Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteThere is no single best Cyberpunk 2077 PC preset: the right balance depends on your graphics card, processor, resolution, frame-rate goal, and whether you want standard rendering, ray tracing, or path tracing. Use CD PROJEKT RED’s official requirements as a starting target, choose an upscaler your hardware supports if needed, then benchmark your own system and adjust one setting at a time. The steps below are practical guidance, not a tested preset or a promise of specific FPS.
Start with a target that fits your PC
CD PROJEKT RED’s current PC requirements apply to the base game and Phantom Liberty from Update 2.0 onward. They describe target configurations, not guarantees for every computer or scene; the developer says results vary with system configuration, settings, and output resolution. The game requires DirectX 12 and is both graphics- and processor-intensive. See the official Cyberpunk 2077 PC system requirements.
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| Rendering target | Official resolution and preset target | Example graphics cards in CD PROJEKT RED’s table | Other listed memory/storage details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum, no ray tracing | 1080p, Low, 30 FPS | GTX 1060 6 GB, RX 580 8 GB, Arc A380 | 12 GB system RAM; 6 GB VRAM; 70 GB SSD |
| Recommended, no ray tracing | 1080p, High, 60 FPS | RTX 2060 Super, RX 5700 XT, Arc A770 | 16 GB system RAM; 8 GB VRAM; 70 GB SSD |
| Ultra, no ray tracing | 2160p, Ultra, 60 FPS | RTX 3080, RX 7900 XTX | 20 GB system RAM; 12 GB VRAM; 70 GB NVMe |
| Ray-tracing minimum | 1080p, RT Low, 30 FPS | RTX 2060, RX 6800 XT, Arc A750 | 8 GB VRAM; 70 GB SSD |
| RT Recommended | 1080p, RT Ultra, 60 FPS | RTX 3080 Ti, RX 7900 XTX | 20 GB system RAM; 12 GB VRAM; 70 GB NVMe |
| Overdrive | 2160p, 60 FPS | RTX 4080 | 24 GB system RAM; 16 GB VRAM; 70 GB NVMe; target assumes DLSS Frame Generation is on |
These examples are the cards named for each official target, not a complete GPU ranking. Use the raster (no ray tracing) targets if smooth performance matters more than advanced lighting. Treat ray-tracing and Overdrive targets as substantially more demanding choices rather than settings every PC should enable.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Choose an upscaler and frame-generation option your GPU supports
Upscaling renders the game internally at a lower resolution and reconstructs the output at your display resolution. It can help when the GPU is the limiting factor, but the best mode depends on the balance you prefer between performance and image detail or stability. Compare the supported modes on your own system; official feature notes do not provide universal FPS or image-quality gains for each mode.
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- NVIDIA DLSS: DLSS 4 support includes Multi Frame Generation on RTX 50-series cards, with 2x, 3x, and 4x choices. CD PROJEKT RED also documents Transformer and CNN model choices for Super Resolution and Ray Reconstruction on RTX cards. Multi Frame Generation is not a general feature for all GPUs. The developer says its Transformer model improves image stability, reduces ghosting, and improves anti-aliasing; these are the developer’s descriptions, not independent measurements. Details are in the DLSS 4 support article.
- AMD FSR: Update 2.3 adds support for AMD FSR 3.1 Frame Generation. The notes establish feature availability, not a performance or image-quality comparison. See the Update 2.3 patch notes.
- Intel XeSS: Update 2.3 also lists Intel XeSS 2.0 support. Select it only if it is available for your hardware and settings.
Frame generation can increase the displayed frame rate, but do not treat a generated-frame figure as equivalent to native rendering or assume it will feel identical. The official Overdrive target explicitly assumes DLSS Frame Generation. For a responsive feel, compare playability as well as the displayed FPS when deciding whether to use a frame-generation mode.
Decide whether ray tracing or Overdrive is worth the cost
Ray tracing adds more realistic lighting effects but raises the hardware demand; the official RT Recommended target is 1080p RT Ultra at 60 FPS with RTX 3080 Ti or RX 7900 XTX examples. If your goal is a stable frame rate and your GPU is below that tier, start without ray tracing or use a lower RT target rather than assuming RT Ultra will suit your system.
What Overdrive means
Overdrive is the preset above RT Ultra and includes path-traced rendering. CD PROJEKT RED says it is very GPU intensive and off by default. Its requirements table lists 2160p/60 with an RTX 4080 and DLSS Frame Generation switched on; that is not a native-rendering result. A separate Overdrive support guide recommends RTX 40 Series cards from RTX 4070 Ti upward and also mentions an RTX 3090 for 1080p/30 FPS. These are developer guidance points, not a guarantee for every scene or configuration.
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The same support guide gives Photo Mode path-traced screenshot minimums of 8 GB VRAM at 1080p, 10 GB at 1440p, and 12 GB at 2160p. Those are screenshot thresholds, not recommendations for playable path tracing.
Benchmark first, then tune one setting at a time
Because CPU, GPU, resolution, effects, and upscaler choices interact, a repeatable check on your PC is more useful than copying an untested universal custom-settings list. Save your current settings and use the in-game benchmark or the same repeatable gameplay route after each change.
- Set your display’s output resolution and choose a target consistent with your hardware and desired visual effects. Use the official table as a starting point, not a promise.
- Pick a supported upscaler and mode if you need extra GPU headroom. Keep frame generation on or off consistently during comparisons.
- Run the benchmark or repeat the same route. Record resolution, preset, ray-tracing state, upscaler and frame-generation mode, average FPS, and 1% lows if your measurement tool provides them.
- Change one graphics option at a time, then repeat the same test. Keep changes that improve the result you care about without unacceptable image-quality loss or inconsistency.
- If lowering graphics settings barely changes performance, investigate whether the CPU or another system limit is constraining the result before continuing to reduce image quality.
This is a comparison method, not a published benchmark result. CD PROJEKT RED’s own system-requirements announcement says FPS data is based on internal testing and can vary by configuration, individual settings, and output resolution; see its requirements announcement.
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Check CPU, storage, and settings that are easy to overlook
Crowd Density
Update 2.0 moved Crowd Density from Gameplay to Graphics, where it can be adjusted independently of Quick Presets. If performance is inconsistent in busy scenes, it is a reasonable setting to test without changing the entire preset. The move and behavior are documented in the Update 2.0 notes.
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AMD SMT
For AMD CPU owners, Update 2.0 added an SMT switch at Settings → Gameplay → Performance, with Off, On, and Auto options. CD PROJEKT RED says Auto seeks optimal average performance across different locations and situations based on tests conducted with AMD. Compare the available modes on your own machine rather than assuming one is universally fastest.
SSD storage
The current requirements list 70 GB SSD storage on lower tiers and NVMe storage for Ultra and Overdrive tiers. If the game is installed on an HDD, moving it to a compatible internal SSD may address the storage requirement, but it should not be presented as an FPS upgrade.
Quick Recap
What to set first
- For a modest PC or a 1080p performance goal: begin with the official 1080p Low or High raster target closest to your hardware, then use a supported upscaler if you need additional GPU headroom.
- For a powerful PC prioritizing image quality: work up from raster Ultra or the relevant RT tier, checking performance at your actual display resolution before considering Overdrive.
- For path tracing: treat Overdrive as an enthusiast option, verify the game’s current hardware support and feature availability, and account for frame generation where the official target specifies it.
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