Why My FPS Suddenly Drop In CS:GO And How To Fix It?

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) is an online multiplayer, tactical first-person shooter competitive game that Valve and Hidden Path Entertainment developed.

A sudden drop in frames in a competitive game can cause lag and delays, which affect the player’s gameplay. It can be frustrating for competitive gamers because every frame matters for the best performance. That is why ESport players and tournaments use high-end PCs for maximum performance.

This article will discuss why you are experiencing a sudden drop in FPS and what causes it. We will also discuss various aspects of getting high FPS in CS:GO. So, without further ado, let’s dive straight into the topic.

Why My FPS Suddenly Drop In CS:GO And How To Fix It?

It is due to low system compatibility, misconfigured settings, power issues, and driver updates. In the modern era of ESports, more frames and a higher refresh rate matter a lot. FPS fluctuations can be annoying in competitive matches. It can hinder the performance of a player resulting in a loss.

The causes of FPS drops and how to fix them are discussed below, but before you start troubleshooting, ensure your computer meets the minimum specifications for playing CS:GO smoothly. These requirements are to run CS:GO at a minimum of 60 FPS using low graphic settings.

System Requirements for CS:GO

System Features	Minimum Requirements	Ideal Requirements
Operating System	Windows 7 or higher	Windows 10 or 11
Processor	Intel Pentium Dual Core E5700 3GHz / AMD Phenom 8750 Triple-Core or better	Intel Pentium Quad Core Processor
Memory	Minimum 2 GB RAM	8 GB RAM
Graphics	AMD Radeon HD 6670 or NVIDIA GeForce GT 630 (DirectX 9 Compatible Graphics Card) or better	RX 560 or GTX 1650

These requirements are only meant to run the game at 60 frames per second, but competitive games like CS:GO require more frames for better response time and minimum delay. Monitors with high refresh rates are also recommended for quick responses and smooth gameplay.

Graphics Settings

Video graphic settings play the most crucial part in the frames of a game. Reducing the graphics can potentially increase the frame rate. Lowering the graphic settings is significant in competitive games like CS:GO. Not only does it increase the FPS, but it also makes the game’s response faster.

Most competitive gamers recommend lowering the graphics of CS:GO and other competitive titles because this helps to boost the frames. To adjust your CS: GO’s graphic settings, just go to the settings menu and click “Advanced Video,” and low your settings as shown in the picture below.

High Latency or Ping

Unstable internet with high pings can also cause lag, significantly lowering the frames. Upgrading and diagnosing your internet connection can fix ping issues and make the game response faster. Pings are totally dependent on your ISP, so you should contact your service provider regarding this issue.

In some cases, restarting the server, clearing the modem’s cache, and diagnosing your network adapter can reduce pings. Changing the server of CS:GO and setting the maximum pings to your lowest available limit can easily short out this lag.

Many of the competitive players play CS:GO in a 4:3 ratio lowering their resolution. That makes a huge difference because high-resolution rendering takes more frames to load and cycle. Lowering your game resolution can sometimes result in pixelated graphics, so don’t stretch it too much.

Power Consumption

Even if you have a good GPU but a low-end PSU that doesn’t utilize its full performance and capability, this can result in low voltage reducing the performance and rendering capacity of the GPU. Hence, the frames get affected, and electric fluctuations can cause FPS to drop.

Configuring the power plan of Windows can easily help to eliminate this bug because it will always use high performance for power and will consume more by giving them a lot of frames. To do that, go to “Control Panel” and then “Hardware and Sound” settings; now click “Power Options” and select High Performance in the additional plans below.

Applying Config

A configuration file is the user’s modified settings of the games. It can be accessed, modified, and replaced. There are many configs available on the internet that are specially modified for low-end PCs to increase the frame rate. These CFGs have some display settings disabled and graphical settings low.

To replace or modify these files, you need to find CS: GO’s config folder under the path: <STEAM>\userdata\<YOURID>\730\local\cfg, as mentioned below in the picture. The first file, “config.cfg,” is the main configuration file for all your CS:GO game settings.

Disable Trusted Mode

Trusted mode is a built-in feature in Steam that works as an anti-cheat to stop players from cheating. But running third-party applications can lead to unwanted load to the CPU that can seriously lead to frames loss. Turning it off for good can be useful.

But this mode also stops the players from running any of the third-party apps that interact with the game to avoid cheating or binding. You can easily turn it off by opening your Steam, right-clicking on CS:GO, and opening properties. Select the “Launch Options” and type “-untrusted” in the field and apply.

Verifying Integrity Of Game Files

Sometimes, different installation errors or update failures can cause the game to lag and become unstable. All of the game files are very important and must be updated. Verifying these files’ integrity can fix many bugs without re-installing the whole game.

To verify the integrity files of CS:GO, open your Steam and right-click on CS:GO, then open properties and go to “Local Files.” Here, click the third option, “Verify integrity of game files…” and you are good to go. It will take a while to process and re-download some of the files if required, be patient.

Updating Windows And Drivers

Yes, updating the Windows and graphic drivers can fix the lag issues you’re facing. The latest Windows has advanced and new graphics drivers compared to previous versions because everything updates daily, from games to other utility software.

To update your Windows, go to the settings and open the “Update & Security” panel. Click on “Check for updates,” and it will download and install the available updates. The PC may require to restart after the completion of downloading, just make sure don’t turn off your system while updating, or it will corrupt the Windows.

Updating the drivers of your GPU is also necessary. The valve may require the new driver changes to work better as the game gets updated. To update your graphic drivers, simply go to your GeForce Experience/AMD Adrenalin software to manually check and update the drivers.

Image-8 (Drivers Update)

Why Does My CS:GO FPS Drop From 300 To 100?

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is a CPU-intensive game, which means it uses CPU over GPU to process and render frames. Performance can hinder if you have a low-end PC with an old processor. Updating the processor can permanently fix sudden frame drops.

It can also happen if you run CS:GO on high settings but with an old GPU. It is also possible that your computer doesn’t have enough power to run the game smoothly. Just follow all the steps mentioned above to get rid of lag and FPS drop.

Is 120 FPS Good Enough For CS:GO?

120 FPS can be decent enough to play CS:GO and other competitive games, but the ESports level requires over 240 FPS with almost the same Hertz monitors for players to perform better. Monitors with higher refresh rates make a significant difference in response rates.

Moreover, if you still want to get more FPS, you also have to use high-end hardware, including the CPU, GPU, and RAM. All this hardware helps you get more FPS to make your gameplay smoother.

Conclusion

The graphic settings of your CSGO make the most significant difference in frames. Lowering the settings can easily boost your FPS and gameplay. Some players use specialized configurations to lower and modify game settings. 

In CS:GO, sudden reductions in FPS can significantly impact gameplay, causing lag and delays. Competitive gamers who depend on optimal performance may find this exasperating. Low system compatibility, misconfigured settings, power issues, and out-of-date drivers contribute to FPS reductions. 

To address these issues, you must verify that your computer meets the CS:GO system requirements. Effective troubleshooting steps include adjusting graphic settings, optimizing internet latency, managing power consumption, implementing specific configurations, disabling Trusted Mode, and verifying the integrity of game files.

In addition, Windows and graphics driver updates are required for optimal performance. Additionally, FPS drops can be caused by outdated processors or insufficient GPU capacity. Following these steps and sustaining a high FPS count, preferably above 240 FPS on a monitor with a high refresh rate, will improve your CS:GO experience and responsiveness during competitive play.