Counter-Strike Source: Graphics card test with maximal visual quality - Introduction
In matters of visual quality Counter-Strike Source really isn't up-to-date anymore. In March 2006 developer Valve delivered an engine update that improved Counter-Strike Source with HDR Rendering, increased the Decal density and enhanced the ragdoll animations as well as the textures. The character models also changed over the time - but Counter-Strike Source nevertheless isn't really pretty.

On the other hand the tactic shooter isn't really challenging for the hardware; a quick CPU and a slightly older graphics card are usually enough for 60 and more fps. Modern high-end systems even reach far more than 200 fps on big resolutions like 1,920 x 1,200 - a reason for us to invest the extra performance in better graphics.

Counter-Strike Source: Graphics card test with maximal visual quality - Benchmarks with FSAA modes
Our real-time demo is a classical 5-on-5 on "de_dust”. We use an AK-47 and a HE to fight our opponents together with our A.I. team mates. Usually Counter-Strike Source has a 300 fps lock, but with the console command "fps_max 0” you can switch that limitation.

Taking 1x MSAA as a base a Radeon HD 4870/1G looses only 17 percent fps when running with 8x MSAA; additional adaptive Anti Aliasing reduces the performance by another 4 percent. 24x Edge Detect on the other hand was able to halve the framerate compared to 8x HQ-AAA - nevertheless we weren't able to push the framerate below 80 fps. By the way: The CFAA modes can't lower the performance massively because they can't be applied to a big enough part of the picture (MSAA and CFAA affect the geometry only and with active HQ-AAA the Alpha Tests). 24x Edge detect plus HQ-AAA nevertheless offers a very good result since Counter-Strike Source is rather edged in comparison.

With 4x4 SSAA and GTX 285/2G on the other hand it is easily possible to force Counter-Strike Source down to unplayable 29 fps - in this case the complete frame is rendered with four times the resolution on both the X and the y axis. CSS runs smoothly with 16xS (2x2 SSAA plus 4x MSAA), but compared to 1X MSAA this setting nevertheless reduces the performance by about 73 percent - the visual quality is excellent though. It is quite interesting to see that Geforce cards lose a lot more performance because of 8x MSAA than Radeons do.

Click to select benchmark

  Geforce GTX 285/2G     Radeon HD 4890/1G  

Counter-Strike Source: Graphics cards test with maximal visual quality
At 1X MSAA the geometry respectively the polygons are only scanned once by a Radeon HD 4870/1G and a GTX 285/2G, the consequence: Noticeable steps on the corner s of buildings. With 8x MSAA those distortions are almost fully smooth out and with additional Transparency or Adaptive Anti Aliasing even trees and handrails are smoothed.

24x Edge Detect CFAA currently offers the best possible geometry smoothing, 16x Wide Tent CFAA on the other hand blurs the picture - especially the textures suffer from this. With 32xS and 4x4 SSAA the textures are looking very good because those modes don't smooth the polygons only, but the whole picture - but only the slightly less appealing 16xS mode is running smoothly.

No matter if you are using a Radeon or a Geforce card: due to high quality FSAA modes Counter-Strike Source looks much better - but given its age the shooter won't win a beauty contest anymore. In the gallery you can find lots of screenshots that give an example of the graphics.

Click to select Anti Aliasing mode (Attention: Screenshot detail only!)

  1x MSAA     8x MSAA     8x TSSAA     32xS-TSSAA     4x4 SSAA  

Click to select Anti Aliasing mode (Attention: Screenshot detail only!)

  1x MSAA     8x MSAA     8x HQ-AAA     16x WT-CFAA     24x ED-CFAA-HQ-AAA  

Picture gallery

(enlarge to view source)