Valorant

Valorant is a competitive FPS where frame rate consistency often matters more than absolute visual fidelity. The pairing of the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 with the AMD Radeon RX 570 produces a combination that ranks 3510 out of 3708 tested combos in this database, placing it in the lower tier of systems. However, the measured FPS data reveals that this modest ranking does not translate to a poor experience at standard resolutions, as the game is highly optimized. This analysis breaks down the specific CPU and GPU contributions, the performance across all tested settings, and offers practical advice for getting the most out of this setup.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall performance ranking of this CPU and GPU combo in Valorant?

A: The combo ranks 3510 out of 3708 tested combinations. This places it in the bottom 5% of all tested systems, indicating that while it is fully capable of running the game, there are many more powerful setups that will achieve higher frame rates.

Q: How does the Ryzen 5 3600 compare to its nearest rivals in general CPU benchmarks?

A: The Ryzen 5 3600 has an average benchmark score of 17035, which places it in the 71st percentile of all CPUs. Its closest rival, the Intel Core i7-1260P, scores 17007, making the Ryzen 5 3600 0.2% faster. The Intel Core i5-11400 scores 17067, making it 0.2% faster than the Ryzen 5 3600.

Q: What is the best resolution to play Valorant with this hardware?

A: The data shows that at 1920x1080, the combo achieves its highest frame rates, with an average of 286 FPS at Low settings. Even at Ultra settings, it maintains an average of 171 FPS, which is well above the refresh rate of most standard monitors.

Q: Is the Radeon RX 570 a bottleneck for the Ryzen 5 3600 in this game?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score is 28766, placing it in the 74th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the Radeon RX 6800M, is only 0.4% faster. Given that the CPU is in the 71st percentile, the pairing is well-balanced, though the FPS data suggests the GPU handles the load effectively at 1080p.

Q: What are the minimum frame rates like at 1440p and 4K?

A: Minimum frame rates are only provided for Medium settings. At 2560x1440, the minimum FPS is 137, and at 3840x2160, it drops to 109. These figures indicate that even at higher resolutions, the system maintains playable frame rates without severe stuttering.

Q: Does the Ryzen 5 3600 support overclocking?

A: Yes, the multiplier is unlocked. This allows for manual overclocking to push the base clock of 3.60 GHz higher, potentially improving performance in CPU-bound scenarios, though the boost clock is already 4.20 GHz.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor built on the Zen 2 architecture (codenamed Matisse) using a 7 nm process from TSMC. Its base clock is 3.60 GHz, and it boosts up to 4.20 GHz. This configuration is more than sufficient for Valorant, a game that is not heavily threaded but benefits from strong single-core performance.

In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU shows a clear scaling pattern. The 3dmark single-thread score is 696, while the 2-thread score jumps to 1361, and the 4-thread score reaches 2579. By 8 threads, the score is 3844, and the max-thread score is 4603. This indicates that the processor effectively utilizes its cores, but the performance gains diminish significantly beyond 4 threads, which is typical for gaming workloads. The Cinebench R23 scores reinforce this, with a single-core score of 2124 and a multi-core score of 15045.

The CPU's percentile rank of 71 versus all CPUs places it in the upper-middle tier. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-1260P, has an average score of 17007, which is 0.2% lower. This means the Ryzen 5 3600 is essentially on par with a modern laptop processor, despite being a desktop part from an older generation. For Valorant, this level of performance ensures that the CPU will rarely be the limiting factor, especially at lower resolutions where frame rates are high.

The 32 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support (with a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s) provide ample memory bandwidth for the game's data streams. The processor's 65W TDP also means it will not generate excessive heat, allowing for a capable air cooler to keep temperatures in check. In the context of Valorant, the Ryzen 5 3600 provides a stable foundation, ensuring that the game's logic and physics calculations are processed quickly.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 570 is a graphics card based on the Polaris 20 chip, utilizing the GCN 4.0 architecture. It operates at a base clock of 1168 MHz and a boost clock of 1244 MHz. The GPU comes with 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 224.0 GB/s. This memory configuration is a key factor in its performance at higher resolutions, as the game's textures and assets need to be stored and accessed quickly.

The GPU's compute power is rated at 5.095 TFLOPS for FP32 operations. It has 2048 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, which handle the pixel and texture processing. In synthetic benchmarks, the RX 570 scores 880 in 3dmark Steel Nomad DX12, and much higher in API-specific tests like Geekbench Vulkan (42752) and OpenCL (32084). The GPU's percentile rank of 74 versus all GPUs indicates it is a solid mid-range performer.

The closest rival to the RX 570 is the Radeon RX 6800M, which scores 28874 in average benchmarks, making the RX 570 0.4% slower. The Radeon RX 470 is 0.8% faster, and the Quadro RTX 8000 is 1.2% faster. This shows that the RX 570 is closely matched with its immediate competitors, and its performance is well understood. For Valorant, the RX 570's 4 GB of VRAM is sufficient for the game's art style, which does not require large texture packs. The GPU's role becomes more critical at 4K, where the pixel fill rate is stressed, but the measured data shows it still holds up well.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, this specific pairing of the Ryzen 5 3600 and the RX 570 ranks 3510 out of 3708. This is a low ranking, suggesting that most other systems will outperform it. However, this ranking is a holistic measure across many games and workloads. In Valorant specifically, the performance is much better than the ranking might suggest.

The low combo rank is largely due to the age of the components. The CPU was released in 2019, and the GPU in 2017. Both are considered entry-level or mid-range by today's standards. The fact that this combo still achieves over 170 FPS at Ultra settings in 1080p confirms the efficiency of the Valorant engine. The ranking highlights that while this is not a high-end system, it is far from unusable. The data indicates that the bottleneck is more likely to be the GPU at higher resolutions, but at 1080p, the system delivers a competitive experience.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of performance across three resolutions and four quality presets.

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: The average FPS is 286, which is exceptionally high and will easily saturate any 144Hz or 240Hz monitor.
• Medium: The average FPS drops to 189, with a minimum of 160 and a maximum of 217. This is still an excellent result for competitive play.
• High: The average FPS is 180, showing a slight decrease from Medium but still maintaining a very smooth experience.
• Ultra: The average FPS is 171. This is the most demanding preset, but it remains well above the 144 FPS threshold for high-refresh-rate gaming.

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: The average FPS is 244, which is a significant drop from 1080p but still extremely high.
• Medium: The average FPS is 161, with a minimum of 137 and a maximum of 185. The minimum frame rate is still above 60 FPS, ensuring no major stutters.
• High: The average FPS is 153, which is suitable for a 144Hz monitor, though it may not be locked to that refresh rate in all scenes.
• Ultra: The average FPS is 146, which is still playable but indicates the GPU is starting to work harder.

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: The average FPS is 195, which is surprisingly high for 4K and shows the game's scalability.
• Medium: The average FPS is 129, with a minimum of 109 and a maximum of 148. The minimum frame rate is still above 100, which is good for a 4K experience.
• High: The average FPS is 123, which is playable but not ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors.
• Ultra: The average FPS is 117, which is the lowest recorded in the dataset but still above 60 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

The optimal settings depend on your monitor's refresh rate and resolution.

For 1080p users with a 144Hz monitor, the High preset is the best choice. It delivers an average of 180 FPS with no minimum frame rate data to suggest dips below the refresh rate. The Medium preset also works well, with a minimum of 160 FPS, providing a safety buffer against frame drops. The Ultra preset at 171 FPS is also viable, but the extra visual fidelity may not be worth the slight reduction in performance margin.

For 1440p users, the Medium preset is recommended. It provides an average of 161 FPS and a minimum of 137 FPS, which will be smooth on a 144Hz monitor. The High preset at 153 FPS is also acceptable, but the lower minimum frame rate of the Medium preset offers more consistency. The Ultra preset at 146 FPS is still playable, but it is on the edge of what is considered optimal for competitive play.

For 4K users, the Low preset is the only option that provides a high refresh rate experience, with an average of 195 FPS. The Medium preset at 129 FPS is more balanced, offering a minimum of 109 FPS, which is suitable for a 60Hz or 120Hz display. The High and Ultra presets are playable but will not take full advantage of high refresh rate panels.

In summary, the most balanced experience across all resolutions is the Medium preset. It offers a good compromise between visual quality and performance, with the highest minimum frame rates recorded in the dataset at each resolution. For pure competitive advantage, the Low preset at 1080p is the best, as the 286 FPS average provides the lowest input lag and the most headroom for frame time consistency.