There is no great team without a great captain, and on Counter-Strike 2, that captain goes by a name the whole scene knows : apEX. Dan "apEX" Madesclaire is far more than a player, he is the voice, the energy and the brain of Team Vitality. The one who opens the rounds, the one who makes the calls, the one who carries the team when everything is on the line.
After more than ten years at the highest level, apEX has established himself as one of the greatest captains in Counter-Strike history. Four Major titles, a Grand Slam, a trophy collection very few players can claim, and above all a rare ability to build and hold together a team season after season.
Behind that leadership sits an apEX config built around absolute consistency. Sensitivity, resolution, graphics settings, gear : every element of the apEX config is picked for one reason, to deliver exactly the same feel every round, every match, every tournament.
In this complete guide, we break down the apEX config on CS2, his exact settings and his whole gaming setup. If you want to understand how the captain of the best team in the world plays and take inspiration from the apEX config, you are in the right place.
🐝 apEX, reliability above everything
Where some players swap gear every six months, apEX does exactly the opposite. His philosophy comes down to one word : consistency. When you play as an entry fragger and you are also the captain, you cannot afford the slightest change in feel. The first duel of a round is decided in a few milliseconds, and that opening read has to be completely automatic.
That is why the apEX config has barely moved over the years. An ergonomic mouse shape he knows by heart, a low sensitivity refined over seasons, a large cloth mousepad built for control, a 4:3 stretched resolution : everything is built around muscle memory.
That approach says a lot about the way he plays. apEX is not chasing gimmicks or novelty, he is after reliable gear, proven gear, able to survive hundreds of official matches with zero surprises. For him, a good peripheral is one you forget about completely once the match starts.
And looking at his trophy cabinet, it is hard to argue with him. 🎯
🖱️ apEX's mouse
In the apEX config, the mouse is probably the most stable part of his entire setup. Loyal to ZOWIE for years, he now plays on a ZOWIE EC2-DW, the wireless version of the EC series, an ergonomic shape that has become a true benchmark on the Counter-Strike scene.
The EC series is built on an asymmetric shape designed for palm grip and claw grip, with natural palm support and a firm feel on the main buttons. The DW version adds wireless, a reduced weight of around 60 g, a latest generation sensor and high polling rates, without ever touching the shape players know by heart.
On settings, apEX plays at 400 DPI with a sensitivity of 1.91, which gives an eDPI of 764, all at 1000 Hz. That is a relatively low sensitivity, very common among professional CS2 players, because it allows extremely precise crosshair placement and far more consistent spray control.
That sensitivity naturally comes with a large cloth mousepad, the ZOWIE G TR, built for control, with a high static friction that allows clean stops and precise micro corrections. A choice perfectly in line with his playstyle.
apEX's mouse is the definition of a work tool : a shape he has mastered for years, flawless reliability and zero surprises in official matches.
⌨️ apEX's keyboard
For the keyboard, apEX goes with the ASUS ROG Falchion Ace HFX, a compact 75 % format fitted with ROG HFX magnetic switches. A choice shared with the rest of the Team Vitality roster, a long time partner of ASUS ROG.
The point of magnetic switches is simple : they let you set the actuation point of every key precisely and, above all, enable Rapid Trigger. In practice, the key resets instantly as soon as it travels back up, which makes counter strafes much cleaner and stops much sharper.
For an entry fragger like apEX, that detail changes everything. His role is to open sites, to take space first and to win the opening duel. Every movement, every stop before a shot has to be perfectly controlled, and magnetic technology delivers exactly that level of control.
The compact format matters too. With a low sensitivity and large arm movements, freeing up desk space becomes essential. The Falchion Ace HFX ticks every box : compact, extremely responsive and validated at the highest level.
With this keyboard, the apEX config stays perfectly true to its logic : modern gear, but chosen for purely technical reasons.
🖥️ apEX's monitor
On the monitor side, no surprise either : apEX plays on a ZOWIE BenQ, the most used brand on the entire competitive scene. His current model is the XL2586X+, a 24 inch Full HD panel that goes up to 600 Hz.
These monitors use TN panels (if you are not sure what that means, we explain everything in our blog dedicated to monitor panels 👀), known for their extremely fast response time and their minimal latency. On CS2, those are exactly the characteristics that matter.
apEX takes the logic all the way with carefully tuned monitor settings : DyAc 2 on Premium to cut down motion blur, Black eQualizer and Color Vibrance set to 12 to make enemy silhouettes pop in darker areas. Nothing is left to chance.
With this choice, the apEX config stays fully aligned with his philosophy : prioritise responsiveness, clarity and consistency, on a monitor built for competition and validated across hundreds of matches at the highest level.
📖 apEX's story
Born on 22 February 1993, Dan "apEX" Madesclaire is one of those players who have lived through every era of Counter-Strike. Where most players of his generation retired long ago, he is still here, at the top, with a longevity that is genuinely rare in esports.
His professional debut goes back to the very beginning of the French scene on CS:GO, with spells at LDLC, Clan Mystik and then Titan. Back then, apEX made his name with his aggression, his contagious energy and his ability to open rounds without ever hesitating.
🏆 A first Major and the transition years
In 2015, he won his first Major title with EnVyUs in Cluj Napoca. A founding moment for the French scene, which was living through one of its best periods. What followed was tougher, with roster changes, a spell at G2 and repeated rebuilds.
Those years are exactly where his character was forged. apEX learned how to manage a group, how to take the hits, how to start again from scratch. Qualities that would later become his greatest strength.
👑 Taking over as captain
After joining Team Vitality in 2018, apEX took over the team as in game leader in 2020. A complete turning point in his career. It was no longer only about fragging, but about building a system, reading the opponent and making the right calls in the tightest moments.
His leadership style is unique : very vocal, very expressive, able to fire up his players in the middle of a match. On stage, his war cries have become a real signature, to the point of being part of Vitality's identity.
💛 Vitality's golden era
In 2023, apEX finally lifted the Major trophy with Vitality, in Paris, in front of his home crowd. A historic achievement for the club and for French esports. But the best was still to come.
In 2025, Vitality put together a legendary season : an impressive run of trophies, a Major double with Austin and Budapest, the Grand Slam and a winning streak that will stay in the record books. All of it with apEX calling the shots, more than ten years after his debut.
With four Major titles and more than thirty international trophies, apEX is now seen as one of the most decorated and most respected captains in Counter-Strike history. Living proof that persistence and leadership can be worth just as much as raw talent.
⚙️ In-game settings
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Resolution | 1280 × 960 |
| Aspect Ratio | 4:3 |
| Scaling Mode | Stretched |
| Brightness | 93 % |
| Display Mode | Fullscreen |
Advanced Video Settings
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Boost Player Contrast | Enabled |
| V-Sync | Disabled |
| NVIDIA Reflex Low Latency | Enabled |
| NVIDIA G-Sync | Disabled |
| Maximum FPS In Game | 400 fps |
| Multisampling Anti-Aliasing Mode | 4x MSAA |
| Global Shadow Quality | High |
| Dynamic Shadows | All |
| Model / Texture Detail | High |
| Texture Filtering Mode | Anisotropic 2x |
| Shader Detail | High |
| Particle Detail | High |
| Ambient Occlusion | Medium |
| High Dynamic Range Quality | Quality |
| FidelityFX Super Resolution | Disabled (Highest Quality) |
🎁 A little bonus for Vitality fans
You cannot talk about Counter-Strike without mentioning Team Vitality and of course its captain and his french wingman ZywOo. Between their dominance on the CS2 scene, their Major titles and their extraordinary individual performances, Vitality is now a global benchmark.
And for the fans, the Vitality 2026 collection is available 🎉
Official jerseys, arm sleeves… everything is built to represent the team with style, whether in game, at a LAN or day to day.
If you want to fly the colours of the best team of the moment and support apEX, now is clearly the time to take a look 👀
👉 Vitality 2026 merch is the very essence of esports : performance, identity and passion. 💛
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