CS2 CONFIG AND LAUNCH OPTIONS FOR LOW-END PCS

Counter-Strike 2 was released with the new Source 2 engine and immediately set strict requirements for computers. Some players with weak PCs complain about low FPS, which prevents them from properly enjoying the gaming experience. In this material, we will try to "save" your hardware by answering the question, "How to run CS2 on a low-resource PC?"

CS2 Configurations for Low-Resource PCs

Let's get straight to the point: both in-game settings and tips for launch parameters and tweaking the game. system to achieve smooth frame rates in CS2.

More details on each point in the table "CS2 configuration for low-income PCs" below.

Graphics Settings

CS2 It is a competitive shooter where for most of the playersEven for casual gamers, FPS matters more than graphics. Even professional gamers, despite having high-end components, also use low settings. On low-spec PCs, you should:

• Reduce all effects to a minimum.
• Use minimal shadows, as they put a lot of strain on the system when processing shadows from moving objects.

Launch Options

Launch options will not drastically increase your FPS, but they will stabilize the frame rate. Recommended launch options for CS2 on low-end PCs:

• -novid — disables the intro video.
• -high — the game runs with high priority.
• -threads X — number of CPU threads (set the number equal to the logical cores of your CPU).
• -nojoy — disables joystick support.
• -d3d9ex — reduces video memory usage.
• -noreflex – completely cancels the Nvidia Reflex

Memory

RAM is a crucial component for stable system performance. If your RAM is 8 GB or less, follow these tips:

• Minimize the number of active browser tabs (it's best to close all browsers while playing).
• Use MSI Afterburner to monitor temperature and load, and set a frame rate to control the framerate.
• Set the Windows paging file to 1.5–2× the size of your RAM to offload memory.

Resolution

Resolution can significantly help weak PCs, so adjust it after applying our graphics settings. CS2 for weak PCs. Many gamers, even professionals, use low resolutions with 4:3 stretching to achieve smoother visuals and larger models. In addition to these advantages, as a low-spec PC user, you can also get a significant FPS boost. 1280x960 is a decent choice, but you can experiment and create a custom one.

Steam Settings

Some Steam features consume PC performance. Here's what you need to do to achieve maximum performance:

• Disable controller support. In the Library, right-click CS2 → Controller → Disable Steam Input.
• Delete unnecessary maps from the Workshop. A large number of files will overload your PC. Delete those you don't use often, leaving only the necessary ones.

Additional features to disable in Steam client settings (open settings by clicking the Steam icon in the top left corner and then the corresponding button in the pop-up window):

• Family and Friends: disable avatar animations.
• Interface: Turn off all sliders except text scaling (if convenient).
• Library: enable the first three boxes.
• Downloads: disable downloads during the game.

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Windows Settings

There is Key Windows settings that can improve performance in CS2:

• In the “Games” tab: Enable Game Mode; in the Game Bar — uncheck all boxes, including “Captures.”
• Graphics settings: Activate the performance slider, then click “Browse” and select CS2 from the root folder. After that, click “Options” and choose “High Performance.”
• General: Turn off all the features you don't use — the more you turn off, better performance you will get.
• System: Turn off notifications and actions, turn off Storage.
• Updates: Install current Windows updates, then pause future ones.

NVIDIA Control Panel

The Best NVIDIA Control Panel settings for CS2.

• Image Scaling - Off
• Ambient Occlusion - Off
• Anisotropic Filtering - Off
• Antialiasing – FXAA - Off
• Antialiasing – Gamma Correction - Off
• Antialiasing – Mode - Off
• Antialiasing – Settings - None
• Antialiasing – Transparency - Off
• Maximum Frame Rate of Background Applications - Off
• CUDA – GPUs - All
• Sysmem CUDA Replacement Policy — Controller Default
• DSR Factors - Off
• DSR Smoothness - Off
• Low Latency Mode — Activated
• Maximum Frame Rate - Off
• Multiple Sample AA (MFAA) - Off
• GDI OpenGL Compatibility — Automatic
• OpenGL Rendering GPU — NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070
• Power Management Mode — Prefer Maximum Performance
• Preferred Refresh Rate (HP Inc. OMEN X 25f) — Highest Available
• Shader Cache Size — 10 GB
• Anisotropic Texture Filtering Sampling Optimization — Activated
• Negative LOD Bias of Texture Filtering - Allow
• Texture Filtering Quality — High Performance
• Trilinear Optimization of Texture Filtering — Activated
• Thread Optimization — Activated
• Triple Buffering - Off
• Vertical Synchronization - Off