Build The Perfect PC For CS:GO

Building a PC for CS:GO soon? This guide will go through everything you need to know before you pick your parts in order to get the maximum fps (frames per second) for the money you spent. This guide will cover most price ranges.

The author is a community expert in PC hardware. On the Tom's Hardware forums the author is entitled to 12 expertise badges on CPU, Graphics Card, Motherboard, Overclocking, Power Supply, Gaming, AMD, ASUS, Gigabyte, Nvidia, Memory, Corsair, EVGA and Monitors.

Introduction

There are hundreds of gaming PC builds out there, so why would this guide even matter?
1. Those builds are generalized builds made for modern gaming, mostly AAA titles.
2. Most of the youtube video builds are part picked by youtubers that lack in depth knowledge in this field. Even famous youtubers that do build videos on a regular basis choose questionable parts. For example using a poor quality PSU for a gaming build.

This guide has been simplified so that it is easy to understand. If this guide was on an enthusiast level PC website the degree of details would be far beyond what you will read here. If you have any questions or would like detailed explanations feel free to comment and press subscribe to thread in order to receive the answer.

So, if you want a build a PC for CS:GO with the best price : performance ratio, keep reading!

This guide will discuss

CPU
Motherboard + CPU Cooler
RAM
Storage (HDD, SSD, SSHD)
GPU
PSU
Monitor

*Note: There are many more components to a PC, however the above are the most important parts to discuss for a PC build for the main purpose of playing CS:GO.

CPU

CPU = Central Processing Unit

CS:GO is a CPU based game. CPU based game meaning, it will take the most advantage of stronger CPU's.

To be more specific, CS:GO absolutely loves CPU's with strong per core performance. This has been evidently shown when you compare i5 4690K to a FX 8350. An i5 4690K usually yields more than 270fps on average. On the other hand, the FX 8350 with weaker per core power yields a less stable lower fps. (statistics, given that there are no other bottlenecks in the system)

So, what is the best CPU to use for CS:GO?
Intel's i5 series are the sweet spot for CS:GO. The i7 series will barely increase the fps because an i7 is simply an i5 with hyperthreading technology which lets the i7 act like an 8 core processor. CS:GO does not utilize more than 4 cores so having an i5 would be an excellent choice.

If you regularly stream, video edit, render, etc having an i7 will help if your budget allows.

What about the i3 series?
The i3 series are becoming more and more compelling every generation. Even the slowest skylake i3 6100 outperforms the FX 8350 in almost every gaming scenarios. Additionally, most people think that i3 is a dual core CPU. However, it incorporates hyperthreading technology to act like 4 cores. Just like how the i7 acts like it has 8 cores. All in all, if you are on a tight budget the i3 6100, i3 6200, i3 6300 and the i3 6350 are all excellent choices.

What about the FX 6000 series? (FX 6300, FX 6350)
As we discussed previously the FX series in general have poor per core power which means that it won't do very well in CS:GO compared to for example an i5 6400. In general i do not recommend the FX series for CS:GO

Summary: The i5 6400, i5 6500, i5 6600 or the i5 6600K are all excellent choices

Motherboard + CPU Cooler

The motherboard in general does not affect the performance of the build. However, you may want a better motherboard for it's better features like better audio, better lan ports, built in wifi, etc.

For non overclockable skylake CPU's, the following motherboard is an excellent option.
Asrock H170 Pro4






















If you are looking to overclock your CPU like the i5 6600K, buying a quality motherboard is key. The following are excellent options for unlocked skylake CPU's like the i5 6600K or i7 6700K

Asrock Z170 Pro4 = Mild - High Overclocking






















ASUS Z170-A = High - Very High Overclocking + SLI

















Asrock Fatal1ty Z170 Gaming K6+ = Very High - Extreme Overclocking + 3-Way SLI





















Asrock Z170 OC Formula = Extreme Overclocking + 4-Way SLI




















CPU cooling depends on how good/how much you want to overclock your CPU.

Mild Overclock = Hyper 212X, Cryorig H5, Cryorig H7
High Overclock = be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 3, Deepcool Lucifer
Very High Overclock = NH D15, Nepton 120XL, Nepton 140XL, Nepton 280L
Extreme Overclock = Custom Water Cooling Unit

RAM

Firstly, 4 GB of RAM is not recommend. Usually when playing CS:GO you will use around 4 GB of RAM in total so if you are multi-tasking, your RAM will bottleneck your system.

As said before, most of the time when you are running CS:GO you will only use 4 GB of RAM which means 8 GB is far more than you need.

For instance, when a couple photoshop tabs were on, several chrome tabs on and other light weight programs in the background + CS:GO will use 6 GB of RAM in the worst case scenario. (Assuming your photoshop tabs does not have a thousand layers)

All in all 8 GB kits are very cheap and great quality.

Do keep in mind that the speed of your RAM does not affect your gaming performance all that much. However, It does increase productivity in some tasks and specific programs that take advantage of the high speed RAM. In addition to the speed stated in Mhz, the CAS Latency (CL) should be taken into consideration. The lower the CL the faster the RAM.

Summary: For DDR3 8GB 1600 Mhz CL9 is an excellent choice. For DDR4 8GB 2133 Mhz CL 15 is an excellent choice.

Storage

There are three main types of storage, HDD, SSD and SSHD.

HDD is the standard. SSD's are very fast and SSHD's are in between those two.

SSD's and SSHD's are very helpful when it comes to booting up windows, shutting down and booting up games with big file sizes and big maps. However, CS:GO's file sizes are well optimized and the maps are not big enough to the point where purchasing an SSD would be worth the investment.

A clear example would be when my Seagate Barracuda 1TB usually joins/loads up the server slightly faster than my friend's Macbook Pro 15" 2.5Ghz. The Macbook Pro has a PCIe based SSD which should be much faster than my HDD.

Summary: WesternDigital Blue or Seagate Barracuda are both excellent choices. If you have a huge budget and want to boot up windows faster, purchasing an SSHD or SSD may be an ok option.

GPU

GPU = Graphics Processing Unit (AKA: Graphics Card)

CS:GO is an old game and clearly the graphics are light on the system so if the main purpose of your PC is to play CS:GO, the GPU does not need to be high end.

For example, a friend of mine uses a R9 260X a very entry level GPU, however adjusting the advanced video settings barely reduces or increases his fps, which means that his CPU is the bottleneck, not his GPU.

Keep in mind these recommendations are solely for CS:GO. You will need a better GPU if you are going to play more demanding titles.
If you are using a lower resolution than 1080P a R9 370 or GTX 950 is more than you need.
For 1080P monitors a R9 370 and GTX 950 will still do the job very well, however if you want to crank everything up to the max including filters, a R9 380 or GTX 960 will do the job with ease.
For 1440P monitors a R9 390 or GTX 970 or better is highly recommended.
For 4K monitors a R9 390X or GTX 980 or better is highly recommended.

Check out the GPU Model/Manufacturer Tier List[www.tomshardware.com].

Summary:
<1080P = R9 370 or GTX 950
1080P = R9 380 or GTX 960
1440P = R9 390 or GTX 970
4K = R9 390X or GTX 980

PSU

PSU = Power Supply Unit

The PSU does not directly impact your fps or any other performance, as long as you are receiving enough wattage.

However, it is important to purchase a good quality PSU. The following can occur with a poor quality PSU:
1. PSU may overheat
2. PSU may burn
3. PSU may explode and steam will come out from the PSU *this is not an understatement
4. PSU may fail to protect your more expensive components like the GPU

Additionally, PSU's can be very deceiving. Manufacturers will try to deceive you by stating it's efficiency rating, for example 80+ Gold. However, there are many PSU's with good efficiency but poor quality components. Take note that as long as your PSU is 80+ Bronze, the PSU's efficiency will be great.

The most common mistake that new/amateur builders make is to purchase a Corsair CX, for their gaming PC. It is horrendous to see youtubers recommend this poor quality PSUs. Corsair as a brand is excellent and I commend them for not using any flashy words or positive words to describe their CX lineup on their webpage. However, Corsair CX PSU's are poor quality, not appropriate for a gaming build and you can easily find another good quality PSU for a similar or lower price point.

For additional information on why the CX series are not appropriate for gaming or heavy load builds[www.overclock.net]

So, what PSU is good quality?

The following are my personal recommendation as they are usually budget friendly and great quality:
1. XFX TS
2. Seasonic M12II
3. EVGA GS
4. Antec HCG
5. Antec NeoEco

Check out this excellent PSU Tier List[www.tomshardware.com] to see what other PSU's are good quality. Anything on Tier 1 and 2 are great choices for gaming builds or others.

Next, do you need a modular PSU? Depends, modular means that you are able to remove and reconnect all the cables on your PSU. Some are semi-modular and some are fully modular. If it is modular you will have a bit more space on the bottom of your PC which will aid the airflow of the PC, especially if you want to install a fan on the bottom. Furthermore, your build in general will be more clean.

Finally, how much wattage do you need?
Check out this PSU Wattage Chart[www.realhardtechx.com]
Even if you are planning on overclocking your CPU or GPU, the wattage recommendation based on GPU on that chart will suffice. This is because the webpage compensates for the poor quality PSU's and if you have been following this guide, you will be getting a good quality PSU.
*if you have a FX 9000 series CPU you may want to get a higher wattage PSU

For example, if i have a i7 6700K and a R9 390, and i want to overclock both of them to the max,
purchasing a EVGA GS 650W PSU will be more than enough.

Compatibility/PC Part Picking

Check out PC Part Picker[pcpartpicker.com]

This website will tell you most of the compatibility issues you have with your build and makes your life easier.

On the top right you can adjust your nation/location if available to have localized prices and discounts.

An important thing to keep in mind is that the wattage that shows near the top right of the webpage should be disregarded and you should use the webpage provided in the PSU section of this guide.

Monitor

Monitor is a key part of a CS:GO based build as 120/144 hz gives you a strong advantage in the game.

These are the 144 hz monitors that professional CS:GO players use:

BenQ XL2411Z[www.newegg.com]
BenQ XL2410T[www.newegg.com]
BenQ XL2420T[www.newegg.com]
AOC G2460PQU[www.newegg.com]
ASUS VG248QE[www.newegg.com]
Viewsonic VX2268WM[www.newegg.com]
EIZO Foris FG2421[www.newegg.com]
Samsung SyncMaster 2233RZ[www.newegg.com]
Dell S2716DG[www.newegg.com]

Builds For CS:GO

*These builds are specifically for the usage of CS:GO

Entry Level $530

PCPartPicker part list[pcpartpicker.com]

CPU: Intel Core i3-6300 3.8GHz Dual-Core Processor[pcpartpicker.com]
Motherboard: ASRock H170M Pro4 Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard[pcpartpicker.com]
Memory: Mushkin Blackline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2400 Memory[pcpartpicker.com]
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive[pcpartpicker.com]
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 950 2GB Video Card[pcpartpicker.com]
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case[pcpartpicker.com]
Power Supply: EVGA 430W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply[pcpartpicker.com]
Total: $538.82
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
*Keep in mind that the PSU above is not the great quality, but since the system is so efficient and non-demanding this economically outstanding PSU is a concrete option.
This build does not include an Optical Drive or OS

Solid Choice $680

PCPartPicker part list[pcpartpicker.com]

CPU: Intel Core i5-6500 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor[pcpartpicker.com]
Motherboard: ASRock H170 Pro4 ATX LGA1151 Motherboard[pcpartpicker.com]
Memory: Mushkin Blackline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2400 Memory[pcpartpicker.com]
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive[pcpartpicker.com]
Video Card: Asus Radeon R9 380 2GB Video Card[pcpartpicker.com]
Case: NZXT S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case[pcpartpicker.com]
Power Supply: XFX TS 550W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply[pcpartpicker.com]
Total: $679.63
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
This build does not include an Optical Drive or OS

Sweet Spot $820

PCPartPicker part list[pcpartpicker.com]

CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor[pcpartpicker.com]
CPU Cooler: CRYORIG H7 49.0 CFM CPU Cooler[pcpartpicker.com]
Motherboard: ASRock Z170 Pro4 ATX LGA1151 Motherboard[pcpartpicker.com]
Memory: Mushkin Blackline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2400 Memory[pcpartpicker.com]
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive[pcpartpicker.com]
Video Card: XFX Radeon R9 380X 4GB DD XXX OC Video Card[pcpartpicker.com]
Case: NZXT S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case[pcpartpicker.com]
Power Supply: XFX TS 550W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply[pcpartpicker.com]
Total: $822.09
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
This build does not include an Optical Drive or OS

Outstanding $1070

PCPartPicker part list[pcpartpicker.com]

CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor[pcpartpicker.com]
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Nepton 140XL 122.5 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler[pcpartpicker.com]
Motherboard: Asus Z170-A ATX LGA1151 Motherboard[pcpartpicker.com]
Memory: Mushkin Blackline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2400 Memory[pcpartpicker.com]
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive[pcpartpicker.com]
Video Card: XFX Radeon R9 390 8GB Double Dissipation Video Card[pcpartpicker.com]
Case: Fractal Design Define R5 w/Window (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case[pcpartpicker.com]
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA GS 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply[pcpartpicker.com]
Total: $1067.65
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
This build does not include an Optical Drive or OS

Streaming/Video Rendering $1330

PCPartPicker part list[pcpartpicker.com]

CPU: Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor[pcpartpicker.com]
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Nepton 140XL 122.5 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler[pcpartpicker.com]
Motherboard: Asus Z170-A ATX LGA1151 Motherboard[pcpartpicker.com]
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws 4 series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory[pcpartpicker.com]
Storage: Seagate 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Hybrid Internal Hard Drive[pcpartpicker.com]
Video Card: XFX Radeon R9 390 8GB Double Dissipation Video Card[pcpartpicker.com]
Case: Fractal Design Define R5 w/Window (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case[pcpartpicker.com]
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA GS 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply[pcpartpicker.com]
Total: $1329.68
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
This build does not include an Optical Drive or OS

For 4K $1550

PCPartPicker part list[pcpartpicker.com]

CPU: Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor[pcpartpicker.com]
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Nepton 140XL 122.5 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler[pcpartpicker.com]
Motherboard: ASRock Z170 Extreme7+ ATX LGA1151 Motherboard[pcpartpicker.com]
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws 4 series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory[pcpartpicker.com]
Storage: Seagate 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Hybrid Internal Hard Drive[pcpartpicker.com]
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 4GB Superclocked ACX 2.0 Video Card[pcpartpicker.com]
Case: Fractal Design Define R5 w/Window (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case[pcpartpicker.com]
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA GS 650W 80+ Gold Certified[pcpartpicker.com]

So, why do you need so much frames per second (fps)?

Here is an excellent video on this topic

Words From The Author

Have any questions? Feel free to comment down below! Make sure to check subscribe to thread if you want to get a notification when I give you an answer. I will most likely be able to get reply to your question unless i am on a trip, etc.

Feeling Generous?
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[Krystal]

How to get free skins?
1) Go to pvpro .com(remove the space)
2) Start registration
3) In RAF code, use: KrySTaL100
4) Get 10000 coins and buy skins

Как получить бесплатные скины?
Заходим на pvpro .com(убираем пробел)
Регистрируемся
Используем Refcode: KrySTaL100
Получаем 10000 монет и покупаем скины

[Gymblonski]

Whats bettter ASUS DUAL gtx 1060 GB or Gigabyte AORUS GeForce GTX 1060 OC 6GB

[!eibehbeh]

update for builds are latest Core i5/7, unlocked overclocked as high as possible for those wondering. so intel 8700k or 8600k.

CSGO relies on Instructions Per Cycle, or IPC. Currently those two chips at their highest clocks will give you the best you can buy.

[jungy4]

I see that this article was written last year. Are the spec recommendations the same now?

[Noob]

You sir are a legend. This is exactly what I wanted.... what build would best suit CSGO

[SoulReaver40]

Solid Choice $680 how many fps?

[tryckovski.]

How much fps ill have if i buy
Intel Pentium G4560 3.50ghz
Asus STRIX R7 370 2GB
8GB ram

lowest settings, 1024x768 streched

[wat]

I have an i5 but my fps average is 60-90. Please help. To be exact I have an Intel Core i5-6400 CPU @ 2.70GHz 2.71 GHz

[jay]

that pc build for 680 how many frames will I get when playing on high settings?

[Adrenalin]

any combo with 1070 what cpu i need