There is no single best graphics preset for The Witcher 3: choose based on whether you value lighting, resolution, or smoother motion, and on the features your hardware and display support. Since the September 29, 2026 Remastered release, PC offers Path Tracing and several vendor-specific upscaling and frame-generation options; PS5’s updated modes target 60 FPS, with Performance Mode able to reach up to 90 FPS on VRR-capable displays. Those are developer-stated targets, not guarantees for every scene or system. CD PROJEKT RED says Remastered is available on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2.
Which settings should you choose?
Start with the option that matches your priority, then adjust only if the result is unsatisfactory. More advanced lighting can cost performance, while a higher frame-rate target or resolution may involve different trade-offs. Your platform, PC hardware, display resolution, VRR support, and tolerance for image reconstruction all matter; no mode is best for everyone.
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- Prioritize lighting: On PS5, begin with Ray Tracing Mode. On PC, consider ray-traced effects or Path Tracing only if your system can sustain the experience you want.
- Prioritize smooth motion or resolution: On PS5, compare Performance Mode. On PC, first settle on a resolution and conventional rendering settings that feel responsive before considering frame generation.
- Unsure: Compare options in the same location while making the same camera movement. Change one demanding setting at a time so you can identify what affects image quality or responsiveness.
What changed in the 2026 Remastered update?
CD PROJEKT RED’s September 2026 Remastered change list is the current reference for the new PC features and updated PlayStation modes. Older next-gen notes remain useful as historical context, but their mode targets should not be presented as current when later notes supersede them. Read the Remastered change list.
PC: how to balance image quality and performance
Begin with a conventional baseline
Choose a resolution and quality level your PC can sustain without Path Tracing, then assess the result before enabling additional rendering features. This is a sensible tuning sequence, not a claim that one preset is objectively optimal. CD PROJEKT RED cautions that performance varies with system configuration, graphics settings, and output resolution; higher resolution significantly affects FPS. See the updated PC requirements and their stated test conditions.
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Enable ray tracing or Path Tracing selectively
Ray-traced effects and Path Tracing are image-quality choices with a hardware cost, not automatic upgrades. If enabling them makes motion or responsiveness unsatisfactory, reduce the rendering burden or return to the conventional baseline. Patch 4.01 introduced a PC performance mode for ray-traced global illumination that prioritized frame rate over range and precision, but that historical description does not establish how every current ray-tracing option behaves. CD PROJEKT RED’s Patch 4.01 notes describe that earlier mode.
Use reconstruction and frame generation only when compatible
The Remastered PC update adds NVIDIA DLSS 4.5 with Ray Reconstruction; AMD FSR 4, including Frame Generation and Anti-Lag 2; and Intel XeSS 2.0, including Frame Generation and Low Latency. The change list says FSR 4 supports Radeon RX 7000 Series and newer; unsupported GPUs use FSR 2 instead. Check compatibility before selecting a feature, since support depends on hardware and, where relevant, drivers. The official change list names the added features and FSR compatibility.
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Upscaling reconstructs an image from a lower-resolution rendering workload; frame generation adds generated frames to displayed output. Generated output frames are not the same as additional conventionally rendered frames, so displayed FPS alone does not tell you how responsive play will feel. Judge motion and input response as well as the frame-rate counter. CD PROJEKT RED’s published PC performance expectations use specific test conditions: its RT and Path Tracing figures were measured with DLSS, FSR, or XeSS on Auto; other configurations used native resolution, and Path Tracing measurements also used upscaling and Frame Generation. These figures are not promises for every system or scene.
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The 2022 update added ULTRA+ controls for background character count, shadows, grass density, textures, foliage range, terrain, water, and detail, along with DLSS 3 support for compatible hardware. These notes describe the earlier update, not a complete inventory of current Remastered controls. Use the current in-game options and requirements for your installation rather than assuming an older list captures every new feature. The 2022 next-gen change list records those launch-era PC additions.
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PS5 and PS5 Pro: choose between lighting and motion
| Mode or feature | What CD PROJEKT RED says | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
| Ray Tracing Mode | Enhanced lighting; targets 60 FPS. | Players who prefer the lighting presentation. |
| Performance Mode | Higher resolution; targets 60 FPS and can reach up to 90 FPS on VRR-capable displays. | Players who prioritize higher resolution or smoother motion, especially with a VRR display. |
| PS5 Pro support | PSSR, VRR, and uncapped frame rates. | Owners with compatible hardware and displays who want to use those features. |
These are developer-described targets and supported features, not guaranteed results in every area or on every display. Compare both modes in the same place and during the same camera movement; the recommendation above follows the stated trade-offs rather than hands-on testing. The Remastered notes describe the updated PlayStation behavior.
Xbox Series X|S: what is and is not confirmed
The 2026 Remastered change list specifies updated graphics-mode behavior for PlayStation but does not give revised Xbox Series X|S targets. The available Xbox figures are from the 2022 next-gen launch notes, so treat them as historical rather than verified current Remastered performance:
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- Xbox Series X, 2022: Ray Tracing Mode targeted 30 FPS; Performance Mode targeted 60 FPS with dynamic resolution scaling.
- Xbox Series S, 2022: The launch notes said it had no ray-tracing features; Quality Mode targeted 30 FPS and Performance Mode targeted 60 FPS.
Those targets come from CD PROJEKT RED’s December 2022 notes. The searched 2026 update notes do not establish whether the Xbox targets or mode behavior have changed, so do not assume the older figures describe the Remastered version.
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Nintendo Switch 2: supported options without stated FPS targets
The Remastered change list lists four playstyles—Handheld, Pro Controller, Dual Grip, and Mouse Sensor—and says the game supports VRR in handheld mode and HDR. It does not state resolution or frame-rate targets for these playstyles, so there is no substantiated numerical target to compare here. The official change list details the listed playstyles and display features.
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Why older next-gen settings advice can mislead
At the 2022 launch, CD PROJEKT RED described PS5 and Xbox Series X Ray Tracing Mode as using ray-traced global illumination and ambient occlusion with dynamic resolution targeting 30 FPS; Performance Mode targeted 60 FPS with dynamic resolution. The same launch notes said Series S did not have ray-tracing features. Those statements explain the original mode trade-offs, but the PlayStation targets were updated in 2026 and should not be repeated as current PS5 guidance. See the original next-gen notes.
Quick Recap
A practical tuning sequence
- Identify your platform and display: Note your console or PC hardware, output resolution, and whether your display supports VRR.
- Pick a priority: Decide whether lighting, resolution, or responsive motion matters most to you.
- Set a baseline: On PC, begin without Path Tracing; on console, start with the mode whose stated trade-off fits your priority.
- Compare consistently: Use the same location and camera movement for each comparison. Change one demanding option at a time.
- Keep features that improve your experience: If reconstruction or frame generation is available and compatible, assess image quality and responsiveness, not just displayed FPS.
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