Best Gaming PC Build for CS:GO – For Improved CS:Go Gameplay Experience

In this feature, we’re going to talk about the best gaming build for CS:GO regardless of your hardware choices. Whether you are a complete noob to PC gaming or you already have the tech knowledge, our guide would greatly help you!

Are you looking to improve your gameplay experience in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive? Despite being more than a decade old, this first-person shooter is still one of the most played video games today. 

If you feel like your computer is holding you back, then it’s time to tip the scales. Experience CS:GO the way the developers have intended you to. 

While it may sound daunting to some of you, it’s really not. All you need is patience and some understanding of the basic components. But first, let’s know about CS:GO and the best settings to run it with.

About Counter-Strike: Global Offensive PC requirements

Unlike gaming consoles, PC gaming has much more flexibility in terms of performance and visual eye candy. However, unlike their little siblings, PC gaming is a much more expensive hobby, and it demands your money… tons of it. But don’t worry too much about it, as we’re going to focus on what it takes for you to play right away.

Anyway, let’s talk about what Valve recommends if you want to play CS:GO:

Minimum Requirements

Not really techy about specs? Don’t worry, this basically means that you can play with the best gaming PC built for CS:GO even on a very old system. However, judging from the specs listed above, your mileage and expectations of “smooth” may vary. If you want a smoother gaming experience, then you need to have a higher FPS count on average. We’ll talk about this more later.

Our Recommendation

If you’re using a computer that has these requirements, then go ahead and give CS:GO a shot. That’s the best benchmark to use when setting your expectations. However, if you can’t be bothered and you just want to play right away, then check out the builds we have down below.

No-Compromise Best Gaming PC Build for CS:GO

The title says it all. This is the no-compromise best gaming build you can get yourself for 2022. Whether you’re playing CS:GO competitively or planning to broaden your gaming horizons, you need a rig that can roll with the punches. 

For this build, I would like to say sorry to AMD fanboys because 12th Gen Intel processors are the absolute gaming king. We’re talking about the best gaming PC build for CS:GO after all.

The beauty about this build is that it can not only play CS:GO in absolute balls-to-the-wall settings, but it can also handle every game you throw at it for the next 2 years (minimum). However, prepare to spend a fortune, especially when you’re getting the best GPU and processor available on the market today.

Like what we’ve mentioned above, the pandemic has made computer hardware even more expensive because of the ever-growing demand. Hopefully, we’ll get to see the prices normalize in the coming years once the supply catches up.

Our advice

If you have dispensable income and you’re willing to spend more than $4,000 bucks on a rig, then by all means! However, if you’re willing to wait, we highly recommend waiting for prices to drop before you make a big purchase.

Also see: Two of the best PS2 Emulators for PC

The Sweet Spot Gaming Build for CS:GO

If you don’t have enough spending power to buy the best gaming PC build for CS:GO, then your best bet is finding the sweet spot between performance and cost. If your budget is between $1,000 and $2,000 bucks, then you will love the options available here. 

Team Red? Team Blue? Team I-don’t-really-care-as-long-as-I-can-play-on-it? Regardless of your brand loyalty, we have some amazing recommendations for your PC this 2022. Let’s get started, shall we?

Team Red

If you’re a loyal AMD fan, then this build should be right for you. Granted that it doesn’t have the top-of-the-line specs of today, it will still get the job done. Here’s what you need to get the sweet spot for Team Red.

With this build, expect to max out with the best gaming PC build for CS:GO with minimal effort. However, if you’re planning to game on a 240hz monitor or higher, you need to invest in a much more expensive processor like the Ryzen 9 5900X processor. However, if you’re goal is to play with at least 144fps at 1440p resolution, then this rig is more than enough.

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AMD Ryzen 9 5900X 12-core, 24-Thread Unlocked Desktop Processor

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Team Blue/Green

When gamers choose Intel processors, you can automatically assume that they will pair it with an Nvidia graphics card. With our entry, it’s exactly like that. Consider this a no-compromise gaming rig… lite edition. To achieve this build, you need these parts:

Team Red/Green

Here’s an unpopular build that might raise some eyebrows. However, since 2016, this pairing has become more and more common. Whether you acknowledge it or not, it’s here to stay. With that being said, be sure to get these parts:

Is pairing the RTX 3060 Ti with an AMD CPU really a good idea? Our answer: YES! Remember folks, AMD was the king of processors just a couple of years ago, so most gamers have switched to Ryzen with Nvidia because it was the logical sense. If you’re looking for the best gaming PC build for CS:GO without spending a fortune, this is a great option to take.

EVGA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti XC Gaming, 08G-P5-3663-KL, 8GB GDDR6, Metal Backplate, LHR

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The Bare Minimum Gaming Build for CS:GO

What if you only have a maximum budget of $1,000 bucks? Is it still possible to play the best gaming PC build for CS:GO with such a budget?

Yes, but with a huge asterisk.

Let’s be realistic here. Because of the current GPU and hardware shortages happening in the tech industry, not everyone has the budget to acquire the best gaming PC build for CS:GO. However, if you’re willing to compromise in tech advancements, and you just want to experience the game with more than 30 FPS, then you will definitely love these build ideas.

Disclaimer: As much as possible, we’re not recommending used PC parts especially if you’re not very well-versed in computer hardware. Apart from the risk of buying defective parts with no warranty, you might run into compatibility issues down the road.

Team Red

Team Red has cooked up something very appetizing for gamers on a budget. Thanks to Ryzen APUs, achieving playable frames is now achievable! Here’s what you need to get:

While it won’t deliver a jaw-dropping performance in gaming, it’s still capable of providing a tolerable gaming experience. The best part? You have a potential upgrade path once you feel like you have extra cash to spend. Buying a budget RTX 3050 Ti or GTX 1660 Ti can give you the feeling of having the best gaming PC build for CS:GO. 

Team Blue/Green

While Intel’s Xe Integrated Graphics has taken a huge step in raw performance over its predecessors, it’s still not a very interesting gaming machine for 1080p. Anyway, here’s our recommendation: 

While the 12th gen i3 processor might sound underpowered, you might get surprised at what it can do for a quad-core processor. If you’re playing at a budget 144hz monitor, the i3 is decent enough to drive your game to the upper 100 frames. Combined with a decent graphics card, buttery-smooth gaming is possible!

Team Red/Green

For this column’s wildcard, it will be a slightly older processor paired with a current-gen or next-gen graphics card (totally up to you). If you’re interested in ray tracing technology and DLSS, then the answer is pretty simple. Anyway, here’s our recommendation: 

With this build, you can expect your processor to drive up the frames for CS:GO, and with the power of Nvidia, it can deliver really good frame rates. The great thing about AMD is its backward compatibility, so if you decide to upgrade your processor in the next year or so, you can still use the rest of your rig!

Wildcard CS:GO PC Build – Pre-Built System Units and Laptops

If you really want to save a buck, then there’s no harm in checking out pre-built desktops or laptops available online. Before the pandemic struck, we would never recommend this. Nowadays, it’s a great option. 

With that being said, here are our recommendations for this category:

Skytech Shadow Gaming PC Desktop

Skytech Shadow Gaming PC Desktop – INTEL Core i5 10400F 2.9 GHz, RTX 3050, 1TB NVME SSD, 8G DDR4 3200, 600W GOLD PSU, AC Wi-Fi, Windows 10 Home 64-bit

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If you have a thousand bucks, and you want to experience 1080p gaming with decent specs or have the best gaming PC build for CS:GO under 1 grand, then this is a very suitable option… if you’re willing to go pre-built, that is. Here’s what you will get for your money:

The thing we don’t like about pre-builts is that they tend to cheap out on motherboards, power supplies, and RAMs. Fortunately, they all come with warranties for your peace of mind. However, say something bad happened, are you willing to wait a month or two to get a replacement?

Pro-Tip: If you end up buying a pre-built PC, our best recommendation is to save some money to replace the PSU with a more reliable one. Remember, skimping out on a power supply is one of the primary causes of a house fire.

Gigabyte G5 MD Gaming Laptop

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GIGABYTE G5 MD - 15.6" FHD IPS Anti-Glare 144Hz, Intel Core i5, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti, GPU 4GB GDDR6, 16GB Memory, 512GB SSD, Win10 Home, Gaming Laptop (G5 MD-51US123SH)

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Gone are the days when it’s very hard to recommend a gaming laptop below $1,000. Today, gaming on one is not a very far-fetched idea. Here are the specs of this bad boy:

For close to $1,100 bucks, you’re going to get the best gaming PC build for CS:GO with style. Being able to bring your gaming rig around is such a treat. As long as you properly care for its ventilation, then you’re all set for the next 2-3 years.

Pro-Tip: To prolong your laptop’s lifespan, be sure to have it serviced (if in warranty) to prevent dust build-up. Adding additional storage is also a very good upgrade path especially if you use your device for more than gaming.

Also see: Best Emulators for GameCube

Conclusion

Congratulations! You probably know by now which is the best gaming PC build for CS:GO according to your preferences. We really hope that you can get your money’s worth, especially when buying at a time of tech shortage.

So which build are you planning to get this 2022? Are you Team Blue or Team Red? Nvidia or Radeon? Why don’t you share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section? We’d love to have a healthy conversation as to why choose one brand over the other. 

Tune in for more upcoming tech and gaming-related goodies coming your way!

Last update on 2023-06-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API