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For most players, start with Quality mode. It targets 30 frames per second (FPS) at 1080p in both TV and handheld modes and gives the steadier image. Choose Performance when quicker camera response is more important than maximum clarity: it targets up to 40 FPS, at 1080p in TV mode and 720p in handheld mode. Those are targets, not guarantees; demanding areas, outdoor traversal and heavy firefights can reduce either mode’s frame rate.
Cyberpunk 2077 on Switch 2 uses DLSS and dynamic resolution in every docked and handheld combination. The resolution shown by the console is therefore an output target, not a promise that every frame is rendered natively at that resolution.
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Quick recommendation
| How you play | Recommended mode | Why | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Docked on a television, prioritizing a stable picture | Quality | 30 FPS target at 1080p | Sharper, steadier presentation than Performance in normal play; the most demanding Phantom Liberty areas can still fall to about 20–25 FPS. |
| Docked, prioritizing control response | Performance | Up to 40 FPS target at 1080p | Indoor scenes are generally near 40 FPS in testing, while outdoor sections and busy shootouts can reach 30 FPS or slightly lower. |
| Handheld, prioritizing image quality | Quality | 30 FPS target at 1080p output | Higher internal-resolution range than Handheld Performance, but demanding expansion areas can still produce substantial drops. |
| Handheld, prioritizing motion and responsiveness | Performance | Up to 40 FPS target at 720p | Lower internal resolution, with handheld VRR helping smooth uneven frame delivery. |
These recommendations follow the two modes defined by CD PROJEKT RED. The company describes Quality and Performance as the game’s only frame-rate modes and specifies the targets for TV and handheld play.
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Quality mode: a 30 FPS image-first preset
Quality mode is designed around a 30 FPS target. In TV mode it targets 1080p, and CD PROJEKT RED lists the same 30 FPS/1080p target for handheld mode. That does not mean the handheld screen receives a consistently native 1080p render. The game changes its internal resolution as scene complexity changes, then reconstructs the image for the selected output.
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Quality is the sensible default when you sit close to a large television, spend time reading signs and menus, or prefer a consistent visual cadence over the quickest possible input response. It also gives the renderer a higher resolution floor than Performance in both docked and handheld testing.
Performance mode: more responsive motion with a variable ceiling
Performance mode targets up to 40 FPS rather than locking the game to 40 FPS. The official target is up to 40 FPS at 1080p in TV mode and up to 40 FPS at 720p in handheld mode. “Up to” matters: the target is a performance objective, not a guarantee in every district, mission or combat encounter.
Digital Foundry testing summarized by Nintendo Life found indoor areas generally close to 40 FPS. Outdoor traversal and busy firefights can fall to 30 FPS or slightly below. The result feels more responsive than a 30 FPS presentation when the scene has enough headroom, but it is not a fixed 40 FPS mode.
Resolution, DLSS and what the numbers mean
Switch 2’s version uses a form of DLSS in all four combinations: docked Quality, docked Performance, handheld Quality and handheld Performance. A CD PROJEKT RED representative described it as a version of DLSS for Switch 2 hardware powered by Nvidia Tensor cores.
Dynamic resolution scaling lets the internal render size move up and down to protect the selected performance target. DLSS then reconstructs the output image. Consequently, “1080p” or “720p” in the mode description refers to the output target; it is not evidence that every frame is internally rendered at that pixel count.
| Mode | Reported internal dynamic-resolution range | Official output target |
|---|---|---|
| Handheld Performance | 640×360 to 1280×720 | Up to 40 FPS at 720p |
| Handheld Quality | 800×450 to 1440×810 | 30 FPS at 1080p |
| Docked Performance | 960×540 to 1920×1080 | Up to 40 FPS at 1080p |
| Docked Quality | 1280×720 to 1920×1080 | 30 FPS at 1080p |
The ranges above come from Digital Foundry testing reported by Nintendo Life. They describe the internal render resolution observed across scenes, not a permanent resolution setting. A simple corridor may render near the top of a range, while a crowded street, explosion or complex vista can push the renderer toward the bottom.
Why DLSS can look soft during movement
DLSS reconstruction is a major reason the game can target these resolutions on Switch 2, but it is not flawless. Testing reported occasional blur and temporal noise during high-speed action. You may notice this around fast camera pans, particles, foliage, rain, driving and other scenes where the current frame differs sharply from the preceding frames.
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- A Nintendo Switch Online membership may be required for online play. Please check the game detail page on Nintendo.com for membership requirements.
- 2025 CD PROJEKT S.A. All rights reserved. CD PROJEKT, the CD PROJEKT logo, the REDengine logo, Cyberpunk, Cyberpunk 2077, the Cyberpunk 2077 logo, Johnny Silverhand, the SAMURAI logo, Phantom Liberty and the Phantom Liberty logo are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of CD PROJEKT S.A. in the US and/or other countries. All other copyrights and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Those artifacts do not mean the selected mode is malfunctioning. They are a trade-off of reconstructing a higher-resolution output from a lower, changing internal image. Quality normally offers more source pixels; Performance can become softer when its internal resolution falls toward the lower end of its range.
How to choose for a television
Choose docked Quality for image stability
Set the in-game frame-rate option to Quality when your priority is a stable 30 FPS target and the clearest image the mode can provide. This is particularly appropriate for a 4K television, where fine text, distant signage and thin geometry make reconstruction changes easier to see. The game still outputs at 1080p rather than native 4K; the television performs any additional scaling.
- Best fit: story-focused play, exploration at a measured pace, reading environmental detail and players who dislike fluctuating frame rates.
- Trade-off: 30 FPS feels less immediate than a successful 40 FPS presentation, and the target can be missed in the expansion’s heaviest scenes.
Choose docked Performance for faster response
Set Performance when aiming, driving and rapid camera movement matter more than the highest image stability. Its 1080p output target means the mode does not automatically lower the TV output resolution, but its internal render range starts at 960×540 rather than Quality’s 1280×720.
- Best fit: gunfights, fast driving, melee, frequent camera turns and players sensitive to controller latency.
- Trade-off: frame rate varies with the scene. Indoor areas can be near 40 FPS, while open areas and hectic combat may be around 30 FPS or slightly lower.
How to choose in handheld mode
Choose handheld Quality for the cleanest small-screen image
Handheld Quality keeps the official 30 FPS/1080p output target and has a reported internal range of 800×450 to 1440×810. On the built-in screen, the difference from Performance is often less obvious than it would be on a large television, but Quality retains more internal-resolution headroom for text, distant objects and slow camera movement.
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Use it when you play mostly from a fixed viewing distance, value image steadiness, or find reconstructed detail more distracting than a 30 FPS limit. The same caveat applies as in TV mode: the target is not an ironclad lock in every demanding scene.
Choose handheld Performance for responsiveness and VRR
Handheld Performance targets up to 40 FPS at a 720p output and has a reported internal range of 640×360 to 1280×720. That lower floor is the price of giving the renderer more room to pursue higher frame rates.
Switch 2’s handheld presentation supports variable refresh rate (VRR) in this game. VRR allows the screen refresh to follow changing frame delivery, reducing visible judder or tearing when Performance moves between its higher and lower rates. It cannot create missing frames or prevent a heavy scene from slowing down, but it makes uneven delivery less conspicuous.
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- Best fit: handheld players who notice input response, drive often or engage in frequent combat.
- Trade-off: more softness or reconstruction noise in fast motion and a lower internal-resolution range than Handheld Quality.
What happens in Phantom Liberty and other demanding scenes
Phantom Liberty is the clearest stress test because its environments and encounters can be more complex than ordinary early-game areas. Nintendo Life’s summary of Digital Foundry testing reports Quality-mode drops to approximately 20–25 FPS in the expansion’s most demanding environments. That is well below the nominal 30 FPS target.
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Practical expectations by activity
| Situation | Quality | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Interior rooms and quieter missions | Usually near its 30 FPS target with the higher image-quality bias. | Often approaches 40 FPS, making camera movement feel quicker. |
| Open-world outdoor travel | Maintains the image-first profile but can reduce internal resolution to hold its target. | Can fall to about 30 FPS or slightly lower during complex traversal. |
| Busy firefights and effects-heavy encounters | May show substantial frame-time stress; the expansion’s worst areas are reported around 20–25 FPS. | Usually the better choice for response, though drops remain possible. |
| Fast camera pans, particles and fine detail | More source resolution, but DLSS can still show blur or temporal noise. | More likely to reveal softness when internal resolution is near its lower range. |
How to set the mode and validate your choice
- Launch Cyberpunk 2077 and open the game’s Settings menu.
- Find the frame-rate mode selector. CD PROJEKT RED labels the available choices Quality and Performance.
- Select Quality or Performance according to your display and priority: image stability, or motion and response.
- Play for several minutes in the type of scene that matters to you. A quiet interior is not a useful test if you mainly care about outdoor driving or combat.
- Revisit the selector if the compromise is wrong. There is no need to change TV resolution: the modes manage their own dynamic internal resolution and output targets.
For a fair comparison, use the same mission or neighborhood, keep the camera moving, and check both text/detail clarity and controller response. Switching after a quiet test can produce the opposite conclusion once the game loads a crowded street or a major fight.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Docked versus handheld: which differences matter most?
Outside resolution, visual quality is reported to be broadly similar between docked and handheld modes. The practical differences are the output target, internal-resolution range and display behavior. Docked Performance and Quality can both target 1080p output, while handheld Performance targets 720p and handheld Quality lists a 1080p output target. Handheld Performance also benefits from VRR support.
Because the built-in screen is smaller, the handheld resolution reduction can be less objectionable than the same change viewed on a large television. Conversely, handheld play places you closer to the pixels, so softness in text or high-contrast edges may still be visible. Your viewing distance and eyesight matter as much as the nominal resolution.
Edition and storage details
Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition launched for Nintendo Switch 2 on June 5, 2025. It includes the base game and the Phantom Liberty expansion. The physical release uses a 64 GB game card; a digital version is also available. Retailer pricing and availability can change, so confirm those details at the time of purchase.
The inclusion of Phantom Liberty is relevant to settings decisions because the expansion contains some of the scenes most likely to expose frame-rate drops. A player buying the Ultimate Edition should evaluate a mode in both the base game’s open world and the expansion rather than assuming the lighter early-game areas represent worst-case performance.
Common mistakes and fixes
“1080p” means native 1080p every frame
Why it is wrong: both modes use dynamic resolution and DLSS. Fix: treat 1080p and 720p as output targets, then use the published internal ranges to understand how far rendering can scale down.
Performance is a locked 40 FPS mode
Why it is wrong: the official wording is “up to 40 FPS.” Testing found lower rates outdoors and during heavy combat. Fix: choose Performance for a higher ceiling and better response, not as a guarantee.
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Why it is wrong: reported testing found approximately 20–25 FPS in the expansion’s most complex environments. Fix: use Quality for its image-first behavior, while accepting that the heaviest scenes can miss the target.
VRR makes every slowdown disappear
Why it is wrong: VRR synchronizes refresh to delivered frames; it does not increase the game’s rendering speed. Fix: regard handheld VRR as a comfort feature that smooths uneven presentation, especially in Performance mode.
Changing modes should always improve image quality
Why it is wrong: the modes trade image detail for rendering headroom. Performance can look softer during motion even though it feels more responsive. Fix: compare a text-heavy scene and a combat scene before deciding.
Decision guide
- Pick Quality if your first question is “Which mode gives me the steadier, clearer picture?”
- Pick Performance if your first question is “Which mode makes aiming, driving and camera movement feel quicker?”
- On a TV, the larger screen makes internal-resolution changes easier to notice, so Quality is the safer all-purpose preset unless responsiveness is your priority.
- In handheld mode, Performance’s lower output target is paired with VRR, making it a reasonable choice when motion matters more than fine detail.
- For Phantom Liberty, set expectations conservatively: Quality can reach roughly 20–25 FPS in the heaviest areas, and Performance can still dip around 30 FPS or slightly below outdoors and in large fights.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a locked 40 FPS by lowering the Switch 2 output resolution?
No. Performance mode’s official target is up to 40 FPS, and the game already varies its internal resolution automatically. Lowering the console or television output does not turn that target into a lock.
Is Handheld Performance worth using on the built-in screen?
It is worth trying if responsiveness is more important to you than fine detail. The mode targets up to 40 FPS at 720p, uses a reported 640×360–1280×720 internal range and supports handheld VRR. Choose Handheld Quality instead if softness and reconstruction artifacts bother you more than a 30 FPS limit.
Does every version include Phantom Liberty?
The Switch 2 Ultimate Edition includes the base game and Phantom Liberty. The physical edition is a 64 GB game card, and a digital version is also available.
Quick Recap
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