Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) specs and system requirements revealed

Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) has received a lot of big changes, including new system requirements and recommended specs. With the shift to the Source 2 engine, the game has been overhauled with additions like volumetric smoke, a shift to sub-tick servers, and a complete visual overhaul with cleaner UI and brighter colors while maintaining the core feeling of CS:GO.

With such a massive revamp to CS2's core system, Valve has also introduced new minimum and recommended system specs requirements. CS:GO is known for its very low system requirements, and it can run on virtually anything. The same applies to its successor.

Let's take a look at the CS2 system requirements for Windows PC and Linux.

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Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) system requirement for Windows PC

Counter-Strike 2 has low system requirements for Windows PCs. Barring the 8 GB RAM, the minimum CPU and GPU requirements are available in almost any modern PC.

With that being said, let's take a look at the minimum system requirements and the recommended specs for CS2.

CS2 minimum system requirements

• Memory: 8 GB
• Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce 610M
• CPU: Intel Core i5-750
• OS: Windows 10

CS2 recommended specs

• Memory: 16 GB
• Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070
• CPU: Intel Core i7-9700K
• OS: up to Windows 11

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Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) system requirement for SteamOS and Linux

Counter-Strike 2 is also available to play on Linux and SteamOS systems. The recommended specs for it on these platforms are as follows:

CS2 recommended specs for Linux

• Memory: 8 GB RAM
• CPU: 4 hardware CPU threads - Intel® Core™ i5 750 or higher
• Graphics Card: AMD Radeon RX 460 or NVIDIA NVIDIA GeForce GT 630
• Sound Card: Highly recommended
• OS: Ubuntu 20.04

CS2 is playable on Valve Steam Deck and is Steam Deck-verified.

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Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) storage size revealed

CS2 requires a minimum of 85 GB of free storage. This is the biggest update to CS:GO, increasing the size from around 30 GB to more than double.

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What's new in Counter-Strike 2 (CS2)?

As mentioned, CS2 is the biggest update to the popular esports title Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. It brings massive changes to the game after a decade, turning it into the next iteration of the franchise.

The most significant change in CS2 is undoubtedly the shift to the Source 2 engine. It brings a new, cleaner, and vibrant visual overhaul while maintaining the authentic look and feel of the original game.

The title also has a new UI that carries a cleaner design. The most important factor is that it replaces the weapon wheel design with a more streamlined table one for the buy period.

Another massive change is the introduction of volumetric smoke, which fills the space according to the map and drastically reduces smoke peaking. Shooting or throwing a Molotov in the smoke also disperses it, creating a line of sight.

All in all, CS2 has rejuvenated excitement and interest in the franchise, bringing back older players and introducing Counter-Strike to new players.