How to reduce CS GO 2 Input Lag?

A lot of users are experiencing constant lagging in the CS GO 2 game. Lagging is quite common and nothing new in resource-intensive games, and CS GO2 is one of them. In this article, we will see what you can do to reduce CS GO 2 input lag.

How to reduce CS GO2 Input lag

If you want to reduce CS GO 2 Input lag, follow the solutions mentioned below.

Disable V-sync
Update the game
Update the Graphics driver
Disable NVIDIA Reflex
Set the Latency mode to low
Verify the integrity of game files
Disable Full-screen optimization

Let’s talk about these solutions in detail.

1] Disable V-Sync

VSync is known to fix the screen tearing issues in video games, however, it is also known to cause lag. Vsync ensures synchronization of the GPU refresh rate with that of your monitor. Due to this, the input may take slightly longer to register on the screen. To avoid this, we recommend disabling VSync. To turn off V-Sync, follow the steps mentioned below.

In CS GO 2:

Launch the game, go to the game menu, and hit Settings.
In the Video Settings tab, navigate to the Advanced Video option.
Navigate to the Wait for Vertical Sync option and set it to the Disabled option.

In NVIDIA Control Panel:

Right-click anywhere on the desktop, and select the Show More options.
Click on the NVIDIA Control panel, and then on the Manage 3D settings option.
In the 3D setting, scroll down and click the dropdown button of Vertical sync. Select the Off button from the options.

In AMD Radeon:

Search out “AMD Radeon” from the Start Menu.
In the AMD Radeon settings, go to the Gaming tab, and find the Wait for Virtual Refresh option.
Click on the drop-down menu beside it and select Off, unless application specifies.

Make sure to disable both the in-game option and that of your graphics card.

2] Update the game

Input lag is a common issue if the player is running an outdated version of the game. In this scenario, players need to update the game to its latest version and then check if the issue is resolved. Just launch your gaming platform, go to the library, click on the game, and if any update is available, download and install it.

3] Update the Graphics driver

If there was no update available for the game, then move on and see whether the Graphics drivers are up-to-date or not. Updating the Graphics driver is good for performance optimization, fixes bugs, and ensures optimum graphical settings.

In Windows 11, to update Graphics Drivers, do the following:

Click Win + I to launch Windows 11 Settings
Select Windows Update and click on the Advanced options.
Now click Optional Updates, and expand Driver updates to see if any Graphics or other driver updates are available.

Other than updating the Graphics driver through Windows settings, there are various ways to update the graphics, such as downloading the driver from the manufacturer’s website, using a free driver update software, or from the Device Manager.

4] Disable NVIDIA Reflex

NVIDIA Reflex is a tool that reduces the latency in the game by automatically optimizing and measuring resources and other parameters. However, this tool did not seem to do well with CS GO 2; hence, we will disable it.

Follow the steps mentioned below to do the same:

Open the game, and click on the Settings menu from the gear icon.
Now, click on the Video tab, and then on the Advanced Video option.
Lastly, find and disable the NVIDIA Reflex low latency option.

Relaunch the game and check whether it is still lagging or not. You should enable the feature once a new update is released.

5] Set the Latency mode to low

In this solution, we will enable the low latency option, as high latency can make the illusion that your game is lagging. Both NVIDIA and AMD have an equivalent option that we will make use of. Follow the steps mentioned below to do the same.

NVIDIA

Go to the start menu, search and open NVIDIA Control panel.
Now click on the Manage 3D Settings option, and then on the Program Settings tab.
Select the Add option, and then the cs2.exe to add the game to the list.
Once added, locate the Low Latency Mode option in the list, and then select either of the options: Ultra or On.

AMD

Launch AMD Radeon on your system.
Go to the Gaming tab and select the game, if you can’t find CS GO 2, you need to add the csgo2.exe file there.
Once added, click on the game.
Then, enable Radeon Anti-Lag and disable Radeon Chill.

After enabling the option, if the game continues to lag, carry out the next solution.

6] Verify the integrity of game files

You need to ensure that none of your game files is corrupted or missing. It can stop CS GO 2 from accessing essential components required to run the game smoothly. Therefore, verify the integrity of game files and check if the issue is resolved.

7] Disable Full-screen optimization

While playing games on full screen sounds appealing, there are occasions when it is not worth the hassle, especially when it leads to issues like lagging. In this case, users can simply follow the steps mentioned below to disable full-screen optimization so that they can avoid the former from happening.

Launch Steam, navigate towards the Library, and then right-click the game.
Select the Manage option and then the Browse local files option.
The game installation directory will open, here go to the Installation folder, and then game > bin >win64.
Now, right-click on the game’s exe file, select Properties, and navigate to the Compatibility tab.
In the compatibility tab, check the box next to Disable full-screen optimization.
Finally, click the Apply and OK button.

Hopefully, this will solve the issue. In case the shortcut of CS GO 2 is available on the desktop, you can go to its properties and then make the required changes.

Read: CS: GO not launching or opening on Windows PC

How do I fix lag in Counter-Strike 2?

If you are constantly experiencing lag in CS GO2, check whether the game is running with a lower graphics setting, and an updated version of the Graphics driver or not. In case, you are unable to are still unable to run the game, there are a few changes you need to make to the settings of your system’s graphics.

Read: CS GO keeps crashing, freezing or displays a black screen

How do I reduce in-game input lag?

To reduce in-game input lag, it’s necessary to invest in a gaming monitor that can handle rigid conditions and have a low response time with a high refresh rate. Other measures such as lower in-game graphics settings, disabling Vsync, and using a wired keyboard/mouse setup can also help in reducing the lag.