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CS2 Float Value Explained: The Ultimate Guide to Wear and Pricing
In Counter-Strike 2, no two skins are truly identical. While you and your teammate might both own a Factory New AK-47 | Ice Coaled, one might look pristine while the other shows subtle scratches on the magazine. The reason for this discrepancy is the CS2 float value.
Understanding float is the difference between being a casual player and a savvy trader. It is the single most important metric for determining a skin’s visual quality and, more importantly, its market value. In this guide, we’ll break down what CS2 float is, how the different CS2 wear levels work, and how you can use this knowledge and different tools like SkinSearch to avoid overpaying for your next loadout.
What is Float in CS2?
Simply put, the float value CS2 uses is a numerical rating that represents the wear of a skin. It is a randomly generated number between 0.00 and 1.00 that is assigned to a skin the exact moment it is unboxed, dropped, or crafted in a trade-up. So, the float value tells how much a skin has worn, and its pattern tells you where exactly the wear is.
- 0.00: Represents a perfect, brand-new skin.
- 1.00: Represents a skin that is extremely worn, scratched, or faded.
Crucially, the float value is permanent. It does not change over time, and playing with the weapon in matches will not wear it out. Whether you’ve had a skin for five minutes or five years, its float value remains exactly the same.
The 5 CS2 Wear Levels Ranked
The CS2 economy categorizes skins into five distinct Exteriors or wear levels based on their float range. Here is the standard breakdown:
Wear Level
Abbreviation
Float Range
Factory New
FN
0.00 – 0.07
Minimal Wear
MW
0.07 – 0.15
Field-Tested
FT
0.15 – 0.38
Well-Worn
WW
0.38 – 0.45
Battle-Scarred
BS
0.45 – 1.00
Factory New vs. Minimal Wear
The jump from something like a 0.02 Factory New to 0.11 Minimal Wear is often the most significant in terms of price but the most subtle in terms of visuals. A 0.069 FN skin and a 0.071 MW skin are separated by only 0.002 in float, yet the FN version will always command a premium because of its label.
The Field-Tested Sweet Spot
Field-Tested is the most common wear level. Because the range is so wide (0.15 to 0.38), there is a massive visual difference within this tier. A low float CS2 skin at 0.15 (often called MW look) is highly sought after because it offers the aesthetic of a more expensive skin at a fraction of the cost.
How Float Affects Skin Price
While rarity (Covert vs. Mil-Spec) sets the base price of a skin, the float value acts as the multiplier. Here is how it impacts the market:
Low Float Premiums
Collectors hunt for Triple Zero floats (0.000x). These represent the top 1% of all existing instances of a skin. For high-tier items like Dopplers or Marble Fades, a low float can add hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars to the value.
The Borderline Effect
Skins that sit right at the edge of a wear tier are priced differently.
- 0.15 FT: Priced higher because it looks Minimal Wear.
- 0.07 MW: Priced higher because it looks Factory New.
High Float (The Blackiimov Exception)
Usually, a higher float means a lower price. However, some skins are actually more expensive when they are incredibly worn. The most famous example is the AWP | Asiimov. At a float of 0.95 or higher, the white paint on the scope completely peels off, leaving a clean Black Scope. These are nicknamed Blackiimovs and sell for significantly more than standard Battle-Scarred versions.
Not All Skins Wear the Same
It is a common misconception that every skin gets scratched as the float increases. Designers use different Finish Styles that react differently to float:
- Custom Paint Job (e.g., AK-47 | Bloodsport): These skins literally lose paint. At higher floats, you will see the grey metal of the gun underneath the design.
- Patina (e.g., AK-47 | Case Hardened): These skins don't scratch; they just get darker and duller as the float increases.
- Gunsmith (e.g., AWP | Neo-Noir): A mix of both, where colors might fade while certain edges show scratches.
How to Check Your Float Value in CS2
You don't need to guess your skin's condition. Valve provides this data directly in the game:
- Open your Inventory in CS2.
- Right-click the item and select Inspect.
- Click the small i (Information) icon at the bottom of the screen.
- Look for Wear Rating. That number is your float value.
For professional trading, we recommend using our CS2 skin search engine. It allows you to filter listings by the exact float range you want, so you can find those hidden gem 0.15 Field-Tested skins without manually inspecting hundreds of items.
Pro Tips for Buying Based on Float
- Don't ignore Well-Worn: Because WW is a narrow and unpopular range (0.38 - 0.45), these skins are often much rarer than FT or BS. Occasionally, this rarity can make them a unique investment.
- Inspect the Play-side: Float tells you how much wear there is, but the Pattern Template tells you where it is. A skin might have a bad float, but if all the scratches are on the back of the gun where you can't see them, it's a bargain!
- Use Float to Negotiate: If you’re buying a skin with a 0.37 float (top end of Field-Tested, close to Well-Worn), you shouldn’t pay the full average 0.20 Field-Tested price, but less due to its condition.
Conclusion
Mastering the CS2 float value system is the first step toward becoming an expert collector. It allows you to see past the Factory New or Field-Tested labels and understand the true quality of the item you are buying.
Whether you are looking for low float CS2 skins to build a pristine collection or searching for a budget-friendly Field-Tested skin that looks twice its price, the float value is your North Star.
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