Valorant low FPS, stuttering or input lag: how to fix it
On many PCs, Valorant is limited by the CPU, not the graphics card. That’s why lowering graphics doesn’t always help. Start by finding out what’s holding yours back.
Rise TeamGuide written by the Rise team. The steps work with or without Rise; the facts about the game come from the sources at the end of the page, with the date we checked them.
Short answer
According to Riot, weaker PCs are usually limited by the graphics card, and mid-range and high-end PCs by the CPU. In the first case, lowering graphics helps. In the second, it may change little. Start with every setting at the lowest, measure and, for delayed aim, turn off V-Sync and turn on NVIDIA Reflex if you have an NVIDIA card.
First, find out what is holding you back
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Low FPS on a weaker PC | The graphics card is usually the limit[3] | Set the video settings to the lowest and turn off Vignette, Bloom and Distortion[2] |
| I lowered graphics and nothing changed | On a mid-range or high-end PC, the CPU is usually the limit[3] | Close what’s running alongside it and check Multithreaded Rendering[4] |
| Aim feels delayed | V-Sync holds back the whole system and adds delay[5] | Turn off V-Sync and turn on Reflex in the game menu[5] |
| Freezes or crashes after a while | PC heating up or outdated driver[2] | Cap FPS below your average, clean out the dust and update the driver[2] |
| Game won’t open on Windows 11 | TPM 2.0 or Secure Boot missing[1] | Turn both on in your PC’s BIOS |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
How to see your FPS in Valorant
Before you change anything, measure. The game has its own performance stats.
- Open Settings and then Video.
- Under Stats, turn on Client FPS.
- Write down the numbers at the same spot, like the Range, before and after each change.
- Change one thing at a time. If you change several at once, you won’t know which one helped.
Low FPS: graphics card or CPU?
A Riot performance engineer explained that weaker machines tend to be limited by the graphics card, and mid-range and high-end ones by the CPU. In the second case, tweaking graphics may not change FPS. This is the starting point Riot recommends:
- Set every video setting to its lowest value.
- Turn off Vignette, Bloom and Distortion and set Anisotropic Filtering to 1x.
- Reset your graphics card control panel to default, because an old profile can override the game.
- Keep your graphics driver up to date.
Multithreaded Rendering can help the CPU on powerful machines. Riot asks for 8 GB of RAM, 2 GB of video memory and a CPU with at least 8 cores, counting physical and virtual. You’ll find it under Settings, Graphics Quality.
Delayed aim: how to reduce input lag
- Turn off V-Sync in the game and in the graphics card control panel.
- Play in exclusive fullscreen, which bypasses the Windows compositor.
- On an NVIDIA card, turn on Reflex in the game menu. The Boost mode keeps the GPU clock high, but uses more power.
- Make sure your monitor is at its maximum refresh rate in Windows display settings.
Freezes after playing for a while
For crashes and freezes, Riot suggests capping FPS a little below your average, improving airflow, cleaning out dust with compressed air and taking breaks between matches, closing the game completely. The cap is under Video, in the Limit FPS Always setting.
Vanguard, Windows 11 and optimizers
What your PC needs to run Valorant
| Riot target | Processor | Graphics card |
|---|---|---|
| 30 FPS | Intel i3-540 or AMD Athlon 200GE[1] | Intel HD 4000 or AMD Radeon R5 220[1] |
| 60 FPS | Intel i3-4150 or AMD Ryzen 3 1200[1] | GeForce GT 730 or AMD Radeon R7 240[1] |
| 144 FPS | Intel i5-9400F or AMD Ryzen 5 2600X[1] | GTX 1050 Ti, AMD Radeon R7 370 or Intel Arc A310[1] |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
What Rise does in Valorant
Everything here shows what changes before you apply it.
- Valorant video presetOnly rewrites settings the game file already has: V-Sync, fullscreen and HDR and, with the Max FPS goal, the quality groups set to Low. Shows what changes first. Riot may overwrite the file from the cloud at your next login.Games › Valorant · Rise Premium
- Where to turn on ReflexValorant’s Reflex lives in the menu, and Riot syncs it with the server. That’s why Rise shows you where to turn it on instead of writing the setting.Inside the preset
- Windows, graphics card and networkWhat matters in any game: power plan, background programs and your PC’s Windows, graphics card and network settings. Each optimization shows what changes before you apply it.Optimizations · Rise Basic and Premium
- Before-and-after BenchmarkRuns the same 3D scene before and after your tweaks and compares average FPS, 1% low and stutters on your PC.Benchmark · Rise Basic and Premium
What Rise does not do in Valorant
- Doesn’t touch Vanguard and doesn’t inject anything into Valorant.
- Doesn’t turn off TPM or Secure Boot to gain FPS.
- Doesn’t improve your internet’s route to the server.
- Doesn’t promise an FPS number: measure before and after on your PC.
Frequently asked questions
How do I increase FPS in Valorant?
Turn on Client FPS under Video, Stats, to measure. Set the video settings to the lowest, turn off Vignette, Bloom and Distortion and set Anisotropic Filtering to 1x. If nothing changes, the limit is probably the CPU: close what’s running alongside it and check Multithreaded Rendering.
Why didn’t lowering my graphics increase my FPS?
According to Riot, on mid-range and high-end PCs the limit is usually the CPU, not the graphics card. In that case, tweaking graphics may change little.
How do I fix input lag in Valorant?
Turn off V-Sync, play in exclusive fullscreen and turn on NVIDIA Reflex in the game menu if you have an NVIDIA card. Also make sure your monitor is at its maximum refresh rate.
Can Valorant run on a low-end PC?
Riot publishes requirements for 30, 60 and 144 FPS, and the 60 FPS target asks for an Intel i3-4150 or AMD Ryzen 3 1200 with a GeForce GT 730 or Radeon R7 240. On a PC close to the minimum, start with everything at the lowest value.
Can a PC optimizer get you banned in Valorant?
Riot doesn’t publish a list of allowed optimizers. The risk is in messing with the game or with Vanguard. Rise doesn’t inject anything and doesn’t touch Vanguard: the preset writes the video file the game itself uses. Still, be wary of anyone who promises you can’t get banned.
Do I need TPM and Secure Boot to play Valorant?
On Windows 11, yes: Riot requires TPM 2.0 and UEFI Secure Boot. You turn them on in your PC’s BIOS.
Sources
- Riot: minimum and recommended specs (checked on Oct 31, 2026)
- Riot: crashes and performance issues (checked on Oct 31, 2026)
- Riot: Ask VALORANT, graphics card or CPU (checked on Oct 31, 2026)
- Riot: multithreaded rendering (checked on Oct 31, 2026)
- NVIDIA: system latency optimization guide (checked on Oct 31, 2026)
- NVIDIA: how Reflex works (checked on Oct 31, 2026)
- Riot: what is Vanguard (checked on Oct 31, 2026)
Spotted something out of date? Let us know on the Rise Discord and we will fix it. Report on Discord
Want Valorant set up and your PC measured?
See what each plan unlocks and how to pay. On your first purchase, you have 7 days to cancel for a full refund.
More Valorant guides
Valorant stuttering every few seconds, even with high FPS: how to fix it
Valorant stuttering every few seconds, even with high FPS on a good PC? How Riot tells stutter apart from low FPS, how to catch it in the game’s stats and the order of fixes. With official sources.
Valorant lagging with good internet or low ping: network or PC?
Valorant lagging even though your internet is fine and your ping is low? How to read the game’s network indicators, why packet loss causes lag at low ping and what’s your PC versus Riot. With official sources.