Counter-Strike 2

The Intel Core i5-14600KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is a combination engineered for high-refresh-rate esports, and the measured data for Counter-Strike 2 confirms this focus. The CPU’s 14 cores and 20 threads, with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, provide substantial single-thread headroom, which is critical for a game engine that relies heavily on draw-call processing and physics calculations. The 24 MB of shared L3 cache further aids in reducing memory latency, a factor that becomes pronounced when tracking numerous entities and projectiles. This architecture, built on Intel’s 10 nm process, falls into the 93rd percentile of all CPUs, underscoring its capability to feed frames to the GPU without becoming the primary constraint in most scenarios.

The benchmark results for this specific configuration place it at rank 942 out of 1632 tested combos in Counter-Strike 2. This position, slightly below the median, is not a reflection of absolute weakness but rather a statement about the competitive landscape. Many combos ranked higher likely feature flagship GPUs or CPUs with even higher boost clocks. However, the data shows that this pairing is far from a slouch; it sits in the 57.7th percentile of tested combos. The CPU’s nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i5-14600K and AMD Ryzen 9 5950X, show average benchmark scores within 0.6% of the 14600KF, indicating that the performance delta between these high-end processors is negligible in synthetic tests. The 14600KF’s average benchmark score of 49367 confirms its multi-threaded capability, though in a game like Counter-Strike 2, the single-core performance, which scores 4643 in Cinebench R23, is often the more decisive metric.

Analyzing the resolution scaling data provides a clear picture of where the bottleneck lies. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves 380 FPS. Scaling to 2560x1440 Low reduces this to 251.7 FPS, a drop of 33.8%. Moving to 3840x2160 Low yields 139.8 FPS, which is a further 44.5% reduction from the 1440p result. This steep decline as resolution increases indicates that the RTX 4060 is becoming the limiting factor at higher pixel counts. In contrast, the scaling from 1080p to 1440p at High settings shows a smaller relative drop from 234.4 FPS to 155.4 FPS, a 33.7% decrease. The pattern is consistent: the GPU’s rendering load increases with resolution, and the CPU’s role diminishes. At 1080p Low, the CPU is likely the primary driver, pushing frame rates near the limits of its single-thread performance, but by 4K, the GPU’s fill rate and shading capacity become the dominant constraint.

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

The Core i5-14600KF’s role in Counter-Strike 2 is defined by its high-frequency P-cores and efficient multi-threading. With a boost clock reaching 5.30 GHz, the processor can handle the game’s primary simulation thread with significant headroom. This is evident in the 1080p Low result of 380 FPS, where the CPU is not overtly stressed, yet the frame rate remains exceptionally high. The 14 cores and 20 threads are more than sufficient for the game’s background tasks and any streaming or communication software running concurrently. The 125 W TDP suggests that the processor can sustain these high clocks under load, though a capable air cooler is recommended for prolonged sessions. The data shows that the CPU’s single-core performance, scoring 468 in Cinebench R15 and 4273 in Passmark single-thread, is the key enabler for the high frame rates observed at lower resolutions. The L3 cache of 24 MB shared is ample for the game’s map data, reducing the need to fetch frequently used assets from system memory, which supports DDR4 and DDR5.

Comparing the 14600KF to its nearest rivals in the synthetic benchmarks, the Intel Core i5-14600K is virtually identical, with a delta of 0.4%. This indicates that the "KF" variant’s lack of integrated graphics has no impact on compute performance. The AMD EPYC 4345P, a server-oriented chip, is 0.5% slower in average score, while the Ryzen 9 5950X, a 16-core behemoth, is 0.6% behind in this specific metric. This suggests that for Counter-Strike 2, the 14600KF’s combination of high clocks and reasonable core count is well-suited, as the game does not scale linearly with core counts beyond a certain threshold. The processor’s 93rd percentile ranking among all CPUs reinforces its position as a top-tier choice for gaming workloads, where latency and clock speed are prioritized over raw multi-threaded throughput.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combo rank of 942 out of 1632 places this specific pairing in the lower half of all tested configurations for Counter-Strike 2. This is a nuanced result, as it does not imply poor performance in absolute terms. The average FPS at 1080p High is 234.4, which is exceptionally smooth for competitive play. However, the ranking indicates that many other combinations of CPUs and GPUs can achieve even higher frame rates. The percentile position, which is approximately the 58th, suggests that the RTX 4060 is the more significant limiting factor in this pairing, especially when compared to combos featuring higher-tier GPUs. The data shows that at 1440p High, the combo produces 155.4 FPS, which is still highly playable, but the rank reflects that other combos with stronger GPUs would push this higher. It is also worth remembering the combo’s performance is measured, not extrapolated, adding confidence to the ranking’s validity. The CPU’s nearest rivals, as listed, all have average benchmark scores within 1.4% of the 14600KF, which means the CPU is not the reason for the mid-pack ranking; rather, the GPU’s position in the 66th percentile of all GPUs is the primary differentiator.

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

The measured FPS data across resolutions and settings provides a clear demonstration of GPU-bound scaling. At 1080p Low, the frame rate of 380 FPS is likely near the CPU’s maximum achievable output, given the game’s engine limits. As resolution increases to 1440p Low, the frame rate drops to 251.7 FPS, a 33.8% reduction, indicating that the GPU is now having to work harder to fill more pixels. The transition to 4K Low results in 139.8 FPS, a further 44.5% decrease, which strongly suggests the RTX 4060’s 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus are becoming saturated. The memory bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K, the texture data and shading requirements exceed what the GPU can efficiently process. This is corroborated by the Ultra settings results: at 1080p Ultra, the frame rate is 183.4 FPS, but at 4K Ultra, it plummets to 65.7 FPS. The scaling from 1440p Ultra (121.5 FPS) to 4K Ultra (65.7 FPS) shows a 45.9% drop, which is more severe than the Low setting drop, indicating that the GPU’s shading units and ROPs are the limiting factor. The CPU’s role diminishes as resolution rises; at 4K, the frame rates are entirely dependent on the GPU’s pixel throughput, which for the RTX 4060 is rated at 118.1 GPixel/s.

FAQ

Q: What is the maximum average FPS achieved by this combo in Counter-Strike 2?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 380 at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: How does the CPU’s benchmark score compare to its closest rival, the Intel Core i5-14600K?

A: The Core i5-14600KF has an average benchmark score of 49367, which is 0.4% higher than the Core i5-14600K’s score of 49166, indicating virtually identical performance.

Q: At which resolution does the GPU become the clear bottleneck?

A: The data shows a significant frame rate drop from 251.7 FPS at 1440p Low to 139.8 FPS at 4K Low, a 44.5% decrease, indicating the GPU is the primary constraint at 4K.

Q: What is the combo’s rank among all tested configurations for this game?

A: The combo ranks 942 out of 1632 tested combos, placing it in the lower-middle portion of the database.

Q: Does the CPU’s high single-core performance contribute to the 1080p results?

A: Yes, the CPU’s single-core Cinebench R23 score of 4643 and boost clock of 5.30 GHz enable the high frame rates seen at 1080p, such as 234.4 FPS on High settings.

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

A: The measured average FPS at 2560x1440 with High settings is 155.4.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 plays a pivotal role in determining the frame rates at higher resolutions and settings. Its 8 GB of GDDR6 VRAM on a 128-bit bus, providing 272.0 GB/s of bandwidth, is a limiting factor at 4K, where texture data can exceed this capacity. The GPU’s boost clock of 2460 MHz and 3072 shading units are well-suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, as evidenced by the high FPS figures at those resolutions. The architecture, based on Ada Lovelace and fabricated on a 5 nm process, includes 24 RT cores and 96 tensor cores, though these are less relevant for a game like Counter-Strike 2, which does not heavily utilize ray tracing or DLSS. The GPU’s passmark G3D score of 19545 places it in the 66th percentile of all GPUs, and its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6600M, is 0.6% slower, while the Intel Arc B580 is 0.7% faster. This suggests the RTX 4060 is a solid mid-range performer. The frame rate data corroborates this: at 1080p High, the combo achieves 234.4 FPS, but at 4K Ultra, it drops to 65.7 FPS, which is below the 144 Hz threshold many competitive players seek. The GPU’s power draw of 115 W and suggested PSU of 300 W make it an efficient choice, but its performance ceiling is clearly defined by its memory bus width and VRAM capacity when pushing 4K resolutions.