Valorant

Valorant is a competitive FPS where frame rate can directly impact gameplay smoothness and responsiveness. The measured data for the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F paired with the Intel Arc B370 provides a clear picture of how this specific combination handles Riot’s tactical shooter. The results show a system that is consistently capable of delivering high performance across all tested resolutions and settings, but the relationship between the CPU and GPU reveals distinct bottlenecks depending on the configuration chosen.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS rows offer a straightforward comparison across four presets: Low, Medium, High, and Ultra. The data shows that the Medium preset is the optimal balance for this specific combo, particularly when considering the minimum FPS values that are only recorded for this setting. At 1920x1080, Medium yields an average of 197 FPS with a minimum of 167 FPS. While the Low preset achieves a higher average of 299 FPS at this resolution, the jump from Low to Medium is a significant 102 FPS reduction in average, but the Medium preset ensures a more stable floor for competitive play. The High preset at 1080p drops to 187 FPS average, and Ultra falls to 178 FPS, making Medium the clear sweet spot for maintaining a high refresh rate experience without sacrificing the visual fidelity that comes with the higher presets.

This pattern repeats at higher resolutions. At 2560x1440, the Medium preset again provides the best experience, with an average of 168 FPS and a minimum of 143 FPS. The Low preset on 1440p hits 255 FPS average, but the drop to Medium is less severe than at 1080p, and the 143 FPS minimum is still comfortably above the 128 FPS average seen on the High preset at 4K. On the most demanding resolution, 3840x2160, the Medium preset is the only one that provides a measured minimum FPS value of 114, which is the lowest acceptable threshold for a smooth experience. The High preset at 4K averages 128 FPS, but without a minimum FPS data point, the Medium preset’s documented floor makes it the more reliable choice for consistent frame pacing.

Therefore, the data suggests that Medium is the recommended preset for this CPU-GPU pairing. It offers a substantial improvement in visual quality over Low while retaining a performance buffer that is crucial for a game like Valorant. The High and Ultra presets, while playable, do not offer the same headroom, and the lack of minimum FPS data for those settings makes it impossible to verify their stability under load. The measured rows indicate that Medium is the only setting that provides both a high average and a documented minimum FPS, making it the most feature-complete and reliable option in the dataset.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is an integrated graphics solution, as indicated by its "IGP" slot width and bus interface, with a 25 W TDP and a boost clock of 2400 MHz. Its memory is "System Shared," meaning it relies on the system’s DDR5 memory rather than dedicated VRAM. This architecture has a profound impact on the benchmark results. The GPU’s performance is modest, as evidenced by its 5th percentile ranking among all GPUs and a single 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1184. This places it in the company of much older discrete graphics cards, such as the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 and the AMD Radeon HD 7650M, which have similar scores.

In Valorant, the GPU’s role is to render the frame, and its shared memory bandwidth is system-dependent. The data shows that the Arc B370 is the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions and settings. When moving from Low to Ultra at 1080p, the average FPS drops from 299 to 178, a 40% reduction. This is a direct result of the GPU being tasked with more complex shading and texture work. At 4K, the gap between Low (204 FPS) and Ultra (122 FPS) narrows to 40% as well, but the overall FPS is lower, indicating the GPU is struggling with the sheer pixel count. The Arc B370’s 1280 shading units and 20 ROPs are being pushed to their limits, especially when the game tries to render at 3840x2160 with high detail settings.

The GPU’s clock speeds, with a base of 300 MHz and a boost of 2400 MHz, allow it to scale up when needed, but the physical constraints of an IGP are evident. The system shared memory is a double-edged sword; it allows the GPU to access a potentially large pool of RAM, but the bandwidth is shared with the CPU, creating potential contention. The benchmark results indicate that the Arc B370 can handle Valorant at playable frame rates, but it is not a high-performance part. The percentile ranking of 5% versus all GPUs is a stark reminder that this is an entry-level solution, and the measured FPS reflects that, with the system relying heavily on the CPU to achieve the high frame rates seen at lower settings.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Arc B370 capable of running Valorant at high frame rates?

A: Yes, the data shows it is capable. At 1080p with Low settings, it reaches 299 FPS average. Even at 4K with High settings, it maintains an average of 128 FPS. The performance is competitive, though it requires lowering settings to achieve the highest frame rates.

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

A: Based on the measured FPS, 1920x1080 offers the highest performance, with the Low preset hitting 299 FPS. However, 2560x1440 is also a strong choice, as the Medium preset still delivers 168 FPS average, which is suitable for high-refresh-rate monitors. 4K is playable but offers the lowest performance ceiling.

Q: How does the Ryzen 7 9700F affect the gaming experience?

A: The CPU is a high-end part, ranking in the 94th percentile of all CPUs. Its 8 cores and 16 threads, with a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, ensure that the game logic and frame generation are not bottlenecked at lower resolutions, allowing the GPU to be the sole limiting factor.

Q: Why is there no minimum FPS data for most settings?

A: The FACT PACK includes minimum FPS values only for the Medium preset at each resolution. For Low, High, and Ultra, the minFps field is null. This means the analysis can only definitively comment on the frame stability for the Medium preset, where the minimums are 167 (1080p), 143 (1440p), and 114 (4K).

Q: Is the Arc B370 better than a dedicated GPU?

A: The benchmark data shows the Arc B370’s 3DMark score of 1184 is comparable to older dedicated cards like the ATI Radeon HD 5770, which scores 1190. Its performance is within a 1% delta of these rivals, indicating it is a low-end solution compared to modern dedicated GPUs.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU limit performance more in Valorant?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the primary limiter at higher resolutions and settings, with FPS dropping significantly as the graphical load increases. At 1080p Low, the CPU likely has more headroom, but the GPU still handles the rendering. The CPU’s high percentile rank suggests it is not the bottleneck.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F and Intel Arc B370 ranks 2645 out of 2883 tested combos in Valorant. This places it in the bottom 8% of all tested configurations, a low position that is directly attributable to the GPU. The CPU is a top-tier part, but the GPU’s performance is extremely limited. The combo’s rank reflects the importance of a balanced system. Pairing a 94th-percentile CPU with a 5th-percentile GPU creates a significant imbalance, where the system’s overall capability is dragged down by the weakest link.

In comparison to other combos, this pairing is likely to be outperformed by any system with a modern discrete GPU. The measured FPS, while playable, is not exceptional. For context, a system with a mid-range dedicated graphics card would likely see much higher frame rates, especially at 1080p, and would rank significantly higher. The combo’s low rank of 2645 out of 2883 suggests that while it can run the game, it is not a competitive setup for high-end play. The data implies that the CPU’s potential is largely untapped, as the GPU cannot keep up with the frame generation demands. This rank serves as a warning that the Arc B370 is a severe bottleneck for this otherwise powerful processor.

The delta between the CPU’s high standing and the combo’s low rank highlights a fundamental mismatch. The Ryzen 7 9700F is capable of handling much more powerful GPUs, and its performance in this pairing is wasted. The benchmark results show that the system is GPU-bound in most scenarios, meaning the CPU is often waiting for the GPU to finish rendering. This is a classic example of an unbalanced build, and the data strongly suggests that the GPU is the component that needs an upgrade to improve the combo’s ranking.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows how the system scales from 1080p to 1440p to 4K. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 299 at 1080p to 255 at 1440p, a 15% decrease, and then to 204 at 4K, a further 20% decrease from 1440p. This scaling is relatively gentle, indicating that at Low settings, the CPU is doing a significant amount of the work, and the GPU is not yet fully saturated. The FPS remains high, suggesting that the CPU’s 5.50 GHz boost clock is helping to maintain frame rates.

However, the scaling becomes more pronounced at higher settings. With the High preset, the FPS drops from 187 at 1080p to 160 at 1440p (a 14% decrease) and then to 128 at 4K (a 20% decrease from 1440p). The pattern is similar for the Ultra preset, which goes from 178 to 152 to 122. This indicates that as the graphical load increases, the GPU becomes more of a limiting factor. The gap between 1080p and 4K at High settings is 59 FPS, which is a 32% reduction. This is a clear sign that the Arc B370 is struggling to render at higher resolutions, as the pixel count quadruples from 1080p to 4K.

The data implies that the system is CPU-bound at lower resolutions and GPU-bound at higher resolutions. At 1080p Low, the GPU has more headroom, so the CPU can push higher FPS. As the resolution increases, the GPU’s workload increases, and it becomes the bottleneck. This is a typical behavior for a system with a strong CPU and a weak GPU. The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is not linear, and the game becomes less playable at 4K with higher settings. The measured data suggests that for the best experience, sticking to 1080p or 1440p is advisable, as the GPU’s limitations are less exposed at these resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete dataset of measured average FPS values is as follows. At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves 299 FPS, Medium 197 FPS, High 187 FPS, and Ultra 178 FPS. The Medium preset is the only one at this resolution with a recorded minimum of 167 FPS and a maximum of 226 FPS. At 2560x1440, the Low preset achieves 255 FPS, Medium 168 FPS, High 160 FPS, and Ultra 152 FPS. The Medium preset has a minimum of 143 FPS and a maximum of 193 FPS. At 3840x2160, the Low preset achieves 204 FPS, Medium 134 FPS, High 128 FPS, and Ultra 122 FPS. The Medium preset has a minimum of 114 FPS and a maximum of 154 FPS.

These numbers reveal a consistent hierarchy, with Low always being the fastest and Ultra the slowest. The performance gap between Low and Ultra is most significant at 1080p, where the difference is 121 FPS (299 vs 178). At 4K, the gap narrows to 82 FPS (204 vs 122). This suggests that at lower resolutions, the CPU can push the frame rate higher, but the GPU struggles with the increased detail level of Ultra. At higher resolutions, the GPU is so overwhelmed by the pixel count that the difference between Low and Ultra is less pronounced, as the GPU’s fill rate becomes the limiting factor.

The Medium preset’s minimum FPS values are crucial for understanding the system’s stability. At 1080p, the minimum of 167 FPS indicates that even in demanding scenes, the frame rate does not drop below a high threshold. At 1440p, the minimum is 143 FPS, and at 4K, it is 114 FPS. These minimums are documented, unlike other presets, providing a higher level of confidence in the Medium setting's consistency. The data shows that this system can maintain a playable frame rate at all tested resolutions, but the headroom for smooth 144Hz+ gaming is only available at 1080p and 1440p with lower settings.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F is a powerful processor, featuring 8 cores and 16 threads based on the Zen 5 architecture. Its base clock is 3.80 GHz, which can boost up to 5.50 GHz. It has a 32 MB shared L3 cache and supports DDR5 memory with a bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. In the CPU benchmarks, it scores 4691 in single-thread performance and 36470 in multi-thread performance. Its average benchmark score of 69996 places it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, making it a top-tier part. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX, which has a similar score of 69875, and the Intel Core i7-14700KF, which scores 70163.

In the context of Valorant, the CPU is responsible for game logic, physics, and processing player inputs. The high single-thread score is particularly relevant, as Valorant is known to be sensitive to single-core performance. The 5.50 GHz boost clock ensures that the CPU can handle the game’s main thread efficiently. The data suggests that the CPU is not a bottleneck in this system. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 299 FPS, which is likely near the CPU’s maximum frame generation capability for this game. The fact that FPS drops when the resolution increases is a clear indication that the GPU is the limiting factor.

The CPU’s high multi-thread score of 36470 also helps ensure there are no frame hitches from background processes. The 8 cores and 16 threads provide ample resources for the game and any background applications. The 32 MB L3 cache helps reduce memory latency, which is beneficial for a fast-paced game. The data shows that the CPU has the horsepower to drive a much more powerful GPU, and its performance is underutilized in this pairing. The bottleneck is firmly on the GPU, as evidenced by the GPU’s low percentile rank and the FPS scaling patterns. If a more capable GPU were installed, the CPU would likely be able to push frame rates much higher, potentially exceeding 300 FPS at lower settings.