win.gg
Win.gg Counter-Strike These small CSGO FPS mistakes could be wrecking your performance

These small CSGO FPS mistakes could be wrecking your performance

Author Icon
William Davis Published 28/03/2022

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive isn’t hard for most systems to run, but the path to achieving maximum FPS is full of small mistakes that are easy to make if you don’t know any better.

While most games treat high FPS as a matter of improved visuals alone, it has a concrete impact on player performance in CSGO. More visual updates mean the opportunity for faster reactions, a crucial factor in fast-paced firefight. There are many methods available to boost CSGO performance, but simple hardware mistakes can hamper your game regardless of such settings. Here are three silly mistakes that could be destroying your FPS in CSGO.

Bypassing the GPU is an easy mistake that wrecks CSGO FPS

This first of three CSGO FPS mistakes is easy to make, especially if you’re not too familiar with computer hardware. By plugging a computer monitor into the wrong slot on the back of the computer, gamers can completely bypass the graphics card. This results in CSGO running solely on the CPU, which cripples performance.

To check for this problem, take a look at the back of your computer. If the monitor is plugged into the same panel as the USB slots, it’s probably bypassing the GPU. To fix it, switch the cable to the GPU normally below the panel horizontally. You might have to download some drivers and programs if you’ve never actually used the GPU before.

The GPU is often the most expensive part of a gaming computer, so double-check your cables to make sure you’re getting your money’s worth. Just keep in mind that some computers don’t have a GPU. In such cases, leave the monitor plugged into the motherboard.

Nvidia and AMD filters shred in-game performance

Even if the GPU is plugged in and working fine, it may still be messing up CSGO’s in-game performance. Both Nvidia and AMD offer unique filters and adjustments meant to improve visual clarity in a ton of different games. While usually quite useful, they can often drop performance in games where a higher FPS is crucial.

For Nvidia, open up GeForce Experience and navigate to the CSGO menu. Click the wrench icon in the bottom right and drag the slider all the way to the performance side of the spectrum. AMD users should head to Radeon Settings and find the CSGO tab. Turn down every setting manually. This will eliminate any visual upgrades mistakenly applied, which helps to maximize your FPS in CSGO.

144hz monitors are useless in CSGO without the right settings  

One of the most common upgrades for hardcore CSGO gamers is a high refresh rate monitor, but not adjusting to the right settings can make this expensive upgrade completely useless. Even the best gaming monitor will default to 60 hertz when plugged in for the first time. An FPS counter might show over 200 frames, but players can only see 60 of them per second if their monitors aren’t set up for it.

To check for this potential issue, go to the desktop and right-click on an empty space. Open up the Display settings option and scroll down to the advanced display settings option. Open it and scroll down to the refresh rate tab, then change it to the highest setting possible.

Keep in mind that certain monitors might need a certain cable to reach higher refresh rates. DisplayPort is the safest bet, but later-generation HDMI cables should also work.

William Davis
About William Davis

View full profile
Read Also
Team Spirit vs Team Falcons IEM Cologne Major: betting predictions and picks Counter-Strike
Team Spirit vs Team Falcons IEM Cologne Major: betting predictions and picks Owen Harsono We’re in for a treat, as Team Spirit will take on Team Falcons for a spot in the IEM Cologne Major grand final. Will NiKo finally get another shot at winning a Major, or will donk and company prevent him from accomplishing his lifelong goal? Here are our IEM Cologne Major Team Spirit vs Team Falcons predictions. Tournament: IEM Cologne Major 2026 Stage: Semi-Final Game: Counter-Strike 2 Format: Best-of-three Betting ...
Vitality vs Falcons betting predictions and best picks: IEM Cologne Major 2026 Counter-Strike
Vitality vs Falcons betting predictions and best picks: IEM Cologne Major 2026 Owen Harsono We’re treated to a possible grand final matchup here in the quarterfinal of the IEM Cologne Major, with Team Vitality taking on Team Falcons in an elimination match. These are two of the highest-profile teams in the game right now, but only one of them can continue their chase for the trophy. Here are our IEM Cologne Major Team Vitality vs Team Falcons predictions. Tournament: IEM Cologne Major 2026 Stage: ...
IEM Cologne Major 2026 playoffs preview: matchups & predictions Counter-Strike
IEM Cologne Major 2026 playoffs preview: matchups & predictions Owen Harsono The top eight teams at the IEM Cologne 2026 Major are set. Most of the favorites easily secured their spots, but we also have promising underdogs sneaking into the bracket. To keep you up to speed, here’s everything you need to know about the IEM Cologne Major playoffs. We started with 32 teams and are now only down to eight. After a grueling Stage 3, teams have been seeded into ...
IEM Cologne Major 2026 CS2 Playoffs Pick’Em Predictions Counter-Strike
IEM Cologne Major 2026 CS2 Playoffs Pick’Em Predictions Owen Harsono It’s that time of the year again, as the next Counter-Strike 2 Major is right around the corner. The IEM Cologne 2026 Major is set to start on June 2, meaning you still have some time to lock in your Pick’Em predictions. The Pick’Em Challenge is one of the most exciting parts of the CS2 Majors, as it allows you to test your knowledge and predict which teams make it ...
IEM Cologne Major Stage 3 preview: who’s making it to the playoffs? Counter-Strike
IEM Cologne Major Stage 3 preview: who’s making it to the playoffs? Owen Harsono The IEM Cologne Major is the biggest tournament of the year, and after two stages of play, it’s finally time to unleash the big boys. Stage 3 will feature the 16 best teams in the world, but only eight can advance to the Playoffs and play on the big stage. Here’s our IEM Cologne Major Stage 3 preview. Before we got to Stage 3, a lot of things happened in ...
Team Spirit concede just 10 rounds in Stage 2 of the IEM Cologne Major Counter-Strike
Team Spirit concede just 10 rounds in Stage 2 of the IEM Cologne Major Owen Harsono It was pretty weird seeing Team Spirit having to start the IEM Cologne Major from Stage 2, but they quickly proved why that was a mistake. With donk shooting on all fronts, the Eastern Europeans speed ran the competition to book their spot in Stage 3. With how they’ve been playing, it’s hard not to wonder whether they can actually win the entire thing. These boys can sometimes be known ...
BIG pull off 0-12 comeback to stay alive – IEM Cologne Major Stage 1 recap Counter-Strike
BIG pull off 0-12 comeback to stay alive – IEM Cologne Major Stage 1 recap Owen Harsono We’ve just witnessed arguably the worst choke in Counter-Strike Major history, and we’re only on the first stage of the IEM Cologne Major. If you didn’t tune into the Stage 1 matches, here’s what you need to know heading into Stage 2. Many fans tend to underestimate Stage 1 teams for fair reasons, but some survivors in this tournament look extremely promising. Two Eastern European teams, BetBoom Team and B8, ...