If you’re just getting into Riot’s tactical 5v5 shooter, or looking to switch up how you play between sessions, one of the first questions you’ll ask is what can you play Valorant on. The game is famous for being far less hardware-hungry than most competitive shooters, but that doesn’t mean it runs on every device you own, especially if you want consistent performance for ranked climbs. I’ve tested Valorant on almost every supported device over the past three years, from budget office laptops to portable handhelds, and this guide breaks down exactly what works, what doesn’t, and which option fits your needs.
What Can You Play Valorant On? Officially Supported Platforms First
Riot keeps its list of supported devices pretty tight, mostly to ensure Vanguard anti-cheat works as intended and keeps matches fair for all players. Unofficial workarounds exist for some devices, but they carry a real risk of account bans, so we’re sticking to officially supported options first. These are the only devices you can run Valorant on without worrying about losing access to your account or your ranked progress.
- Windows 10/11 64-bit PC (all builds after 21H2, with TPM 2.0 enabled)
- Valve Steam Deck (running SteamOS 3.0 or later, with official Vanguard support)
- Cloud gaming services including GeForce Now and Amazon Luna (with linked Riot accounts)
Windows PC is the only platform that supports full competitive ranked play with full anti-cheat functionality, and it’s the option used by 95% of professional and high-rank players. Steam Deck support was added in 2023 after Riot optimized Vanguard anti-cheat for Linux-based systems, making portable Valorant a real option for the first time. Cloud gaming options count as PC play for ranked progression, as long as you connect to your official Riot account and your service meets Riot’s security requirements. You won’t face any rank restrictions for playing on cloud services, as long as your connection is stable enough.
You might be wondering about Mac, Xbox, PlayStation, or Nintendo Switch support. None of these have official native Valorant support right now. Intel Macs can technically run Windows via Boot Camp, but Vanguard often flags Boot Camp environments as suspicious, leading to temporary or permanent account bans. M-series Macs have no Boot Camp support at all, so native play is impossible without workarounds that put your account at risk.
PC Hardware Requirements for Smooth Valorant Gameplay
The biggest perk of playing Valorant on PC is how flexible the hardware requirements are. You don’t need a top-of-the-line gaming rig to get playable frames, even if you want to compete in ranked lobbies. Riot splits its official requirements into three tiers, each targeted at a different type of player.
The minimum requirements will get you 30 FPS at 720p on low settings, which is fine for casual unrated matches with friends. You’ll need an Intel Core i3-4150 or equivalent AMD CPU, 4GB of RAM, and a GT 730 or equivalent GPU. Most office laptops built after 2018 will hit these specs, though you’ll have to turn all graphic settings down to the lowest options. You don't need a $2000 gaming PC to run Valorant at competitive frame rates, and I’ve seen plenty of players climb to Platinum rank on $300 budget builds.
The recommended requirements get you 144 FPS at 1080p on medium settings, which is the sweet spot for most casual and mid-tier competitive players. You’ll need an Intel Core i5-9400F or equivalent AMD CPU, 8GB of RAM, and a GTX 1650 or equivalent GPU. This is the spec most pre-built gaming PCs have shipped with since 2020, and it’ll handle streaming or running Discord in the background without frame drops. Always prioritize 16GB of RAM if you plan to stream or run Discord while playing, as background apps can eat up RAM fast and cause stutters mid-match.
For high-level competitive play where every frame counts, you’ll want a build that hits 240 FPS at 1080p or 144 FPS at 1440p. That requires an Intel Core i7-12700F or equivalent AMD CPU, 16GB of RAM, and an RTX 3060 or equivalent GPU. These builds cost a bit more, but the low input lag and consistent frame rates make a huge difference in close gunfights where reaction time matters.
Portable and Console Options for Casual Valorant Play
If you don’t want to be tied to a desk, you have a few solid portable options for Valorant right now. The most popular is the Steam Deck, which runs the game natively with full anti-cheat support. I’ve used my Steam Deck for Valorant sessions while traveling, and it runs at a steady 60 FPS at 720p on medium settings, or 90 FPS if you turn all settings down to low. The built-in controller works fine for casual unrated matches, but you’ll want to connect a mouse and keyboard if you plan to play ranked, as joystick aim is no match for mouse accuracy against high-skill players.
Cloud gaming is another great portable option, especially if you have a good internet connection. Services like GeForce Now let you stream Valorant to laptops, phones, tablets, and even smart TVs, as long as you have a linked Riot account. I’ve tested GeForce Now Valorant on a phone with a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard, and it felt almost identical to playing on a local PC, as long as I was on a 5GHz Wi-Fi connection. Cloud gaming requires a stable 50Mbps+ internet connection with less than 30ms ping to your nearest server to avoid lag, so it’s not a good option if you’re on public Wi-Fi or a mobile data connection with high latency.
You’ve probably seen rumors about console versions of Valorant for Xbox or PlayStation. Riot has confirmed that a console port is in development, but there’s no set release date yet. Console versions of Valorant are still in development, with no official release date announced as of now, so don’t fall for fake download links or pre-order scams online. When the console version does launch, it will likely have separate ranked queues from PC players to keep matches fair, since controller aim has inherent limitations compared to mouse and keyboard.
How to Pick the Right Platform for Your Valorant Playstyle
The best platform for you depends entirely on how you prefer to play Valorant. If your main goal is to climb to Immortal or Radiant rank and compete in tournaments, there’s no question that a Windows PC is the right choice. Competitive players should always choose Windows PC for the lowest input lag and full anti-cheat support, and it’s the only platform that supports high refresh rates above 144 FPS for the smoothest possible gameplay. You’ll also have access to the full range of custom settings and peripheral options to fine-tune your setup for your playstyle.
If you only play Valorant a few times a week with friends, and don’t care about climbing the ranked ladder, a Steam Deck or cloud gaming subscription is a great choice. You’ll be able to play from anywhere, and you won’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on a gaming PC. Just keep in mind that you’ll be at a slight disadvantage against PC players if you play ranked, since input lag is slightly higher on portable and cloud platforms.
If you’re a Mac user, your only safe option is cloud gaming. Don’t waste time trying to run Valorant via Boot Camp or third-party emulators, as Vanguard will almost always flag these environments as suspicious, and you could lose your account permanently. GeForce Now works perfectly on both Intel and M-series Macs, and you’ll get the same performance as you would on a mid-tier gaming PC as long as your internet connection is stable.
Now you know exactly what can you play Valorant on, and which option fits your needs and playstyle. Riot is constantly expanding support for new devices, so we’ll likely see official console support and even more portable options in the next few years. For now, stick to officially supported platforms to keep your account safe, and prioritize a Windows PC if you want to get the most out of your ranked climbs. Test out a few options if you can, and pick the one that feels most comfortable for how you like to play.
