Best CPU for Valorant
Competitive processors for a competitive FPS - best CPU for Valorant
Share this article...
WePC is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Prices subject to change. Learn more
Valorant is a popular free-to-play first person shooter that has gained a lot of popularity in recent years. The game is highly popular on Twitch, and a go-to for many fans of competitive shooters. If you’d like to jump into the game for yourself, you might be thinking about getting the best CPU for Valorant.
Riot Games, the developer, recommends an Intel Core i3 4150 or Ryzen 3 1200 CPU to run the game at decent settings. As such, you should be fine with almost any processor that was released in the last couple of years.
With that said, here are the best CPUs for Valorant.
Best CPU for Valorant – Intel Core i5 13600K
Intel Core i5-13600K
Cores
14
Threads
20
Base speed
P-cores 3.5 GHz / E-cores 2.6 GHz
Boost speed
P-cores 5.1 GHz / E-cores 3.9 GHz
Cache
20MB
TDP
125 W / 181 W boost.
Specs:
- Speed: 5.1GHz (Boost Clock)
- Cores/Threads: 14/20
- Socket: LGA1700
- TDP: 125W
As stated earlier, Valorant requires the Core i3 4150 to get a stable 60fps experience at 1080p. However, for a higher-end 144+ FPS experience, you’ll need a Core i5 9400F. Fortunately for us, the Intel Core i5 13600K is several times faster than that processor. You can’t go wrong with this one.
The 13600K is the best value out of the 13th Gen lineup right now. While the i7 and i9 parts from this generation are deemed to be quite power-hungry, that’s not the case here. So, while this i5 does run hotter than previously similar processors, it’s still not that hard to cool.
For Valorant, you can expect an excellent 144+ FPS experience at both 1080p and 1440p, depending on your GPU. The 13600K has no problems with keeping up with this game. If you buy this processor, you will continue to get excellent performance for years to come.
Even if games get more demanding over time, the processor is unlocked, so you can overclock it to get more performance out of the system.
Best Budget CPU for Valorant – Intel Core i3 12100F
Intel Core i3-12100F
Core (threads)
4/8
Boost clock
4.3 GHz
Socket
Lga 1700
Specs:
- Speed: 4.3GHz (Boost Clock)
- Cores/Threads: 4/8
- Socket: LGA1700
- TDP: 58W
Compared to the 13600K above, the Core i3 12100F is a slower processor. However, it is still faster than the i5 9400F recommended by Riot Games. Of course, it’s even better in mult-core performance, and you get a good upgrade path to the newer 13th Gen processors.
You could also go with the 5600X, but for a cheaper price, the i3 12100F is already good enough for this game.
Final Word
To sum it up, we recommend going with the Intel Core i5 13600K for Valorant, and the Core i3 12100F on a budget. Both of these processors can handle the game with ease and run the game smoothly without issues.
