The COMPLETE CS2 Settings Guide 2023 (Resolution, Video, Audio Crosshair, FPS, and More)

Best Audio Settings, Advanced Video Settings, Resolution, Crosshair, FPS Optimization, Keybinds, Visibility Improvements, and other tips to Improve Your Gameplay and gain and advantage on your opponents.

0:00 Intro
0:48 Aspect Ratio/Resolution
2:00 Advanced Video Settings
5:25 Audio Settings
6:05 Perspective Correction
6:52 Game Settings
7:25 Crosshair Settings
7:45 Crosshair Follow Recoil
8:07 Viewmodel
8:19 Sensitivity
9:14 Zoom Sens
9:35 Keybinds
11:05 Autoexec
11:35 Shadows Low FPS Boost
12:25 FPS Optimization

tags: CS2, CS2 settings, Settings, CS2 FPS Optimization, FPS Boost, CS2 video settings, CS2 audio settings, CS2 game settings, autoexec, auto exec, keybinds, launch options, -high

[vooCSGO]

thx to @frequencyCS for help (and he's helped on many other videos as well)

if you're having trouble seeing through molotovs, lowering your brightness and increasing model\texture detail will make it a lot easier.

UPDATES to the information in this video:

Model/Texture Detail can impact your FPS quite a bit when you're directly next to smokes. heavily PC dependent.

at 11:40 the command that should be set to 1 is actually lower in the notepad, the setting I show in the video actually WORKS to get shadows back on, however you may lose more FPS than if you change the other setting.


note: for the FPS tests, I would change the setting, restart the game, launch directly into a demo, go to tick, start, then end after the same amount of time, every time. each test was 70~ seconds and any odd findings I tested 3-4 more times (and some of them in different settings as well). I tried to make sure it was a round with a significant amount of stuff going on including util and kills.directly next to smokes. heavily PC dependent.

[stewRS]

I'd recommend putting "show location" under Show Team Positions in HUD, and binding a hotkey under keybinds for team equipment to mouse5 or something similar so you can still get information of your teams available utility. There's been so many times I've died or not been able to see something because the massive weapon icons are blocking your vision. This still lets you keep the information of your teammates position through walls + their HP without too much vision lost.

[DoYouKnowWhoKnew]

Voo doing god's work as always. Thank you. Cs2 release made me want to pick the game up again and I forgot about folks like you over the years, glad you still going, much love

[rdfriend]

for all those guys doing the settings in warmuptime

==Advanced video settings==
*vsync off
*player contrast: minor impact, decide for yourself, many pros dont use it
*multisampling: None if you play native resolution; CMAA2 when upscaling
*shadows: high or very high. Lower settings will reduce viewing distance for shadows. If your system can't handle it, use low and goto 11:35
*model detail: medium
*texture filtering: Antisoptic x16
*shader particle: low
*ambient occlusion: medium
*HDR: quality (gets rid of graininess)
*fidelity: pc dependant and if you use downscaling set to performance
*NVIDIA reflex: enabled when your system is stronger

==Audio==
*eq: crisp (other can better with natural)
*L/R isolation: 50%
*Perspective correction: OFF
*Music: everything 0%
Mute MVP Music when Player of both teams are alive - YES

[patrikmedia]

you don't need to put autoexec on the launch options, it will trigger automatically if named like that. if you use a different name for the cfg, then it makes sense to put it into the launch options

[zertbrown]

THank you for the vid voo, I was confused what audio setting I should have

[lolilolmdrxd]

The first time i'm so agree with a person about preference settings, good explain

[lucaseb]

Global Shadow Quality: after the Call to Arms update, setting to Low will disable the shadows from smokes, which can be a competitive advantage in some scenarios (ex: an enemy hiding inside the smoke will have its shadow visible on Low but not on High, because on High the smoke shadow covers it).

[Tommo_]

To clear up FSR, enabling it will render your game internally at a lower resolution, at a percentage of the resolution you have the game set at. Performance being something like 50% and quality something like 90% (these numbers are just rough estimates). Only enable it if you are GPU bound (you are maxing out your GPU at 100% usage). Start with quality and keep dropping it until your fps doesnt increase anymore/are no longer GPU bound, or cant stand the graininess lol

[blakexi]

Should test the input latency on the display settings as well, probably more important than just 5 fps difference

[izemes]

the right solution for using black bars in cs2 is by marking that little box "Override... set by programs" then you'll get BlackBars 13:37

[zophuro]

i always count on voo for cs settings
ty voo

[vutebeats]

ty for making this vid. i wasnt really enjoying cs2 cuz some of my settings are scuffed and too lazy to change it without knowing what to do

[HannibalBarcaRTW]

Thanks I topped fragged at 110 adr first game using these.

[thehoodie]

another thing with 4:3 stretched is that it also makes it easier to hold very tight angles

[wrrck_svcks]

One thing to consider is that texture/model quality is it also affects the bullet tracers. On low they become super large and blurry, which for me makes it hard to keep track of the enemy and where I’m shooting. On medium they become much thinner and less distracting.
I’m still waiting for the option to turn them off completely like in csgo.

[eligross]

7:20
I put my first 100 hours into CS after CS2 came out and couldn't agree more: Keep dynamic + follow recoil on for a while before going static. Static is absolutely better ONLY when your movement/accuracy skills improve beyond rookie status. Also just going to say Don't Peek With W while I'm here. Thanks Voo!

[goober]

Is there any reason for the setting “Override Scaling mode set by game and programs?”

I notice a lot pros use it yet it doesn’t seem needed for stretched res, so what’s the point of it? Is there a reduction in input latency with it?

[karhu]

6:05 perspective correction works for me well since i play a bit further away from my monitor. Also this same thing was on by default in csgo, but you couldnt change it. Like it says, if you sit extremely close, turn it off. I personally hear better with it on.

[shockat]

you can bind the follow recoil setting so it follows ur crosshair only when mouse1 is held