Factory New vs Minimal Wear—any real difference?

[MichaelSano]

I’m trying to buy a Desert Eagle skin and the Factory New version is 2x the price of Minimal Wear. Visually, they seem almost identical. Does anyone know if Factory New actually looks better in-game or is this more about status/collector value?

[Jakaria]

They’re often very close visually, especially on darker skins where scratches aren’t that noticeable.

[Unless]

Yeah, the wear difference really depends on the skin design. On some weapons, even Minimal Wear looks almost perfect, and players wouldn’t notice unless they zoom in. I’d suggest checking side-by-side comparisons on dmarket.com/cs2-wiki/, which shows how float values affect skin visuals. I use it whenever I’m on the fence about upgrading. Some collectors want Factory New for resale value, but in casual play, Minimal Wear gives better value for your money. Just make sure to check the float number before buying — a low-float MW skin can be almost indistinguishable from FN.