Valorant

Measured FPS Breakdown

The recorded data for Valorant with this combination shows exceptionally high frame rates across every resolution and preset tested. At 1920x1080, the lowest average recorded is 319.3 FPS on Ultra settings, while the highest reaches 387.3 FPS on Low settings. The Medium preset lands at 327.2 FPS, and High settings produce 322.6 FPS. These numbers indicate that even the most demanding preset at 1080p leaves substantial headroom above the 60 FPS playability threshold.

Moving to 2560x1440, the pattern remains consistent but with slightly lower averages. Low settings deliver 368.1 FPS, Medium settings produce 311.7 FPS, High settings reach 307.1 FPS, and Ultra settings settle at 289.9 FPS. The spread between the lowest and highest preset at this resolution is 78.2 FPS, which suggests that the graphics preset has a measurable but not overwhelming impact on performance.

At 3840x2160, the averages continue to decline as expected. Low settings produce 342.9 FPS, Medium settings deliver 255.1 FPS, High settings reach 244.1 FPS, and Ultra settings yield 230.4 FPS. Even at 4K with Ultra settings, the average frame rate remains nearly four times the playability threshold of 60 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 112.5 FPS, which is the largest preset gap observed across all resolutions.

All recorded values are average frame rates; no minimum or maximum frame rate data was captured in the database. The absence of min/max values means the data cannot speak to frame time consistency or 1% lows, but the averages alone paint a picture of a system that is nowhere near struggling with this title.

The scaling from 1080p to 1440p costs roughly 40 to 60 FPS depending on the preset, while the jump from 1440p to 4K costs another 50 to 90 FPS. The largest single drop occurs between 1440p Low at 368.1 FPS and 4K Low at 342.9 FPS, a difference of 25.2 FPS. Between 1440p Ultra at 289.9 FPS and 4K Ultra at 230.4 FPS, the drop is 59.5 FPS, which is the most severe resolution penalty observed in the data.

CPU and GPU Roles

Valorant is widely understood as a CPU-sensitive esports title, and the data supports the interpretation that the processor plays a dominant role here. The Intel Core i5-10400F offers 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. Its benchmark results include a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 10283 and a single-core score of 1451, placing it in the 68th percentile among all CPUs in the database.

The Intel Arc B580 GPU, by contrast, has a 68th percentile ranking among all GPUs, with a PassMark G3D score of 15748 and a Geekbench Vulkan score of 109672. The GPU's raw specifications include 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, 2560 shading units, and a boost clock of 2670 MHz. For a game like Valorant, which is not particularly demanding on GPU resources at competitive settings, the Arc B580 is more than sufficient.

The resolution scaling pattern provides indirect evidence of where the bottleneck lies. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra settings is 68.0 FPS (from 387.3 to 319.3). At 1440p, the same preset gap is 78.2 FPS (from 368.1 to 289.9). At 4K, the gap widens to 112.5 FPS (from 342.9 to 230.4). The increasing spread at higher resolutions suggests that the GPU becomes more relevant as pixel count rises, which is the expected behavior for a CPU-bound game at lower resolutions.

The data indicates that at 1080p, the CPU is the primary limiter, as even the highest GPU load from Ultra settings cannot push the average below 319.3 FPS. At 4K, the GPU begins to assert more influence, but even so, the lowest average across all 4K presets is 230.4 FPS, which remains far above any competitive concern. The CPU's single-thread performance, as measured by a PassMark single-thread score of 2541, is likely the deciding factor in this game's frame delivery.

The scaling between resolutions also reveals that the GPU is not being saturated at lower settings. From 1080p Low at 387.3 FPS to 4K Low at 342.9 FPS, the drop is only 44.4 FPS, or roughly 11.5 percent. This modest decline suggests that even at 4K with Low settings, the CPU still has enough influence to keep frame rates extraordinarily high. The GPU's headroom is substantial, and the data points to a system where Valorant's performance is governed primarily by the processor's single-core capabilities.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Valorant at 1080p with Ultra settings?

A: Yes. The recorded average frame rate at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings is 319.3 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS playability threshold.

Q: What is the best preset at 4K resolution?

A: Ultra settings at 3840x2160 produce an average of 230.4 FPS, which is the highest settings preset that remains above 60 FPS. In fact, all presets at 4K are playable, with Low settings reaching 342.9 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to similar processors?

A: The Intel Core i5-10400F has an average benchmark score of 14185, placing it in the 68th percentile. Its nearest rival, the Intel Xeon 6756E, scores 14163, which is 0.2 percent lower. The AMD Ryzen 3 7320C scores 14277, which is 0.6 percent higher.

Q: How does the GPU compare to similar graphics cards?

A: The Intel Arc B580 has an average benchmark score of 23021. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP, scores 23061, which is 0.2 percent higher. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 scores 22895, which is 0.6 percent lower.

Q: Is the frame rate consistent across all resolutions?

A: The database only records average frame rates, so no minimum or maximum values are available. The averages are uniformly high, ranging from 230.4 FPS at 4K Ultra to 387.3 FPS at 1080p Low.

Q: Which component is more important for this game?

A: The data suggests the CPU is the dominant factor, particularly at lower resolutions. The CPU's single-thread score of 2541 and the relatively small frame rate differences between presets at 1080p indicate that the processor is the primary limiter.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU's nearest rivals in the database provide useful context for what other processors might behave similarly. The Intel Xeon 6756E has an average score of 14163, which is only 0.2 percent below the i5-10400F's 14185. The Intel Core 7 160UL scores 14232, putting it 0.3 percent above. The AMD EPYC 7552 scores 14115, which is 0.5 percent lower, and the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C scores 14277, which is 0.6 percent higher. These four processors all sit within a narrow band around the i5-10400F, meaning any of them would likely deliver similar Valorant performance when paired with the Arc B580.

On the GPU side, the Intel Arc B580's average benchmark score of 23021 is closely matched by several cards. The AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP scores 23061, just 0.2 percent higher. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 scores 22895, 0.6 percent lower. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 scores 23172, 0.7 percent higher. The NVIDIA P106-100 scores 23249, 1 percent higher. These deltas are all within one percent, suggesting that any of these GPUs would produce nearly identical frame rates in Valorant when paired with the i5-10400F.

The practical implication is that a system with any of these alternative components would likely land within a few frames per second of the measured results. The tight clustering of both CPU and GPU rivals reinforces the notion that Valorant's performance is not highly sensitive to the specific hardware choices within these performance bands. The game's low graphical demands and high frame ceiling mean that even modest hardware differences translate to negligible observable changes.

The Verdict

The verdict is unambiguous: this combination runs Valorant with overwhelming success at every resolution and preset tested. The verdict by resolution confirms that all four presets, Low, Medium, High, and Ultra, are playable at 3840x2160, 2560x1440, and 1920x1080. The playability threshold is 60 FPS, and the lowest average recorded across all twelve configurations is 230.4 FPS at 4K Ultra. That is nearly four times the threshold.

For competitive play, the data suggests that even the most demanding settings at the highest resolution leave massive headroom. At 1080p, which is the resolution most competitive Valorant players use, the average frame rate never drops below 319.3 FPS regardless of preset. At 1440p, the lowest average is 289.9 FPS. At 4K, the lowest average is 230.4 FPS. No configuration in the recorded data comes close to failing the 60 FPS test.

The system is not merely playable; it is overqualified for this game. Users who prioritize maximum visual fidelity can enable Ultra settings at any resolution without concern. Users who prioritize maximum frame rates can drop to Low settings and gain between 68 and 112 FPS depending on resolution, with the largest gain occurring at 4K.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database's collection of tested combinations, this pairing ranks 2922 out of 3708 total combinations. That places it in the lower portion of the overall distribution, which is notable given how well it performs in Valorant specifically. The rank reflects performance across many games and workloads, not just this title. Valorant is a lightweight esports title, so a combination that ranks in the 21st percentile overall can still deliver exceptional results in this specific game.

The discrepancy between the overall rank and the in-game performance highlights the importance of matching hardware to the workload. The i5-10400F and Arc B580 are both mid-range performers in their respective categories, as indicated by their 68th percentile rankings. Yet in Valorant, they produce frame rates that rival far more expensive configurations. The game's low system requirements and the CPU's strong single-thread performance combine to create a scenario where this mid-pack combination punches well above its overall standing.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the best settings are Ultra, which delivers an average of 319.3 FPS. This is the most demanding preset and it remains far above the 60 FPS threshold, so there is no reason to compromise on visual quality at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the best settings are also Ultra, with an average of 289.9 FPS. The gap between Ultra and High at this resolution is 17.2 FPS, but both presets are well above the threshold, so Ultra is the clear recommendation.

At 3840x2160, the best settings remain Ultra, producing an average of 230.4 FPS. Even at 4K, the most demanding preset clears the 60 FPS threshold by a factor of nearly four. The data shows that no settings compromise is necessary at any resolution for this game.

The consistent recommendation of Ultra across all resolutions is a direct consequence of the massive performance headroom this combination enjoys. Valorant's engine and art style are not particularly taxing on modern hardware, and the i5-10400F paired with the Arc B580 has more than enough capability to run the game at maximum settings everywhere. The only reason to lower settings would be to chase even higher frame rates for competitive play, but the average at Ultra is already so high that any additional frames would likely exceed the refresh rate of most displays.