Best PC for Counter-Strike 2: CPUs, GPUs & more

Joel Loynds
PC cases behind Counter-Strike 2 art

Wondering what is the best PC to play Counter-Strike 2 on? These are the best pre-built PCs that you can play Counter-Strike 2 on.

After all the hype and buzz, Counter-Strike 2 has finally been released. If you want to play this reboot of this classic game, then you need to have proper gear, including a monitor, mouse, keyboard, and more.

However, the core component of this setup is the CPU. You can get a pre-built gaming PC or get into the DIY mode to build a custom rig.

Remember, to enjoy the best gaming experience, you need a gaming PC that can consistently deliver stable, high-FPS gameplay.

Here are some of the best PCs you can get today to play Counter-Strike 2.

Best PC builds for Counter-Strike 2

Best pre-built gaming PCs

If the idea of a prebuilt PC still scares you off, building your own is always an option. You might even save a few bucks here and there sourcing your own parts. Plus, once you’ve acquired them, there are plenty of locations across the world that will help you put it together for a fee.

What we do recommend is not to go overboard. Counter-Strike 2 is not the toughest game to run, but we do want to ensure that the PC we wind up won’t be caught out after a couple of years.

Personally, our favorite components right now are all mid-tier. This includes the GPU and CPU. The current run of Nvidia RTX cards features some fantastic software, but the hardware leap over the RTX 30-series isn’t enough unless we go for the RTX 4090.

What is the best GPU for CS2?

RTX 4060 Ti render on green background

Nvidia’s RTX 3060, 4060, and 4070 are both excellent options for CS2. We’re sticking with Nvidia’s RTX 40-series as it’ll be supported for longer than the 30-series offerings. Reflex essentially cuts down on the latency pipeline on your PC, allowing you to react faster, and have those inputs registered by the game quicker than it would usually. Pairing this with a high-refresh-rate monitor is definitely recommended.

AMD 3D V-Cache CPUs are the way forward

AMD Ryzen 7800x3D

We also recommend looking into the 3D V-Cache CPUs, including the last generation 5800X3D. This has started to hit sub $250 prices and is still a wildly powerful CPU to add to your system. However, if you want to future-proof yourself, you’ll need to go for the AMD Ryzen 7000 CPUs.

RAM

DDR5 and DDR4 RAM aren’t supported universally across the Ryzen 5000 and 7000 chipsets. The PC you build could be locked out of faster hardware if you decide to go for the last-generation CPU. If you go the Intel route, the 13th generation will be the last to support both DDR5 and DDR4 RAM but gives you much more flexibility if you ever decide to upgrade the motherboard to the current generation of RAM.

Budget AMD PC build specs for Counter-Strike 2

  • GPU: RTX 4060 – $299.99BUY
  • CPU: Ryzen 7 5800X3D – $329BUY
  • RAM: Team T-FORCE Vulcan Z 16GB (2x8GB) – Currently $32.99BUY
  • Motherboard: ASUS Prime B450M-A II – $79.99BUY
  • Power supply: Corsair CX-M CX650M – $79.99BUY
  • PC Case: Cooler Master MasterBox – $39.99BUY

Budget Intel PC build specs for Counter-Strike 2

  • GPU: RTX 4060 – $299.99BUY
  • CPU: Intel Core i5-13400F – Currently $207.99BUY
  • RAM: Team T-FORCE Vulcan Z 16GB (2x8GB) – Currently $32.99BUY
  • Motherboard: MSI MAG B760 Tomahawk Wi-Fi DDR4 – $169.99BUY
  • Power supply: Corsair CX-M CX650M – $79.99BUY
  • PC Case: Cooler Master MasterBox – $39.99BUY
  • GPU: RTX 4070 – $549.99BUY
  • CPU: Ryzen 7 7800X3D – $399BUY
  • RAM: Corsair Vengeance 32GB (2x16GB) – $94.99BUY
  • Motherboard: ASRock A620M-HDV/M.2+ – $79.99BUY
  • Power supply: Seasonic Focus PX-850 – Currently $179.99BUY
  • PC Case: Corsair 4000D Airflow – $104.99BUY
  • GPU: RTX 4070 – $549.99BUY
  • CPU: Intel i7-13700KF – $384.99BUY
  • RAM: Corsair Vengeance 32GB (2x16GB) – $94.99BUY
  • Motherboard: Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Elite – $239.99BUY
  • Power supply: Seasonic Focus PX-850 – Currently $179.99BUY
  • PC Case: Corsair 4000D Airflow – $104.99BUY

Best prebuilt PC for Counter-Strike 2

Overpass remake in cs2

The prebuilt PC scene is actually no longer a hellscape. That’s right, even though some builders might still turn out poor machines, a lot are absolutely perfect for a game like Counter-Strike 2. These also serve as fantastic jumping-off points for those wanting to upgrade in the future.

As we’ve already discussed, Counter-Strike 2 doesn’t require a lot of horsepower to run at a stable 60FPS. However, we want to ensure there’s enough overhead. You’ll also notice a lot of these systems will crossover with our DIY PC builds above as well.

  • ABS Stratos Aqua Gaming PC
    • Intel i5 13400F
    • GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 16GB
    • 16GB DDR5 5600MHz
    • MSI B760
    • Thermaltake 600W Gold
    • Price: $1399.99
  • IPASON Gaming PC
    • Intel Core i7 13th Gen 13700F
    • NVIDIA RTX 4070 Ti
    • 32GB DDR5 RAM
    • 800W GOLD PSU
    • Price: Currently $1,949 (Usually $2499)

While these are only two of the PCs we’d recommend, you now know exactly what to hunt for across your favorite store. If Newegg isn’t your preferred shop, Best Buy, B&H, and Amazon all offer excellent options, including those from iBuyPower and more.

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About The Author

E-Commerce Editor. You can get in touch with him over email: joel.loynds@dexerto.com. He's written extensively about video games and tech for over a decade for various sites. Previously seen on Scan, WePC, PCGuide, Eurogamer, Digital Foundry and Metro.co.uk. A deep love for old tech, bad games and even jankier MTG decks.