Gab Hernandez 
The stretched resolution provides advantages in most FPS games, but should players optimize it for Valorant?
Valorant is currently one of the top competitive FPS games, averaging millions of players monthly. In addition to its usual player base, the game has a thriving esports scene, with Riot investing more resources into the title yearly. As a result, many players strive toward the peak of Valorant competitive play.
One of the more subtle ways players improve their game is through settings optimizations. Although these setting changes do not offer direct advantages, they make the game faster and more responsive. These micro changes could mean the difference between victory and defeat at the highest levels.
But is stretched resolution for Valorant one of those settings?
Why is stretched resolution better for Valorant?
Stretched resolution may potentially increase FPS and performance for Valorant.
In FPS games like Counter-Strike 2, players reported that stretched resolution grants them better aim since the models are wider and thus easier to hit. While mileage may vary on whether this works for Valorant, the FPS boost is well-documented.
While Valorant runs well enough on most machines, things can get stuttery with fast-paced games. Stretching the resolution can significantly improve performance on low-end and midrange machines. Anecdotally, some players used to CS2 and Rainbow Six Siege may just feel comfortable with the familiar resolution, and thus, play better.
How to optimize stretched resolution for Valorant
While it depends on the PC, 1024×768 generally provides the most noticeable performance boost.
Players that aren’t sticklers for graphical fidelity will want to opt for 1024×768. This is the resolution that many players report to have the best effect. Here’s how to do it in Valorant (Author’s note, these steps were done through a machine with an AMD graphics card):
- Open Valorant
- Open the in-game settings
- Go to the Video section
- Select Windowed Fullscreen for Display Mode
- Select Fill under Aspect Ratio Method
- Click Apply
- Restart Valorant
- Open in-game settings again
- Navigate to the Video section
- Select Windowed for Display Mode
- Make sure Aspect Ratio is still filled
- Click on Apply
This concludes the in-game section of the tutorial. From here, it’s time to alt-tab to Desktop to finalize the stretched resolution transformation for Valorant:
- Open Windows Settings from the Start bar
- Go to System
- Go to the Display tab
- Scroll down to Display resolution
- Select 1024 x 768
- Click on Keep Changes (For players with multiple screens, make sure the new resolution is on the screen with Valorant)
- Go back to Valorant
- Do NOT click on Apply again, as this will make black bars pop up
- Close Settings
From here, players can finally play Valorant in stretched res. There are methods which involve third-party apps, but Riot recommends against doing so. Vanguard is one of the strictest anti-cheats, and there’s a chance of an account ban for players who use third-party apps to change in-game settings. Players who follow third-party methods do so at their own risk.
