The Complete Guide to CS:GO Sub Machine Guns (SMGs) with Stats

9/8/2023

SMGs in CS:GO: A Quick Overview

In Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO), Submachine Guns (SMGs) occupy a unique and important niche in the game's tactical landscape. They're generally more affordable than rifles. They also offer teams a viable option during rounds where the budget is tight but the need for firepower still exists. SMGs are particularly favored in "anti-eco" rounds—rounds where the enemy team is likely to have weak or no armor and low-tier weapons. The higher kill reward for SMGs compared to rifles provides an economic incentive, allowing players to accumulate money faster. This economic aspect makes SMGs an integral part of the game's metagame, influencing not just individual rounds but potentially the outcome of entire matches.

SMGs also excel in specific tactical scenarios that leverage their strengths—rapid fire rate, mobility, and the ability to shoot with reasonable accuracy while moving. This makes them ideal for close-quarters engagements, whether it's quick rushes, flanking maneuvers, or defensive plays in tight spaces. However, their generally lower damage and poorer armor penetration mean they're not ideal for taking on well-equipped enemies at medium to long ranges. Despite these limitations, the tactical flexibility and economic advantages offered by SMGs make them a valuable component of any team's arsenal.

Favorite SMGs in CS:GO

MAC-10 / MP9

Faction: MAC-10 for Terrorists, MP9 for Counter-Terrorists
Price: $1050 (MAC-10), $1250 (MP9)
Overview: These are the budget options for both sides. They have a high rate of fire and are very mobile, but their armor penetration and accuracy leave much to be desired. They are often used in "anti-eco" rounds against opponents with no armor or weak weapons.

MP7

Faction: Both
Price: $1700
Overview: The MP7 is a more balanced SMG with better armor penetration than the MAC-10 or MP9. It also has better accuracy and is often considered a "jack-of-all-trades" within the SMG category.

UMP-45

Faction: Both
Price: $1200
Overview: The UMP-45 offers the best armor penetration among the SMGs but has a slower rate of fire. It's effective in both anti-eco rounds and can even be used against armored opponents to some extent.

P90

Faction: Both
Price: $2350
Overview: The P90 has a large magazine and high rate of fire, making it effective for "spray and pray" tactics. Its armor penetration and damage are decent but not exceptional. Its higher price tag can be a downside considering the limitations of SMGs in general.

PP-Bizon

Faction: Both
Price: $1400
Overview: The PP-Bizon has a huge 64-round magazine and is incredibly mobile. However, it has poor armor penetration and is generally not recommended against armored opponents. It's a specialized weapon that is often used in very specific situations like anti-eco rounds.

What are the Best CS:GO SMGs?

The "best" SMG can be subjective and largely depends on your playstyle, the situation, and the economy of the game. However, some SMGs are generally considered to be more versatile and effective than others:

UMP-45: It has the best armor penetration among the SMGs and offers good damage output. This makes it a versatile choice that can be effective even against opponents who have armor. Its slower rate of fire compared to other SMGs is often considered a reasonable trade-off for its other advantages.
MP7: It's considered a balanced choice with decent armor penetration and accuracy. Although it costs more than the UMP-45, it's easier to control and is effective at close to medium range.
P90: While it is the most expensive among the SMGs, it has a high rate of fire and a large magazine, making it a good choice for spraying down multiple enemies at close range. Its armor penetration and damage are decent but not exceptional, so it's not usually the best choice for long-range engagements.
MAC-10 (T side) / MP9 (CT side): These are the budget options and are incredibly effective in anti-eco rounds or when you're strapped for cash. Their high rate of fire and mobility make them formidable at close range, but they suffer from poor armor penetration.

The Complete Guide to CS:GO Sub Machine Guns (SMGs)

<table class="MsoTableGrid" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="border-collapse:collapse;border:none;mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-yfti-tbllook:1184;mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"><tbody><tr><td width="132" valign="top" style="width:98.75pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt">SMG <o:p></o:p></td><td width="152" valign="top" style="width:114.15pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left:none;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt">Magazine Capacity<o:p></o:p></td><td width="148" valign="top" style="width:110.85pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left:none;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt">Rounds <o:p></o:p></td></tr><tr><td width="132" valign="top" style="width:98.75pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"><a href="https://clash.gg/csgo-smgs/mca-10">MAC-10</a><o:p></o:p></td><td width="152" valign="top" style="width:114.15pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt">30 rounds <o:p></o:p></td><td width="148" valign="top" style="width:110.85pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt">Automatic<o:p></o:p></td></tr><tr><td width="132" valign="top" style="width:98.75pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"><a href="https://clash.gg/csgo-smgs/mp9">MP9</a><o:p></o:p></td><td width="152" valign="top" style="width:114.15pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt">30 rounds <o:p></o:p></td><td width="148" valign="top" style="width:110.85pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt">Automatic<o:p></o:p></td></tr><tr><td width="132" valign="top" style="width:98.75pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"><a href="https://clash.gg/csgo-smgs/mp7">MP7</a><o:p></o:p></td><td width="152" valign="top" style="width:114.15pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt">30 rounds <o:p></o:p></td><td width="148" valign="bottom" style="width:110.85pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt">Automatic<o:p></o:p></td></tr><tr><td width="132" valign="top" style="width:98.75pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"><a href="https://clash.gg/csgo-smgs/ump-45">UMP-45</a><o:p></o:p></td><td width="152" valign="top" style="width:114.15pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt">25 rounds<o:p></o:p></td><td width="148" valign="bottom" style="width:110.85pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt">Automatic<o:p></o:p></td></tr><tr><td width="132" valign="top" style="width:98.75pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"><a href="https://clash.gg/csgo-smgs/p90">P90</a><o:p></o:p></td><td width="152" valign="top" style="width:114.15pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt">50 rounds <o:p></o:p></td><td width="148" valign="bottom" style="width:110.85pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt">Automatic<o:p></o:p></td></tr><tr><td width="132" valign="top" style="width:98.75pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"><a href="https://clash.gg/csgo-smgs/pp-bizon">PP-Bizon</a><o:p></o:p></td><td width="152" valign="top" style="width:114.15pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt">64 rounds <o:p></o:p></td><td width="148" valign="bottom" style="width:110.85pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt">Automatic<o:p></o:p></td></tr><tr><td width="132" valign="top" style="width:98.75pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"><a href="https://clash.gg/csgo-smgs/mp5-sd">MP5-SD</a><o:p></o:p></td><td width="152" valign="top" style="width:114.15pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt">30 rounds <o:p></o:p></td><td width="148" valign="bottom" style="width:110.85pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt">Automatic / Burst<o:p></o:p></td></tr></tbody></table> MAC-10 (Terrorist Side)

Magazine Capacity: 30 rounds
Fire Mode: Automatic
Overview: A go-to for Terrorists on a budget, the MAC-10 offers a high rate of fire and is extremely mobile. While its armor penetration and accuracy are lacking, it excels in anti-eco rounds and close-quarter combat.

MP9 (Counter-Terrorist Side)

Magazine Capacity: 30 rounds
Fire Mode: Automatic
Overview: The Counter-Terrorists' budget SMG, the MP9 offers a high rate of fire and good mobility. Like its Terrorist counterpart, the MAC-10, it's often used in anti-eco rounds and is most effective in close-quarter encounters.

MP7 (Both Sides)

Magazine Capacity: 30 rounds
Fire Mode: Automatic
Overview: The MP7 offers a balanced approach with decent armor penetration and a controllable rate of fire. It's effective at close to medium range, making it a versatile choice among the SMGs.

UMP-45 (Both Sides)

Magazine Capacity: 25 rounds
Fire Mode: Automatic
Overview: The UMP-45 stands out for its excellent armor penetration, making it effective even against armored opponents. Though it has a slower rate of fire, its higher damage output compensates, making it a popular choice in a variety of situations.

P90 (Both Sides)

Magazine Capacity: 50 rounds
Fire Mode: Automatic
Overview: Known for its large magazine and high rate of fire, the P90 is often used in close-quarter situations where spraying is more effective. Its armor penetration is decent, but not exceptional, making it less ideal for long-range combat.

PP-Bizon (Both Sides)

Magazine Capacity: 64 rounds
Fire Mode: Automatic
Overview: The PP-Bizon's massive 64-round magazine makes it unique among SMGs. It's particularly effective in anti-eco rounds and when facing multiple enemies in close quarters. However, it's not recommended against armored opponents due to poor armor penetration.

MP5-SD (Both Sides)

Magazine Capacity: 30 rounds
Fire Mode: Automatic
Overview: The MP5-SD offers a suppressed alternative, making it suitable for stealthy operations. It has similar characteristics to the MP7, with good control and decent armor penetration, but it allows players to engage without revealing their position as easily.

SMG Strategy

Anti-Eco Rounds: SMGs excel in rounds where the enemy is likely to have minimal armor and weaker weapons. Utilizing SMGs in these rounds can net you a higher kill reward, bolstering your team's economy.
Close-Quarters Combat: SMGs are most effective at close range. Use them to clear tight corners, narrow hallways, or small rooms where you can force close encounters. Maps with many such areas, like Inferno or Nuke, can provide advantageous positions for SMG users.
Rushing Strategies: The mobility advantage of SMGs allows for quick rushes or aggressive pushes. Whether you're trying to quickly plant the bomb as a Terrorist or aggressively defend a site as a Counter-Terrorist, the speed boost can be crucial.
Flanking: Because of their mobility and rapid-fire capabilities, SMGs are good weapons for flanking maneuvers. While the main force distracts the enemy, a player with an SMG can take a quicker route to attack from behind.
Hit and Run: SMGs allow you to maintain a reasonable level of accuracy while moving. This makes "hit and run" strategies viable: you can peek, spray some bullets, and then quickly retreat before the enemy can properly react.
Eco Round Buys: When your team has limited resources but you still want some firepower, SMGs can be a good compromise. They are cheaper than rifles but can still be effective if used correctly.
Pre-Fire and Spray: Given their high rate of fire and generally large magazines, SMGs are excellent for pre-firing common hiding spots and for spraying through smoke or walls where you suspect an enemy might be hiding.
As Secondary Weapons: In specific scenarios, having an SMG as a secondary weapon can be useful. For example, AWP users might purchase an SMG so they aren't left defenseless in close-quarters situations.

General Tips for Using SMGs

Mobility: SMGs allow you to move quickly, so use this to your advantage by dodging incoming fire and closing distances.
Close Quarters: Aim for close-quarter encounters where the SMG's rapid fire rate will give you the advantage.
Economy: SMGs are generally cheaper than rifles, making them a good option when you're low on cash.
Run and Gun: Unlike rifles, SMGs allow you to maintain reasonable accuracy even while moving.
Anti-Eco: SMGs are a popular choice for rounds where you suspect the enemy won't have armor, as they allow you to accumulate money with their kill rewards.

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