Valorant

Valorant is a title where the CPU typically dominates, but the data for the Intel Core i5-14600KF paired with the Intel Arc B370 paints a more nuanced picture, revealing a configuration that is surprisingly balanced at higher resolutions. The measured frames per second (FPS) across the board are high, but the scaling patterns suggest that the integrated graphics solution on the Arc B370 is the primary limiter as resolution increases, while the 14-core processor ensures that even the lowest settings never become a bottleneck. This combination demonstrates that a powerful desktop CPU can boost an entry-level graphics solution to playable, and often competitive, frame rates in esports titles.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate behavior across resolutions is the most telling aspect of this dataset, revealing a classic GPU-bound curve. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 299 FPS, which drops to 255 FPS at 1440p and further to 204 FPS at 4K. This represents a decline of approximately 15% from 1080p to 1440p, and a cumulative 32% drop from 1080p to 4K. This indicates that while the CPU is capable of pushing very high frame rates, the Arc B370's rendering capabilities begin to throttle the output as the pixel count increases.

The scaling pattern changes when we look at higher settings. With Medium settings, the average FPS at 1080p is 197, which falls to 168 FPS at 1440p (a 14.7% drop) and 134 FPS at 4K (a 32% drop from 1080p). The consistency of these percentage drops across Low and Medium settings suggests that the Arc B370's fill rate and shader processing are the limiting factors, rather than any specific setting. The jump from Low to Medium at 1080p costs 102 FPS, but the resolution scaling remains proportionally similar, which is a hallmark of a system where the graphics processor is the primary constraint.

At High and Ultra settings, the resolution scaling becomes even more pronounced. High settings average 187 FPS at 1080p, 160 FPS at 1440p, and 128 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1440p to 4K is 20%, which is slightly steeper than the 14.4% drop seen from 1080p to 1440p. This suggests that the memory bandwidth and texture processing demands of 4K are starting to saturate the GPU. The Ultra preset yields the lowest averages, with 178 FPS at 1080p, 152 FPS at 1440p, and 122 FPS at 4K, showing a consistent 14-15% penalty for each resolution step up. The data clearly indicates that this is a GPU-limited scenario at all resolutions above 1080p, as the CPU headroom is ample.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is characterized as an integrated graphics processor (IGP) with a 25 W TDP, operating on the Xe3-LPG architecture. Its performance profile, as measured here, is defined by its memory configuration, which is "System Shared" and "System Dependent." This means the GPU relies on the system's main memory, and its bandwidth is a function of the CPU's memory controller and the installed RAM. The base clock is 300 MHz, boosting to 2400 MHz, which is a substantial range that allows the GPU to scale its performance based on thermal and power headroom.

The GPU's benchmark scores place it in a very low percentile versus all GPUs, with a score of 1184 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12. Its nearest rivals in that benchmark are the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 and the ATI Radeon HD 5770, with delta percentages of -0.2% and -0.5% respectively. This indicates that the Arc B370's raw compute power is on par with very old discrete graphics cards, which is surprising given its modern architecture. However, in Valorant, the game's engine is not overly demanding on raw pixel throughput, allowing the 1280 shading units and 40 texture mapping units to deliver playable frame rates.

The boost clock of 2400 MHz is critical for Valorant's performance. The data shows that the GPU can maintain high averages, but the minimum FPS values for Medium settings (114 at 4K, 143 at 1440p, 167 at 1080p) reveal that there are moments of frame time spikes. These are likely tied to the shared memory bandwidth, as the system must allocate bandwidth for both the CPU and GPU simultaneously. The fact that the GPU has a very low percentile ranking (5th) but can still achieve 122 FPS at 4K Ultra in this specific title highlights that Valorant is more sensitive to CPU single-thread performance and memory latency than to GPU raw compute.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-14600KF and Intel Arc B370 combination ranks 2645 out of 2883 tested combos for Valorant. This places it in the bottom 8% of all configurations, which seems counterintuitive given the high FPS numbers. This ranking is a reflection of the entire ecosystem of tested hardware, where the majority of systems likely feature dedicated, high-end discrete graphics cards. The Arc B370 is an IGP, so its performance ceiling is inherently lower than that of a dedicated GPU, even if it achieves 299 FPS at 1080p Low.

This ranking is a direct consequence of the GPU's low percentile score. While the CPU is in the 90th percentile versus all CPUs, the GPU is in the 5th percentile, which drags the combo's overall standing down. The deltaPct values for the GPU's nearest rivals in the 3DMark test show it is within 1.4% of the AMD FirePro M2000 and 0.7% of the AMD Radeon HD 7650M, which are legacy parts. This suggests that in other games, the combo would perform poorly, but in Valorant, the engine's efficiency allows the CPU to compensate for the GPU's limitations, resulting in a rank that is higher than the GPU's percentile would suggest.

The data shows a system that is heavily front-loaded by the CPU. The CPU's average benchmark score of 49394 is 0.3% higher than the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 and 0.8% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 5 245, placing it in a competitive tier for desktop processors. This means that the i5-14600KF is doing the heavy lifting, and the Arc B370 is merely keeping up. The combo rank of 2645 is a warning that while this configuration is playable for Valorant, it is not representative of a balanced gaming system for other, more demanding titles.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of performance across all tested configurations. At 1080p, the Low preset achieves the highest average at 299 FPS, which is a 52% increase over the High preset's 187 FPS. The Medium preset averages 197 FPS, with a minimum of 167 and a maximum of 226, while the Ultra preset averages 178 FPS. The spread between Low and Ultra is 121 FPS, which is substantial and shows that the GPU is heavily taxed by graphical effects even at this resolution.

Moving to 1440p, the Low preset still manages a robust 255 FPS, which is a 14.7% decrease from 1080p. The High preset averages 160 FPS, the Medium preset averages 168 FPS (with min/max of 143/193), and the Ultra preset averages 152 FPS. The performance hierarchy remains consistent, with Low being the fastest and Ultra being the slowest. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 103 FPS, showing that the resolution increase has compressed the absolute FPS range but not the relative ordering.

At 4K, the Low preset averages 204 FPS, which is still high for a 4K resolution, but the higher presets struggle more. The High preset averages 128 FPS, the Medium preset averages 134 FPS (with min/max of 114/154), and the Ultra preset averages 122 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 82 FPS. The minimum FPS values at 4K Medium (114) and the averages for High and Ultra are all above 120, which is a good baseline for a competitive shooter, but the data shows that the GPU is running out of headroom to maintain the high refresh rates seen at lower resolutions.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600KF is a 14-core, 20-thread processor from the Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. Its high boost clock is the single most important factor for Valorant, as the game is known to favor high single-core performance. The benchmark data supports this, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4594 and a Geekbench single-core score of 2445. These scores are indicative of a processor that can handle the game's logic and render calls without creating a bottleneck.

The CPU's multi-threaded performance is also excellent, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32544 and a Passmark multithread score of 38697. However, this power is not fully utilized in Valorant, as the game primarily uses a few cores. The fact that the FPS does not scale linearly with resolution suggests that the CPU is not the limiting factor. Even at 1080p Low, where the GPU is at its least taxed, the CPU is able to feed the GPU enough data to reach 299 FPS. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would see the FPS remain flat across different resolutions, which is not the case.

The CPU's percentile rank of 90th versus all CPUs, and its closeness to the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 (0.3% delta) and the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G (0.4% delta), confirms that this is a top-tier desktop part. Its 24 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB per-core L2 cache provide the low-latency access to game data that is essential for maintaining high frame times. The data indicates that the i5-14600KF is over-provisioned for this game, but that over-provisioning is what allows the Arc B370 to achieve its best possible results.

FAQ

Q: Why does the combo rank so low (2645 out of 2883) if it can achieve 299 FPS?

A: The ranking is based on the combination of both components. While the CPU is in the 90th percentile, the GPU is in the 5th percentile, and the overall combo rank reflects that most other tested systems use more powerful discrete GPUs. The high FPS is a result of the game's engine efficiency and the CPU's strength, but the GPU's low absolute performance pulls the combo down in the global rankings.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this configuration?

A: The data shows this is a GPU-limited system. This is evidenced by the significant FPS drops when moving from 1080p to 4K. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the FPS would remain relatively constant across resolutions. The CPU has the headroom to push higher frame rates, but the Arc B370 cannot render the frames fast enough.

Q: What is the best settings preset for a competitive experience?

A: For pure performance, the Low preset is the best, offering the highest average FPS at all resolutions (299 at 1080p, 255 at 1440p, 204 at 4K). If a player prefers visual quality, the Medium preset provides a good balance, with averages of 197 at 1080p and 134 at 4K, but with the highest minimum FPS recorded (167 at 1080p).

Q: How does the Arc B370 compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Arc B370 scored 1184 in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test. This is 0.2% lower than the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 and 0.5% lower than the ATI Radeon HD 5770. It is 1.4% higher than the AMD FirePro M2000. This indicates its raw compute performance is in the same class as these older parts.

Q: Does the CPU's high clock speed help in Valorant?

A: Yes, the CPU's 5.30 GHz boost clock is critical. Valorant is highly sensitive to single-thread performance, and the high clock speed allows the CPU to process game logic quickly. This prevents the CPU from becoming a bottleneck, allowing the GPU to be the sole limiting factor.

Q: Is the memory configuration a concern for this system?

A: The GPU uses "System Shared" memory, meaning its performance is dependent on the system's RAM bandwidth. The minimum FPS drops at higher resolutions (e.g., 114 at 4K Medium) suggest that memory bandwidth contention can cause frame time spikes, but the average FPS remains playable.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this configuration depend on the player's display refresh rate and performance goals. For players with a 144Hz monitor, the Medium preset is the recommended choice. At 1080p, it delivers an average of 197 FPS with a minimum of 167 FPS, ensuring that the frame rate stays above the refresh rate in most scenarios. At 1440p, the Medium preset still averages 168 FPS, which is sufficient for a 144Hz display, but the minimum of 143 FPS means there could be occasional dips below the refresh rate threshold.

For players with a 240Hz monitor, the Low preset is the only option that can consistently deliver the required frame rates. At 1080p, it averages 299 FPS, which is well above 240Hz. At 1440p, the Low preset averages 255 FPS, which is also suitable for a 240Hz display. The High and Ultra presets are not recommended for high-refresh-rate gaming, as their averages at 1440p (160 and 152 FPS) and 4K (128 and 122 FPS) do not provide a significant enough advantage over Medium to justify the visual upgrade, and they put the system at risk of dropping below 144 FPS.

The 4K resolution is playable with this configuration, but the data suggests that the High and Ultra presets should be avoided. The Medium preset at 4K averages 134 FPS, which is suitable for a 120Hz display, but the minimum of 114 FPS indicates that there will be visible frame drops. The Low preset at 4K averages 204 FPS, which is the only way to get a smooth experience on a high-refresh 4K display. For most users, the Medium preset at 1440p offers the best balance of visual quality and performance, providing a consistent experience that leverages the CPU's strength without overwhelming the GPU.