If CS2 is stuttering, you likely don’t have the best video settings for your computer. Additionally, there might be other hardware issues that can be addressed to fix lag and stuttering and help you get a smooth image. Fortunately, Counter-Strike 2 isn’t very hardware intensive, so if you use the tips below, most desktops and laptops made in the last five years can achieve at least 30 FPS.
How to stop stuttering and lag in CS2
The number one thing that’ll cause stuttering in CS2 is installing it on a hard disk drive (HDD). Chances are, if you have an older computer, you’ll have at least one of these as either secondary storage or maybe even as your OS drive. If this is the case, do yourself a favor. Stop what you’re doing, get on Amazon, and get a SATA solid-state drive (SSD) at the minimum.
You can get a 1TB model from a reputable manufacturer like Samsung, Western Digital, Lexar, Silicon Power, Hynix, or Sandisk for around $50. However, keep in mind that you may have to pay a little more for a SATA cable if you don’t have one, and you’ll need to figure out how to power it. The easiest thing to do would be to replace your HDD with the SSD, but that’s your prerogative.
Now, if you previously installed Counter-Strike 2 on an HDD and experience stuttering, lag, and other issues, then it’s probably fixed. An SSD has a much higher read and write speed, so your computer doesn’t have to sit and wait for files to be loaded. However, if you’re still having issues, we’ll need to dive deeper. Check to make sure your computer meets the minimum system requirements:
- Operating System: Windows 10 or higher
- Processor: Intel Core i5 750 or higher
- Memory: 8GB RAM
- Graphics: DirectX 11 and Shader Model 5.0 compatible, at least 1 GB VRAM
As stated above, these aren’t strenuous at all. However, if you don’t meet them, you’ll need to upgrade one or more pieces of hardware.
CS2 Best Video Settings
So, you’re all set on the hardware side; now you want the best video settings for Counter-Strike 2 so you can eliminate stuttering and lag and get the most FPS possible.
Here are our suggestions for the best CS2 video settings:
Brightness: 110-120% helps you see a bit better in shadowy areas without making whites too blinding.
- Video Settings
- Aspect Ration and Resolution: Monitor Native
- Refresh Rate: Max
- Laptop Power Savings: Disabled
- Advanced Video Settings
- Boost Player Contrast: Enabled
- Wait for vertical sync: Disabled unless you get tearing
- Multisampling Anti-Alising Mode: 4X MSAA
- Global Shadow Quality: High (Medium if you’re getting low FPS)
- Model/Texture Detail: Medium or High
- Texture Filtering Mode: Bilinear
- Shader Detail: Low
- Particle Detail: Low
- Ambient Occlusion: Medium (Low or disabled if you need more FPS)
- High Dynamic Range: Off (if no HDR display) or Quality
- FidelityFX Super Resolution: Disabled (Highest Quality) or Ultra Quality if you need more FPS
- NVIDIA Reflex Low Latency: Enabled or Boost
The above settings strike a balance between visual fidelity and performance. So, the game will look decent and play decent. However, this is a compromise. You can get better performance by lowering or disabling all of these. However, CS2 is gonna look terrible, and you might find that it performs worse when some settings are low or disabled than when they’re at medium.
You could also just have bad luck, and something about your system configuration might not mesh well with Counter-Strike 2. The game just came out, so it might come down to you having to wait for an update to fix your issues.
Counter-Strike 2 stuttering best video settings FAQ
A: Upgrading from a hard disk drive (HDD) to a solid-state drive (SSD) is a key solution. Ensure your computer meets the game’s minimum system requirements for optimal performance.
A: Balancing visual fidelity and gameplay is essential. Adjust settings such as Brightness, Aspect Ratio, Refresh Rate, and advanced settings like Boost Player Contrast and Multisampling Anti-Aliasing Mode to find a compromise between a good-looking and smoothly running game.
A: It could be a compatibility issue with your system configuration. Since CS2 is new, future updates may resolve some problems, so keeping the game updated is advisable.
