Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2 is a game where frame rate is king, and the measured results for the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 reveal a system that scales predictably across resolutions. The data shows a configuration that can push high refresh rates at 1080p but begins to show its limitations as pixel count increases. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS to understand where the bottleneck lies and what settings offer the best experience.

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

The measured data shows a clear and steep performance curve as resolution climbs. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 294 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same settings drops that average to 194 FPS, a significant reduction of 100 FPS. At 4K (3840x2160) with Low settings, the average falls further to 109 FPS. This progression from 294 to 194 to 109 FPS represents a roughly 63% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 4K.

This scaling pattern is typical of a system where the GPU becomes increasingly dominant as the workload grows. At 1080p, the CPU has enough headroom to feed frames quickly, but the RTX 2060 is still the primary driver of performance. The 100 FPS drop when moving from 1080p to 1440p indicates a heavy reliance on the graphics card. The subsequent 85 FPS drop from 1440p to 4K reinforces this, showing that the GPU is struggling to maintain the pace.

Looking at the High settings preset, the same trend emerges. At 1080p, the average is 182 FPS. At 1440p, it drops to 121 FPS, and at 4K, it bottoms out at 67 FPS. The delta between 1080p and 1440p here is 61 FPS, while the delta between 1440p and 4K is 54 FPS. The consistent drops across all settings suggest that the limiting component is the GPU. The CPU, with its 14 cores and 14 threads, is capable of handling the game's logic, but the RTX 2060’s 6 GB of VRAM and 192-bit memory bus are the constraining factors at higher resolutions.

The data implies that for competitive play at 1080p, the system is well-balanced for high frame rates. For 1440p, it still provides a playable experience, but for 4K, the system falls below the 100 FPS threshold that many players prefer, even on Low settings. The scaling indicates that users seeking maximum performance should primarily adjust resolution and graphics settings that impact GPU load, as the CPU is not the primary bottleneck in this configuration.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 is the central component in this performance profile. Its specifications, including a base clock of 1365 MHz and a boost clock of 1680 MHz, are directly reflected in the measured FPS. The GPU’s memory configuration of 6 GB of GDDR6 on a 192-bit bus with 336.0 GB/s bandwidth is critical. In a game like Counter-Strike 2, which is not typically VRAM-hungry at lower settings, the 6 GB capacity is sufficient at 1080p and 1440p. However, at 4K, the increased texture and geometry data can pressure the memory subsystem.

The benchmark results for the GPU show an average score of 15290, placing it in the 58th percentile against all GPUs. Its nearest rivals, such as the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 with a score of 15283 and a deltaPct of 0, and the AMD Radeon 680M with a score of 15270 and a deltaPct of 0.1, show that the RTX 2060 is positioned in a specific performance tier. The fact that it is effectively tied with these older or integrated solutions in synthetic benchmarks is telling. The RTX 2060’s 1920 shading units and 48 ROPs are the architectural components that determine its raw output.

The measured FPS at 1080p Low (294 FPS average) shows the GPU’s ceiling when not heavily taxed. The drop to 109 FPS at 4K Low demonstrates that the GPU is the dominant bottleneck at that resolution. The data suggests that while the RTX 2060 can deliver high frame rates at lower resolutions, its performance is heavily influenced by resolution scaling. The 12 nm process node and 160 W TDP are historical facts, but the practical impact is seen in the frame rate deltas. For this game, the GPU's role is to provide enough throughput to avoid being the sole limiter at 1080p, but it clearly becomes the limiting factor as resolution increases.

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

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 is a modern desktop processor with 14 cores and 14 threads, a configuration that suggests strong multi-threaded capability. Its base clock of 3.40 GHz and boost clock of 5.00 GHz are high figures that are well-suited for gaming. The CPU’s benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14769 and a single-core score of 2085, indicate a processor that can handle both heavy workloads and single-threaded tasks efficiently. In Counter-Strike 2, which is often cited for its CPU sensitivity, this processor should theoretically provide a solid foundation.

The CPU’s percentile vs all CPUs is 89, meaning it outperforms the vast majority of processors in the database. Its nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 with a score of 46030 and a deltaPct of 0.1, and the Intel Core i9-13900HX with a score of 46098 and a deltaPct of -0.1, show that the Ultra 5 235 sits in a competitive performance envelope. The 24 MB of shared L3 cache is a substantial amount, which can help with game data access patterns.

The measured FPS data suggests that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck in this system, especially at higher resolutions. For example, at 4K Low, the average FPS is 109, which is likely below what the CPU could theoretically deliver. The CPU’s high single-thread performance, evidenced by the PassMark single-thread score of 4516, ensures that it can keep up with the frame generation demands at 1080p. The fact that the FPS drops significantly from 1080p to 1440p, while the CPU load likely remains similar, points to the GPU as the limiting factor. The CPU provides the necessary headroom, but the RTX 2060 cannot fully utilize it at higher resolutions. The data implies that the Ultra 5 235 has more performance to offer, but it is held back by the GPU in this specific pairing.

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

The measured FPS data provides a detailed look at performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the system delivers its best results. On Low settings, the average FPS is 294. Moving to Medium, the average drops to 244, with a minimum of 208 and a maximum of 281. High settings yield an average of 182 FPS. The Ultra preset produces an average of 142 FPS. This shows a clear hierarchy: Low > Medium > High > Ultra.

At 2560x1440, the performance scales down. Low settings achieve an average of 194 FPS. Medium settings produce an average of 162 FPS, with a minimum of 137 and a maximum of 186. High settings drop to an average of 121 FPS. Ultra settings are significantly lower, at an average of 94 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at this resolution is exactly 100 FPS, highlighting the impact of the preset.

At 3840x2160, the system’s limitations become apparent. Low settings still manage an average of 109 FPS. Medium settings average 90 FPS, with a minimum of 77 and a maximum of 104. High settings drop to 67 FPS. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, yielding an average of only 52 FPS. This is the only resolution where the system falls below 60 FPS on average, and it does so on both High and Ultra settings.

The data also shows that the variance between minimum and maximum FPS is only provided for Medium settings. At 1080p Medium, the range is 208 to 281 FPS. At 1440p Medium, it is 137 to 186 FPS. At 4K Medium, it is 77 to 104 FPS. This consistency in the provided data points suggests that Medium settings may offer a more stable experience, or it may simply be the only preset where this data was recorded. The average FPS figures are the most reliable indicators for comparison.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS achievable with this combo?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 294, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does the system perform at 4K with Ultra settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the system averages 52 FPS, which is the lowest measured score.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck in this configuration?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck, as FPS drops significantly with resolution increases while the CPU’s capabilities remain constant. The RTX 2060’s performance ceiling is reached at higher resolutions.

Q: Does the system maintain above 144 FPS at 1440p?

A: Only at Low settings does the average FPS exceed 144 FPS. At 1440p Low, the average is 194 FPS. At Medium, it drops to 162 FPS, and at High it is 121 FPS.

Q: What is the FPS difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the difference between Low (294 FPS) and Ultra (142 FPS) is 152 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 2060 compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 2060 has an average benchmark score of 15290. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580, has a score of 15283 with a deltaPct of 0, indicating they are statistically tied.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the ideal settings preset depends entirely on the target resolution and refresh rate. For 1920x1080, the data shows that even Ultra settings average 142 FPS, which is above the 144 Hz threshold for many monitors. High settings at 182 FPS provide a comfortable margin for high refresh rate displays. Medium settings at 244 FPS are excellent for 240 Hz monitors, while Low at 294 FPS is the maximum performance option.

For 2560x1440, the choice narrows. High settings average 121 FPS, which is suitable for a 120 Hz display. Medium settings at 162 FPS are better for 144 Hz or 165 Hz monitors. Low settings at 194 FPS are the best for achieving the highest frame rates possible. Ultra settings at 94 FPS are playable but may not be ideal for competitive play where higher frame rates are preferred.

For 3840x2160, the data suggests that Low settings are the only viable option for maintaining high performance, averaging 109 FPS. Medium settings at 90 FPS are still playable, but High at 67 FPS and Ultra at 52 FPS are likely too demanding for smooth gameplay. The best experience per the measured rows involves prioritizing Medium or Low settings at 4K, or dropping to 1440p to unlock higher presets. The data shows that the sweet spot for this combo is 1080p with High or Medium settings, or 1440p with Low or Medium settings, depending on the refresh rate of the display.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 is ranked 2253 out of 2870 tested combos in Counter-Strike 2. This places it in the lower half of all configurations in the database. This ranking is a holistic measure that considers the overall performance of the pairing across various metrics.

The ranking is significantly influenced by the GPU’s performance. The RTX 2060 sits in the 58th percentile against all GPUs, which is a modest position. Its average benchmark score of 15290 is closely matched by older cards like the GTX 580 and integrated solutions like the Radeon 680M, showing that it is not a top-tier performer. The CPU, in contrast, is in the 89th percentile, indicating a strong processor. However, the combo’s overall rank is dragged down by the GPU’s limitations.

The rank of 2253 out of 2870 means that roughly 78% of tested combos perform better in this game. This is a direct result of the measured FPS, particularly at higher resolutions where the GPU is the bottleneck. The data shows that while the CPU is capable of high performance, the RTX 2060 prevents the system from achieving top-tier frame rates. This pairing is functional and can deliver high FPS at 1080p, but it does not compete with stronger GPU configurations in the database. The ranking reflects a system that is balanced towards CPU performance but held back by GPU constraints in this specific title.