Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2 is a highly competitive esports title where frame rate consistency and responsiveness often matter more than absolute visual fidelity. The data for the Intel Core i7-14700F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 reveals a system that is exceptionally strong for this game, though the balance between CPU and GPU workload shifts dramatically depending on the resolution and preset selected. The measured results show a clear scaling pattern from 1080p to 4K, with the system transitioning from a CPU-bound state at lower resolutions to a GPU-bound state at higher ones.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling across resolutions follows the expected inverse relationship, but the magnitude of the drop tells a detailed story about system balance. At the High preset, the average frame rate falls from 237 FPS at 1920x1080 to 157 FPS at 2560x1440, a 34% reduction. Moving to 3840x2160, the average drops further to 88 FPS, which is a 44% decline from the 1440p result and a 63% decline from 1080p. This steepening curve indicates that the GPU is becoming the primary limiting factor as pixel count rises, particularly at the 4K mark where the RTX 4060's 8 GB of VRAM and 128-bit memory bus are heavily taxed.

At the Low preset, the scaling is even more pronounced. The system produces 382 FPS at 1080p, which drops to 253 FPS at 1440p (a 34% reduction) and then to 141 FPS at 4K (a 44% reduction from 1440p and a 63% reduction from 1080p). Interestingly, the relative percentage drops are identical to the High preset, suggesting that the bottleneck shifts consistently regardless of graphical load. However, the absolute headroom at Low settings is substantial, with the 1080p result exceeding 382 FPS, a figure that far surpasses the refresh rates of most monitors.

The Medium preset data includes minimum and maximum frame times, offering a more granular view. At 1080p Medium, the average is 317 FPS with a minimum of 270 and a maximum of 365. At 1440p Medium, the average is 210 FPS with a minimum of 179 and a maximum of 242. At 4K Medium, the average is 117 FPS with a minimum of 100 and a maximum of 135. The spread between minimum and maximum frames widens as resolution increases, indicating less consistent frame delivery at higher pixel counts. This suggests that while the average frame rate remains high, the potential for stutter or frame pacing issues grows at 4K.

The Ultra preset produces the lowest frame rates across the board, with an average of 184 FPS at 1080p, 122 FPS at 1440p, and 68 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 34%, and from 1440p to 4K is 44%, again mirroring the scaling pattern seen in other presets. This consistency across presets indicates that the resolution scaling is primarily dictated by the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth, rather than the specific graphical features enabled by each preset.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of the Intel Core i7-14700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 ranks 2003 out of 3719 tested combinations for Counter-Strike 2. This places it in the upper-middle tier of all systems tested, though it is not in the top percentile. Given the game's reputation as a CPU-intensive esports title, this ranking suggests that the RTX 4060, while capable, holds the combo back from the very top positions occupied by systems with higher-end graphics cards.

The CPU itself is a high performer, ranking in the 91st percentile of all CPUs tested. Its average benchmark score is 53620, which is nearly identical to its nearest rivals. The Intel Xeon 6505P scores 53701, a delta of -0.2%, while the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X scores 53288, a delta of +0.6%. This places the i7-14700F in a highly competitive position, with performance essentially on par with these alternatives. For Counter-Strike 2, this level of CPU performance is more than sufficient to feed even the most demanding frame rate targets.

The GPU, however, ranks in the 61st percentile of all GPUs tested, with an average benchmark score of 17639. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon HD 7790 (scoring 17666, a delta of -0.2%) and the AMD Radeon 780M (scoring 17588, a delta of +0.3%). This indicates that while the RTX 4060 is a competent card, it is not a top-tier performer. The combo's overall rank of 2003 out of 3719 reflects this imbalance: the CPU is near the top of its class, but the GPU's mid-range standing pulls the combined ranking down.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture and uses the AD107 chip, manufactured on a 5 nm process by TSMC. It features 3072 shading units, 96 texture mapping units, and 48 raster output units. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1830 MHz and a boost clock of 2460 MHz. Memory is 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s. The memory clock is 2125 MHz, which translates to 17 Gbps effective.

In Counter-Strike 2, the GPU's role becomes more critical as resolution increases. At 1080p, the CPU is likely the bottleneck, as evidenced by the extremely high frame rates at Low settings (382 FPS). However, at 4K, the GPU's limitations become apparent. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is sufficient for this game, as Counter-Strike 2 is not particularly VRAM-hungry, but the 128-bit memory bus and 272 GB/s bandwidth restrict the fill rate needed for high-resolution rendering.

The RTX 4060's boost clock of 2460 MHz is relatively high, which helps maintain performance in lighter scenes. The pixel rate is 118.1 GPixel/s and the texture rate is 236.2 GTexel/s, figures that are adequate for 1080p and 1440p gaming but become strained at 4K. The GPU's FP32 performance is 15.11 TFLOPS, which is respectable for a mid-range card. The card also supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, ensuring full API compatibility with modern game engines.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates provide a comprehensive view of performance across all three resolutions and four settings levels. At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest frame rates. The Low preset averages 382 FPS, the Medium preset averages 317 FPS (minimum 270, maximum 365), the High preset averages 237 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 184 FPS. These figures indicate that the CPU is well capable of driving frame rates far beyond what most displays can show, with even the Ultra preset exceeding 180 FPS.

At 2560x1440, performance remains strong but shows the GPU beginning to take on more responsibility. The Low preset averages 253 FPS, the Medium preset averages 210 FPS (minimum 179, maximum 242), the High preset averages 157 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 122 FPS. The 1440p results are all playable, with the lowest average (122 FPS at Ultra) still above the 100 FPS threshold for smooth competitive play.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is firmly in control. The Low preset averages 141 FPS, the Medium preset averages 117 FPS (minimum 100, maximum 135), the High preset averages 88 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 68 FPS. The 4K results show a clear division: Low and Medium settings provide playable frame rates, while High and Ultra dip below the 100 FPS mark, making them less suitable for fast-paced competitive play.

FAQ

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

A: The highest measured average frame rate is 382 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 with the Low preset.

Q: Can this system maintain 240 FPS at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, only the Low preset exceeds 240 FPS, with an average of 253 FPS. The Medium preset averages 210 FPS, falling short of the 240 FPS target.

Q: How does the Ultra preset perform at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160 with the Ultra preset, the system averages 68 FPS, which is below the 100 FPS threshold typically preferred for competitive play.

Q: What is the minimum frame rate recorded across all tests?

A: The lowest minimum frame rate recorded is 100 FPS, which occurs at 3840x2160 with the Medium preset.

Q: How does the CPU's performance ranking compare to its rivals?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700F ranks in the 91st percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 53620. Its nearest rival, the Intel Xeon 6505P, scores 53701, a delta of -0.2%.

Q: Is the RTX 4060 a top-tier GPU for this game?

A: The RTX 4060 ranks in the 61st percentile of all GPUs, indicating it is a mid-range performer. Its average benchmark score is 17639, which is roughly equal to the AMD Radeon HD 7790.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700F is a 20-core, 28-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, manufactured on a 10 nm process. It has a base clock of 2.10 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. The CPU features 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 2 MB of L2 cache per core, and 33 MB of shared L3 cache. It supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration and has a TDP of 65 W.

In Counter-Strike 2, the CPU's role is most evident at lower resolutions. The benchmark data shows that at 1080p, the frame rates are extremely high, exceeding 380 FPS on the Low preset. This indicates that the CPU is capable of processing game logic and draw calls at a very high rate, far exceeding the needs of most players. The CPU's strong single-threaded performance, evidenced by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4958 and Geekbench single-core score of 2429, is critical for this game, as Counter-Strike 2's engine relies heavily on a few primary threads.

The CPU's multi-threaded performance is also robust, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 35122 and a Geekbench multi-core score of 19620. While Counter-Strike 2 does not scale perfectly across all 20 cores, the 28 threads ensure that background tasks and game engine overhead do not cause frame rate dips. The CPU's 91st percentile ranking confirms that it is among the top processors available, and its performance is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X, with a delta of only 0.6%.

However, the data suggests that the CPU is not the limiting factor in this combo for Counter-Strike 2, especially at higher resolutions. The consistent FPS drops from 1080p to 4K across all presets indicate that the GPU is the primary bottleneck, particularly at 1440p and 4K. The CPU's high frame rates at 1080p Low (382 FPS) demonstrate that it has ample headroom, and even at 4K Low (141 FPS), the CPU is likely still capable of delivering more frames if the GPU could keep up.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance on which settings preset offers the best experience for this combo in Counter-Strike 2. For players using 1080p displays, all presets are viable, but the Medium preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance. At 1080p Medium, the system averages 317 FPS with a minimum of 270 FPS, ensuring that even in the most demanding scenes, the frame rate stays well above the 240 Hz refresh rate common on competitive monitors. The High preset also delivers excellent performance at 237 FPS, but the jump to Medium provides a significant 34% performance increase with minimal visual compromise.

For 1440p displays, the Medium preset is again the recommended choice. It averages 210 FPS with a minimum of 179 FPS, which is above the 144 Hz refresh rate typical of 1440p monitors. The High preset at 157 FPS is also playable, but the Medium preset offers a 34% performance boost while maintaining a visually appealing image. The Low preset at 253 FPS may appeal to players who prioritize maximum frame rates over visual fidelity, but the Medium preset provides a more balanced experience.

At 4K, the situation is more nuanced. The Medium preset averages 117 FPS with a minimum of 100 FPS, making it the only preset that consistently stays above the 100 FPS threshold. The Low preset at 141 FPS is even faster, but the visual downgrade may be significant. The High preset at 88 FPS and Ultra at 68 FPS are below the 100 FPS mark, which can introduce noticeable input lag and stutter in a fast-paced shooter. Therefore, for 4K play, the Medium preset is the clear recommendation, as it provides a smooth and responsive experience without sacrificing too much visual quality.

The Ultra preset is generally not recommended for competitive play, as it delivers the lowest frame rates at every resolution. While it may offer the best visual quality, the performance cost is substantial, with a 42% reduction in frame rate compared to the High preset at 1080p. For a game like Counter-Strike 2, where frame rate and responsiveness are paramount, the Medium preset offers the best overall experience across all resolutions, balancing visual fidelity with the high, consistent frame rates needed for competitive advantage.