There is no single best Cyberpunk 2077 PC preset for every system. Choose settings around your graphics card, processor, display resolution, target frame rate and whether you want conventional rendering, ray tracing or path tracing. A reliable starting point is to select an official target tier, use a GPU-compatible upscaler if needed, then benchmark and adjust one setting at a time.
Start with a target your PC can reasonably support
CD PROJEKT RED’s PC requirements table applies to the base game and Phantom Liberty from Update 2.0 onward. Its listed frame rates are expectations for the named configurations, not guarantees: results vary with the system, individual settings and output resolution. The game requires DirectX 12 and is both graphics- and processor-intensive. See the official Cyberpunk 2077 system requirements.
| Rendering target | Official target | Example GPU configurations | Other listed requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-ray-tracing minimum | 1080p, Low, 30 FPS | GTX 1060 6 GB, RX 580 8 GB or Arc A380 | 12 GB RAM; 6 GB VRAM; 70 GB SSD |
| Non-ray-tracing recommended | 1080p, High, 60 FPS | RTX 2060 Super, RX 5700 XT or Arc A770 | 16 GB RAM; 8 GB VRAM; 70 GB SSD |
| Non-ray-tracing Ultra | 2160p, Ultra, 60 FPS | RTX 3080 or RX 7900 XTX | 20 GB RAM; 12 GB VRAM; 70 GB NVMe |
| Ray-tracing minimum | 1080p, RT Low, 30 FPS | RTX 2060, RX 6800 XT or Arc A750 | 8 GB VRAM; 70 GB SSD |
| Ray-tracing recommended | 1080p, RT Ultra, 60 FPS | RTX 3080 Ti or RX 7900 XTX | 20 GB RAM; 12 GB VRAM; 70 GB NVMe |
| Overdrive | 2160p, 60 FPS | RTX 4080 | 24 GB RAM; 16 GB VRAM; 70 GB NVMe; target assumes DLSS Frame Generation |
GPU models are examples in CD PROJEKT RED’s table, not a complete ranking. The Overdrive figure is not a native-rendering target: its stated 2160p/60 expectation includes DLSS Frame Generation. Use the closest tier as a starting point rather than assuming a listed card will deliver the same result in every scene.
Choose the rendering style before tuning individual settings
Conventional rendering: the practical starting point
If smooth performance matters most, begin with ray tracing off and a resolution and preset aligned with your hardware. Players near the official 1080p Low or High tiers can use those as anchors; the 2160p Ultra tier calls for substantially stronger listed hardware. Upscaling can help when the GPU struggles at the chosen output resolution, but its visual quality depends on the mode and the scene. Compare the image at your normal viewing distance rather than assuming one mode is best on every display.
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Standard ray tracing: a higher cost for lighting effects
Ray tracing has its own official tiers, distinct from the non-RT presets. The minimum target is 1080p RT Low at 30 FPS, while the recommended target is 1080p RT Ultra at 60 FPS. If your system falls short of the ray-tracing target you want, reduce the ray-tracing level or turn it off before making several unrelated changes. This makes it easier to judge whether the lighting improvement is worth the performance cost on your PC.
Overdrive: path tracing for high-end GPUs
Overdrive is above RT Ultra and includes path-traced rendering. CD PROJEKT RED says it is very GPU-intensive and off by default. Its support guidance recommends RTX 40 Series cards from RTX 4070 Ti upward, and also lists an RTX 3090 for 1080p/30 FPS; these are developer recommendations, not universal guarantees. Consult the Overdrive requirements and setup guidance before treating this mode as a gameplay target.
Photo Mode path-traced screenshots have separate VRAM thresholds: 8 GB at 1080p, 10 GB at 1440p and 12 GB at 2160p. Those thresholds concern screenshots, not playable path-tracing performance.
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Use the upscaler and frame-generation features your hardware supports
As of Update 2.3, the PC version supports AMD FSR 3.1 Frame Generation and Intel XeSS 2.0. CD PROJEKT RED also notes that DLSS Super Resolution preset tooltips provide more detail to help select an option. The patch notes confirm feature availability; they do not establish a universal image-quality or performance winner. Check the Update 2.3 patch notes and the options shown in your game.
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DLSS features are hardware-dependent. CD PROJEKT RED’s DLSS 4 support article says Patch 2.21 introduced Multi Frame Generation for RTX 50-series cards, with 2x, 3x and 4x choices, and a Transformer model option for Super Resolution and Ray Reconstruction on RTX cards, alongside the CNN option. The developer describes the Transformer model as improving image stability, reducing ghosting and improving anti-aliasing; that is the developer’s description, not an independent comparative test. See the DLSS 4 feature guidance.
Frame generation can increase displayed frame rate, but do not treat a generated-frame result as equivalent to the same rate rendered natively. Check responsiveness as well as the number on the counter, especially in fast camera movement or combat. The official Overdrive target that includes DLSS Frame Generation should be read with that distinction in mind.
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Adjust settings methodically instead of copying a universal preset
- Save your current configuration. Note resolution, preset, upscaler and mode, ray-tracing state, and frame-generation state so you can revert.
- Choose a repeatable measurement. Run the built-in benchmark or replay the same gameplay route under comparable conditions. Record output resolution and average FPS; if your measurement tool supports it, record 1% lows as well.
- Change one setting or category at a time. For a GPU-limited system, first test resolution/upscaling and ray-tracing level. For a CPU-limited system, test Crowd Density: Update 2.0 moved it to Settings → Graphics and made it adjustable independently of Quick Presets.
- Repeat the same run. Compare smoothness and visible detail as well as the frame-rate reading. Keep the change only if its visual or performance trade-off suits your target.
- Recheck after major changes. A different resolution, rendering mode or upscaler can change which component limits performance, so repeat the comparison rather than carrying over assumptions.
This is a practical tuning method, not a measured custom preset. No setting has a universal FPS gain: outcomes depend on the PC, scene, resolution and combination of options. CD PROJEKT RED likewise cautions that results vary with configuration, settings and output resolution in its PC requirements update.
Check CPU behavior, storage and the current patch
AMD CPU owners can find the SMT control under Settings → Gameplay → Performance, with Off, On and Auto modes. Update 2.0 says Auto seeks optimal average performance across locations and situations based on tests conducted with AMD; it is not a guaranteed best choice for every processor. Test modes on your own repeatable route rather than assuming a universal gain. Update details are in the Update 2.0 notes.
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Feature availability can change with patches and hardware. The official PC notes identified here extend through Update 2.3; check current in-game menus and patch notes if a later update has been released. Update 2.0’s original DLSS Ray Reconstruction note named NVIDIA Game Ready Driver 537.42 as the minimum for that launch-era implementation; that historical requirement is not a current driver recommendation.
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