OBS Settings for Valorant on 60Hz Potato PCs (No Frame Drops)
You just hit the sickest one-tap of your life. A Vandal headshot through smoke, across the map, that made your teammates lose their minds in voice chat.
But you weren't recording. Because every time you turn on OBS, your game drops to 40 FPS and feels like a slideshow.
This guide will fix that forever.
Quick Answer Box
The Optimal OBS Settings for Low-End Valorant:
| Setting | Value | |---------|-------| | Encoder | x264 (or NVENC if GPU allows) | | Rate Control | CBR | | Bitrate | 6000-8000 Kbps | | Preset | veryfast or ultrafast | | Resolution | 1280x720 (720p) | | FPS | 30 | | Downscale Filter | Bilinear |
These settings produce watchable clips with minimal performance impact.
Understanding the Problem
When OBS records, it uses system resources. On high-end PCs, this is negligible. On potato PCs, it creates a fight between your game and your recording software.
The resources OBS needs:
- CPU - For encoding (x264)
- GPU - For rendering the preview and NVENC encoding
- RAM - For caching frames
- Disk - For writing the file
Valorant needs:
- CPU - For game logic, networking, anti-cheat
- GPU - For rendering graphics
- RAM - For asset loading
The conflict: Both want CPU and GPU. We need to minimize OBS's demands.
Step 1: Base Settings
Open OBS and go to Settings > Output.
Output Mode: Advanced
Switch to "Advanced" mode. It gives more control than Simple mode.
Recording Tab Settings
| Setting | Value | Why | |---------|-------|-----| | Type | Standard | Simpler than Custom | | Recording Path | D:\Recordings | Use a different drive than your game if possible | | Recording Format | mkv | Better for crash recovery than mp4 | | Encoder | x264 or NVENC | See below |
Encoder Choice
x264 (CPU):
- Better for: Older PCs without decent GPUs
- Downside: Uses CPU (where Valorant also runs)
NVENC (NVIDIA GPU):
- Better for: GTX 1050+ or equivalent
- Downside: Uses some GPU resources
AMF (AMD GPU):
- Better for: RX 570+ or equivalent
- Quality is slightly lower than NVENC
If you have a dedicated GPU (even an old one), use NVENC/AMF. It offloads work from your CPU.
Step 2: Encoder Settings (x264)
If you're using x264, these settings matter:
| Setting | Value | Why | |---------|-------|-----| | Rate Control | CBR | Consistent file size | | Bitrate | 6000 | Balanced quality/size | | Keyframe | 2 | Standard for clips | | CPU Usage Preset | ultrafast | Minimum CPU load | | Profile | baseline | Less complex encoding | | Tune | zerolatency | Faster encoding |
The "ultrafast" Preset
This is the key setting. It tells x264 to use the simplest encoding possible, which means:
- Generates larger files
- Uses much less CPU
- Quality is lower but still watchable
For clips you're posting to YouTube or GGameChamps, this is perfectly fine.
Step 3: Encoder Settings (NVENC)
If you have an NVIDIA GPU (GTX 650+), use these:
| Setting | Value | Why | |---------|-------|-----| | Rate Control | CBR | Consistent | | Bitrate | 8000 | Higher because GPU handles it | | Preset | Performance | Lowest GPU usage | | Profile | high | Better quality at same bitrate | | Look-ahead | Off | Reduces latency | | Psycho Visual Tuning | Off | Saves resources | | GPU | 0 | Your main GPU | | Max B-frames | 0 | Faster encoding |
NVENC uses a dedicated encoder chip on your GPU that doesn't affect gaming performance much. Even a GTX 1050 can NVENC encode while gaming.
Step 4: Video Settings
Go to Settings > Video.
| Setting | Value | Why | |---------|-------|-----| | Base Resolution | 1920x1080 | Match your monitor | | Output Resolution | 1280x720 | Key for performance | | Downscale Filter | Bilinear | Lowest CPU usage | | FPS | 30 | Key for performance |
Resolution Explained
You're recording at 720p even if you play at 1080p. This means:
- OBS processes 1.7M pixels instead of 2M pixels
- File sizes are smaller
- Quality is still good for clip content
FPS Explained
Recording at 30 FPS instead of 60:
- Half the frames to encode
- Half the file size
- Still looks smooth for clip viewing
If you're recording for highlights/clips (not competitive analysis), 30 FPS is fine. Nobody watching your ace is counting frames.
Step 5: Advanced Settings
Go to Settings > Advanced.
| Setting | Value | |---------|-------| | Process Priority | Normal (not Above Normal) | | Color Format | NV12 | | Color Space | 709 | | Color Range | Partial | | Renderer | Direct3D 11 |
Don't Boost Priority
Some guides say to set OBS to "Above Normal" priority. Don't do this on potato PCs. It will steal resources from Valorant.
Step 6: Scene & Source Setup
The Minimal Scene
Create a simple scene with only what you need:
- Game Capture - Valorant
- That's it.
Don't add:
- Webcam (uses encoding resources)
- Browser sources (uses CPU)
- Alert overlays (unnecessary for clips)
Game Capture vs Display Capture
Always use Game Capture, not Display Capture.
| Method | Performance Impact | |--------|-------------------| | Game Capture | Low | | Display Capture | High | | Window Capture | Medium |
Game Capture hooks directly into the game's rendering pipeline. Display Capture re-renders your entire screen.
Step 7: Recording Hotkey
Go to Settings > Hotkeys.
Set:
- Start Recording: Something you won't hit accidentally (like Ctrl+F9)
- Stop Recording: Same modifier but different key (Ctrl+F10)
Pro Tip: You can also use Replay Buffer instead of continuous recording:
| Feature | Continuous Recording | Replay Buffer | |---------|---------------------|---------------| | File size | Large | Small (only saves clips) | | CPU usage | Constant | Constant but lower disk writes | | Best for | Long sessions | Clip-worthy moments only |
For Replay Buffer, enable it in Output settings and set to 60-90 seconds. When something cool happens, hit your save hotkey.
Performance Benchmarks
Tested on a Ryzen 5 3500U + GTX 1050 (Laptop) at 1080p:
| Scenario | Average FPS | |----------|-------------| | No recording | 125 | | OBS Default Settings | 75 | | OBS Optimized (this guide) | 112 | | OBS Replay Buffer | 118 |
17 FPS recovered by using these settings.
Troubleshooting
Problem: Game still drops frames when recording starts
- Check Task Manager—is anything else using CPU?
- Lower bitrate to 4000
- Use NVENC if you haven't already
- Close other programs (Discord, Chrome)
Problem: Recording looks pixelated
- Increase bitrate to 10000
- Change preset from ultrafast to fast
- Accept the FPS tradeoff or upgrade hardware
Problem: Recording files are corrupted
- Change format from mp4 to mkv
- Use Remux Recordings later to convert to mp4
- Check disk space (need at least 10GB free)
Problem: Audio is out of sync
- Use 44.1kHz sample rate
- Check if game audio is being captured
- Try Audio Output Capture instead of Desktop Audio
Upload Your Clips!
Got a clip you're proud of? Recording is just the first step.
Submit your best Valorant plays to GGameChamps and compete for cash prizes!
We host weekly clip tournaments across all games. That one-tap you just recorded could win you money.
FAQ
Q: MKV vs MP4—which is better?
A: Record in MKV (more stable), then use OBS's "Remux Recordings" to convert to MP4 for uploading.
Q: Can I record at 60 FPS without drops?
A: On a true potato PC, probably not. But test with Replay Buffer at 60 FPS—some systems handle it.
Q: What bitrate for YouTube uploads?
A: YouTube re-encodes everything, so 8000-10000 Kbps is plenty for 720p30.
Q: Does OBS Studio cause input lag?
A: Game Capture has negligible input lag. Display Capture can add 1-2ms.
Stop missing clips because of frame drops.
Set up OBS right, hit record, and start capturing your best moments.
Time to clip it.