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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →To improve Cyberpunk 2077 on a lower-end PC, first check whether your hardware meets CD PROJEKT RED’s current minimum requirements. Then start with the in-game Low preset, reduce output resolution if needed, keep ray tracing off, update your GPU driver, and test whichever upscaling options your game supports. Treat frame generation as a later step: CDPR recommends a baseline of at least 60 FPS before enabling it.
Can your PC run Cyberpunk 2077?
CD PROJEKT RED’s current requirements apply to the base game and Phantom Liberty from Update 2.0 onward. The non-ray-tracing minimum targets 1080p on Low at an expected 30 FPS. It is a publisher target, not a promise that every system with one matching component will achieve that result: performance varies with hardware, software, settings, and resolution.
| Requirement | Current non-ray-tracing minimum |
|---|---|
| Operating system | 64-bit Windows 10 |
| Processor | Intel Core i7-6700 or AMD Ryzen 5 1600 |
| Graphics card | GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB, Radeon RX 580 8 GB, or Intel Arc A380 |
| Video memory | 6 GB VRAM |
| System memory | 12 GB RAM |
| Storage | 70 GB SSD |
| Target setting and performance | Low preset, 1080p, expected 30 FPS |
CDPR describes the game as both graphics- and processor-intensive, and DirectX 12 is required. Its updated requirements discontinued HDD support. If your PC falls short of the CPU, GPU, memory, or storage requirements, settings changes may help, but they cannot guarantee a smooth result. The older Patch 1.63 requirements remain on the support page as historical specifications; use the Update 2.0-and-later table for the current baseline. CD PROJEKT RED’s current system requirements and its June 2023 requirements update explain the targets and their limits.
How do you make Cyberpunk 2077 run better on a low-end PC?
Change one thing at a time, then test the same area or activity. This helps distinguish a setting that improves performance from one that only makes the image less clear.
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- Check your system against the current minimum. Verify the exact GPU model and VRAM, CPU, RAM, Windows version, and whether the game is installed on an SSD with enough free space.
- Start with the Low preset. In the game’s graphics settings, choose Low as a baseline. If performance is still poor, lower the output resolution and compare again. Lower resolution reduces rendering load, but makes the image less sharp; the official minimum target is 1080p Low, and a PC below that baseline may still struggle.
- Leave ray tracing off while diagnosing. The ray-tracing tier is substantially higher than the non-ray-tracing minimum. CDPR lists its 1080p RT Low target at an expected 30 FPS with an RTX 2060, RX 6800 XT, or Arc A750, 8 GB VRAM, 16 GB RAM, and higher CPU requirements. If your PC is a lower-end setup, establish a stable non-RT baseline first. The requirements table lists both tiers.
- Update your graphics driver. Get the current driver from your GPU manufacturer and restart the PC if the installer requires it. CDPR recommends keeping drivers updated; older driver-version advice can become obsolete.
- Test an available upscaler. Upscaling renders the game at a lower internal resolution and scales the image to your output resolution, trading some image detail for potential performance. Compare the options actually shown by your game and hardware, and choose based on your own balance of smoothness and clarity. There is no guaranteed FPS gain or universally best scaler across different PCs.
- Measure performance before considering frame generation. A higher displayed frame rate from generated frames does not replace a sufficiently strong underlying frame rate. CDPR recommends a baseline of at least 60 FPS before enabling FSR Frame Generation; below that, it warns that artifacts and frame-pacing problems may be more noticeable.
- Diagnose the remaining bottleneck before buying parts. If performance is still unacceptable, compare the failing requirement with your actual components. An SSD addresses the current storage requirement, not a weak GPU or CPU; memory and processor shortfalls need different remedies.
Which upscaling and frame-generation options should you use?
Choose only among the features your installed game and hardware expose. PC support has changed over time, so the available list depends on the game patch, GPU, and drivers.
Upscaling
CDPR’s FSR guidance places FSR in Settings → Graphics → Quick Preset. The game has retained FSR 2.1 alongside FSR 3, allowing players to choose a quality/performance setting. Try the available choices and compare both image clarity and smoothness in a repeatable scene; the official guidance does not establish that one option wins on every system. CDPR’s FSR 3 support article describes the settings.
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FSR Frame Generation
Frame generation is a separate setting and, according to CDPR’s support guidance, can be enabled only when FSR 3 upscaling is enabled. CDPR advises a 60 FPS baseline first and recommends a 120 Hz-or-higher monitor. Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling must also be on: Windows 11 enables it by default, while CDPR’s support article gives Windows 10 steps. These are prerequisites and recommendations, not a promise that frame generation will fix poor performance on a very weak system.
Why your game may show different features
Patch 2.13, released September 12, 2024, added FSR 3 with Frame Generation and Intel XeSS 1.3 on PC; it also moved HDD Mode, Hybrid CPU Utilization, and AMD SMT controls to the Utilities tab. CDPR’s July 2025 Update 2.3 announcement later listed AMD FSR 4, FSR 3.1 Frame Generation, and Intel XeSS 2.0 among the PC technology features. The exact options available depend on your patch, GPU, and drivers, so use the settings your installation actually provides. Patch 2.13 notes and the Update 2.3 announcement document those changes.
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When should you upgrade hardware?
Upgrade only after identifying which requirement or component is limiting your system. The current minimum spans graphics, processor, RAM, and SSD storage; the right fix depends on what your PC actually has. If the game is on an HDD, moving it to a compatible SSD addresses the stated storage requirement, but an SSD is not a general FPS upgrade. If the GPU or CPU is below the minimum, storage alone will not remedy that shortfall. Check compatibility with your motherboard, power supply, case, and existing memory before choosing replacement parts.
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