Valorant

Valorant’s performance with the Intel Core i5-13400F and Intel Arc B390 presents a unique case study in component balancing. The data shows a configuration that is heavily CPU-bound at lower resolutions, yet the GPU’s limitations become increasingly apparent as the resolution climbs. The measured FPS across the board is exceptionally high, but the scaling patterns reveal distinct bottlenecks that define the experience.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1080p to 4K produces a dramatic shift in performance, highlighting the changing role of each component. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves 331 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 Low drops this to 282 FPS, a reduction of 49 FPS (approximately 14.8%). The jump to 3840x2160 Low yields 225 FPS, another 57 FPS drop (20.2% from 1440p). This scaling pattern indicates that at lower resolutions, the frame rate is not primarily limited by the graphics processor, as the Intel Arc B390’s modest compute capabilities (7.680 TFLOPS FP32) are sufficient to handle the lighter load, allowing the CPU’s strong single-thread performance to dominate.

The trend is similar across other settings presets. For High settings, the FPS goes from 207 at 1080p to 177 at 1440p and finally to 141 at 4K. Medium settings follow suit: 218, 186, and 149 FPS respectively. Ultra settings show 198, 169, and 135 FPS. The percentage drops from 1080p to 4K are consistent, ranging from a 31.8% decrease for High settings to a 32.0% decrease for Low settings. This uniformity suggests that the performance penalty is primarily due to the increased pixel count, which affects the GPU’s fill-rate and memory bandwidth requirements.

However, the absolute FPS numbers at 4K remain high (135-225 FPS), indicating that the system never becomes unplayable. The data suggests that while the Intel Arc B390 is the component scaling with resolution, it is not a weak link in the traditional sense for this game. The GPU’s pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s and texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s are sufficient for Valorant’s relatively simple visuals. The real bottleneck at 4K appears to be the GPU, as the CPU, with its 4.60 GHz boost clock, has ample headroom to feed frames. The fact that the FPS does not drop below 135 FPS even at the most demanding tested configuration (4K Ultra) shows that the combination is well-suited for high-refresh-rate 4K gaming in this specific title.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides a clear hierarchy for optimizing the experience, with the choice depending on the target refresh rate. For 1080p displays, the Low preset delivers 331 FPS, which is the highest measured result. However, the Medium preset at 218 FPS provides a significant visual upgrade over Low while still offering frame rates well above the standard 144 Hz refresh rate. The data shows that High (207 FPS) and Ultra (198 FPS) offer diminishing returns in FPS relative to Medium, with a difference of only 20 FPS between Medium and Ultra. For competitive play at 1080p where every frame counts, Low is the clear choice, but for a balance of visuals and performance, Medium is the sweet spot, as it sits just 13 FPS behind High.

At 2560x1440, the pattern mirrors 1080p. Low yields 282 FPS, which is an excellent result for high-refresh-rate 1440p monitors. Medium (186 FPS) and High (177 FPS) are nearly identical, with a 9 FPS difference. Ultra (169 FPS) is only 17 FPS behind Medium. Given the small FPS deltas between Medium, High, and Ultra, the choice here can be based purely on visual preference. The data indicates that Medium provides a 3.1% higher frame rate than High, but this is within the margin of error for typical benchmark variance. For the smoothest experience at 1440p, Low is the recommended preset.

For 4K gaming, the FPS figures are still surprisingly high. Low settings produce 225 FPS, which is more than enough for a 144 Hz display. The Medium preset at 149 FPS is the first to drop below the 160 FPS mark, but it remains highly playable. High (141 FPS) and Ultra (135 FPS) are close, with the latter representing the most visually demanding configuration tested. The data suggests that at 4K, the GPU becomes the limiting factor, as the FPS drops are more pronounced. For a 60 Hz 4K display, all presets are viable, but for a 120 Hz or 144 Hz panel, Low settings are necessary to fully utilize the display’s capabilities. The medium preset is the recommended choice for 4K if a slight FPS reduction is acceptable for better image quality, as it maintains an average above 144 FPS.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-13400F is a 10-core, 16-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. In Valorant, a game that is traditionally sensitive to single-thread performance, this CPU excels. The benchmark results show a strong single-core score of 960 in 3DMark and 3634 in Passmark’s single-thread test. This is crucial, as the game’s engine relies heavily on a single main thread for game logic and draw call submission.

The data from the measured FPS strongly suggests the CPU is not the primary bottleneck at 1080p. At this resolution, the FPS scales inversely with the graphics settings, but the differences are relatively small (331 FPS on Low vs. 198 FPS on Ultra). This indicates that even on Low settings, the GPU is not being pushed to its absolute limit, and the CPU is capable of maintaining a high frame rate. The 10 cores and 16 threads provide ample headroom for background tasks and game engine overhead, but the key metric is the single-thread performance. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3191 and Geekbench single-core score of 1996 confirm that the processor has the per-core muscle needed for high-FPS eSports titles.

The CPU’s 20 MB of shared L3 cache is also a significant factor. Valorant, like many competitive shooters, has a small working set that benefits from fast cache access. The large L3 cache helps reduce memory latency, which can positively impact frame times and average FPS. The processor’s performance relative to its rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS (0% delta) and Intel Core 5 120 (-0.3% delta), shows that it is in a competitive tier for overall compute, but its single-thread performance is what sets it apart for this game. The data does not show any CPU-specific bottlenecks, as the FPS remains high even at 4K, where the GPU is more likely to be the limiting factor.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-13400F and Intel Arc B390 ranks 2534 out of 2883 tested combos for Valorant. This places it in the 12.1st percentile of all combinations, which is a low ranking. This is a surprising result given the high measured FPS, but it is important to consider the context. The ranking is against all possible CPU-GPU combinations, which includes high-end systems with flagship GPUs like the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 or AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX. These top-tier GPUs can push FPS far beyond what the Intel Arc B390 is capable of, even in a CPU-bound game like Valorant.

The Intel Arc B390 itself ranks in the 9th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 1482. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1.3% faster), NVIDIA GeForce 800M (1.5% faster), and NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM (2.5% faster). These are entry-level or legacy mobile GPUs, which puts the Arc B390’s performance into perspective. The GPU is not a high-performance part, but it is a modern integrated graphics processor with support for DirectX 12 Ultimate and Vulkan 1.4. In the context of Valorant, the low ranking is a reflection of the GPU’s placement in the overall hierarchy rather than a sign of poor performance in this specific game.

The combo’s rank is influenced by the GPU’s low percentile. The CPU, on the other hand, ranks in the 77th percentile among all CPUs. This mismatch highlights that the combo is limited by the graphics processor. The measured FPS, however, shows that this limitation is not a practical issue for Valorant. The combo achieves a minimum average FPS of 135 at 4K Ultra, which is playable. The low rank is a statistical artifact of comparing against all combos, many of which feature much more powerful GPUs. For a user with a standard 144 Hz monitor, this combo delivers a highly satisfactory experience, as it exceeds 144 FPS at 1080p and 1440p on all tested settings.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-13400F powerful enough for Valorant?

A: Yes. The data shows that the CPU is not a bottleneck, as the system achieves 331 FPS at 1080p Low. Its single-thread benchmark scores (e.g., 960 in 3DMark) are strong, and it provides sufficient performance for high-FPS gameplay.

Q: What is the best settings preset for a 144 Hz monitor?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset (331 FPS) is the only one that guarantees headroom above 144 Hz. The Medium preset (218 FPS) also works well. At 2560x1440, Low (282 FPS) is the safest choice, as Medium (186 FPS) is also above 144 Hz.

Q: Can I play Valorant at 4K with this combo?

A: Yes. The measured data shows an average of 135 FPS at 3840x2160 on Ultra settings and 225 FPS on Low settings. This is sufficient for 4K gaming, though a 60 Hz or 120 Hz monitor is recommended for the higher settings.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to other GPUs?

A: The GPU has an average benchmark score of 1482, placing it in the 9th percentile. It performs similarly to the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, with a 1.3% difference in score.

Q: Is there a large difference between Medium and Ultra settings?

A: The FPS difference is moderate. At 1080p, the gap is 20 FPS (218 vs. 198). At 1440p, it is 17 FPS (186 vs. 169). At 4K, it is 14 FPS (149 vs. 135). The visual improvements may justify the FPS cost for some users.

Q: What is the limiting factor at lower resolutions?

A: The CPU. At 1080p, the FPS is high regardless of settings, and the GPU is not fully utilized. The Intel Core i5-13400F’s strong single-thread performance is the key driver of the high frame rates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data is taken directly from the measured results for the Intel Core i5-13400F + Intel Arc B390 combination in Valorant.

At 1920x1080, the highest average FPS is achieved on Low settings at 331 FPS. The Medium preset produces an average of 218 FPS, with a minimum of 185 FPS and a maximum of 250 FPS. High settings yield 207 FPS. The Ultra preset is the slowest at 1080p, with an average of 198 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset delivers 282 FPS. Medium settings show an average of 186 FPS, with a minimum of 158 and a maximum of 214 FPS. The High preset averages 177 FPS, while Ultra averages 169 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p results in a roughly 15-20% FPS reduction across all presets.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset is the only one to exceed 200 FPS, with an average of 225 FPS. Medium settings produce 149 FPS, with a minimum of 126 FPS and a maximum of 171 FPS. The High preset averages 141 FPS. Ultra settings are the slowest overall, with an average of 135 FPS.

The data shows that the Medium preset is the only one with recorded minimum and maximum FPS values, providing a more detailed view of frame time consistency. At 1080p Medium, the range is 185-250 FPS. At 1440p Medium, it is 158-214 FPS. At 4K Medium, it is 126-171 FPS. The spread remains consistent, suggesting stable performance without major frame drops.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on a 3 nm process node. It has a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz. The GPU features 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster operation units. Its compute capability is rated at 7.680 TFLOPS for FP32 operations. This is a modest specification, but it is placed in a unique position as an IGP.

In Valorant, the GPU’s role becomes more prominent as resolution increases. The measured FPS drops from 331 at 1080p Low to 225 at 4K Low, a 32% decrease. This indicates that the GPU is handling the increased pixel workload. The GPU’s memory is system-shared, and its bandwidth is system-dependent, meaning it relies on the system’s DDR4 or DDR5 memory. This can be a limiting factor, but Valorant’s texture sizes and memory footprint are not excessive.

The GPU’s performance relative to other GPUs is low, ranking in the 9th percentile. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, is a legacy mobile GPU. This shows that the Arc B390 is not designed for high-end gaming. However, the benchmark data reveals that it is sufficient for Valorant, even at 4K. The GPU’s support for DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4 ensures compatibility with modern rendering APIs.

The GPU’s boost clock of 2500 MHz is relatively high for an integrated part, which helps maintain performance. The 12 ray tracing cores are present but are not utilized in Valorant, as the game does not use ray-traced effects. The pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s and texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s are the key metrics for this game’s simple, stylized graphics. The data confirms that the GPU, while not powerful in general, is well-matched to the demands of Valorant, providing high frame rates across all tested resolutions and settings.