Counter-Strike 2

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate for this combo at 1920x1080 with Low settings?

A: The Intel Core i5-14600KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER achieves 672.5 FPS on average at 1920x1080 with Low settings, which is the highest measured frame rate across all tested configurations.

Q: How does the CPU's multi-core performance compare to its nearest rival?

A: The Core i5-14600KF scores 49367 in the average benchmark, placing it 0.4% higher than the Intel Core i5-14600K (49166) and 0.6% higher than the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X (49062). It trails the AMD EPYC 4345P by 0.5%.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking among all tested graphics cards?

A: The RTX 4080 SUPER sits in the 88th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 53610. It leads the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT by 0.2%, the Radeon Pro W6600M by 0.4%, and the RX 7700S by 2.1%.

Q: What frame rate does the combo deliver at 2560x1440 with Ultra settings?

A: At 2560x1440 with Ultra settings, the average frame rate is 217 FPS, which remains well above typical high-refresh-rate monitor requirements.

Q: How much VRAM does the RTX 4080 SUPER have, and what memory type is used?

A: The GPU is equipped with 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 736.3 GB/s of bandwidth.

Q: What is the combo's ranking among all tested combinations in Counter-Strike 2?

A: The combo ranks 117th out of 1632 tested combinations, placing it in the top 7.2% of all tested systems for this game.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600KF is a 14-core, 20-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process node. It operates with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, with a 125 W TDP. The CPU's cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache, all of which contribute to its responsiveness in a fast-paced esports title like Counter-Strike 2.

In Counter-Strike 2, the CPU's role is substantial because the game's engine relies heavily on single-thread performance for game logic and physics, while the multi-core capabilities help with asset streaming and background tasks. The measured frame rates show that this CPU, paired with the RTX 4080 SUPER, sustains very high averages. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system delivers 672.5 FPS, which is a strong indicator that the CPU is not a bottleneck at this resolution and settings combination, given that lower settings reduce GPU load and shift more of the frame-time responsibility onto the processor.

The CPU's benchmark data reinforces its capability. In Cinebench R23, it scores 32889 in multi-core and 4643 in single-core, while Geekbench shows 15636 multi-core and 2778 single-core. The single-core scores are particularly relevant for Counter-Strike 2, as the game's frame generation is often limited by per-core performance. Relative to its nearest rivals, the i5-14600KF's average benchmark score of 49367 is 0.4% above the i5-14600K, 0.6% above the Ryzen 9 5950X, and 1.4% above the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H, while being 0.5% below the AMD EPYC 4345P. These margins are small, indicating that the CPU's performance is tightly clustered with its direct competition, and in practical gaming terms, the differences would be negligible at the frame rates observed.

The CPU's 93rd percentile ranking among all CPUs, combined with its high boost clock, positions it well for Counter-Strike 2's demanding frame-time consistency. The measured results show that even at Ultra settings at 3840x2160, the average frame rate stays at 117.8 FPS, suggesting that the processor has enough headroom to feed the GPU even under heavier visual loads. The combination of high single-thread performance and sufficient multi-thread throughput makes this CPU a solid match for the game's requirements.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the choice of settings depends heavily on the target resolution and the desired frame rate. At 1920x1080, the Low preset yields 672.5 FPS, Medium yields 555.1 FPS, High yields 414.7 FPS, and Ultra yields 320.8 FPS. All four presets exceed 300 FPS, which is far beyond what any current display can show, so the best experience at this resolution is arguably the Ultra preset, as it provides the highest visual fidelity while still maintaining over 320 FPS average.

At 2560x1440, the spread is still wide: Low produces 442.6 FPS, Medium 368.4 FPS, High 275 FPS, and Ultra 217 FPS. The Ultra preset here remains above 200 FPS, making it a strong choice for users with 1440p high-refresh-rate monitors (e.g., 240 Hz or 360 Hz displays), as the frame rate stays comfortably above typical refresh rate ceilings. The High preset at 275 FPS offers a slight performance buffer for competitive play, but the visual gains from Ultra may be worth the modest frame rate reduction.

At 3840x2160, the performance drops more significantly: Low gives 245.5 FPS, Medium 204.3 FPS, High 151.8 FPS, and Ultra 117.8 FPS. For 4K gaming, the Medium preset at 204.3 FPS appears to be the sweet spot, as it maintains a very high frame rate while still offering improved visuals over Low. The High preset at 151.8 FPS is also viable for 4K, providing a balanced experience, but Ultra at 117.8 FPS may be too demanding for players who prioritize smoothness, especially since Counter-Strike 2 is a competitive title where high frame rates are often preferred over graphical extremes.

The data suggests that the system has ample headroom to run the game at maximum settings at 1080p and 1440p without sacrificing playability. At 4K, users should consider Medium or High depending on their refresh rate. For most competitive players, the 2560x1440 Ultra setting at 217 FPS offers the best combination of visual clarity and performance, as it aligns well with modern high-refresh-rate monitors.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of the Intel Core i5-14600KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER ranks 117th out of 1632 tested combinations in Counter-Strike 2, placing it in the top 7.2% of all systems tested. This ranking reflects the combination's ability to deliver exceptionally high frame rates across all tested resolutions and settings presets.

The rank is notable because it places this combo ahead of the vast majority of tested systems, though it is not in the absolute top tier. The top 116 combos likely include processors with higher single-thread performance or GPUs with higher raw throughput, but the margin between this combo and those above it is likely small given the game's inherent performance ceiling at high frame rates. The data shows that at 1920x1080 Low, the system achieves 672.5 FPS, which is close to the upper limits of what most CPUs can sustain in this engine, so the ranking is more constrained by CPU limits at lower resolutions and by GPU limits at higher resolutions.

Compared to the CPU's nearest rivals, the i5-14600KF's average benchmark score is essentially on par with the i5-14600K and the EPYC 4345P, so the ranking is likely influenced by the GPU's performance relative to other tested graphics cards. The RTX 4080 SUPER, with its 88th percentile ranking among all GPUs, is a strong performer, but it is not the absolute fastest, which explains why the combo does not break into the top 100. The GPU's nearest rival, the RX 6900 XT, has a deltaPct of 0.2%, meaning the RTX 4080 SUPER is only slightly faster on average, so the ranking could shift by a few positions depending on the specific game and settings tested.

Overall, the 117th rank out of 1632 is a strong showing, indicating that this combo delivers top-tier performance in Counter-Strike 2, with only a small percentage of systems achieving higher frame rates. The measured data confirms that the system is capable of exceeding 400 FPS at 1080p on High settings, which is more than sufficient for any competitive scenario.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture, using the AD103 chip manufactured on TSMC's 5 nm process. The GPU features 10240 shading units, 320 texture mapping units, and 112 raster output pipelines, along with 80 RT cores and 320 tensor cores. Its clock speeds are set at a base of 2295 MHz and a boost of 2550 MHz, with memory running at 1438 MHz (23 Gbps effective). The 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus provides 736.3 GB/s of bandwidth, which is ample for Counter-Strike 2's texture and geometry requirements.

In Counter-Strike 2, the GPU's role becomes increasingly important as resolution and settings are raised. At 1920x1080, the GPU is not fully utilized at lower settings, as evidenced by the frame rate scaling: Low yields 672.5 FPS, but Ultra still achieves 320.8 FPS, showing that the GPU handles the increased load without becoming the primary bottleneck. At 2560x1440, the GPU's workload increases, but it still delivers over 200 FPS on Ultra, demonstrating its strong rasterization performance. At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the limiting factor, with frame rates dropping to 117.8 FPS on Ultra, which is still playable but shows the expected performance curve as pixel count quadruples from 1080p.

The GPU's compute performance is solid, scoring 34245 in Passmark G3D and 19822 in Passmark GPU compute, placing it in the 88th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the RX 6900 XT (0.2% slower), the Radeon Pro W6600M (0.4% slower), and the RX 7700S (2.1% slower), while the RTX 5070 Ti is 2.9% slower. These close margins indicate that the RTX 4080 SUPER is competitively positioned among high-end GPUs, and its performance in Counter-Strike 2 is in line with its overall benchmark standing.

The GPU's memory bandwidth of 736.3 GB/s is a key asset for high-resolution gaming, as it allows for efficient data transfer between the frame buffer and the rendering pipeline. With 16 GB of VRAM, the card has more than enough capacity for Counter-Strike 2 at any settings preset, as the game is not particularly VRAM-hungry compared to modern AAA titles. The GPU's pixel rate of 285.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 816.0 GTexel/s further support its ability to maintain high frame rates at 4K, though the measured data shows that the 3840x2160 Ultra preset still results in a significant frame rate drop, indicating that the GPU's raw compute is the limiting factor at that extreme.

In summary, the RTX 4080 SUPER plays a dominant role in Counter-Strike 2 at higher resolutions and settings, while at lower resolutions, the CPU takes precedence. The GPU's 88th percentile ranking and its benchmark scores confirm that it is a high-end part, and its measured performance in this game reflects that status, delivering over 100 FPS in all tested configurations.