Gone are the days of watching “Best CS2 Pro Moments” highlights on YouTube and wishing you could experience the thrill of pulling off those epic plays yourself; now, with the right gear and dedication, you can step into the action and create your own unforgettable moments.
With hardware technology developing at a rapid rate, more and more gamers are finding it easier to access powerful and affordable GPUs that are capable of running the best games at respectable, competitive frame rates. Competitive games like Counter-Strike are usually heavily frame rate-reliant, which is why you never see them on consoles, as the disparity would be almost unfair.
For this reason, if you intend on enjoying CS2 and everything it has to offer, you may need to invest in a gaming rig. Luckily, you won’t need to break the bank if you already have a decent computer setup; you may need to upgrade your GPU though. Here we’ve compiled a list of the top 5 GPUs that can churn out respectable framerates that can keep you on par with some of the best players out there.
AMD Radeon RX 580 ($130)
The AMD Radeon RX 580 remains a great budget gaming GPU despite its age. It features 8GB of VRAM, which comfortably meets the minimum requirements for CS2. It is also capable of running the game at 1080p on medium to high settings, which is sufficient for an enjoyable experience.
Intel Arc A750 Limited Edition ($220)
We thought we’d never see the day we recommend an Intel card, but it’s safe to say they’ve really upped their game in recent years, especially with their Intel Arc range. These cards pack more than a punch and are very good performance-wise for games like CS2. Expect buttery smooth framerates at even 1440p resolutions with this card.
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Super ($240)
The Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Super is another affordable and fairly competent entry-level card that can run CS2 with ease. The card is capable of a 1080p output along with a steady fps between the 100 and 150 range with medium to high settings. The card is incredibly power-efficient and is good for rigs with low-wattage power supplies.
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 ($300)
Teetering on the higher end is the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060, an incredible card that is above and beyond the recommended settings for CS2 but is still reasonably priced. The card is capable of 1080p, 1440p, and even 4K gaming on CS2, as well as a ton of other games. The card is all around great for gaming and is a solid investment for the foreseeable future.
AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT ($350)
The last card on the list is the AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT. This card features 4K gaming capabilities, 12GB VRAM, and AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution. For gamers interested in maintaining high framerates even at 1440p and 4K, this card is a must-have as it can handle both of those resolutions with decent settings for a moderately priced amount of money.
So there you go. These are our top budget GPU picks for CS2 gaming in 2024. Of course the sky is the limit if you can afford a better card, but if all you want is respectable framerates with not much compromise on quality, these are your best bets.