Counter-Strike 2

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for Counter-Strike 2 with the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 reveals a clear and predictable scaling pattern as resolution increases. At 1080p with High settings, the combo delivers 327 FPS on average. Moving to 1440p reduces that to 216 FPS, a drop of approximately 34%. At 4K, the average falls further to 121 FPS, which is another 44% reduction from the 1440p figure. This steep decline suggests that the rendering load scales dramatically with pixel count, which is expected in a fast-paced FPS where draw calls and geometry processing are significant.

The Low settings preset shows the most extreme scaling. At 1080p Low, the system hits 527 FPS, but at 1440p that drops to 349 FPS (a 34% decrease), and at 4K it falls to 195 FPS (a 44% decrease from 1440p). This pattern is nearly identical to the High settings scaling in percentage terms, which indicates that the resolution penalty is relatively consistent regardless of the visual fidelity preset. The data implies that the GPU is the primary constraint when moving to higher resolutions, because the CPU is already delivering exceptionally high frame rates at 1080p.

Medium settings show a similar trend: 438 FPS at 1080p, 290 FPS at 1440p, and 162 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset, which is the most demanding, yields 254 FPS at 1080p, 168 FPS at 1440p, and only 94 FPS at 4K. The gap between Medium and Ultra at 4K is particularly notable: 162 FPS versus 94 FPS, a 42% difference. This suggests that Ultra settings introduce effects that heavily tax the GPU at high resolutions, likely including advanced shadows, reflections, and anti-aliasing techniques that are common in modern competitive shooters.

The fact that even at 4K Ultra the system maintains nearly 100 FPS average is remarkable for a game like Counter-Strike 2, which is known for being CPU-bound in many scenarios. However, the scaling data here points to the GPU becoming the limiting factor at 4K, especially with Ultra settings. The delta between 1080p and 4K at Low settings (527 FPS to 195 FPS) is a 63% reduction, while at Ultra settings (254 FPS to 94 FPS) it is also 63%. This consistency across presets reinforces that resolution is the dominant variable affecting performance, not the specific graphics options toggled.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 plays a central role in this combo's performance, particularly at higher resolutions. The GPU features 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, providing 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The memory clock is listed at 1313 MHz with 21 Gbps effective transfer rate. These specifications are relevant because Counter-Strike 2, while not typically a VRAM-heavy title, still benefits from sufficient memory bandwidth when rendering at 4K with higher presets. The 12 GB capacity is more than adequate for this game, even at Ultra settings, so the data does not indicate any memory capacity bottleneck.

The GPU's core configuration includes 5888 shading units, 184 texture mapping units, and 64 ROPs. The base clock is 1920 MHz with a boost clock of 2475 MHz. The FP32 performance is rated at 29.15 TFLOPS, which is substantial for a mid-range enthusiast card. In the context of Counter-Strike 2, the RTX 4070 appears to be the limiting component at 4K, given that the FPS drops significantly as resolution rises. At 1080p, the frame rates are so high (over 500 FPS on Low) that the CPU is likely the primary driver, but the GPU still needs to process every frame, and the data suggests it does so efficiently at lower resolutions.

The RTX 4070's benchmark results show a passmark G3D score of 26927 and a passmark GPU compute score of 14720. Its percentile ranking is 81, meaning it outperforms 81% of all GPUs in the database. This places it well above average, though not at the top tier. The nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Tesla P4 (deltaPct 0.1), AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 (deltaPct 0.4), and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile (deltaPct -1.3). These comparisons are based on aggregate benchmark scores, not game-specific performance, but they provide context for the GPU's overall capability.

In Counter-Strike 2 specifically, the RTX 4070's role becomes more pronounced at 4K. The measured FPS at 4K Ultra (94 FPS) is below the 1440p High result (216 FPS) by a significant margin, indicating that the GPU is struggling to maintain high frame rates when pixel count quadruples from 1080p. The fact that 4K Low still achieves 195 FPS suggests that the GPU can handle the geometry and physics of the game, but the shading and post-processing effects at higher presets are what push it to its limits. The VRAM usage is not directly measured in this data, but the 12 GB capacity is unlikely to be exceeded by Counter-Strike 2, even at 4K Ultra, so the performance drop is more likely due to raw compute and memory bandwidth limitations.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 ranks 609th out of 2870 tested combos in Counter-Strike 2. This places it in the top 21.2% of all tested configurations, which is a strong showing for a mid-range to high-end pairing. The rank of 609 out of 2870 means that approximately 78.8% of tested combos perform worse, but it also means that 608 combos achieve higher frame rates in this specific game. Given that Counter-Strike 2 is highly competitive and players often seek the highest possible FPS for competitive advantage, this ranking is respectable but not elite.

The combo's percentile ranking in the context of all tested configurations can be inferred from the rank: being 609th out of 2870 means it is in roughly the 79th percentile for game-specific performance. This is slightly lower than the CPU's standalone percentile of 96 and the GPU's standalone percentile of 81, which suggests that in Counter-Strike 2, the combination does not fully utilize the CPU's potential, or the game is not as demanding on the CPU as other titles. The GPU's percentile of 81 aligns more closely with the combo's rank, indicating that the GPU is the more limiting factor in this pairing for this game.

Looking at the CPU's nearest rivals, the Intel Xeon 6520P has an average benchmark score of 93786, essentially identical to the Ultra 7 270K Plus's 93785 (deltaPct 0). This means the CPU is positioned at the very top of its performance tier in general benchmarks. However, in Counter-Strike 2, the combo ranking of 609 suggests that other combos with similar or even lower CPU scores may achieve better FPS due to different GPU pairings or other system factors. The AMD EPYC 4564P, with a deltaPct of -1.5, is slightly behind the Ultra 7, but a combo using that CPU with a more powerful GPU could easily outperform this configuration in game.

The GPU's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Tesla P4 (deltaPct 0.1), which is a datacenter card, and the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 (deltaPct 0.4). These are not direct competitors for gaming, but they indicate that the RTX 4070's aggregate performance is closely matched with these older or specialized cards. In a game like Counter-Strike 2, the RTX 4070's features, such as its Ada Lovelace architecture and 12 GB VRAM, likely contribute to its game-specific performance, but the rank of 609 out of 2870 shows that there is room for improvement, possibly with a faster GPU or a more optimized system configuration.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p with Medium settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with Medium settings is 438 FPS, with a minimum of 372 FPS and a maximum of 503 FPS.

Q: How does the performance at 4K Ultra compare to 4K Low?

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 94, while at Low settings it is 195 FPS. This represents a 101 FPS difference, or approximately 107% higher performance on Low.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to be the bottleneck at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440 with High settings, the average FPS is 216, which is still very high. The fact that 1440p Low achieves 349 FPS suggests the CPU is capable of driving high frame rates, but the GPU becomes more involved as settings increase. The data indicates the GPU is likely the limiting factor at 1440p Ultra (168 FPS), but the CPU is still performing strongly.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested configurations?

A: The combo ranks 609th out of 2870 tested combos in Counter-Strike 2, placing it in the top 21% of all configurations.

Q: Does the RTX 4070 have enough VRAM for this game?

A: The RTX 4070 has 12 GB of GDDR6X memory. Counter-Strike 2 is not a VRAM-intensive game, and the data shows no indication of a memory capacity bottleneck, as the FPS scales consistently with resolution and settings changes.

Q: What is the maximum FPS recorded in the measured data?

A: The highest average FPS is 527 at 1920x1080 with Low settings. The highest individual maximum FPS recorded is 503 at 1080p Medium, though the maximum for Low settings is not listed.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the system achieves 527 FPS on Low, 438 FPS on Medium (with min 372 and max 503), 327 FPS on High, and 254 FPS on Ultra. This shows a clear progression where each settings tier reduces performance, with Low being 65% faster than Ultra at 1080p.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS values are 349 on Low, 290 on Medium (min 246, max 333), 216 on High, and 168 on Ultra. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is consistent across presets, with Low experiencing a 178 FPS reduction (34%), Medium a 148 FPS reduction (34%), High a 111 FPS reduction (34%), and Ultra an 86 FPS reduction (34%). This uniform scaling percentage strongly indicates that resolution is the primary factor affecting performance, independent of the graphics settings.

At 3840x2160, the average FPS values are 195 on Low, 162 on Medium (min 138, max 186), 121 on High, and 94 on Ultra. The transition from 1440p to 4K results in reductions of 154 FPS (44%) on Low, 128 FPS (44%) on Medium, 95 FPS (44%) on High, and 74 FPS (44%) on Ultra. Again, the consistency in percentage reduction (44%) across all presets confirms that the 4K resolution imposes a fixed additional load on the GPU, regardless of the visual quality settings.

The Medium settings preset is the only one that includes minimum and maximum FPS values in the data. At 1080p Medium, the minimum is 372 FPS and the maximum is 503 FPS, indicating a range of 131 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the range is from 246 to 333 FPS (87 FPS range), and at 4K Medium, it is from 138 to 186 FPS (48 FPS range). The narrowing range at higher resolutions suggests that frame time consistency improves as the GPU becomes more uniformly loaded, which is typical behavior in GPU-bound scenarios.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake Refresh architecture, fabricated on a 3 nm process by TSMC. It has a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, with a TDP of 125 W. The CPU features a substantial cache hierarchy: 192 KB of L1 cache per core, 3 MB of L2 cache per core, and 36 MB of shared L3 cache. This configuration is designed for high multi-threaded performance, but Counter-Strike 2 is known to favor single-core performance and low latency.

The CPU's benchmark results show strong single-thread capabilities, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2439 and a Passmark single-thread score of 5068. The multi-thread scores are equally impressive, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 44253 and a Passmark multithread score of 68574. The CPU's percentile ranking of 96 indicates it outperforms 96% of all CPUs in aggregate benchmarks, and its average benchmark score of 93785 is nearly identical to the Intel Xeon 6520P (93786), with the AMD EPYC 4564P slightly ahead at 95183 (deltaPct -1.5).

In Counter-Strike 2, the CPU's role is likely critical at 1080p, where frame rates exceed 500 FPS on Low settings. At such high frame rates, the CPU must process game logic, physics, and draw calls for each frame, and the 5.50 GHz boost clock on this processor is well-suited for that task. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the system achieves 527 FPS, which is near the upper limit of what most displays can show, indicating that the CPU is not a bottleneck at this resolution and settings combination.

However, as resolution increases, the GPU becomes the limiting factor, and the CPU's performance is less relevant. The fact that 4K Low achieves 195 FPS, which is still very high, suggests that the CPU can easily feed the GPU enough frames even at 4K. The CPU's 24 cores and 24 threads are more than sufficient for Counter-Strike 2, which typically uses fewer threads, but the high boost clock ensures that single-threaded performance remains excellent. The 36 MB of L3 cache also helps reduce memory latency, which is beneficial for a fast-paced competitive shooter where frame pacing is crucial.

The CPU's memory support includes DDR5 with dual-channel configuration and a bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s. This is ample for the game, and the PCIe Gen 5 interface with 20 lanes ensures that the GPU has sufficient bandwidth for data transfer. Overall, the CPU's contribution to this combo's Counter-Strike 2 performance is to enable extremely high frame rates at lower resolutions, while the GPU takes over as the primary performance driver at higher resolutions and more demanding settings.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings preset depends on the target resolution and the player's preference for frame rate versus visual fidelity. At 1080p, all presets deliver frame rates well above 240 Hz, making any setting viable for competitive play. The Low preset at 527 FPS is excessive for most displays, and Ultra at 254 FPS still exceeds the refresh rate of most high-end monitors. Therefore, at 1080p, players can choose Ultra settings for the best visuals without sacrificing competitive performance, as 254 FPS is more than sufficient for any current display.

At 1440p, the situation is slightly different. The High preset achieves 216 FPS, which is ideal for 240 Hz monitors, while Ultra drops to 168 FPS, which is still smooth but may be below the refresh rate of the fastest gaming displays. Medium at 290 FPS offers the best balance for players with 360 Hz monitors, as it provides very high frame rates while maintaining decent visual quality. For most players, High at 1440p is the recommended choice, as it combines good visuals with frame rates that comfortably exceed 200 FPS.

At 4K, the recommendations change significantly. Ultra settings produce 94 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for competitive play, especially on high-refresh-rate displays. High settings at 121 FPS are better suited for 120 Hz monitors, while Medium at 162 FPS is the best option for 144 Hz displays. Low at 195 FPS is the only preset that approaches 240 Hz territory, but it sacrifices significant visual quality. For 4K gaming, the data suggests that Medium settings offer the best balance, providing 162 FPS with a minimum of 138 FPS, which ensures smooth gameplay even in demanding scenes.

The Medium preset is the only one with recorded minimum FPS values, which provides insight into frame consistency. At 1080p Medium, the minimum is 372 FPS, which is still exceptionally high. At 1440p Medium, the minimum is 246 FPS, and at 4K Medium, it is 138 FPS. These minimums indicate that the system maintains stable frame rates without significant drops, which is crucial for a competitive FPS. For players who prioritize frame consistency over absolute maximum FPS, Medium settings appear to be the safest choice across all resolutions.

In summary, the data recommends High settings at 1080p and 1440p for the best combination of visuals and performance, while at 4K, Medium settings provide the best balance. Low settings are only necessary for players with extremely high refresh rate displays (360 Hz or above) at 1080p or those who prioritize FPS above all else. Ultra settings are best reserved for casual play or single-player scenarios, as the frame rate drops below 100 FPS at 4K, which can be detrimental in competitive matches.