Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive with an AMD Ryzen 5 2600 and Intel Arc B570 produces a dataset that is as much about the game’s age as it is about the hardware’s headroom. The measured frames per second (FPS) figures reveal a system that is never truly strained at any resolution, but the pattern of those numbers—how they fall from 1080p to 4K—tells a specific story about where the bottleneck lives. This pairing, ranked 2271 out of 2848 tested combos, places it in the lower-middle tier of the database, yet the absolute FPS numbers are exceptionally high, suggesting that the rank reflects the sheer number of faster (and often more modern) configurations rather than any deficiency in playability.

Resolution Scaling

The most striking observation in this data is how little the FPS drops when moving from 1080p to 4K. At Low settings, the average frame rate goes from 465 FPS at 1920x1080 down to 189 FPS at 3840x2160. That is a reduction of 276 FPS, or roughly a 59% decrease. However, the absolute floor of 189 FPS is still far beyond what any display can refresh, making the "drop" largely academic for competitive play. The scaling from 2560x1440 to 3840x2160 tells a similar story: at Low settings, it falls from 320 FPS to 189 FPS, a 41% reduction. This indicates that the GPU is finally being asked to do more work at 4K, but it still has massive untapped potential.

The data suggests that at 1080p, the limiting component is not the graphics card but the processor. Consider the jump from Low to Ultra at 1920x1080: the FPS drops from 465 to 293. This 172 FPS swing is significant, but it is also a sign that the CPU is able to feed the GPU enough data to render frames at a very high rate, even when the visual load increases. At 4K, the story changes. The difference between Low (189 FPS) and Ultra (119 FPS) is only 70 FPS, a much smaller absolute gap. This compression of performance at higher resolutions is a classic sign that the GPU is becoming the primary constraint, as the pixel-pushing workload finally outpaces the CPU’s ability to issue draw calls. The Xe2-HPG architecture’s 10 GB of GDDR6 memory and 380.0 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient to handle the 4K textures, but the raw compute of 11.52 TFLOPS is what limits the Ultra preset to 119 FPS.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen+ architecture, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 3.90 GHz. Its passmark_multithread score of 13160 and passmark_single_thread score of 2239 are modest by modern standards, but they are entirely adequate for a game like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, which is known for being more responsive to single-core performance than to multi-threaded scaling. The data reinforces this: the CPU’s percentileVsAllCpus of 75 places it above the median, and its nearest rivals in the database—such as the Intel Core Ultra 5 228V (deltaPct 0.2%) and the Intel Core i9-11900H (deltaPct 0.5%)—show that it is not an outlier in either direction. It is a competent, mid-tier processor that does not hold the Arc B570 back at lower resolutions.

The CPU’s L3 cache is 16 MB (shared), and its memory bandwidth is rated at 46.9 GB/s. While these figures are not exceptional, they are sufficient for the game’s engine. The fact that the system can produce 465 FPS at 1080p Low suggests that the CPU is not the bottleneck in that scenario; the frame rate is so high that it is likely hitting a game engine physics or draw-call limit rather than a hardware limit. When the resolution increases to 4K, the CPU’s role diminishes, as the frame rate becomes increasingly dependent on the GPU’s ability to rasterize pixels. The benchmark results indicate that this pairing is balanced in the sense that the CPU never prevents the GPU from reaching its maximum potential in this specific title, but it also doesn’t push the GPU to its limits until the resolution is very high.

How This Combo Ranks

With a comboRankInGame of 2271 out of 2848 tested combinations, this system sits in the 20th percentile of all tested pairings. This rank might seem low given the high FPS numbers, but it must be interpreted within the context of the database. The rank reflects the absolute performance of the CPU and GPU individually, and there are many combinations with newer, higher-clocked processors and more powerful graphics cards that will score higher. For example, the GPU’s nearest rival is the Intel Arc A750 (deltaPct -0.1%), which is essentially a performance tie, but the CPU’s nearest rivals, like the Intel Xeon D-1746TER (deltaPct -0.7%), are not necessarily gaming-focused chips. The rank is a function of the sum of the parts, and the Ryzen 5 2600’s age (released in 2018) and the Arc B570’s mid-range positioning (released in 2025) combine to place this combo in the lower half of the pack.

However, the data implies that this rank is misleading for this specific game. The measured FPS at 4K Ultra (119 FPS) is still well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, and at 1440p, the lowest average is 201 FPS (Ultra). The rank is a global measure, but the game-specific results show that this combination is overqualified for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. The comboRankInGame of 2271 is a statistical outlier when compared to the actual playability scores, which are all in the triple digits. This suggests that the rank is heavily influenced by other games in the database where the CPU or GPU is more heavily taxed, whereas CS:GO’s older engine and lower graphical demands allow this pairing to perform far beyond what its global rank would predict.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The dataset provides 12 distinct measurement points, covering four settings presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) across three resolutions (1920x1080, 2560x1440, 3840x2160). Starting at 1080p, the average FPS ranges from a maximum of 465 FPS at Low to a minimum of 293 FPS at Ultra. The Medium preset shows an average of 396 FPS with a minimum of 337 FPS and a maximum of 456 FPS, indicating that the frame pacing is consistent. At 1440p, the averages are 320 FPS (Low), 273 FPS (Medium), 236 FPS (High), and 201 FPS (Ultra). The Medium preset at 1440p has a min of 232 FPS and a max of 314 FPS, showing a slightly wider variance than at 1080p but still very stable. At 4K, the averages drop to 189 FPS (Low), 161 FPS (Medium), 139 FPS (High), and 119 FPS (Ultra). The Medium preset at 4K is the only one with a recorded minimum and maximum (137 FPS and 185 FPS, respectively), suggesting that the lower presets may have uncapped frame rates that are more variable.

The data reveals a clear trend: the gap between Low and Ultra settings narrows as resolution increases. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 172 FPS (465 vs 293). At 1440p, that gap shrinks to 119 FPS (320 vs 201). At 4K, it further shrinks to 70 FPS (189 vs 119). This is a textbook example of a system that is CPU-bound at lower resolutions and GPU-bound at higher ones. The Ryzen 5 2600 can push frames faster than the Arc B570 can render them at 1080p, but at 4K, the GPU’s workload becomes the dominant factor. The numbers also show that this system is never below 119 FPS, which is a remarkably high floor for any game, let alone a competitive shooter.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B570 is built on the Xe2-HPG architecture and the Battlemage (Arc 5) generation, using a 5 nm process from TSMC. It features 2304 shading units, 144 TMUs, and 80 ROPs, which are the core building blocks for rasterization. Its base and boost clocks are both 2500 MHz, which is a high sustained frequency. The memory configuration is 10 GB of GDDR6 on a 160-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 380.0 GB/s. This is a solid mid-range specification, and the benchmark results show it performs accordingly. The passmark_g3d score of 14195 places it in the 65th percentile of all GPUs, and its nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile (deltaPct 0.1%), which is a laptop part. This suggests that the B570 is a desktop GPU with performance roughly equivalent to a high-end mobile solution from a previous generation.

In Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, the GPU’s role is to render the simple geometry and textures at high frame rates. The 19,600 million transistors and 272 mm² die size are not taxed heavily by this game. The FP32 performance of 11.52 TFLOPS is more than enough to handle the pixel shaders required. The data shows that the GPU only becomes the limiting factor at 4K Ultra, where the 119 FPS average is still respectable but indicates that the card is working near its peak. The 10 GB VRAM is never at risk of being exhausted, as CS:GO’s texture sizes are small relative to modern AAA titles. The 380.0 GB/s bandwidth is also sufficient, as the game does not require massive data streaming. The GPU’s role is to provide a smooth, consistent experience, and the measured FPS numbers confirm that it does so without any noticeable stutters or drops, as evidenced by the minimum FPS values at Medium settings across all resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the optimal settings preset depends on the user’s display and preference for maximum frame rate versus visual fidelity. For a competitive player with a 144 Hz or 240 Hz monitor, the 1920x1080 Low preset (465 FPS) is the obvious choice, as it maximizes the frame rate headroom, ensuring that the 1% lows (which are not recorded but are implied by the min FPS values) stay well above the refresh rate. The 1440p Low preset (320 FPS) is also an excellent choice for those with higher-resolution monitors, as it still provides a massive margin over any common refresh rate. If visual quality is a priority, the 1440p High preset (236 FPS) offers a good balance, with a 72 FPS advantage over Ultra (201 FPS) while still maintaining a high level of detail.

The 4K resolution results are interesting but of limited practical use for competitive play. The 4K Medium preset (161 FPS) is the only one with a recorded minimum (137 FPS), which suggests it is the most stable of the 4K options. However, the 4K High preset (139 FPS) and 4K Ultra (119 FPS) are both above the 100 FPS mark, making them viable for players who want to use a 4K display at high settings. The data does not include a "Competitive" or "Esports" preset, so the recommendation is to use Low settings at 1080p or 1440p for the absolute best performance. The Medium preset at 1440p (273 FPS) is a good middle ground if the user finds Low too visually barren. Ultimately, the system is so powerful for this game that even the Ultra preset at 1440p (201 FPS) provides an excellent experience, so the recommendation is to choose the highest settings that still meet the user’s target frame rate.

FAQ

Q: Is this system capable of running Counter-Strike: Global Offensive at 4K?

A: Yes. The measured data shows an average of 119 FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, and 189 FPS at Low settings. All 4K presets exceed 100 FPS, making the game fully playable at that resolution.

Q: What is the best resolution for competitive play with this hardware?

A: The 1920x1080 Low preset produces an average of 465 FPS, which is the highest measured score. The 2560x1440 Low preset (320 FPS) is also an excellent option for higher-resolution monitors, as it still provides a frame rate far above any standard refresh rate.

Q: How does the Ryzen 5 2600 affect the frame rate in this game?

A: The CPU’s passmark_single_thread score of 2239 is sufficient for CS:GO’s engine. At 1080p, the CPU is likely the limiting factor, as the FPS is extremely high (465 FPS at Low), but it does not prevent the GPU from reaching high scores. At 4K, the CPU’s role diminishes, and the GPU becomes the primary constraint.

Q: Is the Intel Arc B570 a good match for this game?

A: The data indicates yes. The GPU’s passmark_g3d score of 14195 is in the 65th percentile, and its performance is comparable to the Intel Arc A750. The B570 provides enough compute power to maintain high frame rates at all tested settings, with the lowest average being 119 FPS at 4K Ultra.

Q: What is the difference in performance between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 320 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 201 FPS. This is a difference of 119 FPS, showing that the visual quality settings have a noticeable impact on performance, but even the lowest performance is still very high.

Q: Does this combo rank well compared to other tested systems?

A: The comboRankInGame is 2271 out of 2848 combos, placing it in the lower half. However, this rank is a global measure. In this specific game, the FPS figures are all above 119 FPS, suggesting that the rank is more reflective of the hardware’s overall capabilities in other, more demanding titles rather than its performance in CS:GO.