How to Choose Between Performance and Ray Tracing Modes in The Witcher 3 (2022 vs. 2026 Remastered)

Choose Performance Mode if responsive combat and a higher frame rate matter most. Choose Ray Tracing Mode if you prefer richer global illumination and ambient occlusion and accept a lower frame-rate target. That simple rule applies to the 2022 next-generation build on a base PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X, where Performance targets 60 FPS and Ray Tracing targets 30 FPS. It does not apply unchanged to every edition.

The September 2026 Remastered version changes the PlayStation 5 baseline: Ray Tracing Mode targets 60 FPS with enhanced lighting, while Performance Mode targets 60 FPS at higher resolution and can reach up to 90 FPS on a VRR-capable display. PlayStation 5 Pro supports 60 FPS ray tracing with PSSR. Xbox Series S has no ray-tracing mode; its choice is 30 FPS Quality or 60 FPS Performance. Identify your version and console before changing the setting.

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• Base PS5 or Xbox Series X, 2022 build: Performance for control and camera smoothness; Ray Tracing for lighting quality.
• Xbox Series S: Performance for 60 FPS, Quality for 30 FPS and higher image fidelity.
• PS5 Remastered, September 2026: Ray Tracing if enhanced lighting at a 60 FPS target is your priority; Performance for higher resolution and, with VRR, potentially higher than 60 FPS.
• PS5 Pro Remastered: Ray Tracing is a practical 60 FPS option with PSSR, while Performance favors higher resolution and VRR support.
• PC: Choose by measured results on your GPU, resolution, settings and upscaling rather than by the preset name alone.

First identify which Witcher 3 version you are running

The words Performance and Ray Tracing do not describe one universal pair of settings. The 2022 next-generation console build, the September 2026 Remastered version and the PC edition have different targets. Console hardware also changes the available choices.

On a base PS5 or Xbox Series X using the 2022 next-generation build, the official comparison is 60 FPS Performance versus 30 FPS Ray Tracing. On PS5, the September 2026 Remastered version changes both targets and image-quality priorities. Xbox Series S never offers the ray-traced features described for the larger consoles. PC performance depends on the particular computer and output settings.

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Check the platform, installed game version and update notes before applying advice from an older guide. A recommendation that is correct for the 2022 build can be misleading on the 2026 Remastered version, especially on PS5.

What the two modes change on base PS5 and Xbox Series X

For the 2022 next-generation build, CD PROJEKT RED and PlayStation describe Performance Mode as prioritizing a 60 FPS target. Ray Tracing Mode uses ray-traced global illumination and ray-traced ambient occlusion, dynamic resolution and a 30 FPS target. These are official targets, not a promise that every scene holds the number continuously.

Why 60 FPS feels different in combat

At 60 frames per second, the game presents a new frame about every 16.7 milliseconds; at 30 FPS, the interval is about 33.3 milliseconds. That difference affects how quickly a dodge, parry, camera turn or horse-control input appears on screen. It does not make the character statistically stronger, but it can make timing-based actions feel easier to read and correct.

Camera movement is another obvious test. A rapid turn through Novigrad, a pan across a forest or a quick view change during a fight generally looks more continuous at the higher target. If you become distracted by judder or feel that a camera adjustment arrives late, Performance is usually the more useful choice even when you can see the lighting improvement in Ray Tracing Mode.

What ray-traced global illumination and ambient occlusion add

Global illumination describes light that bounces from one surface to another. Ray tracing can make indirect light, color spill and the relationship between a bright source and nearby surfaces appear more convincing. Ambient occlusion darkens small areas where surfaces meet, such as corners, gaps between objects and contact points beneath furniture or characters. Ray-traced ambient occlusion calculates those relationships more accurately than a simpler screen-space approximation.

The benefit is most apparent when you stop to examine an interior, a street at dusk, foliage, stonework or a scene with strong contrast between light and shadow. It is an image-quality improvement, not a new gameplay system. Quests, enemy behavior and controls are unchanged.

Does Performance Mode look worse?

It can look less refined in situations where the ray-traced lighting contributes strongly, and dynamic resolution may reduce fine detail while the system protects the frame-rate target. That does not mean the mode is uniformly blurry or that every scene shows a dramatic difference. The practical trade is temporal smoothness and input response in exchange for some lighting accuracy and, depending on the scene, image detail.

Look at moving objects and distant geometry while riding, not only at a paused screenshot. A still image can exaggerate the importance of lighting while hiding the camera and control benefit of a higher frame rate. Conversely, if you play mostly in calm exploration and use a large display from a short distance, you may value the lighting differences more than the motion advantage.

Xbox Series S: Quality versus Performance

The Xbox Series S version has no ray-tracing features. Its official choice is Quality at a 30 FPS target or Performance at a 60 FPS target. Xbox Wire summarizes the distinction as Performance prioritizing frame rate and Quality prioritizing visual fidelity.

Do not select Series X or PS5 Ray Tracing advice expecting the same visual effect on Series S. The hardware choice is a frame-rate-versus-fidelity decision, not a ray-tracing decision.

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What changes in the September 2026 Remastered version on PS5

CD PROJEKT RED’s September 28, 2026 Remastered feature description changes the older 30-versus-60 rule. Ray Tracing Mode now brings enhanced lighting while targeting 60 FPS. Performance Mode offers a higher resolution while targeting 60 FPS and can reach up to 90 FPS on VRR-capable displays.

The phrase “up to 90 FPS” describes a supported upper result under the Remastered mode and a compatible VRR setup, not a guarantee that every location renders at 90 FPS. Scene complexity, display settings and frame-time variation still matter.

PS5 Pro

On PS5 Pro, the Remastered Ray Tracing Mode runs at a 60 FPS target with PSSR. Performance Mode remains a 60 FPS higher-resolution option and can use VRR. This makes the Pro decision less about accepting 30 FPS for ray tracing and more about choosing between enhanced lighting and the resolution or refresh-rate behavior of Performance.

PSSR is part of the Pro’s reconstruction approach; it does not remove the need for a suitable display or guarantee a fixed frame rate in every scene. If you own a Pro, use the mode that matches what you can actually see and feel on your television rather than assuming the base-console comparison still applies.

VRR, 120 Hz and HDMI 2.1: when display hardware matters

Variable refresh rate (VRR) allows a compatible display to adjust its refresh timing to the console’s changing frame delivery. That can make fluctuations feel less abrupt and reduce visible tearing. It cannot turn a 30 FPS target into 60 FPS, and it cannot create ray-traced features that the selected mode does not render.

Sony notes that some enhanced-frame-rate features require a compatible television or monitor using an HDMI 2.1 cable. Check all three parts of the chain:

• The display must support the required refresh rate and VRR range.
• The console must be connected to the display’s appropriate HDMI port.
• The cable and console video settings must support the signal mode you intend to use.

If your screen is limited to 60 Hz, the Remastered Performance mode’s “up to 90 FPS” capability cannot be displayed as intended. You can still choose Performance for its higher-resolution target, but the extra refresh-rate headroom is unavailable. If VRR is disabled or unsupported, a fluctuating result may look less even than it does on a compatible display.

How to choose in common playing situations

Fast combat, parrying and frequent camera turns

Use Performance on the 2022 base-console build. The 60 FPS target gives camera movement and input feedback more temporal information, which is especially helpful when several enemies attack from different directions. On the 2026 PS5 Remastered version, compare both 60 FPS modes and select Ray Tracing only if its lighting improvement matters more to you than Performance’s higher-resolution or VRR behavior.

Slow exploration, interiors and atmospheric play

Ray Tracing is the stronger visual choice when your enjoyment comes from lighting, shadow transitions and the way rooms or streets are illuminated. On the 2022 build, that means accepting the 30 FPS target. On the Remastered PS5 version, the lighting-focused mode no longer requires the same 30 FPS compromise, so it is the natural first choice for a player who previously avoided ray tracing solely because of frame rate.

Large 4K television viewed from a short distance

Performance’s resolution advantage can be easier to notice when you sit close to a large, high-resolution screen. Dynamic resolution and reconstruction are designed to balance image quality with frame time, so inspect fine geometry while moving rather than judging from a single still frame. If the lighting difference is more visible from your seat than the resolution difference, Ray Tracing may still be preferable.

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Small television, desk monitor or longer viewing distance

On a smaller screen or at a greater distance, the frame-rate difference often dominates perception. Performance’s smoother motion can remain obvious even when the lighting changes are subtle. This is a preference test, not a rule: switch modes in the same area and use the camera movement you perform most often.

A practical comparison procedure

Use the game’s graphics or display options to change modes. Menu names can differ between the 2022 build and the Remastered version, so look for the setting that explicitly names Performance, Quality or Ray Tracing rather than relying on a television’s picture preset.

1. Load the same save in an area you know, preferably one with combat, foliage, architecture and mixed lighting.
2. Stand still for several seconds and inspect indirect light, contact shadows and interior corners.
3. Move the camera rapidly left and right, then ride or run through the area to judge motion smoothness.
4. Repeat the test during a fight or another action sequence where parries, dodges and quick turns matter.
5. If you use VRR, verify on the display that VRR is active; do not infer it from the console mode name.
6. Choose the mode whose advantage you notice during normal play, then keep it for a full session before making a final judgment.

Do not compare a daytime scene in one mode with a night scene in another. Lighting changes, weather and location can make a mode appear better simply because the test conditions differ.

PC: why console-style advice does not transfer directly

On PC, the result depends on the GPU, output resolution, graphics settings, scene complexity and the selected upscaler. CD PROJEKT RED’s PC support measurements use DLSS, FSR or XeSS on Auto for the tested ray-tracing configurations and warn that expected FPS can fluctuate. A preset name therefore cannot guarantee a fixed frame rate on your computer.

Set a frame-rate goal first

Decide whether you are aiming for a stable 60 FPS, a higher refresh-rate result or the best lighting your hardware can sustain. Then choose resolution and ray-tracing options together. A lower output resolution or an upscaler may preserve the frame-rate target, while native resolution and heavier ray-tracing settings increase the workload.

Measure representative scenes

Test a city, a dense outdoor area, an interior and a combat encounter. A setting that holds your target in a quiet room may fall below it in a crowded street. Record the result with the same resolution, upscaler mode and graphics settings; changing several variables at once makes the comparison meaningless.

Interpret fluctuations correctly

A brief dip does not automatically mean the mode is unusable, but repeated frame-time spikes will be visible as hitching. If ray tracing misses your target, reduce the most demanding options or use Performance-oriented settings. If image quality is the problem, adjust reconstruction or resolution before concluding that the entire preset is unsuitable.

Common mistakes and how to correct them

• Applying 2022 advice to the 2026 Remastered PS5 version: verify the installed version first; Remastered Ray Tracing targets 60 FPS rather than the older 30 FPS target.
• Assuming VRR guarantees a higher frame rate: VRR smooths compatible fluctuations but does not raise the game’s target by itself.
• Expecting ray tracing on Xbox Series S: Series S provides Quality and Performance, not ray-traced global illumination or ambient occlusion.
• Judging from a paused screenshot: include camera turns and combat, because frame pacing and input response are central to the choice.
• Treating official targets as locked results: targets can vary by scene, settings, display mode and platform.
• Assuming PC presets behave like console modes: test your own GPU, resolution, scene and upscaling combination.
• Blaming the game for a display limitation: confirm the television’s refresh capability, HDMI port, cable and VRR settings before evaluating an enhanced-frame-rate feature.

Which mode should you use?

For the 2022 next-generation build on base PS5 or Xbox Series X, start with Performance unless lighting is your overriding priority. Its 60 FPS target makes combat and camera movement more responsive, while Ray Tracing’s 30 FPS target is best reserved for players who knowingly prefer its global illumination and ambient-occlusion improvements.

On Xbox Series S, choose Performance for responsiveness or Quality for higher resolution at 30 FPS; there is no ray-tracing alternative. On the September 2026 PS5 Remastered version, choose Ray Tracing if enhanced lighting is the feature you value most, because it now targets 60 FPS. Choose Performance if higher resolution or VRR-enabled refresh above 60 FPS matters more. PS5 Pro owners can select Ray Tracing without giving up the 60 FPS target, with PSSR contributing to that mode’s presentation.

On PC, make the decision from repeatable tests in your own demanding scenes. The best setting is the one that meets your frame-time goal without sacrificing the lighting or image clarity you actually notice during play.

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