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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesLow GPU usage in Cyberpunk 2077 does not automatically mean the game is ignoring your graphics card. First check which GPU the game is using; if it is the dedicated GPU, a frame-rate cap, CPU limit, light scene, upscaling, or frame generation may explain the low reading. Use the checks below to identify the cause before reinstalling drivers or changing hardware.
First, confirm which GPU Cyberpunk 2077 is using
Check during gameplay, not just in the menu: the game’s workload changes with the scene, and Task Manager can show separate GPU engines. A low number on one engine alone does not prove the game is idle.
- Launch Cyberpunk 2077 and load a playable scene.
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager. In Processes or Details, show the GPU engine column if it is available.
- Find the game process and note whether it is assigned to the integrated GPU or the dedicated NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel GPU. In Performance, compare the graphs for each GPU.
- Look beyond the utilization percentage: GPU name, memory use, clocks, temperature, power, and engine activity can help confirm that the dedicated card is working.
For NVIDIA hybrid-graphics systems, NVIDIA’s GPU Activity indicator is another check; it can show which programs and displays are using the NVIDIA GPU. Treat it as a second view, not the sole test. NVIDIA’s Optimus and GPU Activity documentation describes the feature and display routing.
- Integrated GPU busy, dedicated GPU nearly idle: the game may have the wrong graphics preference, or the display path may be involved.
- Dedicated GPU active and FPS is good: low usage may simply mean the scene is easy to render, the game is capped, or the GPU has headroom.
- Dedicated GPU active but FPS is low: investigate CPU limits, frame caps, power, drivers, mods, and the particular scene.
Set the game to use the high-performance GPU
Windows 11: choose the game executable
- Open Settings → System → Display → Graphics.
- Add Cyberpunk 2077 to the application list if it is missing. Select the actual game executable that renders the game—not only Steam, GOG GALAXY, Epic Games Launcher, or REDlauncher.
- Select the game entry, choose Options, select High performance, then select Save.
- Fully close and restart the game, then check the GPU assignment again in Task Manager.
Microsoft’s Windows 11 graphics instructions describe the choices as Let Windows decide, Power saving, and High performance, and note that the app must be restarted after changing its preference. Labels can vary by Windows version.
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If several Cyberpunk-related executables appear, add the main game executable manually and confirm the result while the game is running. Do not disable the integrated GPU as a first fix: on many laptops it controls the built-in display, and disabling it can cause display problems, extra battery drain, a black screen, or launch failures.
NVIDIA: use Control Panel as a secondary setting
Set High performance in Windows first. NVIDIA says that, beginning with Windows 10 version 20H1, Windows controls the application GPU preference and can override the equivalent NVIDIA Control Panel setting. If available, you can also open NVIDIA Control Panel → Manage 3D settings → Program Settings, add Cyberpunk 2077, select the high-performance NVIDIA processor, and apply the change. Restart the game afterward; changing the preference does not move an already-running app to another GPU. See NVIDIA’s documentation on preferred graphics processors and Manage 3D Settings.
On AMD or Intel systems, use Windows Graphics Settings as the application preference and confirm the active GPU with Task Manager or the relevant vendor performance software. A monitor’s percentage is only one part of the diagnosis.
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If the right GPU is active, low usage may be expected
A game does not need to keep the GPU at 95–100% at all times. Utilization reflects how much work the GPU is doing under the current scene, settings, frame target, and measurement method.
CPU limits and scene complexity
If the CPU cannot prepare frames quickly enough, the GPU waits. This can happen in crowded city areas, during driving, or when one or more CPU cores are heavily loaded. Total CPU usage can look modest because it averages activity across cores; check per-core load and frame times. If lowering resolution barely improves FPS while a core is close to saturated, a CPU-side limit is plausible.
Frame caps and synchronization
An in-game maximum FPS setting, V-Sync, NVIDIA Max Frame Rate, AMD frame-rate controls, RTSS, a laptop vendor limit, or another limiter can deliberately hold FPS below what the system could render. At a 60 FPS cap, for example, a GPU capable of rendering more may remain partly idle. Check the game, driver software, external limiters, and laptop control utility.
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Upscaling, dynamic resolution, and frame generation
DLSS, FSR, XeSS, and dynamic resolution can reduce internal render resolution and therefore GPU workload, especially at lower output resolutions or more aggressive performance settings. Disabling an upscaler is a diagnostic comparison, not a universal fix: it increases rendering work and may lower FPS when the GPU is already the bottleneck.
Frame Generation adds displayed frames without requiring the GPU to conventionally render each one. Compare the base frame rate with frame generation disabled; a displayed-FPS counter alone can obscure the underlying rendering performance. CD PROJEKT RED says DLSS Frame Generation requires a GeForce RTX 40-series GPU and Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling. Its DLSS Frame Generation guidance has the details. For FSR 3 Frame Generation, CDPR recommends establishing a baseline of at least 60 FPS first; that is a recommendation, not a universal technical threshold. See its FSR 3 guidance.
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Compare the same save, location, camera position, resolution, and settings. Menus, quiet interiors, busy streets, combat, driving, and ray-traced scenes do not impose the same workload, so readings from different places are not directly comparable.
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- Restart the game and load a repeatable scene, or use the built-in benchmark at Settings → Graphics → Run Benchmark.
- Temporarily turn off external FPS limiters and frame generation. Use a fixed resolution, and temporarily disable upscaling or dynamic resolution for a native-rendering comparison.
- Test a demanding preset first with ray tracing off, then with it on if your system supports it. Change one setting at a time.
- Record FPS, frame times, GPU usage, clock, temperature and memory use, plus per-core CPU load. Compare the readings from the same scene rather than treating one utilization figure as a verdict.
- Restore your preferred cap, upscaler, and frame-generation settings after the comparison.
CDPR’s performance troubleshooting instructions identify the benchmark and request its results when reporting persistent issues.
Interpret the result and choose the next step
| What you observe | Likely explanation | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU is busy; dedicated GPU is nearly idle | Wrong GPU preference or display routing | Set the game executable to High performance in Windows Graphics Settings, restart, and check again. |
| Dedicated GPU is active, FPS is high, and usage is low | Headroom, an FPS cap, or a light scene | Check limits and compare a more demanding scene. |
| Dedicated GPU is active, FPS is low, and a CPU core is near saturation | Possible CPU-side frame-production limit | Close background tasks, check CPU-heavy settings, and compare frame times. |
| GPU use rises when resolution or ray tracing increases | The GPU is responding to added workload | Low use at lighter settings may be normal; choose settings for your performance target. |
| FPS stays fixed at 60 or 120 while GPU use is low | Frame cap or synchronization | Check in-game, driver, laptop, and external limiter settings. |
| Low usage began after a driver update | A driver regression or installation problem is possible | Consider a clean install or return to the previous driver. |
| Benchmark is normal but one save or location performs poorly | Scene-, save-, streaming-, or mod-specific issue | Test another save and an unmodded installation. |
| Low use appears only with DLSS, FSR, or XeSS | Reduced internal rendering workload | Compare with native rendering or a less aggressive mode. |
| Frame Generation is on but base FPS is low | Frame pacing or artifacts may be the problem, not GPU selection | Turn it off and improve base FPS before testing it again. |
Check laptop power and display routing
- Connect the AC adapter and, while testing, set Windows power mode to Best performance. This can increase power use, heat, and battery drain; Microsoft explains the trade-off in its Windows performance guidance.
- Use the laptop maker’s performance or turbo profile if available. Check its hybrid graphics, Optimus, mux switch, eco, or battery-saving settings.
- Check for a battery-friendly FPS cap. Compare on battery only as a secondary test, not as the performance baseline.
- If supported, try an external display connected to an output routed directly to the dedicated GPU. NVIDIA notes that display connections and Optimus-style routing can affect which processor renders an application; see its hybrid graphics documentation.
Check desktop connections, thermals, and system capability
- Connect the monitor to the graphics card’s video output, not the motherboard output, unless your setup specifically requires otherwise.
- If the GPU is detected unreliably, check its seating and PCIe power connections; confirm it appears correctly in Device Manager.
- Check GPU clocks and temperatures for thermal throttling. Temporarily remove unstable overclocks or undervolts; CDPR warns that CPU or GPU overclocking and underclocking can cause instability. Its crash troubleshooting guidance covers this and driver-related checks.
- Compare your hardware with CDPR’s published PC system requirements for the resolution and mode you actually use. The requirements page was published June 11, 2023; it distinguishes rasterized and ray-traced targets, but is not a guarantee for every later patch, mod, or graphics feature. RT Overdrive/path tracing is a substantially different target from standard rasterized settings.
For an external GPU, connect the enclosure before launching and test the laptop display and external display separately. Check the appropriate port, firmware, and Thunderbolt or USB4 permissions. An eGPU also has bandwidth limits relative to an internal desktop GPU, so it will not necessarily perform like the same card installed internally.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Repair drivers, game files, overlays, or mods only when indicated
Driver install or rollback
If the problem started after a driver update, GPU detection is broken, other games show similar symptoms, or ray-tracing initialization fails, a clean driver installation or rollback is reasonable. CDPR recommends a clean install for NVIDIA and AMD graphics drivers and suggests reverting if the issue began immediately after an update. Use the official NVIDIA driver downloads or AMD Drivers and Support. For Intel clean-install guidance, see CDPR’s crash support page. Display Driver Uninstaller is an option when a genuinely clean removal is needed; it is not a necessary first step for one low reading with normal FPS.
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Verify files and isolate overlays
Use your launcher’s file verification feature. If it reports repairs, restart the launcher and retest before making more changes. Temporarily disable overlays and unnecessary background tools, such as Discord, NVIDIA, AMD, Xbox Game Bar, Steam or GOG overlays, monitoring overlays, recording software, RGB utilities, and aggressive antivirus game-mode features. The purpose is to isolate interference; permanent removal is usually unnecessary. CDPR’s performance troubleshooting guidance includes file verification, overlays, and background applications.
Test without mods
Mods can change rendering, upscaling, frame generation, configuration, or loading behavior. Back up saves, disable mods through the mod manager or their documented uninstall process, verify files, then test an unmodded game. If performance changes, restore mods in groups to identify the cause. CDPR’s mod-user troubleshooting documentation notes that compatibility depends on game versions. Avoid deleting configuration folders or files without a backup.
When to contact CD PROJEKT RED
If the built-in benchmark still reproduces the problem after GPU assignment, limits, overlays, files, drivers, and mods have been checked, contact Cyberpunk PC technical support. Include the benchmark results and enough detail to make the issue reproducible: CPU and GPU models, driver and Windows versions, launcher, game settings, resolution, whether the issue occurs in a specific save or benchmark, installed mods, and any recent driver or game changes. CDPR’s performance support page explains how to locate the benchmark results.
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