Counter-Strike 2

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured frame rates for Counter-Strike 2 with the Intel Core i5-14600K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 reveal a clear pattern of scaling as resolution increases. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo delivers 563 FPS on average. Moving to 2560x1440 drops that figure to 373 FPS, a reduction of 190 FPS. At 3840x2160, the average falls further to 208 FPS. The progression from 1080p to 1440p represents a 33.7% decrease in performance, while the jump from 1440p to 4K costs another 44.2%.

This scaling behavior points directly at the GPU as the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions. The RTX 5070 has to fill roughly four times the pixel count at 4K compared to 1080p, and the data shows the frame rate does not drop proportionally — it drops more steeply. At 1080p Low, the system is clearly CPU-bound, as the i5-14600K with its 14 cores and 20 threads can feed frames faster than the GPU can render them. At 4K Low, the GPU workload dominates, and the average settles at 208 FPS.

Looking at the High preset across resolutions tells a similar story. At 1080p High, the average is 349 FPS. At 1440p High, it drops to 231 FPS. At 4K High, it falls to 129 FPS. The gap between Low and High at each resolution grows as resolution increases. At 1080p, the difference between Low and High is 214 FPS. At 4K, that difference narrows to 79 FPS. This compression of the settings gap at higher resolutions is a classic sign that the GPU becomes the bottleneck, as the extra shading work from higher settings has less headroom to impact the frame rate when pixel throughput is already strained.

The Ultra preset reinforces this interpretation. At 1080p Ultra, the average is 271 FPS. At 1440p Ultra, it drops to 179 FPS. At 4K Ultra, it falls to 100 FPS. The 4K Ultra result is the lowest measured value across the entire dataset, and it sits well below the 129 FPS High result at the same resolution. Counter-Strike 2 is not a visually demanding title by modern standards, but the data shows the RTX 5070 still cannot maintain high frame rates at 4K with maximum settings.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 brings 12 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 192-bit bus, with memory clocks rated at 1750 MHz and an effective 28 Gbps. Memory bandwidth is listed at 672.0 GB/s. For Counter-Strike 2, a competitive FPS with relatively modest texture requirements, this memory configuration is more than sufficient. The game does not appear to stress the 12 GB capacity even at 4K Ultra, as the measured FPS remains playable at 100 FPS average, though it is the lowest result in the dataset.

GPU clock speeds are a different matter. The base clock is 2325 MHz with a boost clock of 2512 MHz. The boost behavior directly influences how the card performs across different settings presets. At 1080p Low, the GPU is not the limiting factor, and the card likely does not sustain maximum boost clocks because the CPU is feeding frames at 563 FPS. At 4K Ultra, the GPU is fully loaded, and the boost clock becomes critical to maintaining the 100 FPS average.

The RTX 5070's compute specifications are substantial. It has 6144 shading units, 192 texture mapping units, and 80 raster output units. The pixel rate is 201.0 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 482.3 GTexel/s. FP32 performance is listed at 30.87 TFLOPS. These figures explain why the card can handle 4K Low at 208 FPS — the raw throughput is high enough that even a 4K resolution with reduced shading work does not create an insurmountable bottleneck.

The GPU's benchmark scores provide context for its standing. The Passmark G3D score is 29137, and the Geekbench Vulkan score is 178923. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 5077. These numbers place the RTX 5070 in the 82nd percentile among all GPUs in the database. Its nearest rivals in aggregate benchmark scores include the AMD Radeon Pro 580 at a 0.1% delta, the AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100 at 0.8%, and the AMD Radeon Pro 5300 at -1.2%. The RTX A500 Mobile trails by 2%. None of these rivals are gaming-focused cards, which suggests the RTX 5070's positioning is competitive within its performance class.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i5-14600K is a 14-core processor with 20 threads, based on the Raptor Lake architecture on a 10 nm process. Base clock is 3.50 GHz with a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. The cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. For Counter-Strike 2, which is known to be sensitive to single-thread performance, the 5.30 GHz boost clock is the key specification.

The CPU's benchmark data supports its strength in this game. The Cinebench R23 single-core score is 2064, and the multi-core score is 24491. Geekbench single-core is 2491, and multi-core is 16673. Passmark single-thread is 4270. The i5-14600K sits in the 90th percentile among all CPUs, with its nearest rivals including the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H at -0.2% delta, the AMD EPYC 4345P at 0.3%, the Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX at 0.7%, and the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 at -0.8%.

At 1080p Low, the CPU is the dominant factor. The 563 FPS average indicates the i5-14600K can process game logic and issue draw calls at an extremely high rate. The single-core performance, measured at 2064 in Cinebench R23, is what enables this. Counter-Strike 2's engine relies heavily on a few primary threads, and the 5.30 GHz boost clock ensures those threads run at maximum speed.

The CPU's role becomes less pronounced at higher resolutions. At 4K Low, the average drops to 208 FPS, which is still high but far below the 1080p result. The gap between 1080p Low and 4K Low is 355 FPS, and this gap is almost entirely attributable to GPU limitations. The CPU is capable of sustaining much higher frame rates than the GPU can deliver at 4K, as evidenced by the 1080p result.

The i5-14600K supports dual-channel DDR4 and DDR5 memory, which is relevant for a CPU-bound game. The 24 MB of shared L3 cache helps reduce memory latency, which can be a factor in frame time consistency. The measured Medium preset at 1080p shows a minimum FPS of 397 and a maximum of 538, indicating that the CPU maintains reasonably steady frame delivery even when the GPU is doing more work.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core i5-14600K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 ranks 766th out of 3719 tested combos in Counter-Strike 2. This places it in the top 20.6% of all configurations in the database. The rank reflects the balanced nature of this pairing — the CPU is strong enough to avoid bottlenecking the GPU at most resolutions, and the GPU is fast enough to deliver high frame rates at 1080p and 1440p.

The 766th position out of 3719 combos means there are 765 configurations that achieve higher average FPS in this game. These are likely to include combinations with even faster CPUs, such as higher-core-count Raptor Lake parts or AMD's top-end X3D chips, paired with more powerful GPUs. However, the rank also means this combo outperforms roughly 2953 other tested configurations, which is a substantial majority.

The percentile data for the individual components provides additional context. The CPU is in the 90th percentile among all CPUs, while the GPU is in the 82nd percentile among all GPUs. The combo rank of 766/3719 corresponds to roughly the 79th percentile of combos, which is slightly lower than both individual component percentiles. This suggests that the game's performance is not perfectly correlated with aggregate benchmark scores, and that Counter-Strike 2's specific engine characteristics favor certain hardware combinations.

The measured FPS data shows this combo is exceptionally well-suited to high-refresh-rate 1080p and 1440p gaming. At 1440p High, the average of 231 FPS exceeds the refresh rate of most high-end monitors. At 1080p Medium, the average of 468 FPS is far beyond any display's refresh rate capabilities. The only scenario where the combo falls short of demanding expectations is 4K Ultra, where the 100 FPS average is still playable but not competitive-grade.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings preset depends on the target resolution. At 1920x1080, all four presets deliver frame rates well above 240 FPS. Low produces 563 FPS, Medium produces 468 FPS, High produces 349 FPS, and Ultra produces 271 FPS. For competitive play, the Low preset offers the highest frame rate, but the Medium preset at 468 FPS with a minimum of 397 FPS provides a better balance of visual quality and performance. The Ultra preset at 271 FPS is still smooth, but the visual improvement over High may not justify the 78 FPS loss.

At 2560x1440, the High preset delivers 231 FPS, which is sufficient for most high-refresh-rate monitors. The Medium preset at 309 FPS is even better, with a minimum of 263 FPS and a maximum of 356 FPS. The Low preset at 373 FPS is the fastest, but the visual quality reduction may be noticeable. The Ultra preset at 179 FPS is the only option that dips below 200 FPS, and it is not recommended unless visual fidelity is the priority.

At 3840x2160, the situation changes significantly. The Low preset produces 208 FPS, which is the only option above 200 FPS at this resolution. The Medium preset at 173 FPS with a minimum of 147 FPS is playable but not ideal for competitive play. The High preset at 129 FPS is acceptable for casual play, and the Ultra preset at 100 FPS is the minimum viable option. For 4K, the Low preset is the clear recommendation if frame rate is the priority, with Medium as a reasonable compromise.

Across all resolutions, the Medium preset offers the most consistent performance with the narrowest FPS band. At 1080p Medium, the range from minimum to maximum is 397 to 538 FPS, a spread of 141 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the range is 263 to 356 FPS, a spread of 93 FPS. At 4K Medium, the range is 147 to 199 FPS, a spread of 52 FPS. The narrowing spread at higher resolutions confirms the GPU is becoming the limiting factor, but the Medium preset provides a balanced experience at every resolution.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo achieves in Counter-Strike 2?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 563 at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: Can this combo run Counter-Strike 2 at 4K with playable frame rates?

A: Yes, at 4K Low the average FPS is 208, and at 4K Medium it is 173 with a minimum of 147 FPS. Even at 4K Ultra, the average is 100 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in aggregate benchmark scores?

A: The i5-14600K has an average benchmark score of 48618. The Intel Xeon Gold 5318H is 0.2% lower, the AMD EPYC 4345P is 0.3% higher, the Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX is 0.7% higher, and the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 is 0.8% lower.

Q: How does the GPU compare to its nearest rivals in aggregate benchmark scores?

A: The RTX 5070 has an average benchmark score of 40377. The AMD Radeon Pro 580 is 0.1% higher, the AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100 is 0.8% higher, the AMD Radeon Pro 5300 is 1.2% lower, and the NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile is 2% lower.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested configurations in this game?

A: The combo ranks 766th out of 3719 tested combos, placing it in the top 20.6% of all configurations.

Q: Which settings preset provides the best balance of performance and visual quality at 2560x1440?

A: The Medium preset at 2560x1440 delivers 309 FPS average with a minimum of 263 FPS and a maximum of 356 FPS, offering the best combination of frame rate and visual fidelity.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

1920x1080

• Low: Average FPS 563. This is the highest measured result across all resolutions and settings.
• Medium: Average FPS 468, minimum FPS 397, maximum FPS 538. The 141 FPS spread between minimum and maximum is the largest among Medium presets.
• High: Average FPS 349. This represents a 25.4% reduction from Medium.
• Ultra: Average FPS 271. This is a 22.3% reduction from High and a 51.9% reduction from Low.

2560x1440

• Low: Average FPS 373. This is a 33.7% reduction from the 1080p Low result.
• Medium: Average FPS 309, minimum FPS 263, maximum FPS 356. The 93 FPS spread is narrower than at 1080p Medium.
• High: Average FPS 231. This is a 25.2% reduction from Medium.
• Ultra: Average FPS 179. This is a 22.5% reduction from High.

3840x2160

• Low: Average FPS 208. This is a 44.2% reduction from the 1440p Low result.
• Medium: Average FPS 173, minimum FPS 147, maximum FPS 199. The 52 FPS spread is the narrowest among Medium presets.
• High: Average FPS 129. This is a 25.4% reduction from Medium.
• Ultra: Average FPS 100. This is the lowest measured result in the entire dataset.

Cross-resolution observations: The Low preset shows the steepest resolution scaling, with a 63.1% total reduction from 1080p to 4K. The Ultra preset shows a 63.1% reduction as well, from 271 FPS to 100 FPS. The Medium preset shows a 63.0% reduction from 468 FPS to 173 FPS. The High preset shows a 63.0% reduction from 349 FPS to 129 FPS. This consistency across presets indicates that resolution scaling is uniform regardless of settings, which reinforces the conclusion that the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions.