In Counter-Strike 2 (CS2), your display resolution and aspect ratio can impact your gameplay, especially your ability to click heads. This choice is essential and divisive, since even top-tier professional players have differing preferences.
So what is the best resolution for CS2? To help you pick the best resolution and aspect ratio, we’ll provide the top three display settings that pros use and explain the advantages and disadvantages of specific options.
What Is The Best CS2 Resolution?
1280×960 (4:3)
1280×960 with a 4:3 aspect ratio is the most popular resolution/aspect ratio combination. It’s been the go-to resolution and aspect ratio since the early days of CS:GO, with over 50% of top-tier pros using these display settings. This combo gives players high frame rates and it allows for using a “stretched” scaling mode (more on that later) that effectively increases the width of your targets on the screen, making them easier to hit.
The combination works with any CS2 role amongst top-tier players, including HEROIC‘s support rifler Rasmus “sjuush” Beck, G2 Esports AWPer Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov, and the illustrious Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut of Team Vitality.
1920×1080 (16:9)
The 1920×1080 resolution with a 16:9 aspect ratio is a solid option for riflers. It provides the best field of view, maximizing screen visibility in CS2. With a 1920×1080 monitor, the game runs at a ‘native’ resolution because the screen size matches the in-game display size.
While 1920×1080 (16:9) is not nearly as popular as 1280×960 (4:3), some of the best players in the business use it, including the likes of FaZe Clan‘s Estonian lurker, Robin “ropz” Kool and Astralis rifler Jakob “jabbi” Nygaard. However, some of the top AWPers avoid this combo because they prefer 4:3 in stretched scaling due to targets appearing a bit wider on screen. You’ll often see pros who use 1920×1080 (16:9) sit extremely close to the screen, focusing on their crosshair in the middle of the screen.
If you love the 16:9 aspect ratio but want a higher frame rate, we suggest lowering the resolution to 1600×900 or 1280×720.
Please note: The 16:10 aspect ratio is considered the worst, as it is just a bit taller than the 16:9, narrowing the field of view slightly. It is the aspect ratio for performance and doesn’t offer an advantage over 4:3 and 16:9.
1024×768 (4:3)
If you want an ultra-smooth experience with the highest frame rates while still maintaining acceptable visual quality, then it’s worth considering the 1024×768 resolution and 4:3 aspect ratio.
Some players use the ‘stretched’ scaling mode, while others prefer no stretching, which results in “black bars” on both sides of the screen. For example, when competing in significant events like the Thunderpick World Championship, you’ll see HEROIC’s René “TeSeS” Madsen using the 1024×768 with 4:3 aspect ratio without any stretching.
Remember to use 4x or 8x MSAA to compensate for the lower resolution. This will help to boost visual clarity without a considerable performance hit.
Please note: Data about pros and their resolution/aspect ratio combination come from the excellent third-party website ProSettings.net.
Why Is Aspect Ratio Important?
Aspect ratio is the ratio of pixels between the horizontal and vertical axes of your chosen resolution. For example, the 1280×960 and 1600×1200 resolutions have a ratio of 4:3, while 1920 x 1080 and 1280×720 feature a ratio of 16:9. So why is aspect ratio important in CS2?
Most gaming monitors with refresh rates have native 16:9 or 16:10 resolutions, but the latter is rarely used in competitive Counter-Strike. When CS2 players use a 4:3 stretched aspect ratio on a 16:9 monitor, for example, character models will appear wider on the screen, which makes hitting your shots or even spray transferring a bit easier. That’s a huge advantage, but it comes with a negative: you’ll have a smaller field of view.
If you use the native 16:9 resolution, you have a more extensive horizontal field of view. In layman’s terms, the 4:3 aspect ratio focuses on the middle of your view, as if you’re putting your face closer to the screen. However, the 16:9 aspect ratio allows you to see more of the game on the sides of your screen.
Why Is Resolution Important?
The lower your resolution in CS2, the higher your framerate, and vice versa. A stable frames-per-second is of the utmost importance for CS2 players. You’ll always want a stable framerate higher than your monitor’s refresh rate. For example, if you have a 240hz monitor, you’ll want at least 250 frames per second in CS2 for the smoothest experience possible. This will help to avoid any noticeable lag or screen tearing if a small drop in frame rate occurs.
Depending on your gaming PC’s hardware, importantly the GPU and the CPU, you may see between 15% and 30% increased performance changing from 1920×1080 at 16:9 aspect ratio to 1280×960 or even 1024×768 at 4:3. Low framerates increase input lag, so you’ll effectively have a delay in shooting. This is why many players, including pros with beastly gaming rigs, still lower their resolution to boost performance and reduce system latency.
Don’t keep switching between resolutions and aspect ratios every couple of matches. We strongly recommend getting used to specific video settings for a few weeks. No matter how proficient you are at clicking heads, changing the resolution and aspect ratio in CS2 will impact your gameplay and accuracy.
If you’re wondering where to start with all of this, check out our guide to the best CS2 settings, which offers excellent suggestions and in-depth explanations of all available video, audio, gameplay, and mouse settings. We also have a guide for beginners on how to show FPS in CS2.
How To Change Resolution & Aspect Ratio In CS2
You can follow the steps below to quickly and easily change your aspect ratio and resolution in CS2.
- Launch Steam and then update CS2 to the latest version.
- Select “Counter-Strike 2” from your games library and click “Play.”
- On the top left-hand side of your screen, click on the settings icon (cogwheel).
- Select your preferred aspect ratio and resolution from the corresponding drop-down boxes.
- Click on “Apply Changes.”
These settings do not require a complete restart of CS2. However, if you now see black bars when selecting the 4:3 aspect ratio and want it displayed as stretched instead, you must change the resolution scaling mode in your graphics card settings.
For AMD, you must choose “Full Panel” under the “GPU Scaling” section of Display settings in the AMD Software installed on your PC. GeForce users must head to “Display” in the NVIDIA Control Panel software, check the “Override Scaling Mode” option, select “Full Screen” scaling mode, and apply the settings.
Optimize Your CS2 Experience With The Right Resolution
Choosing the right resolution and aspect ratio in CS2 is crucial for optimizing your gameplay and enhancing your competitive edge. Whichever combination you prefer, from the popular 1920×1080 (16:9) to the ultra-smooth 1024×768 (4:3), each option has its benefits.
While you’re free to experiment with the options, we recommend trying them out against bots to see which setup works best for you. And remember that it make take some time for you to adapt to a new combination. The right visual settings can make all the difference in those split-second moments that define victory or defeat.
For more Counter-Strike action, check out our CS2 betting odds on Thunderpick or have a look at our CS2 betting guide!
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