Valorant is a highly competitive multiplayer shooter game that demands quick reflexes and precise aiming. Performance issues can hinder a player’s ability to play the game effectively. Optimizing graphics settings in Valorant is crucial, as it can significantly impact the game’s performance and visual quality.
In this guide, we will discuss the best graphics settings for Valorant that will help you achieve high FPS, reduce input lag, and improve overall performance. We’ll also provide tips on how to improve the visual quality of the game while saving on system resources. With these settings, you’ll be able to play Valorant at its best and have a more immersive and enjoyable experience.
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Best Graphics Settings-Valorant
To access the graphics settings in Valorant, simply click on the “Video” tab located on the top right of the game screen. In this menu, you’ll see three types of graphics settings, starting with the “General Settings” for Valorant.
Resolution
Valorant’s resolution can be adjusted to match your monitor’s native resolution, which is typically 1920×1080 for most modern monitors. Lowering the resolution can improve performance and increase FPS, but at the cost of decreased image quality. However, increasing the resolution beyond your monitor’s native resolution can cause the game to look blurry or stretched. It’s best to stick with the native resolution for optimal clarity and sharpness.
Aspect Ratio
The letterbox aspect ratio, which is 4:3, is highly recommended by Valorant professionals as the best aspect ratio for gameplay. This is because it stretches the display horizontally, making textures appear elongated. While this may seem odd, it also means that opponents’ textures will be wider, making them easier to target and shoot. Other aspect ratios may cause textures to appear stretched vertically, which can negatively impact gameplay.
Display Mode
“Fullscreen” mode provides the best performance and visual quality because it allows the game to take full advantage of your monitor’s resources. Windowed and borderless windowed modes can be more convenient for multitasking, but they can also introduce performance issues.
Monitor
Setting the “Primary Monitor” can ensure that Valorant will open on the correct screen and your gaming experience will be optimized for your main display.
FPS in Power and Menu
- Limit FPS on Battery – Turning off this option is recommended to avoid FPS drops.
- Max FPS on Battery – Although laptops automatically reduce performance on battery power, it’s still recommended to set the FPS to 60 or above to ensure that the in-game setting isn’t capping FPS.
- Limited FPS in Menus – This setting can be turned on or off depending on your preference. If you frequently minimize the game, turning it on can make the process smoother.
- Max FPS in Menu – Setting this to 30 FPS can help prevent your GPU from pushing unnecessary frames while idling in the main menu.
- Max FPS in Background – Set the maximum FPS to 30 when the game is running in the background to save resources and improve performance.
- Limited FPS Always – Turning this setting off will uncap your FPS in-game.
- Max FPS Always – Setting this to 60 FPS can make the animations in the main menu smoother.
NVIDIA Reflex Low Latency
For NVIDIA GPU users playing Valorant, enabling the NVIDIA Reflex Low Latency setting is highly recommended. This feature significantly reduces input lag, resulting in more responsive and accurate gameplay. However, AMD users won’t be able to benefit from this setting as it’s exclusive to Nvidia.
Once you’re done with the General settings, it’s time to optimize the graphics quality settings in Valorant. These settings prioritize high FPS and maximum performance while allowing you to retain some visual quality.
Multi-Threaded Rendering
Enable Multi-Threaded Rendering in Valorant if you’re playing “ON” a high-end PC, as it can significantly boost both CPU performance and graphics quality.
Texture Quality
The impact of texture quality on game performance is relatively low, so adjusting this setting to medium is a good option for those with lower-end PCs. However, for those with higher-end PCs, setting the texture quality to high can result in improved visual quality without negatively affecting performance.
Material Quality
Adjusting the Material Quality setting in Valorant can greatly impact the game’s performance. If you have a lower-end PC, setting it to “Low” can improve FPS. However, if you have a more powerful GPU, setting it to at least “Medium” can provide better visual quality without sacrificing too much performance.
Detail Quality
To minimize visual disturbances and simplify your screen display, opt for Low detail quality setting. This not only enhances the game’s FPS in Valorant but also eliminates extraneous textures such as vines on walls and foliage.
UI Quality
To maintain a balance between performance and visual appeal, choose Medium UI Quality setting in Valorant. This will have minimal impact on game performance while enhancing the look of UI elements such as player portraits and setting menus.
Vignette
To avoid any potential visual distractions in Valorant, keep the Vignette setting turned off. Although it adds a cinematic effect by darkening the screen corners, it doesn’t have any impact on game performance. In fact, it may hinder your focus during serious gameplay, so it’s best to leave it off altogether.
VSync
For optimal gameplay in Valorant, it’s recommended to disable VSync. VSync has been known to cause issues such as micro-stutters, input lag, and FPS capping based on the monitor’s refresh rate. Disabling VSync will allow your FPS to be uncapped, providing smoother gameplay and an advantage in competitive play. While occasional screen tearing may occur, the benefits of higher FPS and improved gameplay make it a worthwhile tradeoff.
Anti-Aliasing
Contrary to popular belief, turning off Anti-Aliasing may not always be the best option for reaching maximum FPS in Valorant. Instead, setting it to MSAA X2 can provide excellent visual clarity without compromising performance. This setting is not overly demanding and can maintain a decent FPS. Therefore, it’s a good choice for players who want high-quality visuals without sacrificing FPS.
Anisotropic Filtering
For improved texture sharpness of objects viewed at oblique angles in Valorant, consider using Anisotropic Filtering at a setting of 2x or 4x. These settings are not too demanding on your computer’s resources while still providing significant visual enhancement. If you have a high-end PC, you could opt for a setting of 16x for even greater texture clarity.
Improve Clarity
The “Improve Clarity” setting in Valorant may or may not provide a significant improvement in visual quality, depending on personal preference. While some players may notice a significant enhancement in visual clarity without sacrificing performance, others may experience a drop in frames with no discernible improvement in quality. Therefore, it’s best to experiment with both “On” and “Off” settings to determine which option works best for your individual needs and preferences.
Cast Shadows
To optimize your gameplay experience in Valorant, consider disabling the “Cast Shadows” setting. This option controls the visibility of your player’s shadow and doesn’t affect the other team. Turning it off can eliminate any potential distractions caused by shadows and improve your focus during gameplay.
Distortion
The “Distortion” visual effect in Valorant is purely cosmetic and adds a distorted effect to your screen. To avoid any unnecessary distractions, it’s recommended to turn this setting off.
Bloom
For a distraction-free gameplay experience in Valorant, it’s recommended to disable Bloom. This visual effect doesn’t have any impact on game performance, and turning it off can eliminate any potential distractions caused by its presence.
After making changes in the first two tabs, don’t forget to also update the “Stats section”. It won’t affect your game’s performance, but it will improve your in-game display.
The settings in the “Stats section” are easy to understand. Just adjust them as recommended below, and you’re good to go:
- Client FPS: Text Only
- Server Tick Rate: Hide
- Total Frame Time: Hide
- CPU Frame Time: Hide
- GPU Frame Time: Hide
- Network Round Trip Time: Text Only
- Packet Loss: Hide
Also Read: How To Fix VALORANT Not Opening Problem?
Best Valorant NVIDIA Settings
Optimizing the in-game settings is crucial, but it’s equally important to utilize the optimal Nvidia Control Panel settings for Valorant. Here are the recommended Nvidia Control Panel settings for achieving the best performance in Valorant.
Image Sharpening
Enabling the Image Sharpening feature “ON” Nvidia GPUs can be beneficial for gamers playing Valorant, as it enhances texture clarity and improves the visibility of opponents. It is suggested to adjust the sharpening settings within the range of 0.3 to 0.7, as excessive or insufficient sharpening can result in distorted image quality.
Anisotropic Filtering
It is recommended to keep the Anisotropic Filtering setting “OFF” in Valorant graphics settings.
FXAA Antialiasing
The FXAA Antialiasing mode can be used to reduce jagged edges on textures at a lower cost, but since the graphics settings in Valorant have already been configured, it is advised to keep this mode Off.
Gamma Correction Antialiasing
Gamma Correction Antialiasing improves image quality in OpenGL programs, but it is not useful in Valorant and should be turned Off.
Antialiasing Mode
Antialiasing Mode controls how antialiasing will be applied in games. It is best to keep this setting Off.
Background Max Frame Rate
The Background Max Frame Rate is a new feature added to the Nvidia Control Panel. If you frequently (Alt+Tab) out of the game, setting the rate to 20 can reduce power consumption in the game and prioritize other applications.
Low Latency Mode
Nvidia’s Low Latency Mode is a beneficial feature that can significantly reduce input lag and boost FPS in games, especially in competitive multiplayer games like Valorant. Setting it to Ultra can work wonders for gamers.
Max Frame Rate
To avoid limiting FPS in Valorant, it is recommended to turn off the Max Frame Rate setting.
Power Management Mode
Setting the Power Management Mode to Prefer Max Performance allows the GPU to perform at maximum capacity during the game.
Monitor Technology
Selecting the appropriate Monitor Technology setting depends on the monitor’s features, such as Nvidia G-Sync or AMD Freesync. Therefore, choose the setting that matches your monitor technology.
Multi-Frame Sampled AA (MFAA)
Nvidia’s Multi-Frame Sampled AA (MFAA) is an Anti-Aliasing technology that is not currently compatible with Valorant, so it is recommended to keep it Off.
Anisotropic Sample Optimization – Texture Filtering
Enabling Anisotropic Sample Optimization in Valorant improves texture quality with little impact on performance. It reduces texture blur and distortion caused by surface angles, resulting in sharper textures that make it easier to spot enemies and navigate the game’s environment.
Negative LOD Bias – Texture Filtering
Setting Negative LOD Bias to Allow can help enhance the visuals in Valorant by sharpening them.
Quality – Texture Filtering
Setting Quality to High Performance is crucial to get high FPS in Valorant, prioritizing performance over graphic effects.
Trilinear Optimization – Texture Filtering
Turning on Trilinear Optimization can enhance texture filtering in Valorant, resulting in sharper textures and easier visibility of enemies.
Threaded Optimization
Threaded Optimization allows Valorant to utilize multiple CPUs and cores, which can lead to smoother performance. However, it can also degrade performance, so it is best to leave it set to Auto.
Also Read: How to Change Servers in Valorant?
Best Valorant AMD Radeon Settings
To improve FPS in Valorant with AMD, open the AMD Control Panel, select Global Graphics, choose the eSports profile, and adjust the settings as follows to optimize performance.
Radeon Anti-Lag
Enabling this feature “ON” can dynamically adjust frame timing, reducing input lag and improving performance. In Valorant, it can help you land shots with greater accuracy and reaction time.
Radeon Chill
Although a useful feature in some games, Radeon Chill can negatively impact performance in Valorant by reducing FPS to keep temperatures cool. Therefore, it’s best to disable this feature to ensure optimal performance.
Radeon Boost
While Radeon Boost can increase performance in some scenarios, it does so by dynamically lowering the resolution of the game, which can negatively impact the visual quality of Valorant. Therefore, it’s best to disable this feature to ensure the best possible visual experience.
Radeon Image Sharpening
This feature is similar to Nvidia’s sharpening filter and can help make textures in Valorant appear sharper and clearer. Enabling this feature can improve the overall visual quality of the game.
Sharpness
Radeon Image Sharpening also allows you to adjust the level of sharpness applied to the game. A setting of 50 is a good starting point, but you can increase or decrease this value according to your personal preference.
Wait for Vertical Refresh
This feature can significantly reduce or lock the FPS in Valorant, negatively affecting performance. Also, it can increase input lag, which can be detrimental in a competitive game like Valorant. Therefore, it’s best to turn this feature off for optimal performance.
Once you’ve selected the eSports profile, be sure to click on the “Advanced” option to access additional settings. These settings are important to further optimize performance in Valorant. Therefore, it’s crucial to make sure that you adjust these settings as well to ensure the best possible gaming experience.
Anti-Aliasing
Forced Anti-Aliasing from the control panel can conflict with the game’s built-in Anti-Aliasing, resulting in visual artifacts and reduced performance. By leaving it off and using the application settings, you allow the game to handle the Anti-Aliasing in the way it was designed.
Anti-Aliasing Method
When it comes to Anti-Aliasing in Valorant, using the Multisample through the driver panel is the best option. This method helps eliminate jagged edges from textures and results in smoother visuals.
Morphological Anti-Aliasing
Morphological Anti-Aliasing (MLAA) is an Anti-Aliasing technique that uses post-processing to smooth out jagged edges. While it can be effective in some games, it can also introduce visual artifacts and color shifts. In Valorant, it can cause a blue tint to appear, which is why it’s recommended to keep it disabled.
Anisotropic Filtering
Anisotropic Filtering is a technique that improves the appearance of textures on surfaces that are viewed at an angle. In Valorant, it’s already set in the game’s graphics settings, so there’s no need to enable it in the AMD Control Panel.
Texture Filtering Quality
The Texture Filtering Quality setting determines the level of detail in textures when viewed at oblique angles. By setting it to “Performance,” you prioritize frame rate over visual quality, resulting in better performance.
Surface Format Optimization
Surface Format Optimization is a feature that optimizes the memory usage of the graphics card, leading to improved performance in games. By enabling it, you allow the AMD Control Panel to optimize the format of the surface data, resulting in better memory usage.
Tessellation Mode
Tessellation is a technique that adds geometric detail to objects in a scene, but it can also be very performance-intensive. By selecting “Override Application Settings” in the Tessellation Mode, you disable driver-controlled Tessellation from Valorant, allowing you to gain control over this feature and optimize it for better performance.
Maximum Tessellation Level
By disabling the Maximum Tessellation Level, you can reduce the amount of geometry in a scene, resulting in better performance. Since Valorant doesn’t use Tessellation, disabling it entirely won’t affect the game’s visual quality.
OpenGL Triple Buffering
Triple buffering is a technique that adds an extra buffer to the frame rendering process, which can help smooth out the frame rate but also introduces input lag. Since Valorant doesn’t benefit from this technique, disabling it can result in a better gaming experience.
Reset Shader Cache
This is not exactly a setting, but rather a hidden feature within AMD. By resetting the shader cache from here, you can reduce the load on your GPU, especially if you haven’t updated your graphics card in a while. Otherwise, you would need to reinstall your GPU drivers as an alternative.
Once you have finished adjusting the Advanced Settings, navigate to the Display tab located next to the Graphics tab. Here, you can adjust the settings according to your preference. If you’re a competitive player looking for the highest FPS, be sure to turn off Radeon FreeSync and GPU Scaling mode. These settings can negatively impact performance and may hinder your gameplay experience.
Also Read: How to Fix Ping Spikes in VALORANT?
Conclusion
Optimizing your settings can improve your performance in Valorant, but it’s not the only factor affecting gameplay. Whether you have an NVIDIA or AMD Radeon graphics card, making certain adjustments can help, but it depends on various factors like hardware specs and internet connection. A holistic approach, including practicing gameplay skills and effective communication with your team, is crucial to success in Valorant. So, keep in mind that optimizing your settings is just one step in improving your overall gameplay experience.