How to use true stretched res in VALORANT: Best resolution & is it bannable?

You may want to learn how to use true stretched res in VALORANT, as some players consider it to provide a big advantage when playing, while others think the downsides outweigh any positives.

VALORANT lets players change their resolution like any modern PC game, and while dropping below a 16:9 aspect ratio might seem pointless to some, others swear it makes the game easier. This idea comes from CS:GO, where using stretched res enlarges the character models and makes shooting enemies easier, but it doesn't quite work the same in VALORANT. 

If you want to give a new aspect ratio a go regardless, check out how to use true stretched res in VALORANT.

• Make sure to also check out the best VALORANT video settings, so you can get the best performance to aid your gameplay.

How to use true stretched res in VALORANT

Using true stretched res in VALORANT is difficult without an NVIDIA GPU, but it is possible depending on the graphics card manufacturer. 

The majority of people use NVIDIA cards, so that’s the interface we’ll go over today. If you’re using something else, like an AMD card, take these instructions and perform them in the AMD Radeon software instead, as you'll need to change the same general settings.

All we’re doing is changing some basic settings, so you should be able to do so without NVIDIA Control Panel specifically. 

• We also cover how to fix the VALORANT black screen bug if you've encountered it and need a quick workaround.

Step 1: Change Your Nvidia Control Panel Settings

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Image by GGRecon

Before you even jump into VALORANT, there are some graphical settings you need to adjust within whatever GUI your graphics card uses. These steps are specifically for NVIDIA, but most other cards have the same functionality. 

1. First, open up your NVIDIA Control Panel and click on “Adjust desktop size and position” under the “Display” tab. 
2. In that menu, set your scaling to “Full-screen”, and uncheck the “Override scaling mode” box. 
3. Once that’s done, go up to “Change resolution”, again in the “Display” tab. 
4. Click on “Customize” at the bottom of the screen, then “Create custom resolution”. 
5. Create a custom resolution with whatever dimensions you want. 1280x960 is popular for true stretched res. After that, click “Test”. 

Once all of that’s done, you’re pretty much all good to go regarding your true stretched res VALORANT setup. 

• Why not also take a look at our VALORANT weapon tier list, so you can see which guns are considered the best. 

Step 2: Change Your In-Game VALORANT Settings

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Image via Riot Games

Once you’ve got your display settings set up, boot up VALORANT. Once the game has launched, do the following in your video settings:

1. Change your "Display Mode" to "Windowed". 
2. Change your "Resolution" to the same resolution you set up in the NVIDIA Control Panel. 
3. Change your "Aspect Ratio" to "Fill" and click Apply. 
4. In your NVIDIA Control Panel, change your monitor’s resolution to the custom resolution you set up earlier. 

If you’ve done everything correctly, then you should be done!

True stretched resolution in VALORANT comes with the added benefit of enemies appearing to have larger character models, but you are forced to play in Windowed, so it’s not all good. 

Some PCs may experience input lag while playing VALORANT in Windowed, which you won’t typically experience in Full Screen. So, you’re effectively trading that for the larger models. It’s ultimately up to you whether or not you consider that trade-off worth it. 

What is the best stretched res in VALORANT?

The best stretched res in VALORANT largely comes down to personal preference, but most players who play this way will be using 1280x960.

This is the true stretched resolution that's most popular in CounterStrike, meaning many players who have made the shift to VALORANT have stuck with it here. 

• If you're looking to improve at the game, take a look at the best VALORANT crosshair codes that will help you aim better.

Can you get banned for using true stretched res in VALORANT?

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Image via Riot Games

No, you cannot get banned for using true stretched resolution in VALORANT. Even though you might feel like stretched res gives you an unfair advantage - it’s not bannable in the slightest. You’re not cheating, all you’re doing is playing around with your display settings. 

Even certain pros use true stretched res on LAN, an environment in which any sort of cheating is absolutely not tolerated. If it's allowed in that environment, then you don’t have to worry about being banned for it yourself. 

If you want to know more about how Riot handles bans, you can read Riot's penalties and bans FAQ for yourself. You won't find too much information about stretched res specifically, but it will give you an insight into what Riot considers a bannable offence.  

That's all for our walkthrough of how to use true stretched res in VALORANT, and now you know the full process, along with whether or not it's bannable.

For more VALORANT guides, keep reading GGRecon.