Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2 is a competitive FPS that scales dramatically with hardware, and the combination of the Intel Core i7-14700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 produces performance that is as extreme as the hardware suggests. The data shows a system that is capable of crushing even the most demanding scenarios at high refresh rates, though the balance between CPU and GPU shifts significantly as resolution changes.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear trend: performance scales inversely with resolution, but the rate of decline is not uniform. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 747.6 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops that to 496.8 FPS, a reduction of roughly 34%. At 4K Low, the average falls further to 279 FPS, which is about 63% lower than the 1080p figure. This pattern indicates that at lower resolutions, the system is heavily CPU-bound; the RTX 4090 has ample headroom, and the i7-14700F’s 20 cores and 28 threads are the primary drivers of frame generation.

The picture changes as resolution climbs. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 132.7, which is a substantial drop from the 1080p Ultra score of 360.8. This steep decline suggests that the GPU is now the limiting factor. The RTX 4090’s 24 GB of GDDR6X memory and 1.01 TB/s bandwidth are being taxed by the higher pixel count and more demanding visual effects. The delta between Low and Ultra settings at each resolution also widens with resolution: at 1080p, the gap is 386.8 FPS (747.6 vs 360.8), while at 4K, the gap is 146.3 FPS (279 vs 132.7). This illustrates that the CPU can maintain high frame rates at low settings, but the GPU’s workload becomes the bottleneck as settings are increased.

In practical terms, this system is overkill for 1080p and 1440p competitive play. The 747.6 FPS at 1080p Low far exceeds any monitor’s refresh rate, and even the 309.2 FPS at 1440p High is more than enough for a 240Hz or 360Hz display. At 4K, the combo still delivers playable frame rates, but the Ultra preset at 132.7 FPS is the first point where the system shows real strain. The data suggests that for maximum refresh rates, 1080p or 1440p with lower settings is the sweet spot, while 4K is viable for slower-paced, visually immersive play.

FAQ

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

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 747.6 at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does the i7-14700F compare to its nearest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The i7-14700F’s average benchmark score is 54097, which is 0.6% lower than the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X’s score of 54450, and 1.1% lower than the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D’s 54681.

Q: Is the RTX 4090 the bottleneck at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, benchmark results indicate the GPU becomes the limiting factor at 4K. The average FPS drops to 172.6 at High settings and 132.7 at Ultra, showing a clear GPU-bound performance ceiling.

Q: What is the combo’s rank among all tested combinations in this game?

A: The combo ranks 26th out of 1632 tested combinations in Counter-Strike 2.

Q: Does the CPU’s boost clock impact gaming performance?

A: The i7-14700F has a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, which is critical for single-threaded performance. The data shows strong single-core scores, such as 5003 in Cinebench R23, which helps maintain high FPS in CPU-bound scenarios like 1080p Low.

Q: What is the lowest average FPS recorded?

A: The lowest average FPS is 132.7 at 3840x2160 resolution with Ultra settings.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, the Intel Core i7-14700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 combo holds the 26th position out of 1632 total entries for Counter-Strike 2. This places it in the top 1.6% of all tested systems, which is an exceptional result. The ranking reflects the sheer power of both components: the RTX 4090 is in the 91st percentile among all GPUs, and the i7-14700F is in the 94th percentile among all CPUs. This high percentile placement for both parts ensures that the combo is rarely outclassed.

The data shows that the combo’s average benchmark scores are competitive with its nearest rivals. The CPU’s average benchmark score of 54097 is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X’s 54450, with a deltaPct of -0.6%. The GPU’s average benchmark score of 66473 is also close to the NVIDIA Tesla T4’s 66733, a deltaPct of -0.4%. While these synthetic scores are close, the in-game ranking for Counter-Strike 2 is what matters most, and the 26th position out of 1632 reflects the real-world performance of this pairing. It is not the absolute fastest combo ever tested, but it is firmly in the elite tier, outperforming the vast majority of systems in this specific title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the combo achieves 747.6 FPS on Low, 620.4 FPS on Medium, 465.5 FPS on High, and 360.8 FPS on Ultra. These numbers are staggeringly high, indicating that the system is never remotely challenged at this resolution. The jump from Low to Ultra represents a 51.7% reduction in FPS, showing that even the most demanding settings leave plenty of headroom.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains excellent but begins to show the GPU’s workload. The Low preset yields 496.8 FPS, which drops to 413.4 FPS on Medium, 309.2 FPS on High, and 241 FPS on Ultra. The scaling here is more pronounced, with the Ultra preset being 51.5% slower than Low. This resolution is still well within the capabilities of the RTX 4090, as even the Ultra preset clears the 240 FPS threshold that many competitive players target.

At 3840x2160, the data shows a more significant performance hit. The Low preset produces 279 FPS, Medium drops to 230 FPS, High falls to 172.6 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 132.7 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 52.4%, which is the largest relative drop across all resolutions. This indicates that the GPU is now the primary bottleneck, as the pixel throughput demands of 4K are immense. Even so, the combo maintains playable frame rates at all settings, though 4K Ultra is the first point where a 144Hz monitor would not be fully saturated.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700F is a 20-core, 28-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.10 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. It features a 33 MB shared L3 cache and supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory. These specifications are crucial for Counter-Strike 2, which is known to be sensitive to single-threaded performance and memory latency. The high boost clock of 5.40 GHz is a key factor in the combo’s exceptional 1080p performance, where the CPU is often the limiting component.

The benchmark data supports this. The CPU scores 5003 in Cinebench R23 single-core and 35443 in multi-core, placing it in the 94th percentile among all CPUs. Its nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X and Ryzen 9 9900X3D, have similar average scores (54450 and 54681, respectively), with deltaPct values of -0.6% and -1.1%. This means the i7-14700F is essentially on par with those high-end AMD parts in synthetic benchmarks, despite being a 65W TDP chip.

In-game, the CPU’s role is most evident at 1080p Low, where the frame rate reaches 747.6 FPS. This is a CPU-bound scenario, and the CPU’s ability to feed the GPU with draw calls is what allows such a high frame rate. As resolution increases and the GPU becomes the bottleneck, the CPU’s impact diminishes, but it still provides enough headroom to avoid stuttering or frame drops. The 28 threads also ensure that background tasks or streaming do not interfere with game performance, making this a robust choice for a high-end gaming build.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend entirely on the display’s refresh rate and resolution. For competitive play at 1920x1080, the Low preset at 747.6 FPS is the clear winner for maximizing frame rates. However, the Medium preset at 620.4 FPS offers a better balance of visual fidelity and performance, still far exceeding any monitor’s refresh rate. The High preset at 465.5 FPS is also viable, but the Ultra preset at 360.8 FPS provides diminishing returns in terms of visual improvements while still being exceptionally fast.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset at 496.8 FPS is ideal for 360Hz monitors, while the Medium preset at 413.4 FPS is perfect for 240Hz displays. The High preset at 309.2 FPS is also suitable for 240Hz, and the Ultra preset at 241 FPS just barely clears the 240Hz threshold, making it a viable option for those who prioritize visuals without sacrificing competitive responsiveness.

At 3840x2160, the recommendations shift toward balancing quality and frame rate. The Low preset at 279 FPS is overkill for most 4K displays, which typically cap at 120Hz or 144Hz. The Medium preset at 230 FPS is excellent for 144Hz screens, while the High preset at 172.6 FPS is still well above 144Hz. The Ultra preset at 132.7 FPS is the only setting that falls below the 144Hz mark, so it is best reserved for players who value maximum visual quality over sheer speed. For the majority of users, the Medium or High presets at 4K offer the best experience, providing smooth frame rates without unnecessary graphical compromises.