For Counter-Strike 2, Valve publishes only minimum system requirements: Windows 10, a four-thread processor on the level of an Intel Core i5 750, 8 GB of RAM, a graphics card with 1 GB of memory and support for DirectX 11 and Shader Model 5.0, plus 85 GB of storage. CS2 has no official recommended requirements. Data verified on October 25, 2026 against the game’s Steam page and Valve’s release notes.
- Windows, minimum: Windows 10, 4 hardware threads (Core i5 750 or better), 8 GB RAM, a graphics card with 1 GB or more, DirectX 11 and Shader Model 5.0, 85 GB.
- Linux: Ubuntu 20.04, the same processor and 8 GB, an AMD GCN+ or NVIDIA Kepler+ graphics card with up-to-date Vulkan drivers.
- macOS: it isn’t on CS2’s platform list on Steam, only Windows and Linux are.
- Price: CS2 has been free since its launch on September 27, 2023.
CS2 system requirements in a table
The table mirrors the Counter-Strike 2 page on Steam. There’s no separate “Recommended” column because Valve doesn’t publish one.
| Parameter | Windows, minimum | Linux, minimum |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 | Ubuntu 20.04 |
| Processor | 4 hardware threads — Intel Core i5 750 or better | 4 hardware threads — Intel Core i5 750 or better |
| RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB |
| Graphics card | 1 GB of memory or more, DirectX 11 and Shader Model 5.0 compatible | AMD GCN+ or NVIDIA Kepler+ with up-to-date Vulkan drivers |
| Graphics API | DirectX 11 | Vulkan, VK_EXT_graphics_pipeline_library support preferred |
| Storage | 85 GB | 85 GB |
| Sound | Not listed | Sound card strongly recommended |
The “recommended CS2 requirements” tables you’ll find on other sites are their authors’ estimates, not Valve’s data. Check the storage figure against Steam too: it’s 85 GB now, while some sources still list smaller numbers. Leave some headroom: CS2 regularly gets updates with maps and items.
What “4 threads” and Shader Model 5.0 mean
- 4 hardware threads. A quad-core processor works, as does a dual-core one with Hyper-Threading / SMT that has four logical processors. The number of cores and logical processors is shown in Task Manager on the Performance tab, in the CPU section.
- DirectX 11 and Shader Model 5.0. This is a requirement for the graphics card itself: it must support DirectX 11 and Shader Model 5.0 in hardware. According to Microsoft, Windows 10 and 11 already come with the latest version of DirectX, so the limiting factor is usually the graphics card rather than the system.
- 1 GB of VRAM. This is the threshold for launching the game. Valve doesn’t say what resolution and frame rate the minimum is designed for.
CS2 on Mac, Linux and Steam Deck
On Steam, Counter-Strike 2 is listed for Windows and Linux only. There’s no macOS version on the platform list, so you can’t run CS2 on a Mac natively through Steam.
On Linux, the game runs on Vulkan, and Valve keeps refining that renderer: for example, the October 14, 2026 update improved Vulkan stability. On Steam Deck, according to Valve as of October 25, 2026, CS2 is rated Playable: the default controls work and performance is sufficient, but some button prompts don’t match the Deck, and small text is hard to read.
What else to keep in mind: Steam, VAC and Snap Tap keyboards
- Steam and internet. CS2 launches through the Steam client, and matches with other players require an internet connection.
- VAC anti-cheat. The game’s Steam listing says it uses Valve Anti-Cheat.
- Input automation. Since August 19, 2024, a player can be kicked from a match on Valve’s official servers if a single key press triggers several actions, whether through a script or a keyboard feature. Valve explicitly advises turning off modes like Snap Tap Mode before a match. Binds with several movement or attack commands no longer work by default.
Performance settings Valve has added
Valve describes these features in its English-language release notes, and the setting names below follow them.
- FPS cap. Since June 25, 2024, the advanced video settings have had a Frame Pacing section with Maximum FPS In Game / In Menus sliders.
- Settings suggestions. The game suggests picking your monitor’s maximum refresh rate and, with G-Sync on, enabling V-Sync and NVIDIA Reflex along with it. Valve notes that the frame rate will then be capped at the monitor’s refresh rate or slightly below.
- AMD Anti-Lag 2. Support arrived in the May 22, 2024 update.
- Hybrid processors. Since December 19, 2024, there’s a CPU Cores Usage Preference setting: it determines how the game uses performance and efficiency cores.
- Telemetry. Since February 2024, you can turn on a HUD element with performance data (Telemetry) in the game settings.
Can your PC run Counter-Strike 2? Check it in a minute
An estimate from the specs: graphics cards are compared by compute power (FP32, TFLOPS) and video memory from the Wikipedia tables, adjusted for the architecture (NVIDIA RTX 30–50, AMD RX 7000–9000 and Intel Arc count TFLOPS differently), processors by release year and thread count. The requirements come from our articles (publishers’ data, checked 30 October 2026). Real performance depends on drivers, settings and the game itself.
How to check your PC
Everything you need is in Windows. The paths come from Microsoft’s help page on device information.
Find your processor, memory and Windows version
Open Settings → System → About. Under “Device specifications,” you’ll find the processor and RAM amount; under “Windows specifications,” the edition and version. CS2 needs Windows 10 or later and at least 8 GB of RAM.
Result: You can see the processor, RAM amount and Windows version.
Identify your graphics card
Press Win + R, type dxdiag and confirm. The System tab shows the DirectX version; the Display tab shows the graphics card name and its memory: you need 1 GB or more.
Result: You know your graphics card model, its memory and the DirectX version.
Check your free space
In Settings, open System → Storage and check the free space on the drive where Steam is installed: CS2 needs 85 GB.
Result: You know whether there’s enough space for the game and its updates.
CS2 on a low-end PC: what to do
First, figure out exactly what falls short. A lack of performance can be eased with settings, but no setting will fix a two-thread processor, 4 GB of RAM or a graphics card without DirectX 11.
- Lower the resolution and graphics quality in CS2’s video settings, and cap FPS in menus so the graphics card doesn’t work for nothing.
- Update Windows and your graphics driver. In the February 23, 2026 update, for example, Valve fixed a performance issue that mostly affected Windows 10 users with newer Intel processors.
- Free up the system. Close background programs and go through our tips on speeding up Windows 11.
- Upgrade. If the graphics card is the bottleneck, see our graphics card roundup. And if your PC can’t handle CS2 at all, pick something lighter from our list of free PC games.
Sources and methodology
Analysis of public sourcesChecked 25 October 2026
- Steam — Counter-Strike 2 store.steampowered.com
- Valve — Release Notes for 9/27/2023 (CS2 launch) store.steampowered.com
- Valve — Release Notes for 6/25/2024 (video settings) store.steampowered.com
- Valve — Counter-Strike 2 Update (December 19, 2024) store.steampowered.com
- Microsoft — Find information about your Windows device support.microsoft.com
Frequently asked questions
Does CS2 have recommended system requirements?
No. As of October 25, 2026, Valve lists only minimum requirements for Windows and Linux on Steam.
How much space does CS2 take up?
According to Steam, you need 85 GB of free space on both Windows and Linux. Leave some headroom for updates.
Will CS2 run on 4 GB of RAM?
Not officially: Valve’s minimum is 8 GB of RAM.
Can you play CS2 on a Mac?
Not natively: on Steam, the game is available only for Windows and Linux, and there’s no macOS version.
Does CS2 work on Steam Deck?
Yes, Valve rates it Playable. The game runs with default settings, but some button prompts don’t match the Deck, and small text is hard to read.
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