CS2 lets you pick an aspect ratio in the video settings, and the ratio decides how much of the map you see and how wide enemy models look. 16:9 is the default and shows more on the sides. 4:3 is the old standard, and when you stretch it to a widescreen monitor the player models get wider, which some players find easier to hit. Neither setting gives a real advantage, and both guides below say the choice comes down to preference.
What aspect ratio actually is
Aspect ratio is the ratio between the width and the height of your resolution. A 1920x1080 image is 16:9, because 1920 pixels wide against 1080 pixels tall works out to 16 parts across and 9 parts up. The common ratios are 16:9, 16:10 and 4:3. Resolution itself is the pixel count, and a higher pixel count means more detail but more work for your graphics card, which can cost you frames.
Scaling modes
Most modern monitors are 16:9 or 16:10. If you pick a 4:3 resolution on one of those monitors, the image has to be handled somehow. There are two options:
- Full screen scaling stretches the 4:3 image across the whole monitor. This is what people mean by stretched res.
- No scaling leaves the image at its original size, which leaves black bars on the sides. This is the black bars setup.
16:9 versus 4:3
16:9 gives you a wider field of view, better visibility on the sides and a more natural looking picture. 4:3 stretched makes enemy models appear wider, which some players find easier to aim at, and it cuts down the visual clutter at the edges. The tradeoff is that 4:3 removes part of your field of view, so an enemy standing at the edge of the screen can be visible to a 16:9 player and invisible to a 4:3 player.
What the pros use
ProSettings reports that roughly 75 percent of active pros use a 4:3 resolution in CS2, and its own breakdown of scaling modes lists stretched at 71 percent, black bars at 15 percent and native at 14 percent. The most popular single resolution among pros is 1280x960 at 53 percent, followed by 1024x768 at 15 percent and 1920x1080 at 13 percent. CS.MONEY puts it the other way round for the wider player base: it cites Steam hardware stats showing that 1920x1080 is the choice of two out of three players, and notes that more than 70 percent of top pros still play stretched.
How to set it up
- Open CS2 and go to Settings, then Video.
- Set Aspect Ratio to 4:3, then pick a resolution from the list below it.
- Apply and confirm.
- If you get black bars when you wanted stretched, or stretched when you wanted black bars, change the scaling mode in your graphics driver.
A note on 5:4
CS.MONEY points out that the CS2 menu also offers a 5:4 format, and the way to get it is to set 4:3 in the settings and then pick 1280x1024 from the list. That is the closest you can get to a square image.
FAQ
Does stretched give me an advantage?
No. Both guides are clear that it does not. CS.MONEY says neither 16:9 nor 4:3 gives a serious advantage and recommends not copying pro settings. ProSettings says the same thing and notes there is some placebo and nostalgia involved, since the older Counter-Strike games did not support 16:9.
Which resolution should I pick?
If you want the widest view and the cleanest picture, stay on 16:9. If you want wider models and are comfortable with the old look, try 4:3 stretched at 1280x960, which ProSettings calls a good balance between quality and performance.
Can I set any resolution I want?
CS.MONEY says you can run odd resolutions with the -w and -h launch options, for example -w 1000 -h 1000, but it does not recommend it because there is no benefit.
Will a lower resolution give me more frames?
ProSettings says a lower resolution means fewer pixels to render, which can raise your framerate and reduce system latency. That is one of the reasons players drop down to 4:3 in the first place.
Sources
ProSettings: Best CS2 Resolutions
CS.MONEY: 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratio