CS2 G-Sync FPS cap and V-Sync settings

For a tear-free FPS cap in Counter-Strike 2, turn on G-Sync, V-Sync and NVIDIA Reflex together. The combination automatically caps FPS below your active refresh rate. If you set a manual cap such as 177 FPS, open Settings > Video > Advanced Video and check Maximum FPS In Game under Frame Pacing. Use that slider for matches and Maximum FPS In Menus for menus. These steps cover Windows with compatible NVIDIA hardware through the 5 November 2026 update.

Choose how you want to limit FPS

Keep all three settings on when you want tear-free play. Use the monitor's active refresh rate to interpret the automatic ceiling. For a manual limit, set Maximum FPS In Game, then compare your FPS in a practice session. Use Maximum FPS In Menus to set a separate ceiling outside gameplay. G-Sync varies the display's refresh rate to follow the game, while the two sliders set frame-rate limits for those parts of CS2.

For higher FPS with Reflex, use the V-Sync-off comparison at the end. You can trade tear-free motion for slightly lower system latency. Write down your starting settings first so you can return to the synchronised setup after the comparison.

Check the refresh rate Windows is using

On Windows 11, open Start > Settings > System > Display > Advanced display. Select the monitor you play on and inspect its current refresh rate, then use Choose a refresh rate to select the supported rate you want. Check the resolution too: rates marked with an asterisk change resolution. Photograph or note the old values before changing them so you can restore your previous setup.

In windowed and fullscreen-windowed CS2, the operating system determines refresh rate. A high-refresh monitor running in a lower-rate mode needs that setting corrected before you diagnose the FPS ceiling. If the expected rate is absent, consult your monitor's manual for supported resolution, input and cable combinations; do not force a custom mode. Microsoft also notes that Windows 11 Dynamic Refresh Rate can limit some games. If enabled and implicated, disable DRR and retest, then restore it if nothing changes.

Enable G-Sync for the display and mode

In NVIDIA Control Panel, open Display > Set up G-SYNC and tick Enable G-SYNC/G-SYNC Compatible. Choose Full screen mode or Windowed and full screen mode to match how you play. Select the gaming display. Where the display-specific checkbox appears, enable settings for that selected model. Connect a compatible display, make it your primary display and check Monitor Technology under Manage 3D Settings is G-SYNC/G-SYNC Compatible.

If Set up G-SYNC is missing, stop this branch and check the graphics/display connection against the hardware manufacturer's documentation. The guide depends on the feature actually being available. If windowed play develops visual glitches, choose the full-screen-only G-Sync option and use fullscreen CS2 for the comparison. Restart CS2 after G-Sync changes. Keep the previous mode recorded for rollback.

Choose the CS2 sync settings deliberately

Open Settings > Video > Advanced Video and set NVIDIA Reflex Low Latency to Enabled. For the synchronised route, also enable the game's V-Sync setting; NVIDIA's older official screenshot labels it Wait for Vertical Sync. Use the screenshot below to locate Reflex, then use the current V-Sync label to set your preferred mode. Valve's startup Apply Changes option can apply its recommendation automatically when offered.

Enabled + Boost is optional. NVIDIA says it may reduce latency further at the cost of extra power and a slightly lower frame rate; start with Enabled rather than assuming Boost is an FPS upgrade. Driver Low Latency Mode is not a second additive Reflex setting: NVIDIA says in-game Reflex overrides that functionality when both are active. There is no need to stack tweaks simply because the counter sits below refresh rate.

Verify the result before changing more

Use NVIDIA Control Panel's Display menu > Show indicator for G-SYNC to confirm it is active in the game. The wording may include G-SYNC Compatible instead. Restart CS2, load a safe practice session and compare motion with the previous setup. Record the resolution, refresh rate, display mode and sync choices. The indicator verifies G-Sync engagement; an FPS counter alone does not measure input latency, and this guide supplies no benchmark target.

If you prefer the uncapped route, record the current settings, disable in-game V-Sync and check any forced driver V-Sync setting too, while leaving Reflex enabled. NVIDIA recommends that route for players willing to accept tearing. Restore the previous values if the visual trade-off is worse. If FPS remains limited or drops substantially during fights, report it as a separate symptom with your GPU, driver version and settings; the intentional sync ceiling does not explain every performance problem.