How To Increase FPS In CS2

Unfortunately, many players are not equipped with high-end gaming setups, which have resulted in them getting low FPS when playing Counter-Strike. In this article, we’ll review the most effective methods of how to increase FPS in CSGO.

The first set of methods to improve your game’s performance is through tweaking the in-game settings. There are many options you can modify through your Counter-Strike settings page that will enhance your FPS. If you’re playing on a low-end setup, it is highly recommended to sacrifice visual aesthetics in exchange for better performance.

Use Reduced Graphics Settings

The first thing to look at in your in-game settings is the graphics settings section. This section includes all the visual graphics that make the game look more realistic. If you are facing a lot of FPS issues, you should look to tone down all of your graphics settings to their lowest option. 

To change all of your visual settings, you will need to go to the “Advanced Video Settings” section. Here is a list of all the recommended video settings for players on a low-performing computer:

After applying all these changes, you will notice a massive downgrade in your game’s visuals. Still, it is a good trade if you experience a massive boost in FPS, as the game will finally become playable. 

In the example above, we’ve changed every setting to its minimum value except for the Global Shadow Quality. In CS2, you can easily spot an enemy player’s shadow which reveals their position. So, we have made an exception as this video setting is extremely helpful in games. 

Play On A Lower Resolution

The next set of options to change are your resolution, aspect ratio, and scaling mode, which is a three-in-one package. Most players don’t understand how impactful it is on their performance to play on a lower resolution and a stretched scaling mode.

A lower resolution essentially means there are less pixels on your screen, which automatically boosts your performance. Seeing less on your screen might sound like a significant disadvantage, but it’s actually the opposite. When playing on a stretched scaling mode, the player models will appear wider, making it easier to land shots. 

That being said, we highly recommend playing on a 4:3 aspect ratio and a stretched scaling mode. There are three primary resolutions to use with such settings:

Most professional players who have godlike gaming setups still prefer playing on 4:3 stretched because of the wider player models. If you have a decent computer and are only looking for extra FPS, we suggest using the 1280×960 resolution, as it is the most effective out of the three. However, if you are really digging deep for more FPS, then 1024×768 should be the ideal choice.

One of the best aspects about Counter-Strike is how much freedom Valve has given its players to modify their in-game settings. The availability of console commands and launch options allow players to increase their FPS performance from using various options. Remember that you must have the developer console enabled to input any commands!

Best Console Commands For FPS

Console commands are extremely useful when it comes to improving your game’s performance, as there are dozens of effective ones you can use to see noticeable improvements with how much FPS you’re getting.

Here is a summary of the best CSGO console commands to get more FPS:

fps_max 0: This command will remove the FPS cap and limit, which will allow you to get the highest amount of FPS possible. Alternatively, you can set the value to 120 , 180, or 300 depending on how many frames you’d like. 

cl_hide_avatar_images 1: Recently, many players have been using animated avatars purchasable from the Steam Points Shop which can cause a lot of lag. This command will hide Steam profile pictures when in game. 

cl_autohelp false: This command will turn off the in-game helper tool designed for new players. The auto help feature gives live instructions, leading players to go to bomb sites and plant the bomb. If you’re an experienced player, you won’t need this tool and can disable it for performance. 

cl_disable_ragdolls true: In Counter-Strike, ragdolls are visual details that make dead bodies move randomly to make the game seem more realistic. Not only will moving corpses shock you, but they also reduce FPS, which is why we should disable it. 

r_drawparticles 0: Like every other video game, Counter-Strike has small particle effects to enhance the visuals of the game. These particles are very small details that often go unnoticed, so turning it off in exchange for boosted performance becomes an easy choice. 

r_drawtracers 0: When players fire bullets from weapons, there are small tracer details to make the game seem more realistic. In all honesty, it is a pretty irrelevant detail, and turning them off can give you a slight FPS boost.

r_csgo_water_effects false: One of the newest graphic details introduced in Counter-Strike 2 is realistic water. Though the new water models look sick, they can be pretty taxing to your FPS. This command will disable water effects and save your performance. 

r_muzzleflashbrightness 0: Muzzle flashes are lighting effects that appear when players spray their weapons. These lighting details can be pretty distracting in the middle of a gunfight, and may also cause slight FPS drops. So, it is best to turn it off. 

fog_enable_water_fog 0: This command is used to disable water fog particles on certain maps such as Ancient. Ancient is notoriously known to be an FPS killer for players with low-end setups, so this command will minimize the lag. 

func_break_max_pieces 0: On top of particles, there are other small objects and details added into Counter-Strike’s graphics. This command is used to remove those miniscule objects which can give you a minor FPS boost.

vprof_off: This command is used to disable visual profiling, which is a new feature added in CS2. This visual profiling will run in the background, and we’re not entirely sure about everything it does. Still, anything running in the background can cause lag, so we recommend turning it off. 

Best Launch Options For FPS

On top of console commands, you can also use several launch options to improve your game’s performance. 

To find where your launch options are located, follow these steps below:

1. Close Counter-Strike and open your Steam Library.
2. In the list of games, look for Counter-Strike 2.
3. Right-click on CS2 and go to the game’s Properties.
4. In the General section, you should see Launch Options.
5. You will type the launch options in the text box provided.

Here is a summary of the best CS2 Launch Options to get more FPS:

-novid: This launch option is used to remove the annoying trailer video that is forcefully played every time you launch the game. This will help Counter-Strike run smoother when it is first launched.

-nojoy: By default, Counter-Strike provides support for players using joystick controllers. This support causes additional load on Counter-Strike, leading to FPS problems. If you do not plan on playing the game with a controller, then this launch option is highly recommended. 

-high: This launch option ensures that Counter-Strike will run on high priority mode on Steam. Your computer will pool in more resources to ensure the game is running properly. Your background applications might start to lag when you Alt + Tab, but at least your primary focus will run well.

-fullscreen: This launch option will force Counter-Strike to run in fullscreen mode, which is ideal for maximum FPS performance. Playing on fullscreen windowed is a huge mistake that will result in lower FPS.

-refresh 144/240: Depending on your monitor’s refresh rate, use this launch option to set your display settings. If your monitor is 144 Hz, use the “-refresh 144” option. If your monitor is 240 Hz, use the “-refresh 240” option.

+cl_forcepreload 1: This launch option will force the game to load everything on the map before joining the server. You will experience longer loading times when going into a match, but the game will run smoother since everything is loaded already. 

+r_dynamic 0: Another visual detail that can be turned off for increased FPS is dynamic lighting. Dynamic lighting is solely for aesthetic purposes, so it is always a good trade to disable it in exchange for boosted performance. 

-softparticlesdefaultoff: This launch option is used to disable additional particle details, which is a nice follow-up command to “r_drawparticles 0” discussed earlier. You won’t see a significant increase in FPS, but it all adds up. 

-violence_hblood 0: This launch option will remove blood splatters from the game, which can result in a decent boost in FPS. However, blood splatters on walls can provide players with good information, so you can be the judge of whether this option is worth using.

We can also improve Counter-Strike’s performance externally, not only using the in-game client and the Steam platform. There are several Windows and computer settings we can adjust to get better FPS results. 

Set Counter-Strike To High Performance Mode

You can set Counter-Strike to high performance mode through your Windows settings. This ensures your GPU will pool in more focus on making CS2 run smoother, which should result in significant FPS boosts.

Here’s how you can set Counter-Strike to high performance mode:

1. Go to your Windows Settings menu.
2. Then, go to the System Settings and go to the Display section.
3. Under Related Settings, click on Graphics.
4. Using the search bar provided, look for Counter-Strike 2.
5. Finally, go to the Options and select High Performance mode. Make sure to save your changes!

Many users have found this solution to be extremely effective, which makes sense as Windows is your operating system, allowing it to have a direct impact on your game’s performance. 

Change Computer’s Power Plan To High Performance

For this next solution, we’re going to make something else run on high performance mode. This time, it’s your entire computer system. We can do this by changing our computer’s power plan. 

To set your computer to high performance mode, follow the steps below:

1. Go to your computer’s Control Panel menu.
2. Next, go to the Hardware and Sound section and hit Power Options.
3. Then, head over to the Preferred Plans section.
4. Finally, change your computer’s power plan to High Performance.

Some computers have the option for Ultimate Performance. If you see this, we highly recommend using it. 

Completing this method will not only boost Counter-Strike, but all the processes in your computer, too. If you are playing on a laptop, high performance mode will quickly drain your battery life, but you should be playing while you’re plugged in anyway. 

Make Counter-Strike Run On High Priority

The last method we’ll cover is changing Counter-Strike to run on high priority mode using the Task Manager. The Task Manager is a powerful tool to ensure all your programs are running effectively, and it can certainly help Counter-Strike, too. 

Follow these steps to change Counter-Strike’s priority settings:

1. First, you must launch Counter-Strike 2 and have the game running.
2. Next, open the Task Manager. The shortcut on Windows 11 is Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
3. In the Task Manager, go to the Details tab, which is displayed as three bullet points and lines on the left-hand side. 
4. Look for CS2.exe and right-click on it. 
5. Finally, look for Set Priority and set it to High. 

That concludes it for this guide on how to increase FPS on CSGO. Hopefully the handful of methods provided have worked together to give you a massive boost in performance. 

Read our other related article: How To Show FPS in CS2.