Valorant

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Ryzen 5 7600X is a 6-core, 12-thread desktop processor built on the Zen 4 architecture (Raphael) using a 5 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 4.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, with a 105 W TDP. Its cache hierarchy includes 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 32 MB of shared L3 cache. The CPU supports DDR5 memory on a dual-channel bus, achieving 83.2 GB/s of memory bandwidth.

In Valorant, which is a highly CPU-sensitive esports shooter, the 7600X’s strong single-thread performance is the primary driver of high frame rates. The 3DMark single-thread score of 1060 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3406 indicate excellent per-core throughput, which directly translates to the game’s main simulation thread. Multi-threaded scores, such as Cinebench R23 multicore at 24128 and Geekbench multicore at 12905, show the processor handles background tasks without stealing resources from the game.

The processor ranks in the 83rd percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 26272. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U (avgScore 26262, deltaPct 0), the AMD Ryzen 7 7735U (avgScore 26305, deltaPct -0.1), the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 5655GE (avgScore 26320, deltaPct -0.2), and the AMD Ryzen 7 5700X (avgScore 26214, deltaPct 0.2). The deltaPct values are negligible, meaning the 7600X sits in a tightly clustered performance band, but its advantage in single-thread workloads makes it particularly well-suited for Valorant’s frame-rate ceiling.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is built on the Turing architecture (TU106 chip) using a 12 nm process. It features 2176 shading units, 136 texture mapping units, and 64 raster output units, along with 34 ray-tracing cores and 272 tensor cores. The GPU has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 448.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth. Its base clock is 1470 MHz with a boost clock of 1650 MHz, and memory runs at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective).

For Valorant, the GPU’s role is more about maintaining consistent frame delivery than pushing complex visuals. The game’s low graphical overhead means the RTX 2060 SUPER’s 7.181 TFLOPS of FP32 compute is more than sufficient. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is ample for all tested settings, as the game’s texture and geometry demands are modest. The GPU ranks in the 63rd percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19774. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN (avgScore 19706, deltaPct 0.3), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 (avgScore 19680, deltaPct 0.5), the NVIDIA Quadro K5200 (avgScore 19623, deltaPct 0.8), and the NVIDIA Tesla K40m (avgScore 19519, deltaPct 1.3). These small deltaPct values show the 2060 SUPER is competitive with older high-end cards, but its modern feature set and driver optimization give it an edge in current titles like Valorant.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of CPU dominance at lower resolutions and a gradual shift toward GPU involvement at 4K. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves 595.6 FPS average. This drops to 506.4 FPS at 2560x1440 (a 15.0% reduction) and further to 403.9 FPS at 3840x2160 (a 32.2% reduction from 1080p). The relatively small drop from 1080p to 1440p suggests the CPU is still the primary limiter, as the GPU can easily handle the increased pixel count without significant frame loss.

At High settings, the pattern shifts. The 1080p result is 369.4 FPS, dropping to 314.7 FPS at 1440p (a 14.8% reduction) and 252 FPS at 4K (a 31.8% reduction from 1080p). The percentage drops are nearly identical to Low settings, indicating the GPU is not yet saturated even at 4K High. At Ultra settings, the 1080p frame rate is 351.9 FPS, falling to 302.7 FPS at 1440p (a 14.0% reduction) and 242.2 FPS at 4K (a 31.2% reduction). The consistency of these percentage drops across all settings reinforces that the CPU is the bottleneck at 1080p, while the GPU begins to matter more as resolution increases, but even at 4K Ultra the system never drops below 242 FPS.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

The measured data suggests that Low settings provide the highest frame rates across all resolutions, but the differences between presets are not as dramatic as in more graphically demanding titles. At 1080p, Low yields 595.6 FPS, Medium 389.4 FPS, High 369.4 FPS, and Ultra 351.9 FPS. The jump from Low to Medium costs 206.2 FPS (34.6% reduction), while the jump from Medium to High is only 20 FPS (5.1% reduction), and High to Ultra is 17.5 FPS (4.7% reduction). This suggests that Medium is the sweet spot for competitive play, offering a large improvement in visual fidelity over Low at a relatively moderate frame-rate cost compared to the steep drop from Low to Medium.

At 1440p, Low achieves 506.4 FPS, Medium 335 FPS, High 314.7 FPS, and Ultra 302.7 FPS. The same pattern holds: Low is disproportionately faster, while Medium through Ultra are clustered within 32.3 FPS of each other. At 4K, Low hits 403.9 FPS, Medium 262.7 FPS, High 252 FPS, and Ultra 242.2 FPS. For players with high-refresh-rate monitors (144 Hz or 240 Hz), Medium or High at 1080p is ideal, as both exceed 360 FPS. At 1440p, Medium still clears 300 FPS. At 4K, even Ultra remains above 240 FPS, making it viable for high-refresh 4K displays.

FAQ

Q: What is the maximum average frame rate achievable with this combo?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 595.6, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1080p to 1440p at High settings?

A: The average FPS drops from 369.4 at 1080p to 314.7 at 1440p, a reduction of 54.7 FPS or approximately 14.8%.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck in this game?

A: At 1080p and 1440p, the CPU is the primary limiter, as evidenced by the relatively small frame-rate drops when increasing resolution. At 4K, the GPU becomes more relevant, but even then, the system stays above 240 FPS on all settings.

Q: What is the difference in FPS between Low and Ultra settings at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160, Low averages 403.9 FPS while Ultra averages 242.2 FPS, a difference of 161.7 FPS.

Q: How does the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X compare to its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 5700X?

A: The 7600X has an average benchmark score of 26272, which is 0.2% higher than the AMD Ryzen 7 5700X’s 26214, indicating virtually identical overall performance.

Q: Does the RTX 2060 SUPER’s 8 GB VRAM limit performance in Valorant?

A: No, the 8 GB VRAM is never a limiting factor in this game, as even at 4K Ultra settings the average FPS remains above 240, showing the memory capacity is sufficient for all tested configurations.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

1920x1080:

• Low: 595.6 FPS average
• Medium: 389.4 FPS average
• High: 369.4 FPS average
• Ultra: 351.9 FPS average

At 1080p, the system delivers exceptional frame rates across all presets. Low settings provide a 206.2 FPS advantage over Medium, but the gap narrows considerably between Medium, High, and Ultra, where the maximum difference is just 37.5 FPS. This resolution benefits most from the CPU’s single-thread performance, with the GPU barely stressed.

2560x1440:

• Low: 506.4 FPS average
• Medium: 335 FPS average
• High: 314.7 FPS average
• Ultra: 302.7 FPS average

Moving to 1440p reduces frame rates by 89.2 FPS at Low, 54.4 FPS at Medium, 54.7 FPS at High, and 49.2 FPS at Ultra compared to 1080p. The proportional drops are consistent, suggesting the CPU remains the bottleneck. The gap between Low and Medium is 171.4 FPS, while Medium to Ultra spans only 32.3 FPS.

3840x2160:

• Low: 403.9 FPS average
• Medium: 262.7 FPS average
• High: 252 FPS average
• Ultra: 242.2 FPS average

At 4K, the frame rates remain remarkably high for a modern title. Low settings deliver 403.9 FPS, which is 102.5 FPS lower than at 1080p Low. Medium, High, and Ultra are tightly grouped, with only 20.5 FPS separating Medium from Ultra. The GPU begins to influence results at this resolution, but the combination still easily exceeds 240 FPS on Ultra, making 4K gaming with high refresh rates a practical option.