Valorant

# Valorant with Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate this combination achieves in Valorant?

A: The highest recorded average FPS is 733, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. For context, the same combo reaches 645 FPS at 4K with Low settings, showing the CPU's strength in this esports title.

Q: How does the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus compare to its closest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Ultra 9 290K Plus scores 84,003 on average, which is 0.2% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K (83,807) and 1.1% higher than the AMD EPYC 4584PX (83,090). It trails the AMD EPYC 7F72 (85,072) by 1.3%.

Q: What is the performance difference between the RTX 5070 and its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The RTX 5070 averages 40,377 in GPU benchmarks, placing it 0.1% above the AMD Radeon Pro 580 (40,318) and 0.8% above the AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100 (40,063). It is 1.2% behind the AMD Radeon Pro 5300 (40,870).

Q: Which settings preset provides the smoothest experience at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset delivers 695 FPS average, which is 111 FPS higher than High (557 FPS) and 165 FPS higher than Ultra (530 FPS). The Medium preset sits between at 584 FPS.

Q: How much performance does this combo lose when moving from 1080p to 4K?

A: At Low settings, the drop is 88 FPS (from 733 to 645 FPS), a 12% reduction. At High settings, the drop is 170 FPS (from 615 to 445 FPS), a 27.6% reduction.

Q: What is the combo's overall ranking among all tested configurations?

A: This Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus + RTX 5070 combination ranks 93rd out of 2,883 tested combos for Valorant, placing it in the top 3.2% of all configurations.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is the computational heart of this configuration, and its specs explain why Valorant runs at such high frame rates. This processor features 24 cores and 24 threads, with a base clock of 3.70 GHz that boosts up to 5.80 GHz. For a game like Valorant, which relies heavily on single-thread performance for gameplay logic and input responsiveness, the 5.80 GHz boost clock is critical.

The CPU's cache hierarchy is substantial: 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 36 MB of shared L3 cache. This high-speed cache allows the processor to keep frequently accessed game data close at hand, reducing memory latency during intense firefights. The 115.2 GB/s memory bandwidth over dual-channel DDR5 further supports rapid data flow.

Benchmark data confirms the CPU's strength. In Cinebench R23, it scores 51,731 in multi-core and 7,303 in single-core tests. The single-core score is particularly relevant for Valorant, where each frame's rendering can bottleneck on a single thread. The PassMark single-thread score of 4,823 reinforces this capability, while the multi-thread score of 60,860 shows how the 24 cores handle background tasks without stealing resources from the game.

The CPU's 96th percentile ranking among all processors means it outperforms 96% of CPUs in aggregate benchmarks. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, scores 83,807 versus 84,003 — a 0.2% edge that is nearly imperceptible in real-world gaming. The AMD EPYC 4584PX trails by 1.1%, while the AMD EPYC 7F72 leads by 1.3%, though these server-class chips are unlikely to be chosen for a gaming build.

For Valorant specifically, the data suggests the CPU is not the limiting factor at any resolution. Even at 1080p with Low settings — where CPU constraints are most apparent — the combo delivers 733 FPS. The 24 threads ensure that even with game logic, audio, and network processing active, there is ample headroom. The 3 nm TSMC process node and 17,800 million transistors indicate a modern, efficient design that sustains high clocks without thermal throttling.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 brings Blackwell 2.0 architecture to Valorant, built on a 5 nm TSMC process with 31,100 million transistors. The GPU's 12 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 192-bit bus provides 672.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is more than sufficient for Valorant's modest texture and geometry requirements. The base clock of 2325 MHz boosts to 2512 MHz, though in an esports title like Valorant, the GPU often runs below these limits due to frame pacing constraints.

With 6,144 shading units, 192 texture mapping units, and 80 raster operation units, the RTX 5070 has raw compute power that far exceeds what Valorant demands. The 30.87 TFLOPS FP32 performance is overkill for a game that emphasizes visibility and low latency over photorealistic rendering. The 48 ray tracing cores and 192 tensor cores are similarly underutilized in this title, which does not implement hardware ray tracing.

The GPU's benchmark scores show a balanced profile: a PassMark G3D score of 29,137 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 5,077. The Geekbench scores of 172,660 (OpenCL) and 178,923 (Vulkan) demonstrate strong compute capabilities. However, in Valorant, the GPU's role is primarily to push frames fast enough to keep up with the CPU's output.

The RTX 5070's 82nd percentile ranking among all GPUs means it sits above average but not at the top tier. Its nearest rivals are all professional/workstation cards — the AMD Radeon Pro 580 (0.1% above), Radeon Pro WX 7100 (0.8% below), and Radeon Pro 5300 (1.2% above) — which highlights that in synthetic benchmarks, the RTX 5070 occupies a mid-to-high range. Yet in Valorant, the GPU never becomes the bottleneck: at 4K Ultra, it still delivers 424 FPS, which is far beyond any monitor's refresh rate.

The 250 W TDP and dual-slot design make this a power-hungry card, but its 245 mm length fits most mid-tower cases. The PCIe 5.0 x16 interface ensures no bandwidth limitations. The display outputs (1x HDMI 2.1b and 3x DisplayPort 2.1b) support high-refresh-rate monitors, which is essential for competitive play.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance on which settings preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance for this combo. Across all three resolutions, the Low preset delivers the highest average frame rates, but the differences between presets reveal where the GPU starts to matter.

At 1080p, the Low preset yields 733 FPS, Medium 625 FPS, High 615 FPS, and Ultra 605 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium is 108 FPS (14.7%), but between High and Ultra it narrows to just 10 FPS (1.6%). This suggests that at 1080p, the CPU is the primary driver, and the GPU has ample headroom to handle increased visual fidelity without significant frame loss.

At 1440p, the pattern shifts slightly: Low gives 695 FPS, Medium 584 FPS, High 557 FPS, and Ultra 530 FPS. The drop from Low to Medium is now 111 FPS (16%), while High to Ultra remains small at 27 FPS (4.8%). The GPU begins to show its influence at this resolution, but the CPU still dominates.

At 4K, the presets spread further apart: Low 645 FPS, Medium 467 FPS, High 445 FPS, and Ultra 424 FPS. The Low-to-Medium gap expands to 178 FPS (27.6%), signaling that the GPU is now more involved. However, even at 4K Ultra, the 424 FPS average is far above the 240 Hz refresh rate of the fastest competitive monitors.

For most players, the Medium preset at any resolution offers the best experience. It provides a significant visual upgrade over Low while maintaining frame rates (625 FPS at 1080p, 584 FPS at 1440p, 467 FPS at 4K) that exceed any display's capabilities. The Medium preset also has the only recorded min/max FPS data: at 1080p, it ranges from 531 to 719 FPS; at 1440p, 497 to 672 FPS; and at 4K, 397 to 537 FPS. These minimums are still exceptionally high, ensuring smooth gameplay even in chaotic team fights.

Ultra settings are viable if visual polish matters, but the performance cost is measurable: 128 FPS less than Low at 1080p, 165 FPS less at 1440p, and 221 FPS less at 4K. Given that Valorant's art style is clean and minimalist, the visual difference between Medium and Ultra is often subtle, making Medium the pragmatic choice.

How This Combo Ranks

This Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 configuration ranks 93rd out of 2,883 tested combos for Valorant, placing it in the top 3.2% of all systems tested. This high ranking reflects the exceptional synergy between the CPU and GPU for this specific game.

The rank is particularly impressive given that Valorant is a CPU-bound title. The Ultra 9 290K Plus's 96th percentile CPU ranking and the RTX 5070's 82nd percentile GPU ranking combine to produce results that exceed what either component alone might suggest. The CPU's single-thread performance (7,303 in Cinebench R23 single-core) is the primary driver of the high FPS, while the GPU's 12 GB VRAM and 672.0 GB/s bandwidth ensure no frame drops from memory constraints.

Compared to other combos in the database, this system sits alongside configurations featuring higher-end graphics cards but slightly slower CPUs. The 93rd rank out of 2,883 means there are 92 combos that perform better, likely those with flagship CPUs paired with top-tier GPUs. However, for a mid-range GPU like the RTX 5070, this ranking demonstrates that the CPU choice matters more than GPU raw power in Valorant.

The combo's performance is consistent across resolutions, which is another indicator of its balanced nature. While some combos see dramatic FPS drops at 4K, this system only drops from 733 FPS (1080p Low) to 645 FPS (4K Low) — an 88 FPS difference that is proportionally small. This consistency suggests that neither component becomes a severe bottleneck at any settings combination.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data covers three resolutions and four settings presets, providing a complete picture of performance. Here is the full breakdown:

1920x1080 (Full HD):

• Low: 733 FPS average
• Medium: 625 FPS average, with a range of 531 to 719 FPS
• High: 615 FPS average
• Ultra: 605 FPS average

At 1080p, the Low preset delivers the highest frame rate, but all presets stay above 600 FPS. The Medium preset's minimum of 531 FPS ensures no visible stutter even during intense action.

2560x1440 (Quad HD):

• Low: 695 FPS average
• Medium: 584 FPS average, with a range of 497 to 672 FPS
• High: 557 FPS average
• Ultra: 530 FPS average

At 1440p, the Low preset remains above 690 FPS, while Ultra still exceeds 500 FPS. The Medium preset's minimum of 497 FPS is the only reading below 500 FPS at this resolution.

3840x2160 (4K UHD):

• Low: 645 FPS average
• Medium: 467 FPS average, with a range of 397 to 537 FPS
• High: 445 FPS average
• Ultra: 424 FPS average

At 4K, the Low preset maintains a 645 FPS average, but Medium and above all fall below 500 FPS. The Medium preset's minimum of 397 FPS is still highly playable. The Ultra preset at 424 FPS average is the lowest measured result, yet remains far above the 360 Hz refresh rate of the fastest esports monitors.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drops from 1080p to 4K reveal critical insights about which component limits performance at different settings. At Low settings, the progression is 733 FPS (1080p) → 695 FPS (1440p) → 645 FPS (4K). This represents a 12% drop from 1080p to 4K, a remarkably small decrease that indicates the CPU is the primary bottleneck at Low settings across all resolutions. The GPU has such vast headroom that even quadrupling the pixel count barely stresses it.

At High settings, the progression is 615 FPS (1080p) → 557 FPS (1440p) → 445 FPS (4K). The drop from 1080p to 4K is 27.6%, more than double the Low settings decrease. This shows that as visual fidelity increases, the GPU's workload grows, and it begins to influence frame rates. However, the 445 FPS at 4K High still suggests the CPU is sharing the load.

At Medium settings, the pattern is similar to High: 625 FPS (1080p) → 584 FPS (1440p) → 467 FPS (4K), a 25.3% drop. The Ultra preset shows the largest relative decline: 605 FPS (1080p) → 530 FPS (1440p) → 424 FPS (4K), a 29.9% drop from 1080p to 4K.

The resolution scaling data indicates that the RTX 5070 becomes an increasingly significant factor at higher resolutions and settings, but never becomes the sole bottleneck. Even at 4K Ultra, the 424 FPS average exceeds what any current display can show. The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus's 5.80 GHz boost clock and 36 MB L3 cache ensure that the CPU can feed the GPU enough frames to maintain these high rates.

The smallest relative drop (Low settings, 12%) suggests that in competitive scenarios where players reduce settings to maximize FPS, the CPU is the limiting factor. The largest relative drop (Ultra settings, 29.9%) shows that when visual quality is prioritized, the GPU's workload increases, but the RTX 5070 still handles it with ease. This combo is genuinely balanced for Valorant, with no resolution or settings combination causing a performance cliff that would compromise the competitive experience.