Which resolution should you use in Counter-Strike 2?

Wondering what the best resolution to play Counter-Strike 2 is? We’re here to help you decide which aspect ratio and resolution you should pick for CS2. 

Counter-Strike 2 is one of the most anticipated games launching this year. If you’re new to CS and want to know the optimum resolution and aspect ratio for Counter-Strike 2, we’re here to help.

The ideal resolution varies for each individual and the hardware specifications of your gaming rig. For instance, 1280×800 or 1680×1050 at a 16:10 aspect ratio would be great on the Steam Deck, and 1280×720, 1600×900, or 1920×1080 are all typical 16:9 aspect ratios.

However, as we will explain, many Counter-Strike players choose not to play on standard 16:9 for a variety of reasons.

Each resolution has pros and cons, varying among individuals and preferences, which is why denoting a single one as the “best” is difficult. While playing games at a lower resolution can improve performance, you also compromise on graphical quality.

On one other hand, high-resolution graphics are much more pleasing to the eyes. But, if you do not have high-end hardware to support high resolution or prefer the benefits of other resolution options, you might miss out on some headshots.

4:3 resolutions: 1024×768/1280×960

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Many players, especially pros, prefer a stretched 4:3 aspect ratio over a more standard 16:9 aspect ratio, primarily because when stretched, it also stretches the size of enemy players, making them a bigger target. It also runs at higher FPS, even for lower-end computers. Counter-Strike 2 should work perfectly fine in 4:3 stretched mode.

At 1280×960 resolution, you get a squarish aspect ratio of 4:3, but if you’re using a 16:9 monitor, it leaves black bars on either side of the frame. The benefit of this resolution is that you can focus on the “business” area of the game, and it lets you run a game at a higher FPS, even if you have a lower-end computer.

You get a stretched in-game view while running in fullscreen, and it also means you get no obtrusive black vertical bars. Since it’s still 4:3, you get to focus on the key parts of the game, but some graphic elements may feel stretched out. Typically, black bars are used by players who were used to the 4:3 aspect ratio from early versions of CS, where it was the standard.

As such, 4:3 is preferred by a large number of pro players. While various pros swear by this aspect ratio, not all top players use 4:3.

16:10 resolutions: 1280×800/1680×1050

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Slightly lower than the native resolution, 16:10 works as a sweet spot between 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios. The sidebars are smaller than the 4:3 aspect ratio, which you might prefer. You still get higher frame rates than the 16:9 aspect ratio in some cases too.

If you do not like the black bars, you can hide them by stretching the images. This will make enemies slightly larger, but without the downsides of 4:3: first, enemies won’t move across the screen space so fast, and two, you have greater peripheral vision.

16:9 resolutions: 1280×720/1600×900/1920×1080

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Most games these days are designed for 16:9 aspect ratio. On a monitor that supports a 16:9 aspect ratio, the games look more visually pleasing and offer an unobstructed view of in-game content.

If you have gaming-focused hardware like a high-end gaming pc, best-in-class CPU, GPU, mouse, and keyboard, then playing games at this wide-aspect ratio offers the best visual experience. However, if your rig is not a high-end gaming setup, you might lose frame rates resulting in a worse gameplay experience.

Additionally, 16:9 is very rarely used by pro players (but some do), because enemies are smaller targets, compared to stretched res like 4:3 or 16:10. However, using the default aspect ratio isn’t unheard of among top players, for example, FaZe Clan’s Robin ‘ropz’ Kool plays on 16:9, 1920×1080.

If you are just starting out Counter-Strike with CS2, then we’d recommend sticking to default settings for now, provided you are achieving at least 240fps at 16:9, 1920×1080.

If you are struggling with FPS, lowering the resolution can be an easy fix. And, if you want to try playing like the pros, switching to 4:3 or 16:10 stretched is worth trying out.

Read other guides on Counter-Strike 2

How to enable Nvidia Reflex for Counter-Strike 2 | Best mousepad for Counter-Strike 2 | Can you play Counter-Strike 2 on Steam Deck?