Valorant

The Intel Core i5-14600KF paired with the Intel Arc B390 delivers a highly playable Valorant experience across all tested resolutions and settings, with average frame rates ranging from 135 FPS at 4K Ultra to 331 FPS at 1080p Low. The combination ranks 2534th out of 2883 tested combos in this game, placing it in the lower-middle tier of the database, yet the measured performance shows that it remains well above the competitive threshold for most displays. The data indicates a system where the CPU is the dominant performance driver, as the Arc B390's integrated-class specifications are sufficient to keep up with the processor's output at lower resolutions, while the gap narrows as resolution increases.

FAQ

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

A: The highest measured average frame rate is 331 FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings. The next highest is 282 FPS at 2560x1440 with Low settings, followed by 225 FPS at 3840x2160 with Low settings.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K resolution?

A: At 3840x2160, the average FPS ranges from 135 FPS on Ultra settings to 225 FPS on Low settings. The Medium preset yields 149 FPS with a minimum of 126 FPS and a maximum of 171 FPS, while High settings produce 141 FPS.

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

A: The combo ranks 2534th out of 2883 total tested combos. This places it in the 12th percentile of all combinations, indicating that the majority of tested systems outperform it in this specific title.

Q: Which CPU benchmark scores are most relevant to Valorant's performance?

A: The CPU's single-thread performance is critical for this FPS title. It scores 4594 in Cinebench R23 single-core and 4273 in Passmark single-thread. Multi-threaded scores include 32544 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 38697 in Passmark multithread.

Q: Does the GPU have dedicated VRAM?

A: No, the Intel Arc B390 uses "System Shared" memory. Its memory type, bus width, and bandwidth are all listed as "System Shared" or "System Dependent," meaning it relies on the system's main memory rather than having its own dedicated video memory pool.

Q: What is the FPS difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, Low settings produce 331 FPS average, while Ultra settings produce 198 FPS average. This represents a 133 FPS difference, or a 40% reduction in average frame rate when moving from the lowest to the highest graphical preset.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600KF is a 14-core, 20-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, running on a 10 nm process node. It has a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. The cache hierarchy consists of 80 KB L1 per core, 2 MB L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. This configuration provides strong single-threaded performance, which is the primary driver in Valorant's gameplay engine.

The CPU's benchmark results reinforce its suitability for this title. Its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4594 and Passmark single-thread score of 4273 indicate excellent per-thread throughput. In terms of overall standing, the CPU sits in the 90th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 49394. The nearest rivals in the database are the AMD Ryzen 9 7900, which scores 49228 (0.3% higher), and the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G, which scores 49196 (0.4% higher). The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 is 0.8% slower at 48995, while the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 is 0.8% faster at 49796.

For Valorant specifically, the dependence on CPU performance is evident from the FPS scaling with resolution. At 1080p Low settings, the combo produces 331 FPS, which far exceeds the refresh rate capabilities of most monitors. The fact that this frame rate is achievable indicates that the CPU can feed the GPU with enough draw calls and game state updates to maintain high throughput. The processor's boost clock of 5.30 GHz is particularly beneficial in scenarios where a single core is the bottleneck, which is common in competitive shooters.

The CPU's 125 W TDP and active production status suggest it is a mainstream desktop part designed for sustained performance. The unlocked multiplier allows for overclocking, though the measured FPS data already shows headroom. The memory support for both DDR4 and DDR5, along with dual-channel memory bus, provides flexibility for system builders, though the memory bandwidth itself is not listed in the pack. The ECC memory support is a notable feature for stability, though it is unlikely to impact gaming performance directly.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 2534 out of 2883 tested combinations places it in the bottom 12% of all tested systems for Valorant. This rank reflects the integrated-class GPU's limitations rather than the CPU's capability, as the i5-14600KF is a high-end processor. The fact that the CPU sits in the 90th percentile of all CPUs while the combo ranks in the 12th percentile of combos for this game highlights a significant imbalance between the two components.

This ranking means that 349 tested combos perform worse than this setup, while 2533 perform better. In a competitive FPS like Valorant, where frame rate consistency and high refresh rates matter, this rank suggests that the combo is not optimized for top-tier competitive play. However, the measured FPS data contradicts the rank's implication somewhat, as the combo still achieves over 200 FPS at 1080p Low settings. The rank likely accounts for the GPU's low 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482, which places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs.

The GPU's nearest rivals in the database are all older NVIDIA integrated or entry-level parts: the GeForce GT 520MX scores 1463 (1.3% higher), the GeForce 800M scores 1460 (1.5% higher), the GeForce GT 625 OEM scores 1446 (2.5% higher), and the GeForce GT 710 scores 1443 (2.7% higher). This places the Arc B390 in the same performance class as decade-old discrete GPUs, which explains the low combo rank. The CPU's high percentile is effectively wasted in this pairing for Valorant, as the GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions and settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data covers three resolutions (1920x1080, 2560x1440, 3840x2160) and four settings presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra). At 1920x1080, the combo produces an average of 331 FPS on Low, 218 FPS on Medium, 207 FPS on High, and 198 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset has a minimum of 185 FPS and a maximum of 250 FPS, showing a 65 FPS spread between the 1% low and peak.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS drops to 282 on Low, 186 on Medium, 177 on High, and 169 on Ultra. The Medium preset at this resolution shows a minimum of 158 FPS and a maximum of 214 FPS. Moving from Low to Ultra at 1440p costs 113 FPS on average, representing a 40% reduction. The 1440p Medium result (186 FPS) is nearly identical to the 1080p Ultra result (198 FPS), suggesting that the scaling between resolution and settings is not linear.

At 3840x2160, the averages are 225 on Low, 149 on Medium, 141 on High, and 135 on Ultra. The Medium preset at 4K has a minimum of 126 FPS and a maximum of 171 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 90 FPS, or 40%. Across all resolutions, the Low preset consistently delivers roughly 1.6 to 1.7 times the frame rate of the Ultra preset, indicating that graphical settings have a substantial impact on performance.

The data shows a clear pattern: lowering resolution and settings both increase FPS, but the effect is more pronounced at lower resolutions. At 1080p, the gap between Low and Ultra is 133 FPS, while at 4K it is 90 FPS. This suggests that the GPU is not the sole bottleneck even at 4K, as the CPU's performance still influences the results. The minimum FPS values, where recorded, show that the combo maintains playable frame rates even in demanding scenes, with the lowest recorded minimum being 126 FPS at 4K Medium.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, fabricated on a 3 nm process node. It has a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz. The GPU contains 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster output pipelines, along with 12 ray tracing cores. Its compute capabilities are rated at 7.680 TFLOPS FP32 and 15.36 TFLOPS FP16 (2:1 ratio). The pixel rate is 60.00 GPixel/s and the texture rate is 120.0 GTexel/s.

The GPU's memory subsystem relies entirely on system memory, with the size, type, and bus width all listed as "System Shared" and bandwidth as "System Dependent." This means performance is tied to the host system's memory configuration, which is a significant constraint. The GPU has a TDP of 80 W and is classified as an IGP (integrated graphics processor), with no power connectors and a bus interface of IGP. Its display outputs are described as "Portable Device Dependent," indicating it is intended for mobile or compact systems.

The Arc B390's benchmark results are modest. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1482, placing it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. The nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1463, 1.3% higher), GeForce 800M (1460, 1.5% higher), GeForce GT 625 OEM (1446, 2.5% higher), and GeForce GT 710 (1443, 2.7% higher). These rivals are all from the early 2010s, underscoring the Arc B390's limited graphical horsepower.

In Valorant, the GPU's role is to render frames at the target resolution and settings. The measured data shows that the GPU can handle the game well at lower settings, as evidenced by the 331 FPS at 1080p Low. However, as settings increase to Ultra, the frame rate drops to 198 FPS at 1080p, indicating that the GPU's shading units and texture units are being pushed harder. The lack of dedicated VRAM means that texture-heavy scenes may cause memory bandwidth bottlenecks, though the game's art style is relatively light on textures compared to other FPS titles.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings preset depends on the user's display refresh rate. For a 1080p 144 Hz monitor, the Medium preset (218 FPS average) provides a comfortable margin above the refresh rate, while High (207 FPS) and Ultra (198 FPS) also remain above 144 FPS. The Medium preset is recommended because it offers a 20 FPS improvement over High and a 20 FPS improvement over Ultra, while maintaining a minimum of 185 FPS that prevents dips below the refresh rate.

For 1440p displays, the Low preset (282 FPS) is the only option that provides a substantial margin for high refresh rates above 240 Hz. The Medium preset (186 FPS) is sufficient for 144 Hz displays, while High (177 FPS) and Ultra (169 FPS) are still playable but leave less headroom. For 1440p 165 Hz monitors, Medium is the safe choice, as it provides a 21 FPS margin over the refresh rate.

For 4K displays, the Low preset (225 FPS) is the best option for competitive play, as it is the only setting that exceeds 200 FPS. The Medium preset (149 FPS) is suitable for 144 Hz displays, though its minimum of 126 FPS could cause occasional dips below the refresh rate. High (141 FPS) and Ultra (135 FPS) are only recommended for 120 Hz displays, as they barely exceed that threshold.

The data suggests that the Low preset is the most versatile, as it delivers the highest frame rates at all resolutions. However, for users prioritizing visual quality over frame rate, Medium provides a balanced experience with the highest measured minimum FPS at each resolution. The Ultra preset offers diminishing returns, with only a 20 FPS difference between High and Ultra at 1080p, making High a better choice for those who want quality without sacrificing too much performance.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals the balance between CPU and GPU load. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 331 at 1080p to 282 at 1440p (a 15% reduction) and then to 225 at 4K (a 32% reduction from 1080p). This indicates that the GPU is being stressed more as resolution increases, but the CPU is still capable of feeding it enough data to maintain high frame rates.

At Medium settings, the scaling is steeper: 218 FPS at 1080p drops to 186 at 1440p (a 15% reduction) and then to 149 at 4K (a 32% reduction from 1080p). The consistent percentage drops across settings suggest that the GPU is the primary limiter at higher resolutions, as the CPU's performance is relatively constant regardless of resolution. The Low and Medium presets show nearly identical scaling ratios, which is expected since the CPU load is similar while the GPU load increases with pixel count.

At High settings, the scaling is 207 FPS at 1080p to 177 at 1440p (a 14% reduction) and 141 at 4K (a 32% reduction). At Ultra settings, the pattern is 198 FPS at 1080p to 169 at 1440p (a 15% reduction) and 135 at 4K (a 32% reduction). The uniformity of these reductions across settings indicates that the GPU's fill rate and pixel processing capabilities are the limiting factors, rather than the CPU.

The data suggests that at 1080p, the CPU is the primary bottleneck, as the frame rates are high but the GPU is not fully utilized. As resolution increases to 4K, the GPU becomes the limiting component, as evidenced by the proportionate FPS drops. The fact that the combo still achieves over 135 FPS at 4K Ultra shows that the CPU's high single-thread performance helps mitigate the GPU's limitations, but the overall system is constrained by the Arc B390's modest compute resources. For users seeking higher frame rates at 4K, lowering settings to Low provides a 67% improvement over Ultra, which is the most effective way to boost performance without changing hardware.