How to Increase FPS and Improve Your CS:GO Performance

In CS:GO, Players must put in the time and effort necessary to hone their skills and knowledge to achieve high precision. However, external factors heavily influence performance, one of which is undoubtedly FPS. Having high FPS makes the game playable, as anything lower than the competitive range is incredibly detrimental to your overall input.

Players face many issues when it comes to FPS, namely instability ones, that hamper their efforts to get good at CS. That's why we've compiled this list to help those in need. To stand out from the competition in CS:GO, you'll need to keep that FPS in check, so let's see how you can improve it using various methods. 

Update GPU Drivers 

The easiest thing you could do and should often do with your PC is to update graphics drivers. Graphics drivers are the software running your graphics card, connecting to the PC in the most efficient way imagined by the GPU producers. There are two major players in the GPU market, AMD and Nvidia, and a third one is coming along under Intel. We'll only look at the former two as the latter has yet to prove itself in the gaming sphere.

Here's how you can update your GPU: 

AMD

1. Open your browser. 
2. Go to this link. 
3. Download the auto-detect tool and run it. 
4. Let it do its thing and follow the instructions. 

Your screen will flicker, and your PC may restart several times during the whole process. Let it run its course, and then see if it made anything better (or worse). Older hardware that has lost driver support should be swapped out or supplemented with community-made drivers, a tasking process that you should avoid if you don't know how to handle it. 

Nvidia 

1. Open your browser. 
2. Go to this link. 
3. Select your GPU and download the adequate drivers.
4. Start the setup, and follow the steps shown on screen. 

Your screen will likely flicker, and your PC will restart a few times. Let everything do its due, and then test the game out. Like with AMD, GPUs without driver support will be unable to perform well, and you should swap them out. Nvidia could be better in the community driver sphere, so consider this if you own an old Nvidia card. 

Disable Background Applications That You Don't Need

Stuff running in the background while you're playing CS may severely impact the performance. There might be an active virus scan; something else might be hogging the RAM, CPU, etc. It would be best if you kept background applications to a minimum while gaming. This is especially necessary on lower-end hardware that doesn't have the cores and gigabytes to handle all the extra stress. 

Here's how to disable these background apps easily:

1. Press and hold CTRL+Shift+Escape on your keyboard together. 
2. Press on 'More Details.' 
3. In the expanded list, seek out things chugging your precious resources. 

• Things that use the most 'CPU' and 'Memory' should get sniped first.
• Those clogging your drive should also go, but the two above are a must. 

After doing so, close the Task Manager and return to the game. If it runs better, make sure to keep reading to see how to stop those apps from running at all. If your PC can run without them, you should probably keep them disabled altogether. 

Lower Your CS:GO Graphics Settings

This should be your first and foremost course of action. Lowering the in-game settings in CS:GO will show you what your PC can do. Think of it as a litmus test–if the game performs way better, then it's all good. You should consider a hardware change if it stays the same or gets barely better. Suppose the game runs like a slog, even on the lowest possible settings. Then your PC isn't up to the task and should be upgraded ASAP. 

Anyhow, to lower your settings, you'll need to do the following: 

1. Go to the Main Menu Screen in CS:GO. 
2. Click on the gear icon on the left. 
3. Go to the 'Video' tab. 
4. Change the settings to this: 

• Display Mode - Fullscreen
• Laptop Power Saving - Disabled
• Global Shadow Texture - Very Low
• Model / Texture Details - Low
• Effect Details - Low
• Shader Detail - Low
• Multicore Rendering - Enabled
• Multisampling Anti-Aliasing Mode - None
• Texture Filtering Mode - Bilinear
• FXAA Anti-Aliasing - Disabled
• Wait for Vertical Sync -Disabled
• Motion Blur - Disabled

This will give you the most significant bump in performance you've seen. What you should also consider is lowering the resolution. Most pro players play at low resolutions for various reasons, including higher FPS. The resolutions we recommend are: 

1. 1024x768 (the lowest) 
2. 1280x960 (medium range) 
3. 1280x1024 (medium)

These three resolutions are immensely popular among most professional players, and they likely know a bit more than we do, so take their word for it. We usually stick to the 1024x768 one since we're a bit old school, but you do you. 

Enter Performance Launch Commands

CS:GO has a few launch commands that may help you out, but only by a little. Most launch commands have been patched out and relate to outdated hardware that likely doesn't even support the game anymore. Anyways, there are a few useful commands still that will help speed things up if a bit artificially: 

1. '-novid' removes the intro video that will speed up your load time. 
2. '-console' enables the in-game console to help you tweak settings further. 
3. '-tickrate 128' will make your offline matches 128 tickrate, which FaceIT and ESEA use for their servers. It's best if you only played on these servers and avoided matchmaking since they perform way better. 

Right-click the CS:GO icon on Steam, and hit 'Properties.' The launch command box will be at the bottom of the first window. 

Here are the performance-improving commands you could also try: 

1. 'R_drawparticles 0; func_break_max_pieces 0' these two will remove a lot of the mini clutter from your screen. 
2. 'Muzzleflash_light 0; r_drawtracers_firstperson 0' removes a lot of the bullet effects, which may lower your actual performance since it has minimal impact on FPS and a lot on gameplay. 
3. 'R_dynamic 0; mat_disable_bloom 1' are probably the ones that will have the most impact on your FPS since they disable a lot of the lighting effects often tied to low performance. 

If these commands helped you bump your FPS, then good. However, if you're already doing this, chances are that your PC does not hold out with CS:GO. Consider upgrading your hardware as soon as you can. Otherwise, steer clear of matchmaking. 

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Tweak Your Windows Power Options

Windows has built-in ways of pushing your PC a bit further. By default, Windows will set things to balanced, preventing too much power from being drawn but simultaneously limiting your PC a bit. Electrical power drives your PC; the more power it draws, the better. To burn your outlets a bit and bump that electricity bill but also gain some extra FPS, you should do the following: 

1. Open the Windows Start Menu. 
2. Type in 'Choose a Power Plan.' 
3. Select 'Ultimate Performance.' 

• If that's unavailable, select 'High Performance.' 

And that's it. You should now get an extra bump while playing your favorite video game, CS:GO. If not, well, you likely wouldn't profit from most of these fixes. Chances are your PC isn't capable of drawing much power due to weak components. Consider changing out your hardware if the opportunity arises. 

Disable Startup Programs 

Some programs may launch with your PC and immediately start eating at resources. Such programs may include Discord, Skype, various game launchers, etc. All of them need resources allocated to them and will significantly slow down your boot times and your PC's overall performance. Consider disabling them by doing the following: 

1. Press CTRL+Shift+Escape on your keyboard simultaneously. 
2. Click on 'More Details.' 
3. Open the 'Startup' tab. 
4. Disable all apps that show 'High' or 'Medium' startup impact. 

• Be careful not to disable your audio drivers or other essential things. Please read what you are disabling before doing it. Make sure to eliminate as much as possible, as this will benefit you in the long run. 

And that's it; restart your PC and see those pesky apps gone. If you need them, you'll turn them on by yourself. They shouldn't use precious computer resources if they're only running idly in the background. 

Disable the XBOX Game Bar

Microsoft has been looking into bridging the gap between PCs and Consoles for years. One way of doing so was by implementing the XBOX Game Bar, an XBOX feature, into Windows. It did not go well, to say the least, causing more trouble than it's worth. There are plenty of other apps that do their job way better and cause fewer issues. To disable the Game Bar, do this: 

1. Open the Windows Start Menu. 
2. Type in 'Game Bar.' 
3. Click on 'Enable Game Bar.' 
4. In there, switch the toggle to 'Off.' 

The Game Bar should now be disabled, taking all of its performance-hampering junk with it. Microsoft didn't do a good job implementing this tool, but it has improved over time. Maybe in a few more years, it will become usable. Maybe. 

Verify the Integrity of CSGO Files 

Game files can become corrupt and then cause a lot of trouble. Playing with corrupt game files can produce all sorts of anomalies, from mixing textures, things loading for too long, or the game simply not working. To fix this, Steam has you covered. They've implemented a way for Steam to scan your files, find what's wrong, and re-download the good stuff. This takes a few clicks, but the process will be a bit longer. So, here's how you can do it: 

1. Go to Steam. 
2. Right-click CS:GO and select 'Properties. 
3. Select the local files
4. Proceed to Verify the integrity of local files.

The process will begin automatically, and you should let it run its due course. It takes some time, especially if you've downloaded a ton of modded content. Wait and see if it made any difference, and if not, move on to these final few tips, which include some pretty hefty advice that you should seriously consider. 

Overclock Your Graphics Card and CPU

Manufacturers build computer parts with factory settings in mind. However, manufacturers usually leave room for improvement in this day and age of tinkering and tweaking. Those handy with overclocking software and knowledgeable enough can take their hardware to the next level by pushing them beyond factory settings. 

We advise you to do this only if your hardware is up to the task and you know enough about overclocking. Those who don't should ask a professional to help them out. Overclocking, especially poorly handled, can literally brick your PC and leave you with a heaping pile of nothing. 

To overclock your PC, you'll need to use external software. AMD cards have their own overclocking features, while Nvidia users should use things like the MSI Afterburner. We advise AMD users also to use this program. 

We won't discuss the process here as it is a diligent one. If you know your stuff, it's good to keep the option in mind. The increase in FPS can vary from marginal to significant, and that's why you should give it a try. 

Clean Your PC and Reapply Thermal Paste

Dust builds up fast in PCs, especially during particular parts of the year. Dust accumulated in CPU, case, and GPU fans can cause them to slow down or stop spinning, increasing temperature and lowering performance. It can even damage components. Dust can also block airflow in heatsinks, so despite your fan spinning, the air isn't filtering through the heatsink, and nothing is getting chilled. 

Please consider separating your PC and blowing out all the accumulated dust. Then, disassemble your CPU cooler and GPU fans and replace their thermal paste. High temperatures cause thermal throttling, significantly reducing game performance, CS:GO included. 

Reinstall Windows

There are times when the Windows image has run its course. Things aren't loading correctly; there are many conflicting programs, and stuff isn't going the right way. These are times when reinstalling your Windows becomes a plausible option. We'll show you how to do it briefly but won't go into detail on backing up your files so keep that in mind if you decide to follow our instructions. 

1. Go to this link. 
2. Press on 'Download Tool Now.' 
3. Insert an 8GB flash drive and run the program. 
4. Follow the instructions and create your bootable flash drive. 
5. Keep the flash drive in, and restart your PC. Mash the 'Delete' button on your keyboard.
6. In the boot settings, select your flash drive as the boot device. 
7. When you enter the Windows Setup, follow the instructions closely. 
8. Format your drives and let Windows create new partitions. 
9. Let the process run, and you'll soon land on the Windows startup screen. 

Select your preferred settings and create an account. We suggest you do this offline, as it will disable all the online features that may cause issues. And that's it; this quick process will reset your PC to base one and likely improve performance. Re-download the latest drivers and CS:GO, and then see if it helped. If not, this last 'fix' will certainly help you. 

Get a Better Hardware 

Let's face it; your PC likely doesn't support CS:GO if you need all these fixes. Buying a new computer is the best way to save yourself the trouble and torture of low FPS and lousy performance. We understand that this might not be possible, but don't expect these 'quick fixes' to do much for you unless you have the components to hold. 

Lower-end hardware and outdated hardware are thankfully still useful for CS:GO. The game's engine is old and is not getting any younger. However, with VALVe planning to migrate CS:GO to Source 2, a brand new engine, it's likely that a bunch of old hardware will become obsolete, unable to run the game. Getting new hardware is the best choice if you want peak performance in CS:GO. 

CS is a CPU-intensive game, so focus on that front if you can't get the whole package. Make sure everything is compatible, as you wouldn't want incompatible hardware lying around doing anything. 

Counter-Strike is a competitive, intense, and often frustrating competitive title. It requires your peak performance as a player and your PC to follow suit. If your PC isn't up to the task, neither will you be, and thus you should try these improvements to FPS. If they don't work, you've got another issue and should see into getting new hardware ASAP.

Causes of Low FPS in CS:GO

Various issues with your hardware and software can cause low FPS in Counter-Strike. Hardware problems may relate to faulty computer parts, such as a dying graphics card, overheating components, an aging hard drive, and/or RAM/Motherboard problems. These are their own case scenarios that need specific handling, and we won't be looking into them, particularly in this list. 

Here, we will give you a few easy fixes and some significant tasking advice that might be necessary to improve FPS. Often the easy way isn't the best one. However, trying all the little fixes is best before undertaking any major change.