Staff’s Choice
Introduction
CS2 marks the dawn of a new Counter-Strike era, and the game looks newer and fresher than ever. With the switch to the newer Source 2 engine, Counter-Strike 2 is harder to run than its predecessor so if you want to get yourself a new PC for CS2 you’ll have to upgrade some components if your system was barely coping during the CS:GO era.
With CS2’s heavy focus on competitive gameplay, you will want to get every edge you can get, so you will need to have a decent PC to compete against players who are aiming for uncapped frame rates on 240Hz or even 360Hz displays (see: monitor refresh rates compared for more info).
This article will give you a number of options (both as prebuilt systems as well as custom systems) at three different price tiers so you can get yourself the best CS2 PC for your budget.
Top Tier System – For All The Frames
The top-tier system is focused on maximizing the framerates and overall performance of the system. This makes it ideal for 4K resolutions, but also for gamers who have the money to spend on a top tier setup. Naturally it’s also a great fit for gamers who want to maximize framerates at all resolutions.
PC specs
Starting with the processor, we decided to go with our friends at Intel and choose their front-runner processor, the Intel Core i9-14900K, one of the fastest CPUs on the planet. Coupled with the RTX 4090, you won’t have any problem getting the desired frame rates. Similarly, we’ve included 32GB of DDR5 memory, a roomy SSD, and a few other top-of-the-line components for our top-tier build.
Of course you can save up a bit by choosing a less expensive GPU and going with 16GB of DDR5 memory, but if you’re after top performances and you want to get yourself a beast of a PC for CS2 that will have no issues at all with AAA single player games at maximum settings, this is it. If you’re going to be gaming at 1080p and ‘lower’ (think 240Hz and 144Hz) framerates then this PC is without a doubt overkill, so if you’re a budget-minded individual you’ll want to drop down a tier.
Prebuilt Alternative
The NZXT Player Three is one of our favorite prebuilts right now, so that’s a PC we would recommend if you’re looking for a prebuilt top tier gaming PC .
Performance System – For 240Hz+ Displays
Since you need a good CPU in order to prevent the framerate from dropping too much in CS2, we went with one of the best gaming CPUs out there right now and saved a bit on the GPU. This build strikes the perfect balance between price and performance, making it ideal for those who don’t want an overkill PC for a game like CS2 that isn’t as demanding as some other AAA installments while still achieving top framerates, even during more demanding gaming sections.
This build should get you enough frames at 1080p to play the game comfortably on 240+ Hz monitors, and it will also give you plenty of juice to play the latest and greatest single player games at high graphics.
PC specs
In terms of memory, we went with 32GB RAM to future-proof the build and give you all the RAM performance you need even in hectic moments. If you want to save some money, you could go with 16GB of RAM or a regular 4070 instead of the Super version, but other than that we wouldn’t really make too many compromises on this build, as CS2 can be pretty demanding in the higher framerate realm at this point in time.
Prebuilt Alternatives
NZXT’s Player Two is a great mid/competitive tier PC to consider if you don’t want to build your own PC. If you do not want to go with NZXT, the ASUS ROG G16CH is another good mid tier option.
Budget System – For 144Hz Gamers
Since CS2 will run ‘fine’ (not at competitive refresh rates though) on lower end PCs, there’s a bit more room to go for cheaper components in your budget build. Of course, with a budget build, you shouldn’t expect pro-tier performances. Here, you’re looking at a build that will power 144Hz displays at lower graphical settings. Expect anything above that and you won’t have a satisfying experience with this build.
PC specs
This is a great PC to get if you’re someone who is on a budget and solely focused on CS2 and you don’t really care about maximizing the flashiest single player games. Since the 7600 comes with a stock cooler that performs nicely, you could leave out the aftermarket cooler to save some more money.
Prebuilt Alternatives
The CYBERPOWERPC Gamer Extreme VR might sound overpowered for a budget build, but they have some budget PCs in this range as well. The NZXT Player One is also a great budget option to consider if you want a build that’s a bit more premium.
CS2 System Requirements
| Minimum Requirements | |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows® 10 |
| Processor | 4 hardware CPU threads – Intel® Core™ i5 750 or higher |
| GPU | Video card must be 1 GB or more and should be a DirectX 11-compatible with support for Shader Model 5.0 |
| Memory | 8 GB RAM |
| Storage | 85 GB available space |
Counter-Strike 2 can easily run on any PC from the last decade as long as you have a GPU with at least 1GB of VRAM alongside 8GB of RAM. However, that’s the bare minimum that you’ll need for 60FPS on 720p displays. For higher resolutions and in order to reach the framerates that are required to compete against players who will be playing on beastly PCs, you will need a much better PC.
Investing in a decent gaming rig could give you the edge in competitive scenarios, so if you’re even a bit serious about the game we would recommend investing in a proper setup.
Best PC for CS2 – Conclusion
CS2 is just as competitive as its predecessor, and having the proper gear will surely give you an edge over your opponents. Fortunately, Valve has made sure to keep the system requirements quite acceptable so even if you have an old outdated PC, changing just a couple components will do the job for you.
