When it comes to Counter-Strike, every setting counts. From launch options to mouse sensitivity, players obsess over the tiniest tweaks in search of the perfect competitive edge in an attempt to take their gameplay to the next level. To this end, one of the most hotly debated settings in the history of CS has always been resolution. Since the days of CRT monitors, players who take CS seriously have been trying, falling in love with, and swearing by a variety of different resolutions in an attempt to gain some form of advantage. Today, we will take a look at three of the most popular resolutions, offering pros and cons for each, so you can tweak your setup like a pro.

1920×1080 (16:9)

Of course, when it comes to a discussion about resolutions, we have to start the way the developers intended us to. Native resolution – that is, 1920×1080 at an aspect ratio of 16:9 – is the way the game is ‘supposed’ to be experienced. It is the cleanest, crispiest, highest-quality resolution, and will make everything from player models, to skins, to those little raindrops on Train look beautiful.

Pros

• The game simply looks better
• Much wider field of view
• Targets appear to move slower, so your reaction times are slightly less important

Cons

• Player models are ‘skinnier’, which makes hitting headshots or moving targets feel slightly harder
• On some lower-end PCs, playing on native resolution might impact performance and lower FPS

1280×960 (4:3)

Next, we’re going to look at arguably the most popular resolution on the pro scene. Whilst CS2 has led to a shift in resolution usage at the top level, 1280×1960 (at an aspect ratio of 4:3) is still the most popular res, much like it was throughout the majority of CS:GO. This is an inherently nostalgic resolution, harking back to the days of CRT monitors, but the reasons for playing 1280×960 are not solely down to the wistful memories of days gone by.

Pros

• Wider player models when stretched, which make hitting shots on tight angles, or at distance, feel a little easier
• Lower performance impact – if you have a PC which struggles under the weight of running CS2, playing on a lower resolution might save you some of that all-important FPS
• Less stuff on your screen, which helps some players focus on what’s in front of them
• Stretched resolutions often allow you to consciously think about your crosshair a little more than native, as there is less on your screen, and the angles feel closer and wider
• Muscle memory – if you played 1280×960 for years on CS:GO, as many did, changing resolutions in CS2 might feel uncomfortable

Cons

• Limited field of view – you’ll see fewer things and might miss crucial information
• Poor graphics quality. Everything just looks…worse

1600×1024 (16:10)

Throwing in a slightly less popular resolution here, we’re going to be taking a leaf out of Nikola “NiKo” Kovač’s book. The Falcons rifler has been popularising the 16:10 aspect ratio for a while now, playing on 1600×1024 for a lot of his games. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons, and what makes 16:10 stretched different to 4:3 stretched.

Pros

• Whilst gaining the aforementioned benefits of a stretched resolution, 16:10 gives you a little more in the way of peripheral vision. It is stretched, but less so than 4:3
• Some people claim that 16:10 resolutions feel crispier than 4:3, but that’s mostly down to personal preference
• The graphics quality is slightly better than 4:3 resolutions, giving you a middle ground between native and fully stretched

Cons

• Slightly less zoomed-in than 1280×960, but still with less field of view than 1920×1080. To an extent, you could argue it’s the worst of both worlds in that regard

The Resolution Of The Article (see what I did there?)

So, we’ve taken a look at three of the most popular resolutions in CS2. Whilst the most used resolution at the top level of the game is currently 1280×960, there are far more people playing on native or 16:10 than there were back in the days of Global Offensive. This begs the question – which of the multitude of resolutions is the best for CS2?

Of course, the truth is that it’s all down to personal preference. Whatever feels the best for you is what you should go for. If you play casually and want to revel in the beauty of Source 2’s graphics, then native is the way forward. If you’re an oldhead from the days of LAN cafes who wants that authentic Counter-Strike feel, perhaps 1280×960 is your best bet. There are plenty of resolutions to choose from, each with subtle differences, pros, and cons. Our advice is to try them all and land on whichever makes you feel the best.

If you want a more detailed look at how different resolutions actually function, you can check out our handy video guide here.

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One thing is for sure: you’ll never be good if you don’t practice, no matter what resolution you use. Whether you’re looking to compete with the best or just break in your new settings, there’s no better way to practice than with Refrag. With code resolution15 you can save 15% off of your initial subscription. Happy fragging!