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5 Best CPUs To Play CS2

By / Tech / July 8, 2025

Here are the five best CPUs to play CS2 at extremely high FPS, around 400+, provided you have a capable GPU in the process.

5 Best CPUs To Play CS2
An image showing two beastly CPUs for CS2 (Image via Intel | AMD)

CS2, or Counter-Strike 2, is a resource-hungry title, meaning the design choices Valve has made significantly increase system requirements over CS: GO. The game now benefits from modern CPUs and their IPC alongside multicore performance. Below are five CPUs that cater to the ultimate experience you can get, without hurting your wallet too much. And yes, these CPUs can achieve framerates of 600 FPS and beyond at competitive settings, but you need a GPU in the RX 9070 XT/RTX 4070 Ti Super territory to accomplish that.  

Note: There is an ongoing sale at Microcenter, which is why the prices are super aggressive. Once the sale event ends, things will revert to their original state. 

1. AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D

Ryzen 7 9800x3d is the best gaming CPU, period
Image showing the best gaming CPU in the world – period (Image via AMD)

Zen 5, alongside its incredible IPC and V-cache, makes it arguably the fastest CPU for gaming, apart from the 9950X3D, which has more cores. That said, it’s the best you can get; the only GPU that causes the 9800X3D to bottleneck is the RTX 5090 at 1080p and 1440p. So, if you are playing at 4:3 (1024 x 768) or similar resolutions, and you pair something like an RTX 4080 Super, the framerates will be around 600 FPS.

Specifications:

  • Zen 5, 8 cores/16 threads, 4.7 GHz base, 5.2 GHz boost
  • 96MB L3 cache (3D V-Cache), AM5, DDR5-5600 support
  • No cooler in the box
  • Buy Here – $399.99 (sale)

2. AMD Ryzen 7 7700X

Ryzen 7 7700X best cpu for cs2
Image showing the AMD Zen 4 Ryzen 7 7700X CPU (Image via AMD)

Following the release of Zen 5, its Zen 4 counterparts, such as the Ryzen 7 7700X, have seen significant price cuts. That said, the performance this CPU offers is plenty; you can expect around 350-400FPS in CS2 alongside a GPU that is 7900 XT level.

Specifications:

  • Zen 4, 8 cores/16 threads, 4.5 GHz base, 5.4 GHz boost
  • 32MB L3 cache, AM5, DDR5-5200 support
  • No cooler in the box
  • 350–400 FPS in CS2, strong all-rounder
  • Buy Here – $229.99 (sale)

3. AMD Ryzen 5 7600X

ryzen-5-7600X best cpu for cs2
An image showing the Ryzen 5 7600X, one of the best budget CPUs for CS2 (Image via AMD)

This is the sweet spot for gamers with a six-core CPU. For many, the Zen 4 CPU offers incredible compute performance, delivering over 350 FPS in CS2 with ease, provided the paired GPU is around the RTX 4070 Super territory. The value it offers, alongside AM5’s rich platform support, is simply unbeatable.

Specifications:

  • Zen 4, 6 cores/12 threads, 4.7 GHz base, 5.3 GHz boost
  • 32MB L3 cache, AM5, DDR5-5200 support
  • No cooler in the box
  • Buy Here – $144.99 (sale)

4. Intel Core i7-12700K

Image showing the Core i7 12700K (Image via Intel) best cpu for cs2
Image showing the Core i7 12700K (Image via Intel)

At $199, this is a giveaway. Intel 12th gen, although it is dated, as Arrow Lake replaces the socket. Nevertheless, this CPU isn’t prone to any of the oxidation issues, meaning you are safe from all that BIOS hassle. That said, the 12700K can deliver 350+ FPS efficiently alongside a 4070 Super. 

Specifications:

  • Alder Lake: 12 cores (8P+4E)/20 threads, 3.6 GHz base, 5.0 GHz boost
  • 25MB L3 cache, LGA1700, DDR5-4800/DDR4-3200 support
  • No cooler in the box
  • 300+ FPS in CS2
  • Buy Here – $199.99

5. Intel Core i9-14900K

core i9 14900k
An image showing the Raptor Lake Refresh flagship (image via Intel)

The 14900K is Intel’s fastest gaming CPU right now, as the Ultra 9 285K is overpriced and underperforms in most cases. That said, there are some oxidation issues on this platform, and they are best addressed by locking cores to 5.7 GHz. Going this route requires some advanced tuning, but in the end, at $349, the multicore capabilities it offers are something rare.  

Specifications:

  • Raptor Lake Refresh, 24 cores (8P+16E)/32 threads, 3.2 GHz base, 6.0 GHz boost
  • 36MB L3 cache, LGA1700, DDR5-5600/DDR4-3200 support
  • No cooler in the box
  • 350–450 FPS in CS2, multitasking and streaming powerhouse
  • Buy Here – $349.99 (sale)

Verdict

All of the CPUs mentioned here are ultimate choices across a wide budget range for CS2. Whichever platform your heart and pocket are comfortable with, go for it. The 9800X3D is the fastest, but there are platform-related issues, such as the CPU dying; therefore, do your homework thoroughly before making a decision.

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