Valorant

Valorant is a competitive FPS that places a premium on frame rate consistency, and the combination of the Intel Core i7-14700K and the Intel Arc B580 delivers exceptional performance across all tested resolutions and settings. The measured data shows average frame rates ranging from 235 FPS at 4K Ultra to 575 FPS at 1080p Low, indicating that this pairing is capable of driving high-refresh-rate displays in virtually any scenario. The Core i7-14700K, with its 20 cores and 28 threads, provides substantial single-thread headroom, while the Arc B580's 12 GB of GDDR6 memory ensures that the GPU is rarely a bottleneck, even at lower resolutions where CPU performance becomes the primary factor.

FAQ

Q: What is the maximum measured average frame rate for this combination?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 575 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This is the peak performance point in the dataset, showcasing the combination's ability to maximize performance in the least graphically demanding configuration.

Q: How does the Arc B580 compare to its nearest GPU rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Arc B580's average benchmark score is 23021. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP, has an average score of 23061, which is a 0.2% difference. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 is 0.6% behind, scoring 22895, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 is 0.7% ahead with a score of 23172.

Q: What are the CPU's core and thread counts?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700K features 20 cores and 28 threads. It has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. This configuration contributes to its strong multi-threaded and single-threaded performance, as reflected in its benchmark scores.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the Intel Arc B580?

A: The Intel Arc B580 has a launch MSRP of 249 USD. The Intel Core i7-14700K has a launch MSRP of $409. These figures reflect the manufacturer's initial pricing for the components.

Q: How does the Core i7-14700K compare to its nearest rivals in average benchmark score?

A: The Core i7-14700K has an average benchmark score of 69355. Its nearest rival, the AMD EPYC 9115, scores 69288, which is 0.1% lower. The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X scores 69515, which is 0.2% higher, and the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX scores 69875, which is 0.7% higher.

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

A: The Intel Core i7-14700K combined with the Intel Arc B580 ranks 2469 out of 3708 tested combinations in Valorant. This places it in the upper portion of the ranking, indicating that it performs better than a majority of tested systems.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B580 is the graphics component of this pairing, and its specifications are directly relevant to the performance observed in Valorant. The GPU is built on the Xe2-HPG architecture, fabricated on a 5 nm process by TSMC, and contains 19,600 million transistors on a 272 mm² die. It has 2560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 80 render output units, which are the core processing elements that handle the rendering workload. The GPU's base and boost clock are both 2670 MHz, providing a consistent operating frequency under load. The memory subsystem consists of 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 456.0 GB/s. This memory configuration is more than sufficient for a game like Valorant, which has relatively modest graphics demands, ensuring that the GPU can maintain high frame rates without hitting memory bandwidth limits.

The measured frame rates in Valorant demonstrate that the Arc B580 is a capable performer in this title, but its role is secondary to the CPU. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 575, which is the highest recorded figure. As resolution increases to 1440p, the average FPS at Low settings drops to 491, and at 4K Low it is 392. The performance scaling across resolutions shows that the GPU's workload grows with pixel count, but even at 4K the frame rates remain well above 360 FPS, indicating that the GPU is not a limiting factor at any tested resolution. The GPU's pixel rate of 213.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 427.2 GTexel/s are high enough to handle the game's rendering demands without becoming a bottleneck.

The Arc B580's compute performance is also relevant to its overall capability. It delivers 13.67 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and 27.34 TFLOPS of FP16 compute with a 2:1 ratio. These figures, combined with the GPU's 20 ray tracing cores, provide a foundation for graphical performance that extends beyond Valorant's requirements. The GPU maintains a consistent boost clock of 2670 MHz, which suggests that it can sustain its performance under continuous load, a factor that contributes to the stable frame rates observed in the measured data. The 12 GB VRAM capacity ensures that even the highest settings at 4K resolution, which could theoretically use more memory, are handled without issue.

The Arc B580's standing among GPUs is indicated by its percentile of 68, meaning it outperforms 68% of all GPUs in the database. Its nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score are the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP (23061), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 (22895), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (23172), and the NVIDIA P106-100 (23249). These comparisons are within a narrow performance band, with the Arc B580's score of 23021 being within 1% of each rival. This indicates that the Arc B580's synthetic performance is comparable to a range of GPUs, but its real-world performance in Valorant is likely influenced by the strong CPU pairing.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how settings affect performance across all resolutions. The Low preset consistently produces the highest average frame rates: 575 FPS at 1080p, 491 FPS at 1440p, and 392 FPS at 4K. This preset is optimal for players who prioritize raw frame rate, as it delivers the highest possible refresh rates for competitive play. The Medium preset yields 379 FPS at 1080p, 323 FPS at 1440p, and 259 FPS at 4K, offering a balance between visual quality and performance. The High preset produces 361 FPS at 1080p, 308 FPS at 1440p, and 246 FPS at 4K, which is a minor decrease from Medium but still provides a smooth experience. The Ultra preset results in 344 FPS at 1080p, 293 FPS at 1440p, and 235 FPS at 4K, which is the most graphically demanding setting but still remains above 235 FPS at all resolutions.

The data indicates that the Medium preset offers the best experience for most players. It provides a significant frame rate boost over High and Ultra settings while maintaining a level of visual fidelity that is acceptable for competitive play. The average frame rates at Medium are 379 FPS at 1080p, 323 FPS at 1440p, and 259 FPS at 4K, with a minimum FPS of 322 at 1080p, 275 at 1440p, and 220 at 4K. These minimum frame rates are crucial for competitive games, as they represent the worst-case scenario during intense gameplay moments. The Medium preset's minimum frame rates are all above the refresh rates of most high-end monitors, ensuring a consistent experience without significant drops.

For players with the highest refresh rate displays, such as 360 Hz or 500 Hz, the Low preset is the recommended choice. It achieves 575 FPS at 1080p and 491 FPS at 1440p, which are above the refresh rates of many esports monitors. However, the visual quality reduction may be undesirable for some. The Ultra preset, while offering the best visuals, still delivers 344 FPS at 1080p, which is sufficient for most high-refresh displays. The data suggests that the GPU is capable of pushing high frame rates across all settings, so the choice depends on whether a player prioritizes the highest possible frame rate or the highest visual quality. The measured average and min FPS across all settings indicate that this combination is well-suited for competitive play at any preset.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-14700K and Intel Arc B580 combination ranks 2469th out of 3708 tested combinations in Valorant. This places it in the 33.4th percentile of all tested systems, meaning it outperforms approximately 33% of the combinations in the database. The rank is a reflection of the hardware's performance in this specific game, and while it may not be the top-tier result, it is a strong showing. The rank of 2469 out of 3708 indicates that many other combinations, likely including higher-end GPUs, achieve higher frame rates. However, the frame rates measured in this configuration are still extremely high, suggesting that the ranking is influenced by other factors such as the variety of hardware tested.

The combo rank is a single metric that combines the CPU and GPU performance in Valorant. Given the GPU's percentile of 68, it is a mid-to-high-range GPU, and the CPU's percentile of 94 indicates it is a high-performance processor. The combination of a high-end CPU and a mid-range GPU results in a system that is well-balanced for Valorant, but it does not match the performance of systems with top-tier GPUs. The rank shows that there are many combinations that achieve higher frame rates, likely due to more powerful graphics cards. However, the measured frame rates in this configuration are so high that the rank is more of a theoretical position than a practical limitation.

The benchmark's ranking also reflects the fact that Valorant is a CPU-intensive game, which is evident from the performance scaling across resolutions. The CPU's 20 cores and 28 threads, combined with a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, provide a strong foundation for the game's physics and logic. The GPU, while not the fastest, is sufficient to handle the game's graphics at all tested settings. The combination of these two components results in a system that delivers high frame rates, even if the rank does not place it at the very top. The data suggests that the combo is well-balanced for this game, with the CPU providing the necessary processing power and the GPU handling the rendering without becoming a limiting factor.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700K is the central processor of this combination, and its specifications are crucial to the high frame rates measured in Valorant. The CPU features 20 cores and 28 threads, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. This configuration is designed for high multi-threaded performance, as well as strong single-threaded performance, which is essential for competitive games like Valorant. The CPU's cache structure includes 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 2 MB of L2 cache per core, and a 33 MB shared L3 cache. The L3 cache is particularly important for game performance, as it can reduce memory access times and keep frequently used data readily available.

The CPU's benchmark scores reflect its capabilities. In Cinebench R23, it scores 33440.5 for multi-core and 2160 for single-core. In Geekbench, it scores 20767 for multi-core and 2569 for single-core. These scores are among the highest for desktop CPUs, with the CPU's percentile of 94 indicating it outperforms 94% of all CPUs in the database. The nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score are the AMD EPYC 9115 (0.1% lower), the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (0.2% higher), the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX (0.7% higher), and the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F (0.9% higher). This places the Core i7-14700K in a tight performance bracket with some of the best CPUs available.

In Valorant, the CPU's single-threaded performance is the most critical factor, as the game engine relies heavily on the main thread for logic and rendering. The CPU's boost clock of 5.60 GHz is high, and its single-core Cinebench R23 score of 2160 reflects its capability. The measured frame rates show that the CPU is not the bottleneck at any resolution, as the GPU is able to maintain high frame rates even at 4K. The performance differences between settings are modest, which further indicates that the CPU is not limiting the system. The combination of high clock speed, strong cache, and high single-threaded performance ensures that the CPU does not hinder the overall frame rates. The effectiveness of this CPU is highlighted by the 575 FPS at 1080p Low, which is a result of the CPU's ability to feed the GPU with enough data to sustain such high frame rates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates for this combination are provided for three resolutions and four settings levels: Low, Medium, High, and Ultra. At 1920x1080, the Low setting produces an average FPS of 575, Medium produces 379, High produces 361, and Ultra produces 344. The Medium setting has a min FPS of 322 and a max FPS of 436, which is the only setting with recorded min/max values at this resolution. At 2560x1440, the Low setting produces an average FPS of 491, Medium produces 323, High produces 308, and Ultra produces 293. The Medium setting at this resolution has a min FPS of 275 and a max FPS of 372. At 3840x2160, the Low setting produces an average FPS of 392, Medium produces 259, High produces 246, and Ultra produces 235. The Medium setting at 4K has a min FPS of 220 and a max FPS of 297.

The performance differences between settings are minimal. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 231 FPS, dropping from 575 to 344. At 1440p, the difference is 198 FPS, from 491 to 293. At 4K, the difference is 157 FPS, from 392 to 235. This indicates that the GPU is the primary factor affecting performance as settings increase, but the CPU's cap is high enough that even at Ultra the frame rates remain high. The min FPS values for Medium at each resolution are 322 at 1080p, 275 at 1440p, and 220 at 4K, which are all above 200 FPS, suggesting a consistent experience without major frame drops.

The frame rates show a clear pattern: higher resolutions reduce the frame rate, and higher settings reduce the frame rate. However, the absolute values are high. Even the lowest measured average FPS, which is 235 at 4K Ultra, is well above the refresh rates of most monitors. The performance scaling indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions, but the CPU is capable of driving the game to high frames at lower resolutions. The data confirms that this combination can handle Valorant at maximum settings with high frame rates, making it a suitable choice for competitive play.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rates decrease as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K, which is a standard scaling pattern. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 575 at 1080p to 491 at 1440p, a decrease of 84 FPS (14.6%). From 1440p to 4K, the drop is 99 FPS, from 491 to 392, a decrease of 20.2%. At Medium settings, the average FPS drops from 379 at 1080p to 323 at 1440p, a 56 FPS decrease (14.8%). From 1440p to 4K, it drops to 259, a 64 FPS decrease (19.8%). At High settings, the average FPS drops from 361 at 1080p to 308 at 1440p, a 53 FPS decrease (14.7%). From 1440p to 4K, it drops to 246, a 62 FPS decrease (20.1%). At Ultra settings, the average FPS drops from 344 at 1080p to 293 at 1440p, a 51 FPS decrease (14.8%). From 1440p to 4K, it drops to 235, a 58 FPS decrease (19.8%).

The percentage drops from 1080p to 1440p are consistent across settings, around 14-15%. The drops from 1440p to 4K are larger, around 20%. This pattern indicates that the GPU is the primary factor limiting performance at higher resolutions. The GPU's workload increases with the number of pixels, and the frame rate reduction is a direct result of that workload. The CPU's performance is sufficient at all resolutions, as evidenced by the fact that the frame rates remain high even at 4K.

The resolution scaling test reveals that the system is GPU-limited at higher resolutions, but the CPU is a strong enough to keep frame rates high. The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is 40.2% at Low settings, 33.9% at Medium, 31.8% at High, and 31.7% at Ultra. This shows that the GPU's performance scales with resolution, but the CPU does not become a significant bottleneck at any resolution. The system is well-balanced, with the CPU capable of delivering high frame rates at low resolutions and the GPU maintaining playable frame rates at 4K.