The Pro Settings Meta in CS2: What the Best Are Using Right Now

Counter-Strike 2 has been out for a while, and professional players have dialed in their settings for peak performance. While much of the CS:GO meta has carried over, some adjustments have been made due to engine upgrades, shooting mechanics tweaks, and evolving hardware. Competitive play is all about precision, stability, and responsiveness meaning frame rates and input consistency always take priority over flashy visuals.

The most impactful prosettings revolve around mouse sensitivity, resolution and aspect ratio, and advanced video options. Here’s what the top CS2 players are actually using today.

Mouse Settings

Mouse settings are the backbone of any pro setup, and 400 DPI remains the dominant choice. The reasoning is simple it is what the pros have trusted for years, offering consistency and fine-tuned control. However, a growing number are switching to 800 DPI, a shift likely influenced by improvements in modern gaming mice.

Polling rate is another big factor. 1000 Hz has long been the gold standard, ensuring ultra-responsive tracking. But with new mice supporting 4000 Hz polling rates, some pros are making the jump for even lower input latency.

Most Used Mouse Settings Among CS2 Pros

• DPI: 400 (most common), 800 (growing trend)
• Sensitivity: 1.7 – 2.2 (for 400 DPI), ~1.25 (for 800 DPI)
• Polling Rate: 1000 Hz (standard), some shifting to 4000 Hz
• Zoom Sensitivity: 1.00 (default for scoped weapons)
• Windows Sensitivity: 6 (unchanged from default)

These settings are tuned for pinpoint aiming, ensuring every flick shot and micro-adjustment lands exactly where it should.

Resolution & Aspect Ratio

Most pros stick with the classic 4:3 stretched resolution, a preference that hasn’t changed from CS:GO. The go-to choice is 1280×960 stretched, which makes enemy models appear larger and easier to hit.

Despite offering a wider field of view, 16:9 resolutions remain unpopular due to smaller enemy model sizes, which make headshots trickier. Even with CS2’s lighting and contrast changes, 4:3 stretched continues to dominate.

Most Used Resolution & Viewmodel Settings in CS2

• Resolution: 1280×960 (4:3 Stretched, most popular)
• Aspect Ratio: 4:3 (boosts model size perception)
• Viewmodel Preset: Classic (presetpos 3 or 2)

Pro Viewmodel Example Configuration

• viewmodel_fov 68
• viewmodel_offset_x 2.5
• viewmodel_offset_y 0
• viewmodel_offset_z -1.5
• cl_righthand 1
• viewmodel_presetpos 3

These tweaks keep the weapon model out of the way, maximizing visibility for better crosshair placement.

Launch Options: No Longer a Big Deal in CS2

Back in CS:GO, launch options were a must for optimizing performance, but CS2 has made many of them obsolete. The only commonly used launch option now is -novid, which skips the intro video. Other commands, like "-tickrate 128" and "-high", are no longer necessary due to CS2’s revamped tick system and CPU management.

Advanced Video Settings: Performance First, Visuals Second

CS2 might have a new engine, but the pro community at ProSettings.gg sticks to a tried-and-true philosophy maximize FPS and minimize distractions. High frame rates and fast response times are always the priority.

Most Common Advanced Video Settings Among CS2 Pros

• Boost Player Contrast: Enabled (enhances visibility in darker areas)
• Wait for Vertical Sync (V-Sync): Disabled (prevents input lag)
• NVIDIA G-Sync: Disabled (avoids added latency)

NVIDIA Reflex Low Latency: Enabled (At the start of CS2 many players played with boost enabled but not anymore, now many of them have reflex disabled)

• Max FPS in Game: 400-999 (ensures smooth performance)

Graphics Settings for Maximum FPS

• Multisampling Anti-Aliasing (MSAA): 4x or 8x (best balance of clarity and performance)
• Global Shadow Quality: High (shadows provide enemy positioning cues)
• Dynamic Shadows: All (useful for tracking enemy movement)
• Model/ Texture Detail: Low (keeps FPS stable)
• Texture Filtering Mode: Bilinear (smooth textures without FPS hit)
• Shader Detail: Low (removes unnecessary visual effects)
• Particle Detail: Low (reduces visual clutter)
• Ambient Occlusion: Disabled (most pros prefer to turn this off for performance)
• High Dynamic Range (HDR): Quality (most pros prefer this over Performance)
• FidelityFX Super Resolution: Disabled (no pros use this setting)

While most CS2 pro players disable Ambient Occlusion to avoid unnecessary FPS drops, some opt for Medium or High because it adds a soft shadow around player models. This subtle shading can improve visibility by making enemies stand out slightly better against the environment.

How Donk is Shaping the Pro Meta

The influence of Danil "donk" Kryshkovets, widely regarded as the best CS2 player in the world right now, is impossible to ignore. Many of the current pro settings reflect his choices, and his success is pushing others to adopt the same approach. Whether it is his preference for 4:3 stretched or his advanced graphics options, his setup is becoming the gold standard for high-level play.

Conclusion

With the right hardware, training, and optimized settings, climbing the leaderboards is within reach. Following what the best are using provides a solid foundation, but mastery comes from refining skills through practice and consistency.