Frame generation can make Cyberpunk 2077 look smoother by inserting generated frames between traditionally rendered ones, but a higher displayed FPS does not mean the game is sampling your inputs just as often. It can improve the appearance of motion while making controls feel less immediate, and the result depends on your base frame rate, graphics settings, hardware, and display. Here is how to judge the trade-off, what the game supports on PC, and how to tune it without mistaking generated FPS for responsiveness.
What frame generation changes—and what it does not
In a conventional render, the game produces each displayed frame from the current simulation state. Frame generation inserts additional frames between traditionally rendered ones, increasing the number of images sent to the display. Those generated images can make camera pans and movement appear smoother, but they are not new samples of your controller or mouse input from the game simulation.
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That distinction matters because the FPS counter after frame generation describes displayed output, not by itself the rate at which the game is processing input and rendering fresh frames. A game that displays a high generated frame rate can still feel less responsive than that number suggests. For a useful comparison, note both the base rendered rate before generation and the displayed rate after it, then judge how control feels in motion.
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Frame generation is also separate from upscaling. An upscaler reconstructs an output image from a lower-resolution render; frame generation creates extra in-between images. The settings can be used together, but changing one does not mean you have changed the other. In Cyberpunk 2077, DLSS reconstruction model choice, upscaling quality, Ray Reconstruction, and frame-generation multiplier all contribute to different parts of the result.
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Which frame-generation options does the PC version support?
AMD FSR 3 Frame Generation
Patch 2.13, dated September 12, 2024, added AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution 3 with Frame Generation to the PC version. CD PROJEKT RED’s support guidance says FSR Frame Generation can be used only when FSR 3 upscaling is enabled. The same guidance recommends a minimum 60 FPS baseline before turning on generation and a 120 Hz-or-higher display for its FSR setup. It also lists Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling and updated graphics drivers as setup requirements. Its driver-version listings are from an older support page, so use current driver guidance from the relevant GPU maker rather than treating those old versions as current.
The developer’s wording is direct: “It’s recommended to run the game at a baseline of minimum 60 FPS before enabling Frame Generation for it to work properly.” CD PROJEKT RED Support also warns that lower refresh-rate displays can lead to frame-time issues. This is guidance for its FSR configuration, not a guarantee that every player who meets those conditions will see the same latency or image quality.
NVIDIA DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation
Patch 2.21 added DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation (MFG) for GeForce RTX 50 Series graphics cards. CD PROJEKT RED’s support page lists 2x, 3x, and 4x modes; the patch notes describe generating up to three AI frames for each traditionally rendered frame. The RTX 50 Series restriction applies to this DLSS 4 MFG feature, not to every frame-generation feature in the game.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minutePatch 2.21 also introduced NVIDIA’s Transformer model for DLSS Super Resolution, Ray Reconstruction, and DLAA on GeForce RTX cards. CD PROJEKT RED says the model improves stability, lighting, and detail in motion. These reconstruction options are distinct from MFG: changing the model can affect the reconstructed image, while changing the MFG multiplier changes how many generated frames are inserted. Do not attribute an image-quality change to the multiplier alone if you also changed the upscaler or reconstruction settings.
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NVIDIA’s DLSS 3 description presents its system as combining Super Resolution and Frame Generation with Reflex. The company’s historical Cyberpunk figures—138 FPS at 4K on an RTX 4090, 102 FPS at 4K on an RTX 4080, and 136 FPS at 1440p on an RTX 4070 Ti—are vendor-reported results from its chosen test settings. They are not an independent, like-for-like comparison with current hardware, nor do they establish what latency or image quality a player should expect today.
Does frame generation add input lag in Cyberpunk 2077?
It can affect the responsiveness trade-off, but the exact result is setup-dependent. Generated images do not contain fresh input samples, and frame generation adds processing and display-scheduling considerations. NVIDIA Reflex, included with DLSS 3, is intended to manage the render queue and reduce system latency. Reflex does not turn generated frames into newly rendered simulation frames, so a smoother picture and the lowest possible input latency are not automatically the same outcome.
The most directly relevant recent hands-on test in the available evidence is PC Gamer’s March 31, 2026 test. It used a Ryzen 9 9950X3D, GeForce RTX 5090, and 240 Hz OLED display, running Cyberpunk 2077 at 4K with RT Overdrive and DLSS Performance. The no-frame-generation run was described as around 60 FPS and somewhat janky. With in-game 4x MFG, motion appeared smoother, in part because frame generation also enabled Reflex, but measured system latency rose and camera swings felt somewhat sluggish. During a dynamic 5x mode portion, the reported system-latency figure reached around 50 ms.
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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallThose observations illustrate why the displayed FPS alone is an incomplete measure; they are not universal latency values for MFG or the game. The test reflects its particular system, scene, display, settings, and measurement method. The 5x result is an observation from that dynamic test, not one of the 2x, 3x, or 4x selectable modes listed by CD PROJEKT RED’s support page.
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An older PC Games Hardware test also illustrates the importance of separating Reflex from frame generation. Using an RTX 4080, NVIDIA LDAT, and a specified scene and settings, it reported approximately 47 ms end-to-end latency without Reflex and approximately 33 ms with Reflex; its lowest latency was with Reflex on and frame generation off. These numbers belong to that historical test configuration, not to every PC or current game patch. The test is described at PC Games Hardware’s Cyberpunk 2077 frame-generation analysis.
How DLSS and FSR frame generation compare in image quality
There is no universal winner established by the available comparisons. Upscaler quality mode, reconstruction model, Ray Reconstruction, scene motion, and generation settings affect what you see. Artifacts can be most noticeable when images change quickly or contain fine detail or interface elements, but the evidence here does not establish a single artifact rate or a result that applies to every scene and GPU.
Hardwareluxx compared DLSS 3 Quality plus Frame Generation and FSR 3 Quality plus Frame Generation at 3840×2160 with RT Overdrive. Its system used a Ryzen 5 7600X3D and RTX 4090. The listed figures were close between the two generated configurations, while native rendering was substantially lower in the same reported comparisons:
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| DLSS 3 Quality + Frame Generation | 82.7 and 66.4 FPS |
| FSR 3 Quality + Frame Generation | 82.1 and 68.4 FPS |
| Native rendering | 24.3 and 17.6 FPS |
These are Hardwareluxx results from that 4K RT Overdrive test, not expected averages for other scenes or machines. The publication found the tested DLSS and FSR configurations close in FPS. It considered FSR’s sharpness and detail competitive in the shown images, but judged DLSS’s overall image more convincing in this comparison because Ray Reconstruction restored detail. That judgment is specific to the test and its images; it does not establish a general ranking across GPUs, patches, or settings.
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- Responsive!!: Fast response time of 1ms enhances the experience. No matter the fast-moving action or any dramatic transitions will be all rendered smoothly without the annoying effects of smearing or ghosting. With up to 120Hz refresh rate speeds up the frames per second to deliver smooth 2D motion scenes.
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NVIDIA has also said a DLSS 3 update improved UI stability and image quality during fast movement. That vendor statement documents targeted improvements, not the elimination of all UI or motion artifacts. When evaluating your own image, inspect moving scenes as well as a still frame: a sharp static image will not reveal every instability that can appear during a camera turn.
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- Record the base rendered rate first. Check performance with frame generation off in the scene and graphics settings you actually play. For FSR 3, CD PROJEKT RED recommends at least a 60 FPS baseline; its guidance warns that lower rates can make artifacts more prominent and cause frame-pacing problems.
- Keep the comparison controlled. Enable one frame-generation option without simultaneously changing resolution, upscaling quality, ray tracing, or reconstruction model. Otherwise, you will not know which setting changed the image or control feel.
- Check the applicable setup conditions. For the developer’s FSR 3 setup, enable FSR 3 upscaling, use Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling, keep graphics drivers updated, and use a 120 Hz-or-higher display as recommended. Do not assume those FSR-specific requirements apply identically to DLSS MFG.
- Test the scenes that expose trade-offs. Compare a steady traversal, a rapid camera turn, and a scene with fine detail or visible interface elements. Look for smoother motion as well as image instability, frame pacing, and whether aiming or camera control feels delayed.
- Compare how it feels, not just the counter. Note the base rendered rate, generated/displayed rate, and your own control response. If the base rate is low or movement feels delayed, reduce rendering demands or disable frame generation and compare again. This is a tuning approach, not a guaranteed fix.
What a higher-refresh display can—and cannot—do
A 120 Hz-or-higher display is part of CD PROJEKT RED’s FSR 3 setup recommendation, and the support page warns that lower refresh rates can contribute to frame-time issues. A display with a higher refresh rate can present more frequent updates when the system supplies them, but buying one does not increase the GPU’s base rendered FPS or inherently lower system latency. Whether an upgrade makes sense depends on your hardware, resolution, budget, and other uses for the screen—not frame generation alone.
How to interpret FPS and latency claims
- Check what the FPS figure represents. A generated output figure is not the same as the base rate of traditionally rendered frames.
- Keep the test attached to the number. Resolution, graphics settings, GPU, CPU, scene, display, and measurement method matter. A 4K RT Overdrive result on one RTX 4090 does not predict performance on another configuration.
- Do not generalize a latency measurement. The around-50-ms observation came from one RTX 5090 MFG test; the LDAT figures came from a separate RTX 4080 test with different conditions.
- Separate image reconstruction from frame insertion. DLSS or FSR quality mode and reconstruction features alter the rendered image path; generation changes the displayed sequence. Comparisons that change both at once cannot isolate one effect.
The evidence does not provide a single controlled, current comparison across GPU families and generation modes using the same scenes and latency equipment. Consequently, it cannot support a universal latency penalty, a definitive image-quality ordering, or one optimal multiplier for every player. Use the game’s own scene and your own control response to choose between smoother presentation and the feel you want.
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