In a competitive online game such as Valorant, every frame counts for players who want to win no matter what. Whether holding an angle or executing a perfect flick shot, knowing your FPS (frames per second) can give you crucial insights into your system’s performance.
While some games use third-party tools to measure the FPS count in the game, Valorant has a built-in FPS counter to always display the FPS count to the player. Let’s find out how you can enable the FPS counter in Valorant.
What is FPS (and why it matters in Valorant)
FPS stands for “frames per second,” which measures how many individual images your computer can render and display each second while you play. In Valorant’s fast-paced tactical environment, higher FPS translates directly to smoother gameplay and more responsive controls.
When your game runs at higher frame rates, you’ll experience less visual stuttering, more precise movement, and faster response times—all critical factors when split-second decisions determine the outcome of matches.
How to Show FPS Count in Valorant
Valorant includes a convenient built-in feature that allows you to monitor your performance metrics in real-time. You can enable the FPS counter by following the step-by-step guide below.
- Launch Valorant and click on the settings gear icon in the top-right corner of the main menu.
- Navigate to the “Video” tab at the top of the settings menu
- Scroll down until you find the “Stats” section
- Enable the “Client FPS” option by clicking on it
- Choose your preferred display method: Text Only, Graph Only, or Both
- Close the settings menu to apply your changes
The text display will appear in the top-left corner of your screen during gameplay, while graphs show up in the top-right corner, giving you real-time information about your performance.
Does FPS matter in Valorant?
Absolutely. FPS significantly impacts your performance in Valorant. Higher frame rates reduce input lag, allowing your actions to register more quickly in-game. This means the game responds faster when you click to fire your weapon, giving you a slight but significant edge in firefights.
However, it’s important to note that FPS improvements can improve your gameplay performance:
- Going from 60 FPS to 250 FPS provides a substantial, noticeable improvement in gameplay smoothness
- The difference between 250 FPS and 300 FPS is much less noticeable but still improves the gameplay, especially those flicks.
Most competitive players aim for at least 144 FPS to match their monitor’s refresh rate, with professional players often pushing for 240+ FPS for the most responsive experience possible.
How to Use FPS to Optimize Valorant Performance
Monitoring your FPS can help you identify performance issues and optimize your settings accordingly. Pay special attention to FPS drops during intense firefights or when multiple abilities are used simultaneously, as these are critical moments where performance matters most.
If you notice your FPS dropping below your target (60, 144, or 240, depending on your monitor), you may need to adjust your graphics settings or investigate potential hardware bottlenecks that could be limiting your performance.
Other Options to Display with FPS Counter
While monitoring your FPS, you can also enable other performance metrics to get a more comprehensive view of your system’s performance:
- Network RTT (Round Trip Time): Shows your ping/latency to the server
- Packet Loss: Indicates if data is being lost between your PC and the server
- Total Frame Time: Shows how long it takes to render each frame
- CPU (Game) Time: Displays CPU processing time for game logic
- CPU (Render) Time: Shows CPU processing time for rendering
- Server Tick Rate: Indicates how often the server updates the game state
- GPU Render Time: Shows how long your GPU takes to render frames
How to Increase FPS in Valorant
To increase FPS in Valorant, start by optimizing your in-game graphics settings. Lower your Material Quality, Texture Quality, and Detail Quality to Low. Enable Multithreaded Rendering if your CPU supports it, and set your Display Mode to Fullscreen for maximum performance.
Ensure your PC runs in High-Performance power mode outside the game, close unnecessary background applications, and keep your graphics drivers updated. Disabling full-screen optimization in Windows compatibility settings can also provide a significant FPS boost in Valorant.
Lowering your resolution to 1280×720 for older systems can dramatically improve performance while maintaining playable visual clarity.
Conclusion
Monitoring your FPS in Valorant gives you a competitive edge in this fast-paced shooter. Enable the built-in counter through Video settings to track performance in real-time. Optimize graphics settings, close background apps, and update drivers to boost FPS. Consider enabling additional metrics like Network RTT alongside your FPS counter. Remember, upgrading from 60 FPS to 200+ FPS is the most noticeable improvement.
Andrew "SuZki" Scola is a dedicated Valorant player who has been in the game since the Valorant beta release. He has a peak rank of Immortal 3 and is also a semi-pro esports player. He's also been associated with a few gaming clans and communities, including Highlander Gaming and SoCal Valorant Community. In his free time, he creates content for the Valorant community and writes guides about Valorant based on his experience.
