Every frame matters in Valorant. The difference between 144 FPS and 240 FPS isn’t just smoother visuals — it’s lower input lag, faster response times, and seeing enemies 10-20 milliseconds sooner than they see you. In a game where headshots decide rounds, those milliseconds add up.
This guide covers every setting you should change in Valorant Season 2026, from in-game graphics to NVIDIA Control Panel tweaks to Windows optimizations. We’ve cross-referenced settings from 598 pro players tracked by ProSettings.net and tested each recommendation on hardware ranging from a GTX 1650 to an RTX 4090.
Quick Settings Copy-Paste
If you just want the competitive settings without the explanations, here they are:
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Display Mode | Fullscreen |
| Resolution | 1920×1080 (native) |
| Frame Rate Limit | Uncapped or monitor refresh rate |
| Multithreaded Rendering | On |
| Material Quality | Low |
| Texture Quality | Low |
| Detail Quality | Low |
| UI Quality | Low |
| Vignette | Off |
| VSync | Off |
| Anti-Aliasing | None |
| Anisotropic Filtering | 1x |
| Improve Clarity | On |
| Experimental Sharpening | On (0.5) |
| Bloom | Off |
| Distortion | Off |
| Cast Shadows | Off |
| NVIDIA Reflex Low Latency | On + Boost |
These settings maximize FPS while maintaining competitive visibility. Now let’s break down why each one matters.
Display Settings
Display Mode: Fullscreen
Always use exclusive fullscreen, never borderless windowed. Fullscreen gives the game direct access to your GPU without the Windows compositor adding latency. In borderless mode, Windows Desktop Window Manager (DWM) adds 1-3 frames of input lag.
Every pro player uses fullscreen. There are zero exceptions in 2026.
Resolution: 1920×1080 (1080p)
Virtually all Valorant pros play at 1080p. Higher resolutions like 1440p look sharper but cost FPS, and in a competitive shooter, frames beat pixels. Valorant’s art style is designed for 1080p clarity — you won’t miss details at this resolution.
Some players use stretched 4:3 resolutions (like 1280×960) to make character models appear wider. This is personal preference and doesn’t give a real competitive advantage in Valorant since the game doesn’t change field of view with resolution changes. Stick with 1080p native unless you have a specific reason to go lower.
Frame Rate Limit: Uncapped or Match Your Monitor
If your PC consistently pushes higher FPS than your monitor supports, leave it uncapped. Higher FPS means lower input lag even if your monitor can’t display every frame. NVIDIA Reflex handles the frame pacing.
If your FPS is unstable and fluctuates wildly, cap it at your monitor’s refresh rate (144, 165, or 240) for more consistent frame timing.
VSync: Off
VSync adds input lag. Period. Turn it off in-game and in your GPU control panel. If you experience screen tearing, use NVIDIA Reflex (On + Boost) instead — it reduces latency without the tearing tradeoff.
Graphics Settings Breakdown
Multithreaded Rendering: On
This distributes rendering work across multiple CPU cores. On any modern CPU (4+ cores), this improves FPS significantly. Turn it on unless you’re on a very old dual-core processor.
Material Quality: Low
Controls the complexity of surface shaders. Low looks nearly identical to High in-game but saves 5-10 FPS. The visual difference is only noticeable if you stop and stare at walls — which you shouldn’t be doing in a competitive match.
Texture Quality: Low
Textures at Low use less VRAM and slightly less GPU memory bandwidth. With 4 GB VRAM or more, the FPS difference is small (2-5 FPS), but every frame counts. Pros unanimously use Low.
Detail Quality: Low
This controls the complexity of environmental objects — debris, foliage, and small props. At Low, some minor clutter disappears, which actually improves visibility. Less visual noise means enemies stand out more. This is the most impactful setting for competitive play.
UI Quality: Low
Affects the resolution of UI elements like the minimap and HUD. The FPS impact is minimal, but Low keeps everything consistent and avoids occasional UI rendering hitches.
Anisotropic Filtering: 1x
Controls texture clarity at steep viewing angles. At 1x, floors and walls at distance look slightly blurrier, but you save 1-3 FPS. In Valorant, you’re looking at players, not floors.
Anti-Aliasing: None
AA smooths jagged edges but costs FPS and can make enemy outlines slightly harder to see at distance. Most pros disable it entirely. If aliasing bothers you, MSAA 2x is acceptable — skip 4x.
Visibility Settings
These are the settings that actually affect how well you can see and react to enemies.
Improve Clarity: On
This is a sharpening filter that makes edges crisper. It’s essentially free — negligible FPS cost with noticeable improvement in enemy visibility. Keep it on.
Experimental Sharpening: On (0.5)
Added in a recent patch, this is an additional sharpening pass. Set it to 0.5 for a subtle clarity boost without making the image look over-processed. Going above 0.7 creates visual artifacts.
Bloom: Off
Bloom adds a glow effect around bright surfaces. It looks cinematic but can obscure enemies near bright areas (like Haven’s sun-lit areas). Off gives you cleaner visuals for target acquisition.
Distortion: Off
Distortion creates visual effects from abilities like Phoenix’s flash and Omen’s paranoia. Turning it off removes these visual disruptions, making it slightly easier to recover from flashes.
Cast Shadows: Off
This is the single most impactful competitive setting. Shadows Off removes dynamic shadows cast by player models. While this technically removes the ability to see enemy shadows around corners (which gives intel), the FPS gain (10-15 FPS) and the cleaner visual environment make it worth disabling for most players.
If you have FPS to spare (300+ consistently), you can leave shadows on Medium to see player shadows — this is a genuine tactical advantage on maps like Bind and Split.
NVIDIA Reflex and Latency
NVIDIA Reflex Low Latency: On + Boost
If you have an NVIDIA GPU, this is mandatory. Reflex synchronizes the CPU and GPU render pipeline to minimize input lag. “On + Boost” adds a slight GPU clock increase during CPU-bound scenarios, shaving another 1-2ms of latency.
The difference between Reflex Off and On + Boost can be 15-30ms of input lag reduction. That’s significant — it’s the difference between your crosshair feeling “sluggish” and feeling “instant.”
AMD users don’t have Reflex access, but can use AMD Anti-Lag+ for a similar (though slightly less effective) latency reduction.
Performance Settings by PC Tier
Low-End (GTX 1650 / RX 570 / 8 GB RAM)
Your target: stable 144 FPS. Use every Low setting from the table above. Also:
- Set resolution to 1600×900 if you can’t hold 144 at 1080p
- Close all background apps (browser, Discord desktop — use Discord web)
- Cap FPS at 144 to prevent GPU power spikes
- Make sure RAM is running in dual-channel mode (two sticks in the correct slots)
Mid-Range (RTX 3060 / RX 6700 XT / 16 GB RAM)
Your target: stable 240 FPS. You can afford:
- Resolution at 1080p native
- Texture Quality at Medium (nearly zero FPS impact with 8+ GB VRAM)
- Cast Shadows on Medium for tactical awareness
- Keep everything else at Low
High-End (RTX 4070+ / Ryzen 7800X3D / 32 GB DDR5)
Your target: 400+ FPS at 1080p. At this tier, settings barely matter — you’re CPU-limited. But still use Low settings because:
- Lower settings = lower input lag, regardless of FPS
- Less visual clutter = better enemy visibility
- You can enable Cast Shadows on High for full shadow intel
NVIDIA Control Panel Optimization
Open NVIDIA Control Panel → Manage 3D Settings → Program Settings → Select Valorant.
| NVIDIA Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Low Latency Mode | Ultra |
| Power Management Mode | Prefer Maximum Performance |
| Texture Filtering – Quality | High Performance |
| Max Frame Rate | Off |
| Threaded Optimization | On |
| Preferred Refresh Rate | Highest Available |
| Vertical Sync | Off |
For AMD users in Adrenalin Software:
- Anti-Lag: On
- Radeon Chill: Off
- Radeon Boost: Off
- Surface Format Optimization: On
Windows Optimization Tips
Set Power Plan to High Performance:
Control Panel → Power Options → High Performance. This prevents your CPU from downclocking during gameplay.
Disable Game Bar:
Settings → Gaming → Game Bar → Off. The Game Bar overlay consumes CPU resources even when not actively recording.
Disable Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling:
Settings → Display → Graphics → Change default graphics settings → HAGS Off. In Valorant specifically, HAGS can increase frame time variance by 1-2ms.
Close unnecessary background processes:
Before playing, close Chrome, Spotify, OneDrive, and RGB software. On a system with 16 GB RAM, Chrome tabs alone can eat 2-4 GB.
Pro Player Settings Reference
Here’s what some of the most watched pros are using in 2026:
| Player | DPI | Sens | eDPI | Resolution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TenZ | 1600 | 0.20 | 320 | 1920×1080 |
| Aspas | 800 | 0.40 | 320 | 1920×1080 |
| Demon1 | 800 | 0.23 | 184 | 1920×1080 |
| yay | 800 | 0.27 | 216 | 1920×1080 |
Notice: They all play at 1080p, and eDPI ranges from 180-350. Find what feels natural to you within this range.
FAQ
What FPS should I aim for in Valorant?
At minimum, match your monitor’s refresh rate (144 FPS for 144Hz). Ideally, double it (288+ for 144Hz) to minimize input lag. The competitive sweet spot is 240-300 FPS on a 240Hz monitor. Above 400 FPS, returns diminish.
Does lowering settings in Valorant give you an advantage?
Yes, for two reasons: lower settings mean higher FPS (which means lower input lag), and reduced visual clutter makes enemies easier to spot. This is why every pro player uses Low settings despite having hardware that could run the game maxed out.
Should I use stretched resolution in Valorant?
Unlike CS2, Valorant doesn’t change the field of view when you change aspect ratios. Stretched resolution makes models appear wider on-screen, but it doesn’t give you the same advantage it does in CS2. Most Valorant pros stick to native 1080p.
Is 60 FPS playable in Valorant?
Technically yes, but you’ll be at a severe disadvantage against players at 144+ FPS. Their shots register faster, their movement is smoother, and they physically see you sooner due to lower frame delivery times. If you’re stuck at 60 FPS, lowering all settings and resolution to 720p might get you to 100+.
Does RAM speed matter in Valorant?
Yes. Valorant is CPU-bound, and faster RAM (DDR4 3600 CL16 or DDR5 6000+) directly improves CPU performance. The difference between DDR4 2400 and DDR4 3600 can be 15-25 FPS. Make sure your RAM is running at its rated speed via XMP/EXPO in BIOS.
