Valorant System Requirements: Specs for 30, 60 and 144+ FPS
Updated November 5, 2026
Valorant runs on Windows 10 (Build 19041+) or Windows 11 64-bit and asks for 4 GB of RAM and 1 GB of VRAM minimum. Riot’s own specs page splits hardware into three tiers — Minimum (30 FPS), Recommended (60 FPS) and High-End (144+ FPS). Each tier lists its exact Intel and AMD CPU plus GPU targets; the quotes below come straight from playvalorant.com/en-us/specs. One extra note on Windows 11: Riot requires “TPM 2.0 and UEFI Secure Boot” on that OS, which is why some players hit the VAN 9001 error on first launch.
Source: Riot’s official Valorant Specs page. Verified on 5 November 2026. If Riot updates the spec grid, the live page is where the current numbers sit; this page carries the check date at the top so you can judge the drift.
The three tiers Riot publishes
Riot lists three performance targets on the specs page, not one. What each one promises:
- Minimum (30 FPS). The floor. A build at this tier runs the game at 30 frames per second in the kinds of scenes Riot uses as reference.
- Recommended (60 FPS). Smooth gameplay. 60 frames per second holds across normal play, which is comfortable for casual and unranked queues.
- High-End (144+ FPS). Competitive target. For players on 144 Hz monitors or above who want their rig to feed those refresh rates.
Riot’s full tier grid, quoted verbatim:
Minimum spec: 30 FPS
- CPU: “Intel i3-540, AMD Athlon 200GE”
- GPU: “Intel HD 4000, AMD Radeon R5 220”
At this tier your game is playable but not pretty. Integrated graphics from the Intel HD 4000 era predate the Vega era of AMD and GeForce 1000-series Nvidia GPUs. Expect low graphics settings, 1024×768 or 1280×720 resolution for frame stability, and some dropped frames during smoke-heavy fights.
Recommended spec: 60 FPS
- CPU: “Intel i3-4150, AMD Ryzen 3 1200”
- GPU: “NVIDIA Geforce GT 730, AMD Radeon R7 240”
At the recommended tier Valorant delivers 60 frames per second in normal play. This is a comfortable experience for casual and unranked queues, but the CPUs here are modest and the GPUs are entry-level. Competitive ranked above Gold starts asking more of your frame-time stability, and those stability dips come more often on a GT 730 than on anything newer.
High-end spec: 144+ FPS
- CPU: “Intel i5-9400F 2.90GHz, AMD Ryzen 5 2600X”
- GPU: “NVIDIA GTX 1050 Ti, AMD Radeon R7 370, Intel Arc A310”
Riot’s high-end target is the one serious ranked and competitive players should aim for. An i5-9400F or Ryzen 5 2600X paired with a GTX 1050 Ti (or the newer Intel Arc A310) hits 144+ frames per second in-game. Note: this is Riot’s own high-end target, not a Pro-level ceiling. If you play on a 240 Hz or 360 Hz monitor, you want more headroom than this; a current-generation mid-range GPU will outperform the 1050 Ti by a wide margin.
The constants: RAM, VRAM and the OS
Three numbers do not change across the three tiers on Riot’s page:
- RAM: “4GB.” Modern Windows plus Chrome in the background already uses more than that, so the practical floor is 8 GB; most players run 16 GB.
- VRAM: “1GB.” Valorant is intentionally light on graphics memory. Low-poly art, simple lighting, and a 2019-era engine hit means most GPUs sit well inside this limit.
- Operating system: “Windows: 10 (Build 19041+) or 11 64-bit.” Older Windows 10 builds, Windows 7 and 8 are not supported.
The CPU grid also requires a feature: “SSE 4.2 or AVX Support.” This means some pre-2010 CPUs and a handful of ultra-low-power laptop chips are blocked entirely, no matter their clock speed.
Windows 11 and the TPM 2.0 requirement
Riot added a line specific to Windows 11: “On Windows 11 we also require ‘TPM 2.0 and UEFI Secure Boot.'” This is a security hardware feature on your motherboard. Modern consumer PCs built since 2018 almost always ship with TPM 2.0; some older boards have the chip but ship with it disabled.
If your Windows 11 install sees a VAN 9001 error, the TPM is not enabled. Fix:
- Restart the PC and enter the BIOS/UEFI (usually DEL or F2 during boot).
- Find the “Security” or “Trusted Computing” tab.
- Enable TPM / Intel PTT or AMD fTPM.
- Enable Secure Boot in the Boot tab.
- Save and reboot.
Our dedicated guide covers the full process: VAN 9001 Error in Valorant. Vanguard — Riot’s anticheat — checks these boot-time integrity features on every launch under Windows 11.
Mac, Linux and consoles
Valorant’s specs page lists only Windows. Mac, Linux and SteamOS (the Steam Deck’s OS) are not supported for the PC version. Riot has not published Mac or Linux specs because there are no Mac or Linux builds. On the console side, Valorant does have an official PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S client, but that uses a separate rank system and a different anticheat. Specs there are not CPU/GPU numbers; the console hardware is a fixed baseline.
For the full console story, see our Is Valorant crossplay? write-up, which covers what works between PC and console and what doesn’t.
How to pick hardware that lands the right tier
Three honest rules for buying parts around these specs:
- Do not buy to Minimum. The 30 FPS tier describes what Valorant can technically launch on, not what a 2026 player should aim for. Build at or above Recommended if you plan to spend hours in the game.
- Go GPU-first for 144+ FPS. The CPU gap between Recommended and High-End is modest; the GPU leap is bigger. A current mid-range GPU (even a used RTX 3060) runs Valorant above the 1050 Ti comfortably.
- Memory above 4 GB. The 4 GB number on the specs page is the minimum the engine itself asks for. Modern Windows plus Discord plus a browser in the background push past 4 GB on their own. Aim for 16 GB to avoid stutters from swap.
Download size and disk setup
Valorant ships as a relatively compact download for a modern shooter. The client itself sits in the low double-digit gigabytes, with Vanguard adding its own small driver footprint. Compared with the 100+ GB installs modern AAA titles ship with, this one lands quickly on a standard home internet connection, and the initial patch cycle is short.
Disk type matters more than disk size. An SSD cuts map-load times noticeably compared with a mechanical drive; competitive players always install the game on an NVMe or SATA SSD. If your boot drive is small and you have a mechanical drive as secondary, install Valorant on the SSD anyway — the extra second or two during loadouts and map rotations is worth the space.
Monitor and refresh rate
Riot publishes performance tiers by frame rate, not resolution, for a reason: Valorant is a game where the monitor you play on influences the hardware that makes sense. Three practical reads:
- 60 Hz monitor: the Recommended spec is enough. Anything stronger is extra headroom but no visible improvement.
- 144 Hz monitor: aim for the High-End tier at minimum. The whole point of a 144 Hz monitor is the game feeds it 144 frames; a weaker GPU wastes the panel.
- 240 Hz or 360 Hz monitor: go beyond Riot’s high-end target. A current mid-range GPU (RTX 3060 or RX 6600 and above) feeds these refresh rates with headroom on competitive settings.
Resolution is almost always 1920×1080 for competitive Valorant. Players on higher-resolution panels either run the game at native and lose some frames, or at 1080p stretched (letterboxed or scaled) to prioritise frame rate over image sharpness.
Internet and latency
Riot’s specs page covers hardware, not network. In practice the game asks for a stable 1 Mbps download and 1 Mbps upload, with ping to your region’s server below 60 ms for a good experience. The specs grid will not catch a bad router or a loaded Wi-Fi connection, but a laggy network makes a top-end PC feel like a Minimum-spec one.
Wired Ethernet is strongly preferred over Wi-Fi for competitive play. Ping stability — not raw ping — is what determines whether you get a frame-accurate hit registration. Even a 15 ms baseline on wired beats a 20 ms baseline on wireless when the wireless connection jitters up to 60 ms three times a minute. The matchmaking engine cannot see your wireless jitter at all; your opponents will not either, but your trades absolutely will.
FAQ
Does Valorant run on macOS?
No. Riot’s specs page lists only Windows 10 and Windows 11. Mac and Linux are not supported for the PC version. The console editions on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S are separate builds with their own rank system.
Why does Valorant need TPM 2.0 on Windows 11?
Riot’s Vanguard anticheat uses the hardware boot-integrity features that TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot provide. The quote from Riot’s specs page: “On Windows 11 we also require ‘TPM 2.0 and UEFI Secure Boot.'” Enabling both in the BIOS/UEFI fixes the resulting VAN 9001 error on first launch.
What CPU does Valorant require?
Minimum: “Intel i3-540, AMD Athlon 200GE.” Recommended: “Intel i3-4150, AMD Ryzen 3 1200.” High-End: “Intel i5-9400F 2.90GHz, AMD Ryzen 5 2600X.” All CPUs must support SSE 4.2 or AVX.
What GPU hits 144 FPS in Valorant?
Riot’s high-end target is “NVIDIA GTX 1050 Ti, AMD Radeon R7 370, Intel Arc A310.” Any current-generation mid-range GPU exceeds these, so modern builds comfortably clear 144 FPS at competitive settings.
How much RAM for Valorant?
Riot lists 4 GB as the floor. The practical minimum on modern Windows is 8 GB; most players run 16 GB to leave headroom for Discord, Chrome and OBS alongside the game.
Does the Steam Deck play Valorant?
No. SteamOS is Linux-based, and Riot’s Vanguard anticheat does not support Linux at all. Valorant will not launch on the Deck through Proton either. For a handheld that plays Valorant, you need a Windows-based portable PC, not a Deck.
Looking for a Valorant account to pair with the new build? See our Valorant accounts.
