Counter-Strike 2 is free to play on Steam, but it asks for more than the old CS:GO. This page lists the official requirements from the Steam store page, checked on October 13, 2026, and explains what they mean for real play.
Key takeaways
- Steam lists only minimum requirements, no official recommended specs.
- You need 8 GB of RAM, a 4-thread CPU and a DirectX 11 graphics card with 1 GB of memory.
- Plan for 85 GB of free storage.
- Meeting the minimum means the game starts. Competitive play at high FPS needs a much stronger PC.
Official minimum requirements (Windows)
| Part | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10 |
| Processor | 4 hardware CPU threads, Intel Core i5 750 or higher |
| Memory | 8 GB RAM |
| Graphics | 1 GB or more video memory, DirectX 11 with Shader Model 5.0 |
| DirectX | Version 11 |
| Storage | 85 GB available space |
Linux and SteamOS
The same CPU, 8 GB of RAM and 85 GB of storage apply. The page asks for Ubuntu 20.04 and an AMD GCN or newer, or NVIDIA Kepler or newer, graphics card with up to date Vulkan drivers.
What to expect on weak hardware
On a PC near the minimum, expect low settings and frame rates that drop in smokes and big fights. Fixes that help most are lowering shadows and texture quality, turning off extra effects and closing background apps. Our CS2 settings guide covers sensitivity and video options, and the CS2 low FPS fix guide lists steps one by one.
Not sure your PC is ready? Try the Can my PC run it? calculator and the FPS calculator.
How to check your own PC
- Press Windows and R, type dxdiag and press Enter.
- On the System tab, read the processor and memory.
- On the Display tab, read the graphics card and its memory.
- Compare with the table above. Check free space on the drive where Steam is installed.
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