Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, a 2012-released FPS, shows remarkably high performance on the Intel Core i7-12700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 combination. The measured frame rates across all tested resolutions and settings presets indicate that this system is far beyond the requirements for competitive play, with the average FPS never dropping below 147 at 4K Ultra settings. This analysis breaks down the measured data, explores the roles of the CPU and GPU, and provides ranking context within the database.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate recorded for this combo in CS:GO?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 574, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does the combo rank in this specific game?

A: The combo ranks 1732 out of 2848 tested combinations in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, placing it in the 60th percentile of all tested systems for this title.

Q: What is the lowest average FPS recorded across all tested settings and resolutions?

A: The lowest average FPS is 147, which occurs at 3840x2160 resolution with Ultra settings. This is still a very playable frame rate.

Q: Is the GPU or CPU more likely to be the bottleneck at 4K resolution?

A: The data suggests the GPU becomes the limiting factor at 4K. The frame rate drops significantly from 233 FPS at Low settings to 147 FPS at Ultra settings, a 86 FPS difference, which indicates the graphics card's workload is the primary constraint at this resolution.

Q: By what percentage is the CPU faster than its nearest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core i7-12700K has an average benchmark score of 35287, which is 0.1% lower than the Intel Core i5-13600T, its nearest rival with a score of 35305.

Q: What is the total amount of video memory available on the RTX 5050?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 is equipped with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory, which is a standard amount for a modern graphics card.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 is the primary driver of graphical performance in this combination. Its specifications include 2560 shading units, 80 texture mapping units, and 32 raster operation units. The GPU operates at a base clock of 2317 MHz and a boost clock of 2572 MHz, with memory running at a 2500 MHz effective data rate of 20 Gbps. The 8 GB of GDDR6 memory is accessed via a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 320.0 GB/s.

In Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, the GPU's role becomes increasingly important as resolution and settings increase. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 574 FPS, suggesting the CPU is capable of feeding frames at a very high rate. However, the GPU's influence is clear when observing the scaling from Low to Ultra settings at a fixed resolution. At 1920x1080, the average FPS falls from 574 on Low to 361 on Ultra, a drop of 213 FPS. This trend is consistent at higher resolutions, showcasing the RTX 5050's direct impact on the frame rate as its workload intensifies.

The RTX 5050's memory subsystem is also a relevant factor. While 8 GB is sufficient for CS:GO at the tested settings, the bandwidth of 320.0 GB/s ensures that texture streaming and data transfer do not bottleneck the rendering pipeline at the high frame rates observed. The GPU's performance percentile of 66 versus all GPUs indicates it is a mid-to-upper tier part, and its measured results in this game align with this positioning, providing headroom for high refresh rate monitors at most settings.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of performance scaling across the three tested resolutions: 1920x1080, 2560x1440, and 3840x2160. The most significant performance impact comes from increasing the resolution, which places a higher load on the GPU's pixel processing capabilities. The data shows that the CPU is strong enough to maintain high frame rates, but the GPU's rendering workload scales with resolution, leading to a predictable decline in FPS.

At High settings, the average FPS drops from 423 at 1080p to 291 at 1440p, a 132 FPS reduction. Moving to 4K at High settings results in an average of 172 FPS, another 119 FPS decrease from 1440p. This pattern indicates that the RTX 5050 is the primary limiting component as resolution increases. The data suggests a transition from a CPU-bound scenario at 1080p to a GPU-bound scenario at 4K, where the graphics card's fill rate and memory bandwidth become the deciding factors.

The scaling from 1080p to 4K at Low settings shows a similar trend, with FPS dropping from 574 to 233. The relative drop is less severe in percentage terms, but the absolute FPS loss is still substantial. This analysis indicates that for users seeking maximum frame rates on high refresh rate displays, 1080p is the most suitable resolution, while 4K is better for a balance of visual fidelity and a still high, competitive frame rate.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The benchmark data provides a detailed look at performance across all settings presets at each resolution. At 1920x1080, the system delivers exceptional performance. With Low settings, the average FPS is 574. Medium settings yield an average of 489 FPS, with a minimum of 416 and a maximum of 562 FPS. High settings produce an average of 423 FPS, and Ultra settings bring the average down to 361 FPS. All of these results are far above the refresh rates of most monitors, ensuring a fluid experience.

At 2560x1440, performance remains very high. The Low preset averages 395 FPS. Medium settings average 336 FPS, with a minimum of 286 and a maximum of 387 FPS. The High preset averages 291 FPS, while Ultra settings average 249 FPS. This resolution offers a strong balance between visual detail and frame rate, still providing ample headroom for 144Hz or even 240Hz displays.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 5050's limits are more apparent, but performance is still impressive for a competitive shooter. Low settings average 233 FPS. Medium settings average 199 FPS, with a minimum of 169 and a maximum of 229 FPS. High settings average 172 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 147 FPS. Even at 4K Ultra, the frame rate remains well above the 144 FPS threshold that many competitive players consider ideal. The minimum FPS recorded across all data points is 169, occurring at 4K Medium settings, which suggests a very stable experience overall.

How This Combo Ranks

In the context of all tested combinations for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, the Intel Core i7-12700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 rank 1732 out of 2848. This ranking places the combo in the upper third of all systems tested for this game. While the rank might seem mid-pack, it is important to consider the game's age and the high absolute performance numbers. The high frame rates achieved mean that the system is likely not a bottleneck for the vast majority of players.

The ranking is a product of the combination's overall capability. The CPU, with an 84th percentile ranking versus all CPUs, provides a strong foundation. The GPU, ranking in the 66th percentile versus all GPUs, is a capable partner. The combination of these two parts results in a system that can push very high frame rates, especially at lower resolutions. The rank of 1732 suggests that there are many systems with more powerful GPUs that achieve higher frame rates, particularly at 4K, but the performance gap is likely small given the high absolute FPS values.

The combo's synthetic benchmark scores support this positioning. The CPU's average score is 35287, and the GPU's average score is 21035. The GPU's nearest rivals, such as the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT with a score of 20713, show that the RTX 5050 is in a competitive performance bracket. The high in-game frame rates, which are often CPU-limited in this title, demonstrate the strength of the i7-12700K.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings preset depends on the user's resolution and refresh rate priority. For users with a 1080p monitor, even the Ultra preset, which averages 361 FPS, provides far more performance than any standard display can show. In this case, the High or Medium presets are excellent choices, as they offer a balance of visual quality and an even higher frame rate, with the Medium preset averaging 489 FPS.

For 1440p displays, the High settings preset is a strong recommendation. It delivers an average of 291 FPS, which is ideal for a 240Hz monitor and still leaves headroom for the 1% lows. The Medium preset, averaging 336 FPS, is also viable for those who prefer an even higher frame rate over some visual details. The Ultra preset, at 249 FPS, is still a great option for a 144Hz display, providing the best image quality.

At 4K, the High settings preset is the best balance. With an average of 172 FPS, it provides a smooth experience on a 144Hz monitor. The Medium preset, averaging 199 FPS, is a better choice for those who want more headroom, while the Ultra preset at 147 FPS is suitable for 120Hz displays. The Low preset at 233 FPS offers the highest frame rate but sacrifices visual fidelity. For most 4K users, High or Medium settings will provide the best experience without a significant visual penalty.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700K is a central component in this system's ability to achieve high frame rates in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. This processor features 12 cores and 20 threads, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. It is built on Intel's Alder Lake architecture and uses a 10 nm process node. The CPU has a 25 MB shared L3 cache and a 1.25 MB L2 cache per core, which helps with low-latency access to frequently used data.

The CPU's strong single-threaded performance is critical for CS:GO, a game that relies heavily on a few main threads for game logic and rendering commands. The i7-12700K's benchmark scores reflect this strength. It scores 1043 in 3dmark_single_thread and 4013 in passmark_single_thread. The multi-threaded performance is also robust, with scores like 9979 in 3dmark_max_threads and 19784 in cinebench_cinebench_r23_multicore, which helps with background tasks and overall system responsiveness.

The data indicates that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck at any of the tested settings. The frame rates at 1080p Low (574 FPS) are so high that they approach the limits of what the CPU can feed to the GPU. The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K shows a clear GPU bottleneck, as the FPS drops significantly with increased resolution. The CPU's 84th percentile ranking versus all CPUs, and its average benchmark score of 35287, which is nearly identical to its nearest rivals like the Intel Core i7-12700KF, confirms that it is a high-performance part that pairs well with the RTX 5050.