There is no denying that Counter-Strike 2 is one of the most popular games in 2024, with an active player base that exceeds a million users monthly. The title, based on Valve’s proprietary Source 2 engine, benefits from CPU, GPU, and memory upgrades, in that order, with most competitive players opting for a high-end gaming monitor, mouse, and keyboard to get that FPS edge.
Counter-Strike 2’s player base continues to command the top spot as one of the most-played titles on the PC platform Steam (Source: Steam Charts).
Building A Gaming PC Around Counter-Strike 2 In 2024
While the general consensus is that a faster CPU yields better results than a faster GPU when it comes to Counter-Strike 2, much of this is rooted in wisdom from the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive era, where the game performed considerably better with higher-end CPUs. This can be attributed to the fact that Valve’s Source 2 engine is known to have a performance bias towards CPUs versus GPUs in older titles and much of that performance gain expectations carry over to Counter-Strike 2.
At the same time, most competitive gamers tend to dial down the graphics to the bare minimum to eke out as much in terms of FPS as possible from the title, invariably limiting the role of the GPU in terms of visual fidelity, essentially locking their performance to a more CPU-bound offering.
This makes building a gaming PC for Counter-Strike 2 and similar FPS titles slightly different from most of their competition. The Team at Game Rant has stepped up here and offers 3 unique builds aiming to cater to users looking to get value, performance, and stability in-game below.
The Recommended Gaming PC Build For Counter-Strike 2
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AMD Ryzen 5 7600
$182 $229 Save
$47The Ryzen 5 7600 is the entry-level, yet very capable, gaming CPU from AMD that features 6 cores, 12 threads, and 32MB of L3 cache. It has a base clock speed of 3.8GHz and a boost clock speed of 5.1GHz. The Ryzen 5 7600 is an unlocked processor with a default TDP of 65W. It also has integrated RDNA 2 graphics and is the cheapest offering in the lineup with an iGPU.
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G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo RGB (AMD Expo)
G.SKILL Trident Z5 Neo RGB series is a specialized RAM kit for the AM5 platform with up to 6000 MT/s speed. The RAM kit brings exceptional RGB lighting on top of the heat spreaders and works at low latency. It’s decently stable at the advertised speed and makes an ideal choice for gaming builds.
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Asus TUF Gaming B650-Plus WiFi
Asus TUF Gaming B650 Plus Wi-Fi brings Tuf grade components for high durability and has large heatsinks for effective passive cooling. The motherboard provides full support for CPU and memory overclocking on a budget and comes with plenty of connectivity ports. While best for budget and mid-range Ryzen CPUs, it can also support overclocking higher-end CPUs as well.
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Kingston NV2 1TB M.2 2280 NVMe Internal SSD
$57 $61 Save
$4This internal solid-state drive from Kingston has 1 TB of digital storage capacity. The NV2 series SSD is designed to be compatible with laptops. It operates on PCIe 4.0 Gen 4×4 technology, features an M.2 2280 form factor, and delivers read speeds of up to 3,500 MB/s. It has lower power requirements, generating minimal heat, which makes it perfect for compact devices.
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MSI GeForce RTX 4060 Ti VENTUS 3X 8G OC
$390 $410 Save
$20The MSI GeForce RTX 4060 Ti VENTUS 3X 8G OC features 4352 CUDA cores and comes with 8GB GDDR6 VRAM. The GPU can reach 2565 MHz boost clock speeds and up to 2580 MHz in Extreme Performance mode. There is a triple fan cooler with Zero Frozr operation which means silent performance under certain loads.
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Thermaltake Toughpower GF A3 750W
$90 $100 Save
$10The Thermaltake Toughpower GF A3 750W power supply is a fully modular offering in the long-running Toughpower series. It is an 80-Plus Gold-rated PSU with peak power of 750W, which is sufficient even for most high-end PCs. It features a PCIe Gen 5.0 connector to power GPUs with the new 12VHPWR cable. It also follows the ATX 3.0 standard for better power excursion and low-load efficiency. The 120mm fan has a Smart Zero Fan mode for silent operation.
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LIAN LI LANCOOL 216 PC Case
The LANCOOL 216 is a mid-tower case with all-around mesh panels for optimal airflow. Thanks to its modular rear panel, it can be optimized for air or water cooling. It includes 2 x 160mm and 1 x 140mm pre-installed PWM fans and an innovative rear PCIe fan bracket to maximize airflow.
Estimated Build Cost: ~$1,100
The recommended PC gaming build above takes advantage of AMD’s relatively new Zen 4 cores that offer considerable IPC gains versus their predecessors. These improvements include the costlier AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D, which trades blows with the sub-$200 CPU that is the Ryze 5 7600. The Ryzen 5 7600 choice, however, has multiple benefits: it comes with a capable stock cooler, has an upgrade path to other AM5-based CPUs (including the current king of the hill, the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D), and offers the best price-to-performance ratio of any current-generation CPU for Counter-Strike 2.
The Ryzen 5 7600 is paired to a mid-range ASUS TUF GAMING B650M-PLUS Wi-Fi, which comes with support for USB4, 2.5G ethernet, and Wi-Fi 6 for connectivity. Additionally, the B650M-PLUS comes with triple NVMe slots, including support for next-generation PCI-E 5.0 storage. Meanwhile, 32GB of fast, low-latency memory from G.Skill handles CS2’s RAM requirements as an RTX 4060 Ti OC in a tri-fan, yet compact configuration from MSI handles its GPU needs.
All of this is housed in the airflow-centric and upgrade-friendly Lian Li Lancool 216 case while being powered by a 750W Thermaltake Toughpower GF 750W PSU that allows for upgrades to a higher end CPU or a GPU up to an RTX 4080 with ease.
The High-End Gaming PC Build For Counter-Strike 2
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AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
$399 $449 Save
$50The AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D is AMD’s latest and greatest CPU when it comes to gaming. With an excellent and highly efficient gaming performance that tops the charts currently, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D is here to stay and has a crown to claim thanks to its 3D V-Cache-enabled prowess when it comes to gaming on a PC.
The octa-core CPU currently happens to be the fastest in the business for gaming even as it leads efficiency charts at the top, making it a very sought-after gaming upgrade.
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ASUS ROG Ryujin III 360 ARGB AIO Liquid Cooler
$305 $350 Save
$45The ASUS ROG Ryujin III 360 ARGB AIO Liquid Cooler is ASUS’s latest premium tri-fan AIO that offers better cooling, an upgraded LCD, and a new Asetek 8th generation pump as some of its salient features. Thanks to a thicker radiator and a new cold plate, it can reduce temperatures drastically versus both its predecessor and its competition.
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G.Skill Trident Z5 NEO Series (AMD Expo) 64GB Kit CL30
The G. Skill Trident Z5 NEO sticks are a pair of 32GB RAM sticks that conform to AMD’s more stringent EXPO memory requirements for overclocking. With tight timings and a CAS latency of just 30-40-40-96.
With a subtle RGB effect and a premium feel, the Trident Z Neo is one of the best premium RGB RAM sticks money can buy that is designed for AMD-based systems.
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Gigabyte X670E Aorus Pro X
Boasting a fully white PCB and white heatsinks, the Gigabyte X670E Aorus Pro X looks dashing. It features an excellent 16+2+2 power phase delivery and doesn’t lag behind in component compatibility or connectivity. Four M.2 slots for fast storage and impressive memory support allow the board to push the system’s full potential.
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Corsair MP700 Gen5 NVME SSD
The Corsair MP700 Gen5 NVME SSD is the perfect budget-friendly option, bringing impressive read and write speeds of up to 9,500 MB/s and 8,500 MB/s respectively. It has 1 TB of storage and is rated for 700TB TBW, making it one of the more durable SSDs on the market. It also uses 3D TLC NAND technology and four lanes of the PCIe 5.0 standard.
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ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER OC
$1300 $1600 Save
$300To say that the ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER OC is a high-end variant of Nvidia’s penultimate consumer-grade GPU is an understatement.
The ROG Strix OC is one of, if not the fastest RTX 4080 S units out of there, offering a powerful cooler, some of the best ARGB lighting in the business, and a higher overclock than the competition, making it the best performance-grade RTX 4080 SUPER GPU money can buy currently.
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MSI MPG A1000G PCIE5 PSU
$190 $200 Save
$10The MSI MPG A1000G PCIE5 PSU is built from the ground up to support the ATX 3.0 spec while also being PCI-E 5.0 compatible in a fully modular design without costing an arm and a leg unlike some of its nearest competitors, making it a viable contender for a gaming PC.
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CORSAIR iCUE LINK 6500X Dual Chamber Case
$250 $270 Save
$20The Corsair iCue Link 6500X is a dual-chamber mid-tower case that prioritizes quiet but effective cooling, innovative cable management, and a modern design that gives a complete view of a gaming rig. With tempered glass panels on its left and front sides, gamers can enjoy the three included RX120 RGB fans connected to iCue’s Link hub. The dual-chamber design enables builders to hide cables behind motherboards, aided by the Link system, which minimizes wiring. The iCue Link 6500X includes enough mounting space for nearly any cooling configuration, with the ability to hold up to 10 120 mm fans and 360 mm radiators on multiple sides of the case.
Estimated Build Cost: ~$3,000
The high-end build above leverages the fastest CPU available for gaming, the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D. Counter-Strike 2 in particular offers significant performance gains when it comes to leveraging the larger 3D cache versus its predecessor, making it a relative no-brainer to get currently. Paired to this is 64GB of AMD EXPO-certified G.Skill memory that offers a low CAS latency of CL30 and a powerful, but slightly overkill ASUS Ryujin III 360 AIO housed on the white and silver themed Gigabyte X670E Auros Pro X.
In addition to support for PCI-E 5.0 GPUs and SSDs down the line, including the Corsair MP700 as part of the build, the motherboard also packs in support for Wi-Fi 7, though most gamers will be leveraging ethernet, especially when playing the title competitively where every milisecond can make a difference. On the GPU end, the ASUS ROG Strix RTX 4080 SUPER OC is selected to avoid any bottlenecks, even when cranking up the settings, as an efficient MSI MPG 1000W PSU deals with power requirements, all of which is housed in a well-designed, dual-chambered Corsair 6500X iCUE Link RGB Case.
The Budget Gaming PC Build For Counter-Strike 2
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AMD Ryzen 5 8600G 6-Core, 12-Thread CPU
$182 $229 Save
$47The AMD Ryzen 5 8600G 6-Core, 12-Thread CPU is a powerful entry-level gaming APU that combines AMD’s efficient and performant mobile Zen 4 cores with a capable iGPU in the shape of the AMD Radeon 760M.
It packs in acceptable gaming performance at a price point that decimates most of its comparable discrete GPU and CPU combinations even as it is one of the first CPUs or APUs that pack AMD’s Ryzen AI tech to support on-chip AI acceleration.
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G.Skill Flare X5 Series (AMD Expo) 6000MHz 32GB (CL36)
The G.Skill Flare X5 Series RAM kits are DDR5 RAMs that operate at an overclocked 6000MHz sweet spot for AMD AM5 processors with a lower latency EXPO profile available to allow users to overclock their memory with a push of a button while costing significantly lower than the competition.
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Gigabyte B650M D3HP AX
$130 $150 Save
$20The Gigabyte B650M D3HP AX is an affordable yet decent choice for budget builders with entry-level Ryzen CPUs. While lacking some high-end features of pricier models, it packs core upgrades like DDR5 memory support, PCIe 4.0 for graphics cards and SSDs, and compatibility with the latest AM5 socket. This makes it a great micro ATX motherboard for building a compact and capable gaming PC.
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Kingston NV2 500G M.2 2280 NVMe Internal SSD
The Kingston NV2 500G SSD uses Gen 4×4 NVMe PCIe technology. This drive delivers read speeds up to 3,500 MB/s and write speeds up to 2,800 MB/s. It’s designed for systems requiring fast performance, in both laptop and desktop builds. It is suitable for most applications thanks to the compact, single-sided M.2 2280 design. And the low power requirements mean that it produces minimal heat.
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MSI MAG A550BN Power Supply
The MSI MAG A550BN comes with 80 PLUS BRONZE certification. This certification ensures higher efficiency and lower power consumption. It includes a 120 mm low-noise fan with a sleeve bearing. The power supply is designed to offer stable output.
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ANTEC AX61
$65 $70 Save
$5ANTEC AX61 is a gorgeous mid-tower that is priced much lower than cases with similar functionality. It features a spacious interior that is clearly visible through the tempered glass panel and has 4x 120mm RGB fans pre-installed. The front panel is fully meshed and results in a balanced airflow inside the case for better heat dissipation.
Estimated Build Cost: ~$600
For gamers looking to start out, an easy-to-upgrade gaming PC based on the hexacore AMD Ryzen 5 8600G makes the most sense. Unlike most of its peers, this build successfully leverages G.Skill’s low latency, EXPO-compatible Flare X5 RAMs on a budget-friendly Gigabyte B650M D3HP motherboard. The build also relies on a stock cooler that comes bundled with the CPU, as well as a capable iGPU under the hood (AMD Radeon 760M) to keep things going at an acceptable frame rate.
With 500GB of Kingston’s budget-friendly PCI-E 4.0 NVMe SSD storage and an entry-level MSI MAG A500BN PSU on offer, the build aims to get as much value and upgrade potential out of a sub-$500 budget. Skirting around with a slightly pricier Antec AX61 case that offers plenty of airflow and decent aesthetics in tow helps extend your budget without many caveats.
FAQ
Q: How Much Space Does Counter-Strike 2 Require?
Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) requires 85GB of storage space currently. An SSD is recommended as the install location.
Q: What Is The Minimum Windows Version For CS2?
CS2 requires a minimum of Windows 10 to be playable on PC. Users can also opt for Ubuntu 20.04 or higher if they are aiming to play on Linux instead.