The Tool Desk
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Start by checking what kind of problem you have
“Lag” can mean several different things. Low client FPS means the game is rendering fewer frames; stutters or dips mean frame delivery is inconsistent. Ping, packet loss, and disconnects point to network conditions, while low server FPS can affect players in a match. A monitor’s refresh rate is a separate measure again.
Open Settings > Video > Stats and enable the performance stat or graph displays. Use those readings and VALORANT’s instability indicators to help distinguish client performance from network or server issues, and to investigate whether the CPU or GPU may be limiting FPS. Riot notes that instability thresholds can vary by region or patch.
Lower VALORANT’s graphics settings gradually
Riot’s VALORANT-specific graphics guidance, published October 7, 2026, recommends testing settings under Settings > Video > Graphics Quality. Change one option at a time, then compare performance and image quality so you can keep useful improvements without making the game harder to read.
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- Try lowering Material Quality, Texture Quality, Detail Quality, and UI Quality.
- Test turning off Improve Clarity, Experimental Sharpening, Bloom, Distortion, and Cast Shadows.
- Under Settings > Video > General, test Fullscreen.
Compare the result after each adjustment. If a setting makes the image noticeably worse without a worthwhile performance change, restore it. Riot does not identify one ideal configuration for every PC.
Check whether the CPU or GPU is the limit
Lowering graphics quality helps most when the GPU is doing the work that limits frame production. It may do little when the CPU is the bottleneck. In an older developer Q&A, Riot Performance Engineer Brian Fischer explained that lower-spec machines tend to be GPU-bound, while mid- to high-spec machines tend to be CPU-bound. That is an engineering explanation, not a current benchmark or a rule that applies to every system.
Use the in-game graphs to investigate the limit, then test changes in representative play. FPS can vary during a round as more players fight and use abilities. The Shooting Range may run better than a live match, and Deathmatch can be more demanding than standard modes, so a quiet practice session alone may not reflect your usual performance.
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Riot’s design engineer Brandon Wang has likewise described older machines as more likely to be GPU-bound and newer machines as more likely to be CPU-bound. Riot’s graphics-design goal is for visual-quality differences not to change competitive gameplay. The practical implication is to diagnose before upgrading: consider a compatible CPU or GPU replacement only if your observations point to that component, and account for motherboard compatibility, power, cooling, and cost. The cited Riot material does not establish a particular upgrade model or guaranteed FPS gain.
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Free up resources and update the PC
If the game has low client FPS, close applications that are competing for system resources and test again. Riot’s PC frame-rate troubleshooting guidance also recommends checking that the PC meets VALORANT’s requirements, updating the graphics driver and Windows, and trying a clean boot to identify background processes that may be affecting performance.
Graphics-card drivers can include bug fixes and optimizations. Riot’s driver guidance links to update instructions for NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel graphics hardware. Riot’s requirements hub links to VALORANT-specific system requirements; check the current requirements for your configuration rather than relying on an old minimum-spec claim. If Riot’s troubleshooting steps do not resolve the problem, its guidance is to submit a support ticket.
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Separate FPS from refresh rate, VSync, and network lag
FPS is how often the game renders a new image. Refresh rate is how often the display updates. A high-refresh monitor can show updates more frequently when the game and PC provide frames, but buying one does not increase the game’s rendered FPS by itself.
Riot explains that VSync synchronizes game output with the display’s refresh rate. Disabling it may improve performance or reduce input delay on some setups, but can cause visible screen tearing. Test the setting on your own system and weigh the change in responsiveness against the image artifact; there is no universal choice.
If the FPS graph is healthy but play still feels delayed or inconsistent, check the network indicators rather than continuing to lower graphics quality. Ping, packet loss, disconnects, client FPS, and server FPS describe different problems and call for different troubleshooting.
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