Riot Games designed Valorant to run on a wide range of hardware by heavily modifying Unreal Engine 4. The game is intentionally CPU-bound to ensure competitive integrity, prioritizing visual clarity over heavy effects. However, Windows 11 users should note the TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot requirements for the Vanguard anti-cheat, which necessitates relatively modern hardware (Intel 8th Gen / Ryzen 2000 or newer) despite the game's low graphical demands. For those aiming for a stable 360 FPS, high CPU clock speeds and low-latency RAM are key.
Actual FPS may vary based on RAM speed, background processes, and other system factors
Performance Report
At 1080p, all quality settings exceed 450 FPS, suitable for 144Hz+ monitors. At 1440p, all settings exceed 442 FPS. At 4K, all settings exceed 298 FPS.
The GeForce RTX 4090 is 500% above the recommended GPU (GeForce GTX 1050 Ti) for Valorant. The Xeon w3-2535 is 421% above the recommended CPU (Core i3-4150).
The Xeon w3-2535 sets the FPS ceiling at 4k (medium/high/ultra), while the GeForce RTX 4090 still has headroom. The FPS ceiling is closely matched at all 1080p settings, all 1440p settings, 4k low.
Approximated average price on current market:
Combo price: $2449. At 1080p Ultra, this combo delivers 450 FPS, equivalent to 0.18 FPS per dollar.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 0.286 fps/$ | 0.245 fps/$ | 0.204 fps/$ | 0.184 fps/$ |
| 1440p | 0.257 fps/$ | 0.238 fps/$ | 0.204 fps/$ | 0.180 fps/$ |
| 4k | 0.207 fps/$ | 0.183 fps/$ | 0.146 fps/$ | 0.122 fps/$ |
* Table values represent FPS per Dollar (higher is better)
This section is based on estimated CPU/GPU FPS ceilings, not utilization percentages.
At 4k ultra, the Xeon w3-2535 sets the ceiling at about 298 FPS, while the GeForce RTX 4090 could reach 382 FPS. In this scenario, the CPU limits the GPU potential by 22% (FPS gap: 84 FPS). Overall distribution: CPU limits 3/12 cells, GPU limits 0/12, balanced 9/12.
The Xeon w3-2535 and GeForce RTX 4090 stay close in effective frame-generation ceiling across most presets, so neither side consistently suppresses the other by a large margin.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p (Full HD) | Balanced | Balanced | Balanced | Balanced |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | Balanced | Balanced | Balanced | Balanced |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | Balanced | CPU Limits GPU 8% | CPU Limits GPU 21% | CPU Limits GPU 22% |
We estimate the maximum FPS the processor can sustain and the maximum FPS the graphics card can sustain in each setting, then compare those limits directly.
Limit Factor formula: (stronger - weaker) / stronger. Example: if CPU ceiling is 200 FPS and GPU ceiling is 140 FPS, then GPU limits CPU by 30%.
CPU Limits GPU means the processor ceiling is lower. GPU Limits CPU means the graphics ceiling is lower. Balanced means the FPS ceilings are close enough that the gap is negligible.
A component can still be the FPS limiter without reaching 100% utilization. The displayed percentages are derived from FPS ceilings, not generic utilization heuristics.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p (Full HD) | CPU38% - 56% <> GPU22% - 27% <> | CPU38% - 56% <> GPU22% - 27% <> | CPU41% - 59% <> GPU24% - 36% <> | CPU54% - 65% <> GPU26% - 38% <> |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | CPU41% - 64% <> GPU25% - 32% <> | CPU41% - 64% <> GPU25% - 32% <> | CPU46% - 70% <> GPU26% - 41% <> | CPU54% - 64% <> GPU26% - 39% <> |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | CPU38% - 49% <> GPU25% - 29% <> | CPU38% - 49% <> GPU25% - 29% <> | CPU44% - 51% <> GPU27% - 37% <> | CPU46% - 52% <> GPU26% - 36% <> |
The Xeon w3-2535 + GeForce RTX 4090 pairing runs this title with CPU utilization between 38% and 70% and GPU utilization between 22% and 41%. Xeon w3-2535 stays in a controlled operating range, while GeForce RTX 4090 is utilized efficiently without persistent saturation. As resolution scales, average GPU load rises from 28% at 1080p to 29% at 4K, while CPU averages move from 51% to 46%.
The utilization pattern is relatively even. The GeForce RTX 4090 reaches 34% average at its highest-load preset, while the Xeon w3-2535 peaks at 60% average. This suggests a fairly controlled load distribution, but the actual FPS-limiting side should still be read from the limiter analysis above.
At 1080p, averages sit around CPU 51% and GPU 28%. At 1440p, that shifts to CPU 55% and GPU 31%, and at 4K it reaches CPU 46% and GPU 29%. This shows that workload scaling is limited, which can indicate engine-side constraints.
1440p (2K QHD) High is the most balanced preset based on this dataset. It runs around CPU 58% (46-70%) and GPU 34% (26-41%), which keeps GeForce RTX 4090 well utilized without constant max-out behavior while Xeon w3-2535 remains stable for consistent frame delivery.
Current utilization does not show an urgent upgrade requirement for either component; the Xeon w3-2535 and GeForce RTX 4090 remain reasonably matched for this title.
Understanding Hardware Utilization: These percentages represent how much of your component's maximum processing power is actively being used during gameplay. They describe hardware load, but they do not directly tell you which component sets the FPS ceiling.
Important: a CPU or GPU can still be the FPS limiter without reaching 100% utilization. Two processors can both show 40% usage and still deliver very different frame rates, depending on per-core speed, cache, engine threading, driver overhead, and frame preparation efficiency.
Data generated by our Machine Learning engine trained on real-world benchmarks. Shows the approximate average utilization at each setting.
See how your processor and graphics card compare against the game official minimum and recommended system specs. The placement of your hardware is calculated using relative synthetic performance scores to help you gauge overall playability.
Your CPU is 421% above and your GPU is 500% above the recommended specs. Ultra settings at 1080p, or High at 1440p/4K.
+421%vsrecommended
+500%vsrecommended
+713%vsminimum
+2484%vsminimum
Yes, the Xeon w3-2535 paired with the GeForce RTX 4090 can run Valorant smoothly up to 4k achieving around 298 FPS at Ultra quality. Your GPU is 500% above the recommended specs, and your CPU is 421% above the recommended requirements.
This CPU + GPU combo costs approximately $2449 ($800 CPU (Rank #237 Value) + $1649 GPU (Rank #77 Value)). Your Xeon w3-2535 is currently the main performance bottleneck and its market value ($800) is actually higher than newer, faster alternatives. Trading it or upgrading could yield immediate profit and performance gains. For example, the Xeon Platinum 8571N is a great upgrade option for around $599 (Rank #60 for value) while costing less than your current CPU.
For Valorant, upgrading the CPU would have the biggest impact on performance. The Xeon w3-2535 is currently the limiting factor — the GeForce RTX 4090 has extra headroom that a faster processor could take advantage of. This is especially noticeable at 1080p where CPU performance matters more. CPU-limited at: 4k medium, 4k high, 4k ultra.
Valorant does not currently support Frame Generation technologies like DLSS 3 or FSR 3. Your performance is based entirely on native rendering. If the game adds support in a future update, newer GPUs will benefit the most.
Valorant requires at minimum a Core 2 Duo E8400 (CPU) and GeForce GT 730 (GPU) with 4 GB RAM and 23 GB storage. For the recommended experience, you need a Core i3-4150 and GeForce GTX 1050 Ti with 8 GB RAM. Your Xeon w3-2535 and GeForce RTX 4090 both exceed the recommended specs, so you're well-positioned for a great experience.
These Valorant FPS results are not arbitrary numbers. They come from calculations informed by thousands of real gaming benchmarks, and the typical accuracy range is around 10% to 15%. That makes them far more useful than generic FPS calculators that simply invent values without a benchmark foundation. Actual in-game performance can still vary with drivers, updates, RAM configuration, cooling, and the exact scene being rendered.
Performance estimates are based on synthetic benchmarks and hardware capabilities.
Results may vary based on drivers, OS, and background processes.
