Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) is an updated version of CS: GO that features better graphics and user interface. It still retains much of the core elements of the previous game, which made it so appealing to the masses. If you are trying to monitor the performance of your game then you have come to the right place. In this guide, I go over how to show FPS in CS2 (Counter-Strike).
3 Methods to Show FPS in CS2
There are different ways in which you can see the number of in-game frames that you are getting in Counter-Strike 2. You can use console commands, get an FPS counter using Steam, or use the launch options. I have covered all the different methods below so you can pick the option that best works for you.
1. Get FPS Counter Using Steam
An FPS counter is built into Steam. All you need to do is launch Steam, head into settings in the upper menu, and head into the in-game tab.
Here you can turn on the “In-game FPS counter” setting.
You can also enable the “In-game FPS counter high contrast color” option to give it a distinct color and make it easier to see while you are gaming.
That is all that you need to do. Now when you launch CS2 you will see FPS on your screen.
If you no longer want to see the FPS counter then you can head back into the In Game settings in Steam and turn the “In-game FPS counter” setting off.
2. Get FPS Counter Using Launch Options
You can add a command in the launch options to get an FPS counter in CS2 and other Steam games. Launch Steam, right-click on CS2, and select Properties.
Find the “Launch Options” box and enter the command “cl_showfps 1”.
Close the menu and start the game to get an FPS counter.
3. CS2 FPS Counter Console Commands
The developer console allows you to customize Counter-Strike 2 a fair bit and that includes getting an in-game FPS counter. Press the tilde key (~) and enter the command “cl_showfps 1” in the console.
If done correctly, the FPS counter will show up in the upper right corner of the screen. You can turn off the FPS counter by using the command “cl_showfps 0”, this will remove the FPS counter from the screen when you no longer need it.
You can get even more information by using the commands “cl_showfps 2”, “cl_showfps 3”, “cl_showfps 4”, and “cl_showfps 5”.
Furthermore, there is a new HUD telemetry command that you can use to show FPS, latency, and major FPS drops. Use the command “cl_hud_telemetry_serverrecvmargin_graph_show 1” if you want to use this feature.
Interpreting FPS in CS2
Frame per second is a cool metric but what does it mean? Is the higher number better? Generally speaking, the higher the FPS the better the gaming experience but you will need the right screen to take advantage of all those frames. Let’s say you get 120 FPS according to the FPS counter but you have a 60 FPS or Hz screen then you are not taking advantage of the performance that your PC has to offer. You will need to upgrade to a 120 FPS or Hz monitor to take full advantage.
- 30 FPS: By modern standards, 30 FPS is pretty low. If you are getting 30 FPS in CS2 then it is playable but the experience is not going to be ideal and I would recommend lowering your settings or upgrading your hardware to hit the 60 FPS mark.
- 60-75 FPS: 60 FPS and above is what most gamers aim for. This will give you an ideal gaming experience, especially in a shooter such as CS2. Most Counter-Strike players are happy with 60 FPS. If you are getting FPS drops below 60 then that can ruin the experience.
- 75-120 FPS: This is high refresh-rate territory and you will need a capable PC and a high refresh-rate monitor to take advantage of your PC’s hardware. Higher refresh rates in competitive games can give you a significant advantage when it comes to performing actions and reacting to enemies.
- 120+ FPS: With a relatively powerful gaming PC and the right monitor you can get an extraordinary gaming experience when you go above 120 FPS. I love playing shooters at 144 FPS since it is a very smooth experience. While there are monitors out there with 240+ refresh rates, I would not recommend going above 144 Hz or FPS unless money is no object and you are looking for the bleeding edge.
This is how you can show FPS in CS2. You can also check out the brightest skins for weapons in CS2 and the best rifle skins and glove combinations.
