Make your sniping stylish with the best AWP skins in CSGO

By Kenneth Williams

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May 20, 2022

Reading time: 5 min

The best AWP skins can make you look cool even when you miss the easiest of flicks in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.

When picking the best AWP skins for CSGO, there’s no room for subtlety. The loudest gun deserves the loudest skins, especially since it costs so much in-game. Players only get to buy an AWP a couple of times per half, so it’s best to make any fashion statement count. If you’re in the market for a new sniper style, here are the best AWP skins across different price points and which option is the absolute most expensive.

The best AWP skins in all of CSGO

Our top five AWP skins are based on the best options at different price points. Not everyone has enough free cash to buy a perfect Factory New StatTrack™. For those with spending money, there are a few expensive options later in the list. All prices listed were accurate at the time of writing but are subject to change.

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5. POP AWP ($3.34)

AWP skins tend to be some of the most expensive cosmetics in all of CSGO, so budget sniper skins are always appreciated. The POP AWP from the 2021 Train collection is still incredibly cheap, with a Factory New version asking just over three dollars. Despite its low rarity, the bright colors and chaotic pattern make is an excellent starter AWP skin. The end of Operation Riptide means that there won’t be many more 2021 Train skins popping up, especially since the map is no longer played competitively. That makes the POP AWP one of the best cheap play skins and a decent CSGO investment.

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4. Atheris ($13)

When the Prisma collection first came out, most CSGO fans immediately focused on the fancy new knives. The AWP | Atheris was immediately overlooked, which is part of why the exotic pattern is still so cheap today. Clean examples cost just under $13 on the Steam community market. For players on strict budgets, the Atheris is one of the few AWP skins that still looks decent at Battle-scarred. The damage patterns seem to avoid the snake, which creates a cool minimalist look at high float values.

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3. Redline ($65)

The AWP is the most iconic weapon in CSGO, and the Redline is arguably the most iconic AWP skin. It’s no Dragon Lore, but its unmistakable side profile makes the AWP Redline one of the best classic skins in CSGO. It can feel like everyone owned a Redline at some point, but keeping it for good is a financially sound decision. Low-float Redlines currently go for around $65, which isn’t bad considering the skin’s prestige and high float floor. Pair it with the AK-47 | Redline for an awesome color-coordinated T-side loadout.

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2. Silk Tiger ($296)

There’s a massive price gap between the Redline and Silk Tiger on our list of best CSGO AWP skins, but it’s a jump worth taking. The Silk Tiger is one of the cheapest exclusive AWP skins. At a hair under $300 for Factory New, this skin marks the end of the play skins and the beginning of the true showpieces. This skin is extremely rare, as the Havoc collection was only available through Operation Broken Fang. The price is slowly increasing as more players attempt AK-47 | X-Ray tradeups, so grab it now before it spikes further.

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1. The Prince ($3,250)

It’s easy to balk at the four-figure asking price, but The Prince is easily the best CSGO AWP skin in the game from an aesthetics perspective. The striking red base is accented with an ornate gold border and intricate engravings. The Latin in the middle translates to “Peace unto you, Mark, my Evangelist,” which is a reference to the historical figure Saint Mark the Evangelist. The next line of the phrase is “Here thy body will rest,” which could be interpreted as a warning to anyone peeking mid. The Prince starts at $2,000 for the Battle-scarred version up to $3,250 for Factory New. As the top skin of the coveted Canals collection, most examples are bought and sold on third-party trading websites.

Dragon Lore is still the most expensive AWP skin in CSGO

For the truly extravagant, the AWP | Dragon Lore is the most expensive skin for CSGO’s iconic sniper rifle. Factory New examples sell for around $10,000 as of mid-2022.

The Dragon Lore has long been the most coveted skin in CSGO, and for good reason. The skin is part of the Cobblestone map collection, which is no longer played in competitive CSGO. It’s also a covert map skin, which is incredibly expensive and risky to trade up for. There are very few Dragon Lores on the market, which only drives the price up further.

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The Dragon Lore used to be an obvious pick for the most expensive CSGO skin, but a few different options have crept up on it. The AWP | Gungnir fetches similar prices, with Factory New examples recently fetching $8,499. Several ultra-rare knives like black pearl karambits and perfect blue gem Case Hardened knives can sell for upwards of five figures. The small handful of Souvenir Dragon Lores also go for ridiculous prices. But as far as normal AWP skins go, the Dragon Lore is still the king.