Guide
CS2 Resolutions - Native, Stretched, Black-Bars?
CS2 is unique for its playerbase that uses a lot of different resolutions for the game. This article will show you why that is a thing and what's the best one.
Resolution
Guide
Why are different resolutions even a thing in CS2?
In the fiercely competitive world of CS2, every minor adjustment and setting that might provide an edge is thoroughly explored. This focus on optimization naturally extends to the choice of in-game resolution. Each resolution and aspect ratio comes with its own advantages and disadvantages. This article will guide you through them.
Native vs Stretched vs Black-Bars
First, it's essential to differentiate between the various aspect ratios available. Excluding custom resolutions, there are four main aspect ratios to choose from.:
16:9
16:10
4:3
5:4
Since standard screens typically have a 16:9 aspect ratio, opting for a different aspect ratio means you'll need to decide whether to stretch the game to fill the screen or play with black bars on the sides.
The difference between native and stretched can be seen in the following pictures:
In this section we will list all the pros and cons of native, stretched and black-bars:
Native | Stretched | Black-Bars | |
|---|---|---|---|
Pros | The game may feel slower because character models cover shorter distances on your screen. However, you gain a wider view of your surroundings. | Hitting models becomes easier because they appear wider (as shown in the pictures above). | The game feels slower because models travel shorter distances across your screen. |
Cons | Models appear narrower, making them more challenging to hit. | You can see less of your environment. | Models appear narrower, making them harder to hit, and you have a more limited view of your surroundings. |
Resolutions that Pro's use currently
Looking at the settings used by top players is always a smart approach to understand what enables them to perform at such a high level. This section provides a list of the current resolutions used by several professional players:
Pro | Resolution | Stretched or Black-Bars |
|---|---|---|
m0nesy | 1280x960 | Stretched |
NiKo | 1600x1024 | Stretched |
donk | 1280x960 | Stretched |
ZyWOo | 1280x960 | Stretched |
siuhy | 1920x1080 | Native |
sjuush | 1440x1080 | Stretched |
Techno4k | 1024x768 | Stretched |
kscerato | 1280x1024 | Black-Bars |
As you can see, there are numerous viable options available, and no single "correct" choice. Try experimenting with different settings to discover what feels most comfortable for you.
