Can I Build a 1080p CS2 PC for Under $1,000 CAD?
Asked by
MellowCedar42
I'm looking to build or buy a PC mainly for watching movies and playing Counter-Strike 2 at 1080p on low settings. I'd like to maintain at least 150 FPS. Is that realistic with current CPU and component prices, or would I need to buy used parts or a prebuilt system?
Answers
You probably don’t need to spend anywhere near $1,000 CAD for this target. A used system with something like a Core i5-9600K and RTX 2060 should be capable of around 150 FPS at 1080p low settings, depending on the rest of the parts. A reasonable used build could potentially land around $400–$500 CAD.
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For a new build, AM4 is likely the better value than AM5 if you’re trying to stay under budget. An affordable Ryzen 5 5600 paired with an RTX 5060-class graphics card, 16 GB of DDR4 memory, and a 1 TB NVMe SSD would be plenty for CS2. Go with 32 GB of RAM if the price difference is manageable, and don’t cut costs on the power supply—use a reputable model with the appropriate wattage.
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A new prebuilt with an RTX 5060 and an i5-14400F could work well, but make sure the listed price is in Canadian dollars before comparing it with your budget. For CS2, that level of hardware may produce considerably more than 150 FPS, so a less expensive system could be the smarter buy if you don’t plan to play more demanding games.
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Be cautious with older Alienware Aurora systems, including models built around the RTX 3060 Ti. They can offer good performance and some upgrade options, but proprietary cases, cooling, power supplies, and cramped layouts can make future upgrades more difficult. Check the exact CPU, RAM, storage, PSU, temperatures, and asking price before buying used.
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MellowCedar42: I’ll compare AM4 parts and see whether 32 GB of memory fits the budget.
MellowCedar42: The gold, bronze, and similar power-supply ratings mainly describe efficiency, not overall build quality. It’s still important to check the specific model’s reliability and protections rather than choosing only by the rating.