Valorant

Valorant at 4K with the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 and Intel Arc B370 yields a 128 FPS average on High settings, which drops to 122 FPS on Ultra. The scaling pattern across resolutions tells a clear story: at 1080p Low, the combo produces 299 FPS, while at 4K Low it produces 204 FPS, representing a 31.8% reduction. This gap narrows significantly when comparing High settings, where the drop from 187 FPS at 1080p to 128 FPS at 4K is a 31.6% decline. The data suggests that the frame rate is not purely GPU-bound at lower resolutions, as the CPU’s 6 cores and 12 threads are sufficient to feed the Arc B370’s 1280 shading units, but at 4K the GPU’s compute throughput of 6.144 TFLOPS becomes the primary constraint.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS rows show that the Intel Arc B370’s performance degrades predictably as resolution increases, but the rate of degradation is not uniform across settings. At Low settings, the transition from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 yields a 15.4% drop from 299 FPS to 255 FPS, while the move to 3840x2160 further reduces performance to 204 FPS, a 20.0% additional decline. This indicates that at Low settings, the GPU is still the limiting factor even at 1080p, since the CPU can produce frames faster than the GPU can render them. The Ryzen 5 5500’s single-thread score of 836 in 3dmark suggests it has ample headroom for Valorant’s CPU demands, so the bottleneck shifts entirely to the Arc B370.

For Medium settings, the pattern is similar but with lower absolute numbers: 197 FPS at 1080p, 168 FPS at 1440p, and 134 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops are 14.7% and 20.2% respectively, which closely mirrors the Low settings scaling. This consistency implies that the GPU’s fixed-function units, such as the 40 TMUs and 20 ROPs, are being saturated in a linear fashion as pixel count increases. The pixel rate of 48.00 GPixel/s and texture rate of 96.00 GTexel/s provide theoretical ceilings that align with the observed scaling: at 4K, the 8.3 million pixel count per frame exceeds the GPU’s ability to maintain 60+ FPS at Ultra settings, but the 122 FPS at Ultra shows it still manages.

Ultra settings show the most significant scaling penalty, with 178 FPS at 1080p dropping to 152 FPS at 1440p (a 14.6% decline) and then to 122 FPS at 4K (a 19.7% further drop). This steeper decline at 4K Ultra compared to Low settings suggests that the Arc B370’s 10 RT cores and 25 W TDP limit its ability to handle the additional shading complexity at higher resolutions. The data indicates that for this combo, 1080p is the sweet spot where the CPU and GPU are balanced, while 4K pushes the GPU to its limits regardless of settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the maximum average FPS achievable with this combo in Valorant?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 299, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This is the only configuration that approaches the 300 FPS threshold, suggesting that the combo is capable of high refresh rate gaming at 1080p if settings are reduced.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K with Ultra settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 122. This remains above the 120 FPS mark, but it is the lowest measured average across all configurations. The lack of min/max FPS data for this row means stability cannot be fully assessed, but the average is still playable for competitive FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck at 1080p Low settings?

A: The 299 FPS at 1080p Low suggests the CPU is not limiting, as the Ryzen 5 5500’s 12 threads and 16 MB L3 cache provide sufficient processing power. The GPU’s 6.144 TFLOPS FP32 performance is the more likely constraint, as the frame rate is capped below what the CPU could theoretically produce.

Q: What is the FPS difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, Low settings produce 255 FPS while Ultra settings produce 152 FPS, a difference of 103 FPS or 67.8% higher performance on Low. This indicates that the Arc B370’s 1280 shading units are heavily taxed by Ultra’s additional graphical effects.

Q: Does the combo maintain consistent frame times at Medium settings?

A: The Medium settings rows include min and max FPS values. At 4K, the range is 114 to 154 FPS (a 40 FPS spread), at 1440p it is 143 to 193 FPS (a 50 FPS spread), and at 1080p it is 167 to 226 FPS (a 59 FPS spread). The wider range at lower resolutions suggests more variance, likely due to CPU frame delivery timing.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested configurations?

A: The combo ranks 3411 out of 3708 tested combinations, placing it in the bottom 8% of all combos. This low rank is primarily driven by the GPU’s 5th percentile ranking among all GPUs, which limits overall performance despite the CPU’s 73rd percentile ranking.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500’s specifications provide context for its role in this benchmark. With 6 cores and 12 threads based on the Zen 3 architecture, the CPU offers a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz. Its 3dmark single-thread score of 836 and 2-thread score of 1645 indicate moderate per-core performance, which is sufficient for Valorant’s engine that typically scales well with single-thread performance. The CPU’s 16 MB L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth ensure that data feeding the GPU is not a bottleneck in most scenarios.

In the measured FPS data, the CPU’s influence is most evident at 1080p Low settings, where the 299 FPS average suggests the CPU is capable of delivering frames faster than the GPU can render them. The 3dmark 16-thread score of 5386 and max-thread score of 5411 show that the CPU’s multi-threaded performance is consistent, with only a 0.5% improvement from 16 to max threads, indicating that all 12 threads are being utilized efficiently. However, the Cinebench R23 multicore score of 16429 and single-core score of 2319 place the CPU in the mid-range, which is adequate for Valorant but not exceptional.

The CPU’s percentile ranking of 73rd among all CPUs means it outperforms 73% of tested processors, but its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-12500 (deltaPct -0.4%) and Intel Core i7-10700F (deltaPct 0.5%), showing that its performance is closely clustered with similar mid-range offerings. In the context of Valorant, the CPU’s 12 threads are more than sufficient, as the game is not heavily multi-threaded. The 4.20 GHz boost clock allows for responsive frame delivery, which is reflected in the high FPS at 1080p Low, but at 4K Ultra the CPU’s role diminishes as the GPU becomes the clear limiting factor.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best performance across all settings. Low settings achieve 299 FPS average, which is the highest measured value in the entire dataset. High settings reduce this to 187 FPS, Medium to 197 FPS, and Ultra to 178 FPS. The Medium settings row includes min and max values of 167 and 226 FPS respectively, showing a 59 FPS range that indicates some frame pacing variability. The difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 121 FPS, a 67.9% improvement for Low, which demonstrates the significant impact of graphical settings on this GPU.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops across all settings. Low produces 255 FPS, High 160 FPS, Medium 168 FPS (with min 143 and max 193), and Ultra 152 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is roughly 14-15% for most settings, but the High setting drops 14.4% from 187 to 160 FPS. The Medium settings range narrows to 50 FPS, suggesting slightly more stable frame times at this resolution. The Ultra setting at 1440p is 152 FPS, which is still well above the 144 Hz refresh rate commonly found in gaming monitors.

At 3840x2160, the combo’s performance is at its lowest. Low settings yield 204 FPS, High 128 FPS, Medium 134 FPS (with min 114 and max 154), and Ultra 122 FPS. The Medium settings range at 4K is 40 FPS, the tightest of all resolutions, indicating that the GPU is fully saturated and frame times are more consistent. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 82 FPS, a 67.2% improvement for Low, which is nearly identical to the 1080p ratio. This consistency suggests that the Arc B370’s architecture scales uniformly with resolution and settings, with no unexpected bottlenecks.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is an integrated GPU based on the Xe3-LPG architecture with a 3 nm process node. It features 1280 shading units, 40 TMUs, and 20 ROPs, along with 10 RT cores. The GPU operates at a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2400 MHz, with a TDP of 25 W. Its FP32 performance is 6.144 TFLOPS, and it supports DirectX 12 Ultimate and Vulkan 1.4. The memory is system shared, meaning the GPU relies on the CPU’s DDR4 memory, which has a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s.

The GPU’s benchmark results are modest, with a 3dmark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1184, placing it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (deltaPct -0.2%) and ATI Radeon HD 5770 (deltaPct -0.5%), which are significantly older architectures. This low performance ranking explains why the combo ranks 3411 out of 3708 in Valorant, despite the CPU’s solid performance. The 25 W TDP and IGP form factor limit the GPU’s ability to sustain high frame rates at demanding settings.

In Valorant’s measured FPS, the GPU’s role is defined by its compute and memory constraints. At 1080p Low, the 299 FPS average approaches the practical limit for an integrated GPU with 6.144 TFLOPS. The 40 TMUs and 20 ROPs handle texture and pixel operations, but the system shared memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s creates a bottleneck at higher resolutions. The pixel rate of 48.00 GPixel/s and texture rate of 96.00 GTexel/s are theoretical maximums, and the measured 4K Ultra performance of 122 FPS indicates the GPU is operating near its limits. The RT cores are largely unused in Valorant, but their presence adds to the die area without contributing to this game’s performance.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution. At 1920x1080, Low settings provide 299 FPS, which is ideal for high refresh rate monitors and competitive play. Medium settings at 197 FPS offer a balanced trade-off, providing a 34.1% improvement in visual quality over Low while maintaining frame rates above 144 Hz. The min FPS of 167 at Medium ensures that even during intense firefights, the frame rate does not drop below 144 FPS, making Medium the recommended preset for 1080p gaming.

At 2560x1440, the recommendation shifts to Low settings, which deliver 255 FPS. Medium settings at 168 FPS are still playable for 144 Hz monitors, but the min FPS of 143 falls slightly below 144 Hz, potentially causing minor stutters. High settings at 160 FPS are acceptable for 60 Hz displays, but for competitive play, Low is the safest choice. The Ultra setting at 152 FPS is not recommended due to the lack of min/max data, which leaves frame stability uncertain.

At 3840x2160, Low settings are the only viable option for high refresh rate gaming, providing 204 FPS. Medium settings at 134 FPS are suitable for 60 Hz displays, with a min FPS of 114 ensuring no drops below 60 FPS. High and Ultra settings at 128 and 122 FPS respectively are marginal for 120 Hz displays, but the lack of min/max data for these rows means frame stability cannot be guaranteed. For the best experience across all resolutions, Low settings offer the highest FPS with the least risk of frame drops, while Medium provides a reasonable visual upgrade for those with 60 Hz monitors.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 + Intel Arc B370 combo ranks 3411 out of 3708 tested combinations in Valorant, placing it in the bottom 8% of all tested systems. This low ranking is directly attributable to the GPU’s 5th percentile performance, as the CPU’s 73rd percentile ranking is comparatively strong. The combo’s measured FPS at 1080p Low (299 FPS) is respectable, but the overall ranking is dragged down by the GPU’s inability to maintain high frame rates at higher resolutions and settings.

Comparing the components to their nearest rivals, the CPU’s avgBenchmarkScore of 19593 is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen AI 5 430 (19617, deltaPct -0.1%) and Intel Core i5-12500 (19668, deltaPct -0.4%), indicating that the Ryzen 5 5500 is a mid-pack performer. The GPU’s avgBenchmarkScore of 1184 is only 0.2% lower than the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (1186) and 0.5% lower than the ATI Radeon HD 5770 (1190), showing that the Arc B370 is at the bottom of the GPU performance ladder. The combo ranking of 3411 out of 3708 means it outperforms only 297 other combinations, which is a stark contrast to the CPU’s solid performance.

The data suggests that this combo is severely unbalanced for Valorant, as the CPU is capable of much higher frame rates than the GPU can deliver. The 299 FPS at 1080p Low is the ceiling, and any increase in resolution or settings immediately exposes the GPU’s limitations. For users with this specific configuration, the ranking indicates that the GPU is the primary upgrade path, as the CPU’s performance is sufficient for this game and many others. The combo’s low rank is a direct consequence of pairing a 73rd percentile CPU with a 5th percentile GPU, resulting in a system that is CPU-limited at low settings but GPU-limited at higher settings.