Valorant

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 delivers exceptional performance in Valorant, with frame rates that far exceed the requirements of competitive play. This analysis examines the measured data to understand how this combination behaves across different resolutions and settings, what the scores reveal about the underlying hardware, and how the system ranks among thousands of tested configurations.

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

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X is built on the Zen 5 architecture, codenamed Granite Ridge, and fabricated on a 4 nm process by TSMC. It features 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. This is a desktop-class part with a 65 W TDP, which is notably efficient for a processor with this level of performance. The CPU supports DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, offering a memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, and it includes 32 MB of shared L3 cache.

Benchmark results for the 9700X show strong single-threaded performance, which is critical for Valorant. The Cinebench R23 single-core score is 2211, while the multi-core score reaches 20485. In Geekbench, the single-core score is 3023 and multi-core is 17906. PassMark single-thread score is 4654, with a multithread score of 37161. The 3DMark scores show a clear progression: 1280 for single-thread, 2525 for 2 threads, 4869 for 4 threads, 8184 for 8 threads, and 9771 for max threads. This pattern indicates excellent scaling up to the 8-core count, after which gains flatten, which is typical for a CPU with 8 physical cores.

Valorant is a game that is heavily dependent on single-core performance. The high boost clock of 5.50 GHz and the strong single-threaded benchmarks suggest the 9700X is well-suited to this title. The measured FPS data supports this: at 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 706 FPS. This is a staggering number that indicates the CPU is not a bottleneck at all in this scenario. Even at 4K with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 397, which is still well above the refresh rates of most monitors.

The CPU's 86th percentile ranking among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 37943, places it in the upper tier of processors. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i9-14901E with a score of 37911 (0.1% slower), the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 at 37904 (0.1% slower), the Intel Core 5 211E at 37829 (0.3% slower), and the AMD Ryzen AI Embedded P132 at 37804 (0.4% slower). This means the 9700X is essentially tied with these other high-end parts, but its specific combination of high clock speeds and efficient architecture makes it particularly effective for a game like Valorant.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 ranks 258th out of 3708 tested combinations in Valorant. This places it in the top 7% of all tested combos, which is an exceptional result. The percentile ranking confirms the synergy between these two components. While the CPU is clearly powerful, the GPU also plays a role in ensuring that frame rates remain high, especially at higher resolutions.

The ranking of 258 out of 3708 indicates that there are 257 combinations that perform better, but these likely involve even more extreme hardware, such as higher-end CPUs or GPUs. For a mainstream high-end combination, this result is outstanding. The data suggests that this pairing is well-balanced for Valorant, with neither component being an obvious weak link. The CPU's high single-thread performance and the GPU's substantial rendering power work together to produce frame rates that are rarely seen in other games.

In the context of the overall database, this combo is a top-tier performer. The fact that it sits so high in a list of 3708 combinations means that users with this setup can expect a buttery-smooth experience in Valorant, far exceeding the requirements for competitive play, where high and consistent frame rates are paramount.

FAQ

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

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 706, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does the CPU's single-thread performance compare to its multi-thread performance in the context of Valorant?

A: The Cinebench R23 single-core score is 2211, while the multi-core score is 20485. The strong single-core score is crucial for Valorant, as the game relies heavily on single-thread performance, which is reflected in the extremely high frame rates.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested combinations in Valorant?

A: The combo ranks 258th out of 3708 tested combinations, placing it in the top 7% of all tested systems.

Q: Is the GPU or the CPU more likely to be the limiting factor at 4K resolution?

A: At 4K with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 397. This suggests that the GPU becomes more of a limiting factor at this resolution, as the frame rate drops significantly compared to 1080p, but the CPU still provides enough headroom to maintain high performance.

Q: What memory bandwidth does the CPU support, and how does it relate to performance?

A: The CPU supports dual-channel DDR5 memory with a bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. This high bandwidth helps ensure that the CPU can feed data to the GPU efficiently, which is important for maintaining high frame rates in a fast-paced game like Valorant.

Q: How does the RTX 4070's benchmark score compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RTX 4070 has an average benchmark score of 37648. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA Tesla P4, scores 37628 (0.1% slower), while the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 scores 37507 (0.4% slower). The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile scores 38135 (1.3% faster), and the AMD Radeon PRO W6400 scores 37157 (1.3% slower).

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive look at performance across three resolutions and four settings levels. At 1920x1080, the system achieves an average of 706 FPS on Low, 602 FPS on Medium, 593 FPS on High, and 582 FPS on Ultra. The Medium setting also reports a minimum of 512 FPS and a maximum of 693 FPS, indicating a stable frame delivery.

Moving to 2560x1440, the average FPS drops: 670 on Low, 547 on Medium, 521 on High, and 496 on Ultra. The Medium setting at this resolution has a minimum of 465 FPS and a maximum of 629 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a reduction in frame rates of roughly 5-10%, which is modest and indicates that the GPU is handling the increased pixel count well.

At 3840x2160, the averages are 622 on Low, 437 on Medium, 417 on High, and 397 on Ultra. The Medium setting at 4K shows a minimum of 372 FPS and a maximum of 503 FPS. The drop from 1440p to 4K is more significant, with a reduction of approximately 20-25% in average FPS. This suggests that the GPU is becoming more of a bottleneck at 4K, but the frame rates remain exceptionally high.

The data clearly shows that the system is capable of maintaining high frame rates across all tested scenarios. The lowest average FPS recorded is 397 at 4K Ultra, which is still far above the 240 Hz refresh rate that many competitive gamers use. This indicates that the combination of the 9700X and RTX 4070 is more than sufficient for Valorant at any resolution or setting.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture and features the AD104 chip, fabricated on a 5 nm process by TSMC. It has 5888 shading units, 184 texture mapping units, and 64 ROPs. The GPU is equipped with 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s. The base clock is 1920 MHz, with a boost clock of 2475 MHz. The memory operates at 1313 MHz, with an effective data rate of 21 Gbps.

In terms of compute performance, the RTX 4070 delivers 29.15 TFLOPS for FP32 and FP16 operations (1:1 ratio). It has 46 RT cores and 184 tensor cores, supporting DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The GPU has a TDP of 200 W and requires a 550 W power supply, with a single 16-pin power connector.

Benchmark scores for the RTX 4070 show strong overall performance. The PassMark G3D score is 26927, while the G2D score is 1164. In Geekbench, the OpenCL score is 154858 and Vulkan is 174152. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 3854. The GPU ranks in the 81st percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 37648.

In Valorant, the GPU's role becomes more pronounced at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the CPU is the primary driver, as evidenced by the minimal difference between Low and Ultra settings (706 vs. 582 FPS). However, at 4K, the GPU's workload increases significantly, and the difference between Low and Ultra settings is more apparent (622 vs. 397 FPS). This indicates that the RTX 4070 is well-equipped to handle the rendering demands of Valorant at any resolution, but its headroom is more limited at 4K Ultra.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the best experience in Valorant depends on the user's priorities. For competitive play, where maximum frame rates are crucial, the Low preset at 1080p offers the highest average FPS of 706. This setting minimizes visual effects to reduce GPU load, allowing the CPU to push frame rates to their absolute maximum.

For users with high refresh rate monitors (240 Hz or above), the Medium preset at 1080p provides an average of 602 FPS with a minimum of 512 FPS, which is still well above the monitor's refresh rate. This setting offers a balance between visual quality and performance. At 1440p, the Medium preset delivers 547 FPS on average, which is also excellent for high-refresh gaming.

For those who prioritize visual quality over raw FPS, the Ultra preset at 1080p still provides an average of 582 FPS, which is more than sufficient for smooth gameplay. At 1440p, Ultra averages 496 FPS, and at 4K, Ultra averages 397 FPS. The data suggests that the High preset at 1440p (521 FPS) is a sweet spot for users with 1440p monitors who want high visual fidelity without sacrificing frame rates.

The minimum FPS values are only recorded for the Medium preset, with 512 FPS at 1080p, 465 FPS at 1440p, and 372 FPS at 4K. These numbers indicate that even the lowest frame rates are far above the threshold for competitive play, ensuring a consistent experience without noticeable stuttering.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals important information about the system's bottleneck. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 706 at 1080p to 670 at 1440p (a 5.1% decrease) and then to 622 at 4K (a 7.2% decrease from 1440p). This relatively small drop suggests that the CPU is the primary limiting factor at Low settings, as the GPU has enough headroom to handle the increased resolution without a significant performance hit.

At High settings, the average FPS drops from 593 at 1080p to 521 at 1440p (a 12.1% decrease) and then to 417 at 4K (a 20.0% decrease from 1440p). This larger drop indicates that the GPU is becoming more involved as settings increase. At Ultra, the FPS drops from 582 at 1080p to 496 at 1440p (a 14.8% decrease) and then to 397 at 4K (a 20.0% decrease from 1440p).

The data shows that at Low settings, the system is CPU-bound, as the GPU is not fully utilized even at 4K. As settings increase, the GPU becomes more of a limiting factor, but the system remains balanced enough to deliver high frame rates at all resolutions. The 4K Ultra result of 397 FPS is particularly impressive, as it demonstrates that even at the highest visual quality, the combo can maintain frame rates that are suitable for high-refresh gaming.

The scaling pattern indicates that this system is extremely well-suited for Valorant at any resolution. The CPU's powerful single-thread performance ensures that frame rates remain high even at lower resolutions, while the GPU's substantial memory bandwidth and compute power handle the increased demands of higher resolutions. This makes the combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 a top-tier choice for Valorant players seeking the best possible performance.