The game since the time when it got released in 2012 didn’t slow down except for a couple of times due to the increase in the player base of PUBG and Fortnite. CSGO has proved itself to be the ultimate tactical fps game of all time which requires you to form a good strategy to either eliminate the enemy or plant/defuse the bomb.
From school time, we all have been playing counter strike and we are addicted to Global Offensive for several years with thousands of hours dedicated to mastering this game. This game just can’t compromise on the fps.
You may compromise on some graphical settings but getting low fps on it isn’t like on any other game. You may not find a difference between 70 fps and 100 fps on a AAA title but you will surely find a lot of difference in CSGO. This thing gets good as the number gets higher.
Fortunately, the game doesn’t need a very powerful gaming machine like the Witcher 3 or Battlefield V needs. All you need is a decent processor with at least 4 cores and a good budget graphics card to make a fabulous CPU-GPU combo.
Our Recommended Graphics Cards for CSGO
Recommended Settings for CSGO
While AAA titles are best with everything maxed out, this is not the case with CSGO. Even the pros don’t use Very High settings in this game. Medium settings with some settings manually tweaked is recommended to get higher fps and at the same time give you an advantage in the game. You don’t want to play the game on a very high resolution to make your opponent’s head look very small. So, make sure you turn ON only those settings that matter in the game.
Shadows should always be turned ON although not on the highest to let you know your enemy’s position if he is near. Anti-Aliasing is also recommended to be used for the game to not look crappy while Texture Detail and Effect Detail should either be put to medium or low if you want more fps.
Texturing Filtering Mode although many people put it on Bilinear/Trilinear can be increased to more than that and V-Sync should always be switched OFF as it eats a lot of fps and makes your game’s response time lower. Motion Blur is also recommended to be completely turned off as it creates a blurry effect when you move your aim quickly and may let you miss your enemy.
You can also check out the following video for advanced graphics settings if you care to get the maximum benefit from your PC hardware-
Best Graphics Cards for CSGO
Nvidia Geforce GT 1030(1080p Low)
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For a very low budget, GT 1030 is a fine choice for CSGO if you want to play on a resolution like 720p/768p or 900p but it can definitely play it on 1080p also. However, you will have to bring the settings down to Low to get an average of 150fps across the maps. Fps will vary in maps but will remain around 150 most of the time.
GT 1030 is a very affordable GPU under $100 that brings 2GB of GDDR5 VRAM along with a power-efficient operation that doesn’t require you to connect an external power connector. Make sure you use at least a CPU like Ryzen 3 3100 or an i3 10100F with this graphics card to have the best possible budget 1080p CPU-GPU combo.
AMD Radeon RX 6400(1080p Medium)
Even though RX 6400 is not the best GPU out there due to some limitations on its PCI-E interface, it surely is an ideal GPU for less than $150. Currently, the card is an absolute bargain for budget gaming builds and will be sufficient for entry-level CSGO players.
The RX 6400 comes with a good 4GB GDDR6 VRAM clocked at 16Gbps on a 64-bit interface. Hence, it will be sufficient for resolutions up to 1080p and should be enough to give your game textures some good push to enhance the visuals without compromising on the performance.
It’s also very power-efficient just like the GT 1030 and doesn’t require any external power source. All you need to do is plug the card into the PCI-E slot and it will draw the power from the slot itself.
Nvidia Geforce GTX 1650(1080p Medium)
- New Turing Architecture, Turing Encoder
- Boost Clock 1680 MHz, 4GB 128-bit GDDR6
- Super Compact 6.2-inch Card, Fits 99% of Systems
- Dual slot, 4K Ready
GTX 1650 is one of the best budget cards you can get for CSGO and it can smoothly play any map with over 150 fps easily with settings set from Medium to High. The card is a beast for most non-intensive titles for 1080p High-Ultra settings and it’s definitely good even for professional CS.
The card is the GDDR6 version of the original GTX 1650 that had GDDR5 memory. Therefore, with this card, you are going to get a better memory config that results in significant improvement in gaming for the same cost. The card features 4GB of GDDR6 VRAM and is even ready for VR gaming.
You can bump up the settings easily to Medium on 1080p and get roughly 250fps on average on all the CSGO maps. You can go higher in graphics but it’s simply not recommended except if you have a monitor that has a refresh rate lower than 240Hz.
AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT(1080p High)
- Digital Max Resolution:7680x4320.Form Factor:ATX
- Powered by AMD RDNA 2 Radeon RX 6500 XT
- Integrated with 4GB GDDR6 64-bit memory interface
- WINDFORCE 2X Cooling System with alternate...
For $20-$30 more, you can get the RX 6500 XT that is going to provide you impressive performance at 1080p High Settings. With this card, you can bump up the texture filtering, shadows, and even anti-aliasing to the high presets without dropping down below 200 fps considering that you are running a CPU like i3 12100F or higher.
The RX 6500 XT comes with a good 4GB GDDR6 VRAM just like the 6400 but feature 33% more Stream Processors for faster rendering. It comes with insanely higher clock speeds with boost clock of higher than 2800MHz which helps push the framerates even higher.
The card needs a single 6-pin power connector as its TDP sits at 113W which can go higher depending on the load and the amount of overclock you do. I believe that currently under $200, there is no better competitor to the RX 6500 XT despite the fact that it is limited on PCI-E 3.0 interface.
Monitor Recommendation
Now you have decided on a graphics card from the list, it’s time to get a monitor that will be best suitable for that GPU. It’s important because if suppose you bought the GT 1030 and a 240Hz monitor, then you are doing absolutely terrible things. You need to buy both in such a way that neither you lose any kind of gaming benefit and also you don’t waste your money.
Asus VP228QG
- Full HD Resolution: Get sharp, vivid images with...
- Fast Response Time: The ASUS VP228QG gaming...
- AMD FreeSync: This 75Hz monitor provides smooth...
- Sleek Design and Thin Bezel - This 27 inch monitor...
I don’t believe that getting a 144Hz monitor is a good choice if you have opted for either GT 1030 or RX 6400. If you have money for a 144Hz monitor after buying any of these two GPUs, then it would have been better for you to go with a GTX 1650 or a better graphics card in the first place.
For these two graphics cards, the Asus VP228QG 1080p monitor is the best match. Though you are not going to get the benefit from high fps as the monitor features a 75Hz refresh rate, you can still play the game without any lag as the monitor provides only 1ms of response time which is very ideal for fast-paced gaming. This is a 21.5-inch gaming monitor that will be sufficient for playing CSGO on a tight budget and won’t empty your pocket.
Asus TUF Gaming VG249Q
- 23.8-inch Full HD (1920x1080) IPS gaming monitor...
- ASUS Extreme Low Motion Blur (ELMB) Technology...
- FreeSync technology to eliminate screen tearing...
- Ergonomically designed stand to offer extensive...
As for GTX 1650 and RX 6500 XT cards, it’s best to go with a 144Hz monitor. Though they can provide you above 240 fps consistently, the cost of 240Hz monitor is very high and I would only recommend a 240Hz monitor if you have a GPU like RTX 3070. This Asus TUF Gaming monitor is a 24-inch 1080p TN panel display and has 1ms of response time.
The monitor also comes with AMD FreeSync which is although not compatible with the Nvidia cards but if you want to take the full advantage of Sync technology, then you can go with the VG278QR which is a 27-inch G-Sync monitor. It will cost you a lot more than the TUF gaming monitor I recommend. The TUF monitor will ensure that you game without any lag and your gameplay is buttery smooth. After using this monitor I bet you wouldn’t want to downgrade to a 60Hz monitor.
Also, make sure to check our graphics card-monitor compatibility article to eliminate any kind of compatibility issues and if you want to speed up your PC for gaming in general, read these 25 ways to enhance computer speed.
Final Words
Keep in mind that though the above-mentioned graphics cards are ideal for CSGO, you need to have at least a 4 core CPU in order to get to the fps mark mentioned besides the graphics cards. The CPU should also be among the latest generations.
An Intel 12/13th gen processor would be Ok if they have at least 4 cores with hyperthreading but if you are going with an AMD CPU, then try to get at least a 5th gen Ryzen CPU. If you have any doubts, feel free to put your comment below!
