How to Increase Valorant FPS on Laptop: Ultimate 2025 Guide

Valorant is widely recognized as a CPU-intensive tactical shooter, which places a disproportionate amount of stress on the processor compared to the graphics card. For laptop gamers, this architecture presents a unique set of challenges, primarily centered around thermal throttling and power management constraints that can throttle performance just when it is needed most. When your laptop is unable to dissipate heat efficiently, the CPU frequency drops, leading to stuttering and massive frame fluctuations. Achieving a high and stable frame rate is not merely about visual fluidness; it provides a measurable competitive advantage through reduced input latency. This 2025 guide details how to increase Valorant FPS laptop efficiency by tackling bottlenecks and unlocking your hardware's full potential.

Strategic Windows 11 Optimization

The foundation of a high-performance gaming setup starts with the operating system. To boost FPS Valorant, you must ensure Windows treats the game as the highest priority task.

Activating Valorant High Performance Mode

Windows 11 includes built-in features specifically designed to fix lag Valorant laptop users face due to resource contention.

1. Enable Game Mode: Navigate to Settings → Gaming → Game Mode. Set this to On to stop background updates and stabilize frame rates.
2. Graphics Preference: Go to Settings → System → Display → Graphics. Locate Valorant, click Options, and select High Performance.
3. HAGS: Within the same Graphics menu, click "Change default graphics settings" and enable Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling.

Power State

Never play on battery power. Laptops limit voltage to prevent rapid discharge, which severely nerfs the CPU clock speed required for Valorant.

Thermal Management

Elevate your laptop's rear to increase airflow. Cooling pads are a small investment that can prevent thermal throttling during long sessions.

Best Valorant Settings Low End Laptop (2025 Update)

The goal of the best Valorant settings low end laptop configuration is to minimize the "Render Thread" time, ensuring the CPU can feed frames to the GPU as fast as possible.

General Video Settings

• Display Mode: Fullscreen (Essential for bypassing the Windows Desktop Composition latency).
• Resolution: If you cannot maintain 60 FPS, consider dropping to 1280x720.
• Limit FPS: Set to "Always" and cap it at 144 or 240 depending on your screen to reduce heat buildup.

In-Game Graphics Configuration

To increase Valorant FPS laptop performance, use these specific competitive settings:

• Multithreaded Rendering: ON (Crucial for multi-core CPUs).
• Material Quality: Low.
• Texture Quality: Low.
• Detail Quality: Low.
• UI Quality: Low.
• Vignette: Off.
• V-Sync: Off.
• Anti-Aliasing: None.
• Anisotropic Filtering: 1x.
• Improve Clarity: Off.
• Experimental Sharpness: Off.
• Bloom / Distortion / Cast Shadows: Off.

"Consistency is more valuable than peak performance. A laptop that maintains a steady 120 FPS allows for much better muscle memory than one that fluctuates between 90 and 200."
— Esports Hardware Analyst

How to Add Performance via External Software

Beyond the game menus, you can boost FPS Valorant by cleaning up the software environment that surrounds the game.

Driver Maintenance

Ensure you are using the latest "Game Ready" drivers from NVIDIA or AMD. These often include specific optimizations for Valorant's Vanguard anti-cheat system. When installing, choose "Custom Installation" and "Perform a Clean Install" to remove old, corrupted cache files.

NVIDIA Reflex and Low Latency

If your laptop features an NVIDIA GPU, go to the in-game settings and set NVIDIA Reflex Low Latency to "On + Boost". This minimizes the delay between a mouse click and the action appearing on screen, effectively helping to fix lag Valorant laptop users feel during high-intensity gunfights.

Technical Note: Avoid using "Auto-Overclock" software on laptops. The increased voltage usually leads to faster heat saturation, causing the system to throttle even harder.

Step-by-Step: How to Add Custom Resolutions

If your laptop is still struggling, creating a custom aspect ratio can provide a massive boost FPS Valorant advantage.

1. Open your GPU Control Panel (NVIDIA/Intel/AMD).
2. Navigate to the "Display" or "Resolution" section.
3. Create a "Custom Resolution" such as 1024x768 or 1280x960.
4. In Valorant settings, select this resolution and set Aspect Ratio Method to "Fill".

Key Takeaways

• CPU First: Multithreaded Rendering must always be ON.
• Stay Cool: Keep the laptop elevated; thermal throttling is the #1 FPS killer.
• Power Plan: Use the High Performance Windows power scheme.
• Fullscreen: Never play in Windowed mode to avoid input lag.
• Cleanup: Disable startup apps like Spotify or Chrome while playing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my FPS drop after a recent update?

Riot updates frequently change how the game interacts with drivers. Try clearing your DirectX Shader Cache in Windows Disk Cleanup and reinstalling your GPU drivers.

Does having a second monitor reduce FPS?

On a laptop, yes. If the second monitor is running off the integrated GPU while the game runs on the dedicated GPU, it can create internal bandwidth bottlenecks.

What is the best temperature for a gaming laptop?

Ideally, you want your CPU to stay below 85°C. Once it hits 90°C+, most laptops will begin to drop clock speeds to protect the hardware.

Is Vanguard causing my low FPS?

Rarely. However, Vanguard can conflict with other anti-viruses. Ensure the Riot Games folder is added as an exception in your antivirus settings.

Conclusion

Maximizing Valorant high performance mode on a laptop is a continuous process of managing thermals and software efficiency. By prioritizing CPU resources, maintaining a clean driver environment, and using the best Valorant settings low end laptop configurations, you can ensure that your hardware never holds back your rank. Laptops are powerful tools, but they require careful calibration to deliver the frame-perfect experience that a tactical shooter like Valorant demands. Implement these steps, keep your system cool, and maintain your competitive edge in 2025.