX 4080 SUPER quickly enough to achieve this extraordinary result. The data suggests that even in a CPU-bound scenario, this processor holds its own. The 4.70 GHz boost clock is particularly valuable here, as it allows the CPU to react quickly to the high-frequency demands of the game engine.

How This Combo Ranks

This combination of the Intel Core i5-14400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is a top-tier performer in Counter-Strike 2. The comboRankInGame data places it at 105th out of 1,632 tested combos, which means it outperforms 1,527 other configurations. This ranking puts it in the top 6.4% of all systems tested, a strong indicator of its high-end status.

This high rank is a result of the synergy between the two components. The CPU's strong single-thread performance is sufficient to not bottleneck the GPU, even at lower resolutions where frame rates are extremely high. The GPU's massive compute power then takes over at higher resolutions, ensuring that the game remains playable at max settings. The result is a system that can handle all four tested presets at all three resolutions without dropping below an average of 120.1 FPS. While not the absolute fastest combo on record, its position in the 105th spot shows that it is a high-performance pairing that sits just outside the absolute elite tier, likely composed of more expensive CPUs with higher core counts or more specialized overclocking capabilities.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of performance across different settings and resolutions.

At 1920x1080, this combo is exceptionally fast. The average frame rates are as follows:

• Low: 668.6 FPS
• Medium: 554.8 FPS
• High: 416.3 FPS
• Ultra: 325.1 FPS

Even at Ultra settings, the frame rate is far beyond what a typical 144Hz or 240Hz monitor can display, offering a massive headroom for competitive play.

At 2560x1440, performance remains stellar:

• Low: 443.2 FPS
• Medium: 370.7 FPS
• High: 278.8 FPS
• Ultra: 214.9 FPS

The drop from 1080p to 1440p is noticeable but doesn't impact the playability. The Ultra setting still maintains an average above 200 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate 1440p monitors.

At 3840x2160, the game becomes more demanding, but the hardware is still more than capable:

• Low: 246.0 FPS
• Medium: 206.9 FPS
• High: 152.1 FPS
• Ultra: 120.1 FPS

This is the only resolution where the Ultra preset dips below the 150 FPS mark, but it still provides a smooth and highly playable experience on 4K displays.

Settings Recommendations

Given the extraordinary performance on display, the choice of settings comes down to the user's display and preference for visual fidelity.

For 1080p and 1440p users with high-refresh-rate monitors (240Hz or faster), the Ultra preset is recommended. At 1080p, the combo still averages 325.1 FPS, and at 1440p, it manages 214.9 FPS. This provides the best visual experience while still maintaining frame rates that will fully saturate any high-end display. There is no need to lower settings for competitive advantage, as the frame rate is already high enough to eliminate any perceived input lag differences.

For 4K users, the High preset is the sweet spot. It offers a significant visual upgrade over Medium and Low while delivering an average of 152.1 FPS. The Ultra preset at 4K, while playable at 120.1 FPS, represents a 21% performance drop for what is often a marginal visual gain in a fast-paced game. The High setting strikes the best balance, ensuring the gameplay is as smooth as possible without sacrificing too much detail. If a user prioritizes maximum frame rate over visuals at 4K, the Medium preset at 206.9 FPS is also a viable choice. The data clearly shows that this system is powerful enough that settings can be tailored to the specific refresh rate of the monitor without worrying about hitting a performance wall.