Launch options are the fastest and easiest way to improve CS2 performance. They're applied before the game even loads, affecting how the engine allocates resources and how it interacts with your hardware.
How to Set Launch Options in CS2
Open Steam, right-click Counter-Strike 2, select Properties → General. You'll see a Launch Options text field at the bottom. Paste your options there separated by spaces.
Core Performance Launch Options
- -novid — skips the Valve intro video on startup
- +fps_max 0 — removes FPS cap for maximum frames
- -high — sets process priority to High in Windows
- -fullscreen — forces true exclusive fullscreen for lower latency
- -d3d9ex — improves scheduling and alt-tab performance
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See Services →Advanced Launch Options
- -threads [number] — manually set CPU thread count (use your physical core count)
- +cl_forcepreload 1 — preloads map textures to reduce in-game stutters
- -nojoy — disables joystick support if you don't use a controller
- +mat_queue_mode 2 — forces multi-threaded rendering
Launch Options to Avoid
Avoid -tickrate 128 — it does nothing in CS2. Avoid -freq and -refresh — these are ignored by CS2's engine. Focus only on verified working options listed above.