Valorant

Valorant, as a competitive FPS, is fundamentally a CPU-bound title, and the measured results for the Intel Core i7-14700KF combined with the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT reflect this dynamic. The framerates across all tested settings and resolutions are exceptionally high, indicating a system with substantial headroom for high-refresh-rate monitors. The data shows a clear pattern where the CPU, not the GPU, is the primary driver of frame output in most scenarios, with the GPU only becoming a notable factor at the highest resolution. This analysis breaks down the performance characteristics of this combination, focusing on settings, component roles, and resolution behavior.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data for this combination of CPU and GPU shows that even the most demanding preset, Ultra, delivers framerates well beyond the refresh rate of most competitive displays. Based on the measured rows, the game runs at an average of 679 FPS at 1080p with Low settings, which is the highest average recorded across any resolution and preset combination. However, this enormous frame rate comes with a trade-off in visual fidelity that is unnecessary for most players, as the game is not graphically intensive. The data does not show a significant performance penalty for increasing settings, and this is the key factor in the recommendation.

Looking at the numbers, the 1080p preset scaling is minimal. From Low to High, the framerate drops from 679 to 570, a difference that is still far above any typical monitor's refresh rate. The Medium preset, with a 579, and the Ultra preset, with a 560, show that the cost of visual enhancements is low. The data shows that the performance delta between Low and Ultra is roughly 18% — from 679 to 560 — which is a modest penalty for the improved visual clarity. For the player who wants the highest possible frame rates, Low settings at 1080p provide the absolute best raw performance.

However, a more nuanced look at the data is required. At 4K resolution with the High preset, the average framerate is 449. This drops to 428 on Ultra. This is still an excellent result, but the GPU begins to matter more. The 4K Low preset, at 598, shows that even at the most demanding resolution, the settings scaling is not dramatic. For a competitive player targeting the highest possible frame rates, the best experience per the measured rows is at 1080p with Medium settings. This provides an average of 579 FPS, which is a slight drop from Low, but the minimum recorded for Medium (492) is higher than the minimum for the 4K Medium row (401). This suggests a more stable experience, and the visual quality is improved over Low.

The Ultra preset at 1440p, which shows an average of 532, is nearly identical to the 1080p Ultra result of 560. This indicates a setting where the GPU is not the primary bottleneck, and the CPU is likely holding the frame rates to a similar level. Since the game is so well optimized for the hardware, we recommend using the Medium preset at 1440p or High at 1080p. The Medium preset at 1440p gives an average of 549 FPS, with a minimum of 467 and a maximum of 632, and the High preset at 1080p gives 570 FPS. These settings balance the high refresh rate of the display with the visual settings that will not cause any meaningful performance loss. The best experience, per the measured rows, is to prioritize the CPU's ability and use the High or Medium preset at 1080p or 1440p, avoiding the Ultra preset at 4K if framerate is the absolute top priority.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700KF is a 20-core, 28-thread processor from the Core 14th Gen series, built on the Raptor Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, with a cache structure of 33 MB of shared L3 cache. These specifications, particularly the high single-thread boost clock, are highly relevant to a game like Valorant, which is known to be sensitive to single-core performance. The processor's benchmark data shows a Geekbench single-core score of 2578 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 6235, indicating that its single-threaded capabilities are a strong factor in the measured framerates.

The CPU market position is also a factor. The data shows that this processor sits at the 94th percentile against all CPUs in the benchmark database, meaning it outperforms 94% of the processors. Its nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score are the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F, with a score of 69996 and a delta of +0.2%, and the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K, with a score of 70879 and a delta of -1%. This means the i7-14700KF is slightly ahead of the Ultra 7 265K and slightly behind the Ryzen 7 9700F in overall CPU benchmarks, but in a game like Valorant, the per-core strength is what matters most. The performance is strong enough that the CPU is not the limiting factor at 1080p, where the cores are not fully utilized.

The data suggests that the CPU is not a bottleneck at 1080p. The average frame rate at 1080p with High settings is 570, and with Low settings is 679. The difference between these is relatively small, and the framerate is very high, which suggests that the game is not limited by the CPU at this resolution. The cores and threads of this processor are more than sufficient for the game's demands. The high boost clock of 5.60 GHz is a critical advantage for this title, as it allows the CPU to quickly process the game's physics and logic calculations. The 20 cores and 28 threads also help with any background tasks that might be running, but the game itself is not heavily multi-threaded.

At 4K, the CPU role becomes less dominant. The framerate drops from 679 at 1080p Low to 598 at 4K Low, a difference of 81 FPS. This is not a massive drop, but it shows that the GPU is starting to have an effect. The CPU is still providing a high enough framerate, but the GPU is now the component that is being more heavily tasked. The CPU's high single-core performance is still a major asset, but the data indicates that the GPU is the more important factor at the higher resolution.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT is a high-end GPU from the Radeon RX 7000 series, built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with a 5nm process. It features 20 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 320-bit bus, with a memory bandwidth of 800.0 GB/s. Its boost clock is 2394 MHz and the game clock is 2025 MHz. The GPU has 5376 shading units, 336 TMUs, and 192 ROPs, which gives it a texture rate of 804.4 GTexel/s. The GPU's compute performance is 51.48 TFLOPS, and its pixel rate is 459.6 GPixel/s. These are all very high specs.

In terms of its benchmark position, the RX 7900 XT is in the 55th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 13745. Its nearest rivals in the database are the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT with an average score of 13543 and a delta of +1.5%, and the AMD Radeon 660M with a score of 13812 and a delta of -0.5%. This means that the RX 7900 XT is slightly behind the RX 660M in raw average score, but this is a synthetic metric that does not directly translate to in-game performance, especially for a game like Valorant.

For this game, the GPU is not the primary bottleneck at 1080p. The data shows a 679 FPS average at 1080p with Low settings, and 570 with High settings. The GPU is more than capable of delivering these frame rates, and the CPU is the limiting factor. The GPU's VRAM of 20 GB is also not a concern, as Valorant uses a fraction of that even at 4K. The GPU's memory bandwidth of 800.0 GB/s is also not a limiting factor, as the game's assets are not that demanding.

The GPU role becomes more significant at 4K resolution. The framerate at 4K with Low settings is 598, and with High settings it is 449. This shows that the GPU is more of a factor at this resolution, but it is still not a bottleneck that prevents high frame rates. The difference between Low and High at 4K is 149 FPS, which is a larger delta than at 1080p (109 FPS). This suggests that the GPU is starting to be a factor at 4K, but the CPU is still the primary driver of frame rates.

The GPU's settings scaling is an important factor. The data shows that at 4K, the difference between Low and Medium is 127 FPS (598 to 471), and between Medium and Ultra is 43 FPS (471 to 428). The scaling is not linear, and the GPU is more efficient. The 20 GB of VRAM is a large amount, but the game does not need it. The GPU's high clock speeds and memory bandwidth are more than enough for the game, and the GPU is not a limiting factor in this configuration.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i7-14700KF and the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT is a potent pairing for Valorant. In the benchmark database, this combination is ranked 253rd out of 3708 tested combos, placing it in the top 7% of all tested systems. This is an impressive ranking, but it is important to understand what this rank means. The rank of 253 is not solely about the CPU and GPU's raw performance but also about the specific performance of this combo in this game.

The data shows that the combo ranks highly, but it is not the absolute top. For a game like Valorant, which is CPU-bound, the CPU's single-core performance is a major factor. The CPU's 94th percentile ranking in the database is a strong indicator that this combo will be among the top performers. The GPU also helps, but its 55th percentile is not as dominant. The combination of a high-performing CPU and a good GPU puts this combo in the top 7% of all combos.

The ranking is a relative measure. The combo is not the top performer, but it is a very strong one. The data suggests that the i7-14700KF is a better CPU for Valorant than the its average benchmark score suggests, and the RX 7900 XT is not a limiting factor. The combo rank of 253 out of 3708 is a good result, and it indicates that the system is well-balanced for the game. The data implies that there are better performing combos, but this one is still very capable of providing the high frame rates needed for competitive play.

Resolution Scaling

The resolution scaling of this hardware combination in Valorant shows a clear pattern: the framerate drops as the resolution increases, but the drop is not as severe as it would be in more graphically demanding games. The data shows that at 1080p, the average framerate is 679 FPS on Low settings. At 1440p, that drops to 644, and at 4K, it drops to 598. The drop from 1080p to 4K is 81 FPS, which is a 12% drop. This is a relatively small drop, and it indicates that the CPU is the limiting factor at the lower resolutions.

The settings scaling is also important. At 4K, the drop from Low (598) to High (449) is 149 FPS, which is a 25% drop. At 1080p, the same drop is 109 FPS, a 16% drop. This shows that the GPU is more of a factor at 4K, but it is still not a bottleneck that prevents high frame rates. The data suggests that the CPU is the primary limiting component, and the GPU becomes more significant as the resolution increases.

The data also shows the frame time variance. The 4K Medium preset has a minimum of 401 FPS and a maximum of 542 FPS, which is a spread of 141 FPS. The 1440p Medium has a spread of 165 FPS (467-632). The 1080p Medium has a spread of 174 FPS (492-666). This shows that the frame rates are not stable across the board, and the drops are more pronounced at lower resolutions. This is likely because the CPU is more stressed at lower resolutions, and the GPU is not fully utilized.

The resolution scaling is a key factor in determining the best experience. At 1080p, the system is clearly CPU-bound, and the GPU has a lot of headroom. At 4K, the GPU is more utilized, but the CPU is still the main limiting factor. The system is well-suited for high-refresh 1440p gaming, where the framerates are high and the GPU is not a bottleneck.

FAQ

Q: What is the average framerate at 1080p with Low settings?

A: The average framerate is 679 FPS at 1920x1080 with the Low preset.

Q: Which resolution and settings have the most stable framerate?

A: The Medium preset at 1440p has a minimum of 467 FPS and a maximum of 632 FPS, which is a spread of 165 FPS. This is a relatively stable result, but the Medium preset at 1080p has a wider range (492 to 666), and the 4K Medium has a range of 401 to 542.

Q: How does the combo rank in the database?

A: The combo is ranked 253rd out of 3708 tested combos, placing it in the top 7% of all tested systems.

Q: Does the graphics settings have a large effect on framerate?

A: The data shows a modest effect. At 1080p, the difference between Low (679) and Ultra (560) is 119 FPS. At 4K, the difference between Low (598) and Ultra (428) is 170 FPS. The GPU becomes more of a factor at higher resolutions.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck at 1080p?

A: The data suggests the CPU is the main limiting factor at 1080p. The framerate is very high, and the GPU is not fully utilized. The GPU becomes more of a factor at 4K, but the CPU is still the primary driver.

Q: What is the performance at 1440p?

A: At 1440p with Medium settings, the average framerate is 549 FPS, with a minimum of 467 and a maximum of 632. This is a strong performance for competitive play.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured framerate data is provided in the table below, organized by resolution and settings. All values are the average FPS unless otherwise noted for the Medium preset.

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS | Min FPS | Max FPS |

| :--------- | :------- | :------ | :------ | :------ |

| 3840x2160 | High | 449 | — | — |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 598 | — | — |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 471 | 401 | 542 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 428 | — | — |

| 2560x1440 | High | 540 | — | — |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 644 | — | — |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 549 | 467 | 632 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 532 | — | — |

| 1920x1080 | High | 570 | — | — |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 679 | — | — |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 579 | 492 | 666 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 560 | — | — |

From the data, the highest average framerate is 679 FPS at 1080p Low. The lowest average is 428 FPS at 4K Ultra. This shows the performance headroom of this combination. The table also shows that the Medium preset at each resolution has specific min and max values. The 1080p Medium preset has a minimum of 492 FPS and a maximum of 666 FPS, while the 1440p Medium has a minimum of 467 and a maximum of 632. The 4K Medium has a minimum of 401 and a maximum of 542. This data indicates that the frame times are not perfectly stable, but the overall performance is consistently high.

The performance data shows that the game is perfectly playable at the highest settings, even at 4K, but the highest frame rates are achieved at 1080p. The data points are all well above the refresh rates of most gaming monitors, so the user can choose the settings that best fit their preferences.