Valorant

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X and Intel Arc B390 combination produces a surprisingly playable Valorant experience, though its overall ranking is near the bottom of the tested pool. The data shows a clear pattern: the CPU provides ample processing power while the GPU becomes the primary constraint at higher settings, yet the frame rates remain competitive for competitive play.

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

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X is a desktop processor from the 5000 series, built on the Zen 3 architecture with the Vermeer codename. It features 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. The processor has a 105 W TDP and uses the AMD Socket AM4 platform. This chip is manufactured on a 7 nm process by TSMC, with a die size of 74 mm² and 4,150 million transistors. Memory support includes DDR4 with dual-channel operation, providing 51.2 GB/s of bandwidth, and it supports ECC memory.

Benchmark results for the 5800X show strong multi-threaded performance. In Cinebench R23, it scores 15,476 multicore and 1,574.5 single-core. Geekbench results show 11,036 multicore and 2,032 single-core. The 3DMark tests reveal scaling from 1,846 for 2 threads to 7,578 for max threads, demonstrating that the processor effectively utilizes its 8-core design. PassMark tests show a multithread score of 27,732 and a single-thread score of 3,445. The processor ranks in the 81st percentile versus all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 29,123. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core Ultra 5 135H (avg score 29,093, delta 0.1%), the Intel Xeon Phi 7210 (avg score 29,245, delta -0.4%), and the Intel Core i5-13500HX (avg score 29,270, delta -0.5%), indicating the 5800X sits within a tight performance cluster.

In Valorant, this CPU's role is substantial. The game is known for being CPU-light in theory, but the 5800X's high single-thread performance, as evidenced by the 1,574.5 Cinebench R23 single-core score and 3,445 PassMark single-thread score, helps drive high frame rates. The measured FPS data shows that at 1080p Low settings, the combo achieves 331 FPS average. This high number suggests the CPU is not the limiting factor at lower resolutions and settings, as the frame rate scales significantly when the GPU workload is reduced. The 8-core, 16-thread configuration provides headroom for background tasks and game engine threads, though the game likely doesn't fully utilize all 16 threads. The L3 cache of 32 MB and per-core L1 (64 KB) and L2 (512 KB) caches contribute to low-latency access to frequently used game data, which is critical for maintaining consistent frame pacing in a fast-paced FPS.

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

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics solution based on the Xe3-LPG architecture with the Panther Lake chip. It operates with a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz. The GPU has 1,536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster output units, along with 12 ray tracing cores. Its memory configuration is entirely system-shared, meaning there is no dedicated VRAM; the memory type, bus width, and bandwidth are all system-dependent. This is a significant factor for gaming performance, as the GPU must compete with the CPU for memory bandwidth. The pixel rate is 60.00 GPixel/s, texture rate is 120.0 GTexel/s, and FP32 performance is 7.680 TFLOPS. The GPU's TDP is 80 W, and it is an integrated graphics processor with no power connectors, fitting into a slot width designated as IGP. It supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

The Arc B390's benchmark presence in the data is minimal, with only a single 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1,482. This places it in the 9th percentile versus all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 1,482. Its nearest rivals are all older NVIDIA parts: the GeForce GT 520MX (avg score 1,463, delta 1.3%), the GeForce 800M (avg score 1,460, delta 1.5%), the GeForce GT 625 OEM (avg score 1,446, delta 2.5%), and the GeForce GT 710 (avg score 1,443, delta 2.7%). The Arc B390 outperforms these by small margins, but the performance class is clearly low-end.

In Valorant, the GPU's role is more complex. The system-shared memory means that the GPU's effective bandwidth is dependent on the CPU's memory controller and the speed of the DDR4 RAM. The boost clock of 2500 MHz helps with compute throughput, but the lack of dedicated VRAM can cause performance dips when textures and frame buffers compete for memory. The measured FPS data shows that at 4K Ultra settings, the average frame rate drops to 135 FPS, while at 4K Low settings it reaches 225 FPS. This significant gap indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor at higher settings, as the added detail and shading work overwhelm the integrated GPU's capabilities. The 7.680 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is sufficient for Valorant's relatively simple visuals, but the system-shared memory bottleneck becomes apparent at higher resolutions and settings. The 12 RT cores are largely irrelevant for this game, as Valorant does not use ray tracing effects.

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

The measured FPS data shows a clear scaling pattern across resolutions. At 1080p Low settings, the combo achieves 331 FPS average. Moving to 1440p Low, the average drops to 282 FPS, a decrease of 49 FPS (approximately 14.8% lower). At 4K Low, the average is 225 FPS, which is 106 FPS lower than 1080p (approximately 32% lower). This scaling suggests that the GPU is becoming more of a bottleneck as resolution increases, but even at 4K Low, the frame rate remains high enough for smooth gameplay.

For High settings, the pattern is similar but with a steeper drop. At 1080p High, the average is 207 FPS. At 1440p High, it drops to 177 FPS (a 30 FPS or 14.5% decrease). At 4K High, it falls to 141 FPS (a 66 FPS or 31.9% decrease from 1080p). The Medium settings show a comparable trend: 218 FPS at 1080p, 186 FPS at 1440p, and 149 FPS at 4K. The Ultra settings follow: 198 FPS at 1080p, 169 FPS at 1440p, and 135 FPS at 4K.

The data indicates that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck in this configuration. At 1080p Low, the 331 FPS average is likely near the CPU's maximum frame generation capability, but the drop to 225 FPS at 4K Low shows that the GPU is being stressed more. However, the relatively small percentage drops between 1080p and 1440p (around 14-15%) suggest that the GPU has some headroom at lower resolutions. The larger drops from 1440p to 4K (around 20-21% for most settings) indicate that the system-shared memory and integrated GPU architecture are struggling with the increased pixel count. This pattern confirms that the Intel Arc B390 is the limiting component, particularly at higher resolutions, while the Ryzen 7 5800X provides sufficient processing power to keep frame rates high when the GPU is not overwhelmed.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X and Intel Arc B390 ranks 2,534 out of 2,883 tested combos in Valorant. This places it in the bottom 12% of all configurations tested. This low ranking is primarily due to the GPU's limitations, as the CPU is a strong performer (81st percentile). The data shows that the GPU's 9th percentile ranking drags the overall combo down significantly.

When comparing to other combos, the data shows that the CPU's nearest rivals (Intel Core Ultra 5 135H, Intel Xeon Phi 7210, Intel Core i5-13500HX, AMD Ryzen 5 5600XT) all have similar average benchmark scores, with deltas ranging from -0.5% to 0.6%. This indicates that the CPU choice is not the differentiator in the ranking. Instead, the GPU's performance class, as evidenced by its nearest rivals (GT 520MX, GeForce 800M, GT 625 OEM, GT 710), puts it in a very low performance tier. The ranking of 2,534 out of 2,883 suggests that most other tested combos feature either more powerful dedicated GPUs or integrated solutions with better memory bandwidth.

The measured FPS data shows that despite the low ranking, the combo is still playable. At 1080p Low, the 331 FPS average would be competitive in most scenarios. However, the ranking reflects relative performance against other combos, many of which likely use dedicated GPUs that can maintain higher frame rates at higher settings. The data suggests that while this combo can run Valorant, it does so at the lower end of the performance spectrum, and users with more demanding settings preferences would likely see better results with a different GPU.

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

The measured data provides four settings presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) across three resolutions. The best experience depends on the target resolution and the desired frame rate. For competitive play, the Low preset at 1080p offers the highest average frame rate at 331 FPS, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. At 1440p Low, the average drops to 282 FPS, still excellent for competitive play. At 4K Low, the average is 225 FPS, which is still above the 144 Hz threshold for most high-refresh displays.

For a balanced experience, the Medium preset at 1080p provides 218 FPS average with a minimum of 185 FPS and a maximum of 250 FPS. This preset offers better visual fidelity while maintaining frame rates above 200 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the average is 186 FPS with a minimum of 158 FPS and a maximum of 214 FPS. This is still smooth for most players. The 4K Medium preset yields 149 FPS average with a minimum of 126 FPS and a maximum of 171 FPS, which is playable but may not be ideal for high-refresh displays.

The High preset at 1080p gives 207 FPS average, while at 1440p it is 177 FPS, and at 4K it is 141 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1080p provides 198 FPS, at 1440p 169 FPS, and at 4K 135 FPS. The data shows that the jump from Low to Medium at each resolution costs approximately 12-14% of the average frame rate (e.g., at 1080p, from 331 to 218 FPS is a 34% drop; at 1440p, from 282 to 186 is a 34% drop; at 4K, from 225 to 149 is a 34% drop). The jump from Medium to High costs about 5-6% (e.g., 218 to 207 at 1080p, 186 to 177 at 1440p, 149 to 141 at 4K). The jump from High to Ultra costs about 4-5% (e.g., 207 to 198 at 1080p, 177 to 169 at 1440p, 141 to 135 at 4K).

For the best experience, the Medium preset is recommended for most users. It provides a substantial visual improvement over Low while maintaining frame rates above 185 FPS at 1080p and 158 FPS at 1440p. The minimum FPS data for Medium (185 at 1080p, 158 at 1440p, 126 at 4K) shows that the combo can maintain smooth gameplay without major dips. If competitive performance is the sole priority, Low at 1080p or 1440p is the best choice. If visual fidelity is more important than raw frame rate, High or Ultra at 1080p provides acceptable performance, but the data shows that the GPU struggles to maintain high frame rates at 4K with higher settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the maximum average FPS this combo can achieve in Valorant?

A: The highest average FPS measured is 331 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested configurations?

A: This combo ranks 2,534 out of 2,883 tested combos in Valorant, placing it in the bottom 12% of all tested systems.

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

A: The data shows the GPU is the main bottleneck. The CPU ranks in the 81st percentile, while the GPU ranks in the 9th percentile. The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K (e.g., from 331 to 225 FPS at Low settings) demonstrates the GPU's limitation at higher resolutions.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the Low preset achieves 331 FPS average, while the Ultra preset achieves 198 FPS average. This represents a 133 FPS difference (approximately 40% lower performance for Ultra).

Q: Does the GPU have dedicated VRAM?

A: No, the Intel Arc B390 uses system-shared memory. The memory size, type, bus width, and bandwidth are all listed as "System Shared" or "System Dependent," meaning it relies on the CPU's DDR4 memory.

Q: What are the minimum FPS values for the Medium preset at different resolutions?

A: The Medium preset has minimum FPS values of 185 at 1080p, 158 at 1440p, and 126 at 4K. These are the only measured minimum FPS values in the data set.