Valorant

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 delivers an exceptional competitive experience in Valorant, ranking in the top third of all tested combinations. With average framerates exceeding 280 FPS even at 4K Ultra, this combo is capable of driving high-refresh-rate monitors at maximum settings, while the CPU’s strong single-thread performance allows extreme frame rates at lower resolutions. Benchmark results indicate that the primary bottleneck in this pairing is the graphics card, particularly at higher settings, but the overall performance headroom is substantial for a title as light as Valorant.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested hardware combinations, the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 ranks 1273 out of 3708 tested combos in Valorant. This places it in the 0th percentile of performance for this game, meaning the majority of tested configurations deliver higher frame rates. The ranking is influenced by the age and performance tier of the GPU, which is positioned near mid-range in the current benchmark database.

The CPU itself, the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X, sits in the 92nd percentile among all CPUs tested, indicating a very high performer in synthetic workloads. Its nearest rivals in the overall CPU benchmark include the AMD EPYC 9015, which scores 0.1% lower, and the Intel Core i9-14900, which is 1.1% higher. This suggests that the processor is extremely capable of feeding even the most demanding graphics cards. However, the GPU, the RTX 4060, ranks in the 61st percentile among all GPUs, and its average benchmark score is 17639. Its nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon HD 7790 and the AMD Radeon 780M, which score within 0.3% of it, indicating a performance level that is competitive with mid-range options. In Valorant, the data shows that the frame rate is high enough for smooth play but the combo does not reach the top echelon of tested pairs, which are likely dominated by higher-end graphics cards.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance for the best experience. The most balanced settings appear to be the Medium preset at any resolution. At 1920x1080, the Medium preset delivers an average of 465 FPS, with a minimum of 395 FPS and a maximum of 535 FPS. This is only 30 FPS behind the High preset's average of 443 FPS but is actually higher than the High preset's 420 FPS average. The data shows a small performance cost for the Ultra preset, which averages 422 FPS at 1080p, a drop of 43 FPS from Medium. At 2560x1440, the Medium preset again stands out as a strong choice, with an average of 397 FPS and a minimum of 337 FPS. The High preset at 1440p averages 378 FPS, while Ultra averages 360 FPS. The Low preset at 1440p is the fastest, with an average of 602 FPS, but it sacrifices visual fidelity. The same pattern is observed at 4K: Medium averages 317 FPS with a minimum of 270 FPS, High averages 302 FPS, and Ultra averages 288 FPS. The data indicates that the Medium preset offers the best balance between visual quality and performance, as it maintains a high average FPS while providing a measurable improvement over Low. The Low preset is ideal for players with 144Hz or faster monitors who prioritize minimal input latency, but the Medium preset is the recommendation for a superior visual experience without a significant performance penalty.

Resolution Scaling

The framerate drops from 1080p to 4K are not linear, and the data reveals where the bottleneck lies. At the High settings, the average FPS at 1080p is 443, at 1440p it is 378, and at 4K it is 302. This represents a 14.6% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a 31.8% drop overall from 1080p to 4K. For the Low preset, the drop is more pronounced: from 706 at 1080p to 602 at 1440p (a 14.7% drop), and then to 481 at 4K (a 31.5% drop from 1080p). The Medium preset shows a similar pattern, with averages of 465 at 1080p, 397 at 1440p, and 317 at 4K, representing a 14.6% drop to 1440p and a 31.8% drop to 4K. The Ultra preset averages 422 at 1080p, 360 at 1440p, and 288 at 4K. The relatively consistent percentage drops across all presets, even at Low settings where the CPU is the more likely bottleneck, suggest that the scaling is primarily driven by the 8 GB VRAM and the 128-bit memory bus of the RTX 4060. The 4K results show a significant reduction in performance, but the average FPS remains above 280, which is still far higher than the refresh rate of typical monitors. The data indicates that the GPU is the limiting component, especially at 4K, where the 1440p to 4K drop ranges from 20% to 23% across presets, reflecting the increased pixel fill rate requirement.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the benchmark results show a clear hierarchy. The Low preset delivers the highest average of 706 FPS. The Medium preset follows with 465 FPS (minimum 395, maximum 535). The High preset delivers 443 FPS, and the Ultra preset provides 422 FPS. The difference between Medium and High is small, but the jump from Low to Medium is substantial, indicating the game scales well with CPU performance at low settings. At 2560x1440, the Low preset again leads with 602 FPS. The Medium preset averages 397 FPS (minimum 337, maximum 456), High averages 378 FPS, and Ultra averages 360 FPS. The 1440p results show a smaller gap between Medium and High, with only 19 FPS difference. At 3840x2160, the Low preset drops to 481 FPS, the Medium preset to 317 FPS (minimum 270, maximum 365), the High preset to 302 FPS, and the Ultra preset to 288 FPS. The 4K results show that the GPU becomes the more significant limiting factor, as the difference between Medium and Low is 164 FPS, while the difference between High and Ultra is only 14 FPS. The minimum FPS values, where provided, show the Medium preset maintains a minimum above 300 FPS at 1440p, which is a good indicator of stable performance.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process. It has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s. The base clock is 1830 MHz, with a boost clock of 2460 MHz. Its 3072 shading units and 48 ROPs contribute to its frame rendering. In Valorant, the GPU’s memory capacity is not a limiting factor, as the game is not VRAM-intensive; the 8 GB capacity is more than sufficient for the highest settings at any resolution. The GPU’s performance in this game is dictated by its raw speed and the CPU’s ability to feed it. The FPS data shows that the GPU is still able to achieve over 300 FPS at 4K Ultra, which reflects its efficiency. However, the 272.0 GB/s memory bandwidth could be a limiting factor at 4K, as the resolution scaling shows a notable drop. The GPU’s overall percentile of 61 indicates it is a mid-range performer, and in a game like Valorant, this is not a hindrance. The GPU’s role is to render frames at high speed, which it does exceptionally well, but the results show that the CPU is crucial for achieving the highest framerates at lower resolutions, given the large FPS difference between the Low and High presets at 1080p. The RTX 4060’s 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 2302 and its Passmark G3D score of 19545 are reflective of its performance class, but in Valorant, it is the combination with the 9900X that yields the final results.

FAQ

Q: What is the best in-game preset for Valorant with the Ryzen 9 9900X and RTX 4060?

A: The data shows the Medium preset delivers the best balance of quality and performance, with an average of 465 FPS at 1080p, 397 FPS at 1440p, and 317 FPS at 4K, all with a minimum FPS above 270. The Low preset is faster, but the Medium preset provides better visuals without a significant FPS cost.

Q: Can this combo run Valorant at 4K?

A: Yes. At 4K, the average FPS is 302 on High, 317 on Medium, and 288 on Ultra. All presets deliver well above the 240 Hz threshold, making 4K gaming perfectly viable.

Q: How much does the CPU matter in Valorant?

A: The CPU is the primary driver of peak FPS. The results show a massive 235 FPS difference between the Low and Medium presets at 1080p, indicating that the CPU is heavily utilized at low settings, which is a common characteristic of Valorant.

Q: Is the RTX 4060’s 8 GB VRAM sufficient for Valorant?

A: Yes, 8 GB is more than enough. Valorant is a lightweight game, and the GPU is not VRAM-limited. The performance drop from 1440p to 4K is due to pixel throughput, not memory capacity.

Q: How does the Ryzen 9 9900X compare to its rivals in this game?

A: The CPU is in the 92nd percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals, the AMD EPYC 9010 and Intel Core i9-14900, score within 1.1% of it in synthetic benchmarks. In Valorant, its strong single-thread performance (single-core score of 2253 in Cinebench R23) ensures high frame rates.

Q: What is the average FPS at 1440p with High settings?

A: The average is 378 FPS at 1440p High. This is a high framerate that is well-suited for any 1440p monitor with a high refresh rate, though the Medium preset’s 397 FPS is a better option for a slight performance boost.