Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is a title where frame rates scale dramatically with resolution, and the measured data for the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X paired with the Intel Arc B570 clearly illustrates this behavior. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo delivers an average of 465 FPS, which drops to 343 FPS at High settings. Moving up to 2560x1440, the average at Low settings falls to 320 FPS, and at 3840x2160, it further declines to 189 FPS on Low. The most demanding configuration tested, 4K Ultra, still produces a playable 119 FPS average, but the scaling pattern reveals a system that is heavily influenced by both CPU and GPU loads depending on the resolution.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate deltas between resolutions are substantial and indicate where the bottleneck shifts. From 1080p Low to 1440p Low, the average FPS drops by 145 frames (from 465 to 320), a 31% reduction. The subsequent jump from 1440p Low to 4K Low sees a further decline of 131 frames (from 320 to 189), a 41% drop. This steepening decline as resolution increases points to the Intel Arc B570 becoming the primary limiting factor at higher pixel counts. The GPU’s 10 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 160-bit bus with 380.0 GB/s of bandwidth is being tasked with more pixel work, and the data shows the consequences.

At High settings, the scaling is less steep but still pronounced: 1080p yields 343 FPS, 1440p yields 236 FPS, and 4K yields 139 FPS. The percentage drops from 1080p to 1440p (31%) and from 1440p to 4K (41%) mirror the Low settings pattern, suggesting a consistent GPU-bound behavior at these higher resolutions. The gap between Low and High at 4K is 50 FPS (189 vs. 139), which is a 26% performance penalty for the visual upgrade. This indicates that while the GPU is stressed at 4K, it still has enough headroom to respond to settings changes, though the absolute frame rates become less impressive.

The 1080p results tell a different story. At 1080p Low, the system hits 465 FPS, and even at 1080p Ultra, it maintains 293 FPS. The delta between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 172 FPS, a 37% difference. This large spread suggests that at 1080p, the CPU’s capabilities are more exposed, as the GPU is less likely to be the sole bottleneck. The Ryzen 9 5950X, with its 16 cores and 32 threads, has a strong single-thread score of 944 in 3dmark_single_thread and 1614 in cinebench_r23_singlecore, which helps push high frame rates in a CPU-sensitive title like CS:GO. However, the fact that FPS still scales with settings at 1080p shows the GPU is not entirely idle.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 5950X is a 16-core, 32-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, codenamed Vermeer. It has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. In CS:GO, which is known to favor strong single-core performance, the CPU’s 3dmark_single_thread score of 944 and passmark_single_thread score of 3470 are critical metrics. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the system achieves 465 FPS, which is a figure that relies heavily on the CPU’s ability to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic updates. The processor’s L3 cache of 64 MB also helps maintain low latency for frequently accessed game data.

The CPU’s multi-threaded prowess, evidenced by a cinebench_r23_multicore score of 26017 and a passmark_multithread score of 45424, is less relevant for CS:GO’s typical workload, which rarely scales across all 32 threads. However, the 5950X’s high boost clock of 4.90 GHz ensures that the few threads that are utilized run at maximum speed. This is reflected in the 1080p Medium result of 396 FPS, which is still exceptionally high and indicates that the CPU is not a limiting factor at this resolution. The combo’s rank of 2271 out of 2848 combos in this game suggests that while this pairing is capable, there are faster combinations for those seeking absolute maximum FPS.

Comparing the CPU to its nearest rivals, the Ryzen 9 5950X has an average benchmark score of 51947. This is 0.2% behind the Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX (52073) and 0.3% behind the AMD EPYC 8124P (52121). It is 0.4% ahead of the Intel Core i9-13900F (51730) and 0.7% behind the Intel Core i7-14700 (52301). These deltas are marginal, meaning the 5950X’s CPU performance is competitive with modern alternatives, though not class-leading. For CS:GO, this level of performance ensures that the CPU will not be the primary restriction in most scenarios, particularly at lower resolutions where high FPS is the goal.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance for optimal settings based on resolution and performance targets. For players with 1920x1080 displays, the Low preset delivers 465 FPS, which is far beyond the refresh rate of most monitors. The Medium preset still offers a very high 396 FPS with a minimum of 337 FPS, making it a solid choice for those who want a balance of visual quality and speed. High yields 343 FPS, and Ultra drops to 293 FPS. Given that the difference between Low and Ultra is 172 FPS, competitive players will likely prefer Low or Medium to maximize frame consistency, while those with high-refresh-rate monitors (e.g., 240 Hz) can still comfortably use High.

At 2560x1440, the story changes. Low settings produce 320 FPS, Medium 273 FPS, High 236 FPS, and Ultra 201 FPS. The minimum FPS at Medium is 232, which is above the 144 Hz threshold but below 240 Hz. For a 144 Hz monitor, Medium is the recommended preset, as it provides a significant visual upgrade over Low while maintaining a high average. High settings at 236 FPS are also viable for 144 Hz displays, but the extra headroom from Medium ensures smoother frame pacing. Ultra at 201 FPS is still excellent, but the diminishing returns in visual fidelity may not justify the 72 FPS loss compared to Low.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the bottleneck. Low settings yield 189 FPS, Medium 161 FPS (with a minimum of 137), High 139 FPS, and Ultra 119 FPS. For 4K gaming, the Low preset is the most sensible for competitive play, as it maintains an average above 144 FPS. Medium is acceptable for those who prefer visual quality, but the minimum of 137 FPS may dip below the refresh rate of a 144 Hz display. High and Ultra are best reserved for casual play or for users with 60 Hz monitors, as they offer 139 FPS and 119 FPS respectively, which are still smooth but not ideal for high-refresh-rate displays. The data suggests that the Arc B570 is best paired with 1440p or 1080p for CS:GO, where it can fully stretch its legs.

FAQ

Q: What is the maximum average FPS achieved by this CPU-GPU combo in CS:GO?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 465, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: Does the Intel Arc B570 bottleneck the Ryzen 9 5950X at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the FPS varies from 465 on Low to 293 on Ultra, indicating that the GPU is still responsive to settings changes. The CPU’s strong single-thread performance (944 in 3dmark_single_thread) ensures it is not the limiting factor at this resolution.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for the Medium preset at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the minimum FPS is 232, with an average of 273 and a maximum of 314.

Q: How does the Ryzen 9 5950X compare to the Intel Core i9-13900F in overall benchmark scores?

A: The Ryzen 9 5950X has an average benchmark score of 51947, which is 0.4% higher than the Intel Core i9-13900F’s score of 51730.

Q: Is the Arc B570’s performance in CS:GO at 4K suitable for high-refresh-rate monitors?

A: At 4K Low, the average FPS is 189, which is above 144 Hz. However, at 4K Ultra, the FPS drops to 119, which is below 144 Hz. For 4K 144 Hz displays, Low settings are recommended.

Q: What is the combo’s rank among all tested CPU-GPU combinations for CS:GO?

A: The combo ranks 2271 out of 2848 total combinations, placing it in the upper-middle tier of tested hardware.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B570 is built on the Xe2-HPG architecture, codenamed Battlemage, and fabricated on a 5 nm process by TSMC. It features 2304 shading units, 144 texture mapping units, and 80 raster output units. The GPU’s boost clock is fixed at 2500 MHz, and it has 10 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 160-bit bus, providing 380.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The data shows that this configuration is adequate for CS:GO at 1080p and 1440p, but it struggles to maintain ultra-high frame rates at 4K.

In the measured results, the GPU’s pixel rate of 200.0 GPixel/s and texture rate of 360.0 GTexel/s are put to the test as resolution increases. At 4K Ultra, the GPU delivers 119 FPS, which is 74% of the 1080p Ultra score of 293 FPS. This scaling is typical for a mid-range GPU, as the 4K pixel count quadruples the 1080p workload. The Arc B570’s percentile rank of 65 among all GPUs indicates it performs better than the majority of graphics cards, but it is not a high-end solution. Its nearest rival, the Intel Arc A750, has an average score of 20582, which is 0.1% higher than the B570’s 20556. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile scores 20534, which is 0.1% lower, showing that the B570 sits in a competitive mid-range bracket.

The GPU’s DirectX 12 Ultimate support (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4 compatibility are relevant for CS:GO’s API usage, though the game is older and primarily uses DirectX 9 or 11. The passmark_directx_9 score of 164 is notably higher than the directx_11 score of 118, which suggests the B570 has solid legacy API performance. This is beneficial for CS:GO, as the game’s engine is not modern. The 10 GB VRAM capacity is more than sufficient for CS:GO’s textures, even at 4K, so memory is not a limiting factor in these tests.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete measured FPS data for the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X and Intel Arc B570 in CS:GO is as follows:

At 1920x1080:

• Low settings: 465 FPS average.
• Medium settings: 396 FPS average, with a minimum of 337 and a maximum of 456.
• High settings: 343 FPS average.
• Ultra settings: 293 FPS average.

At 2560x1440:

• Low settings: 320 FPS average.
• Medium settings: 273 FPS average, with a minimum of 232 and a maximum of 314.
• High settings: 236 FPS average.
• Ultra settings: 201 FPS average.

At 3840x2160:

• Low settings: 189 FPS average.
• Medium settings: 161 FPS average, with a minimum of 137 and a maximum of 185.
• High settings: 139 FPS average.
• Ultra settings: 119 FPS average.

These numbers reveal a consistent pattern: the gap between Low and Ultra settings narrows as resolution increases. At 1080p, the difference is 172 FPS; at 1440p, it is 119 FPS; and at 4K, it is 70 FPS. This indicates that the GPU’s workload becomes more dominant at higher resolutions, reducing the relative impact of settings changes. The Medium preset at each resolution provides a balanced point, with 396 FPS at 1080p, 273 FPS at 1440p, and 161 FPS at 4K. The minimum FPS data for Medium settings shows that the 1% lows are 337, 232, and 137 FPS respectively, which are all above 120 FPS, ensuring smooth gameplay on most monitors.

The data also shows that the Arc B570’s performance is consistent with its benchmark scores. The GPU’s passmark_g3d score of 14195 and geekbench_vulkan score of 96844 are reflected in the high frame rates at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the 465 FPS result reflects the CPU-GPU combination’s ability to handle CS:GO’s relatively light graphical load. However, the 4K Ultra result of 119 FPS is a clear indicator that this pairing is best suited for 1080p or 1440p gaming, where it delivers exceptional performance. For users targeting 4K, the data suggests dropping to Low or Medium settings to maintain frame rates above 144 FPS, as the 189 FPS at 4K Low demonstrates.