⚙️ Cyberpunk 2077 Graphics Settings for High Performance

Cyberpunk 2077 is one of the most graphically intensive games out there. If you're struggling with low FPS or stuttering, you're not alone — but with the right settings, you can significantly improve performance without sacrificing too much visual fidelity.

This guide provides a breakdown of the best settings for smooth gameplay on mid- to low-end PCs, as well as tweaks for advanced users.

🎮 1. In-Game Settings to Prioritize Performance

Start by applying the Low or Medium preset, then tweak the following settings individually for the best performance-to-quality ratio.

🧪 Resolution Scaling

DLSS (NVIDIA RTX):
- Use Balanced or Quality for a mix of clarity and speed.
FSR (AMD or non-RTX GPUs):
- Start with Quality, go down to Balanced or Performance if needed.
XeSS (Intel GPUs):
- Similar to FSR; good for integrated or ARC graphics.

💡 These options render at a lower internal resolution and upscale the image, massively boosting FPS.

🎨 Texture Quality

Set to Medium (or High if you have 8GB+ VRAM).
Low saves VRAM but makes surfaces look blurry.

🔦 Ray Tracing

Turn it OFF unless you have a high-end GPU (RTX 3070 or better).
If you want it on, use Ray Traced Shadows only + DLSS on Performance or Ultra Performance.

👥 Crowd Density

Set to Low.
Frees up CPU cycles, especially useful in crowded areas like Night City downtown.

☁️ Volumetric Cloud Quality

Set to Low or Medium.
Minimal visual difference; big FPS gain on lower-end systems.

🌫️ Volumetric Fog Resolution

Set to Low.
One of the biggest FPS killers — disabling or lowering it helps a lot.

🌌 Ambient Occlusion

Set to Low or Off.
Slight visual downgrade, but boosts FPS noticeably.

🖥️ 2. System and Driver Optimization

🧩 Update GPU Drivers

Always install the latest NVIDIA or AMD drivers.
Use tools like GeForce Experience or AMD Adrenalin.

⚡ Nvidia Control Panel Tweaks

Power Management Mode: Prefer Maximum Performance
Low Latency Mode: On
Texture Filtering Quality: High Performance

🛠️ AMD Adrenalin Settings

Enable Radeon Super Resolution (RSR).
Use FidelityFX Sharpening to regain image clarity after upscaling.

🧠 Windows Graphics Settings

Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling: On
(Settings > System > Display > Graphics Settings)
Game Mode: On
(Settings > Gaming > Game Mode)

📦 3. System Tweaks for Smooth Gameplay

🗃️ Close Background Applications

Disable Discord overlays, RGB software, streaming apps, cloud sync, etc.
Use Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) to end background tasks.

💽 Install on SSD

Cyberpunk 2077 should not be installed on an HDD.
An SSD drastically improves loading times and texture streaming.

📈 4. Monitoring and Fine-Tuning

🎯 Track FPS and Performance

Use tools like:

In-game FPS counter (enable in HUD options)
CapFrameX
NVIDIA FrameView

🔄 Restart the Game After Changes

Some settings don’t take full effect until the game is restarted — especially texture and lighting changes.

⚠️ 5. Advanced Options (For Power Users)

⚠️ Modify only if you're confident and have backups.

📄 Game Engine Tweaks

Edit .ini files to force performance-friendly rendering pipelines.
Use mods or tools like Cyber Engine Tweaks to disable post-processing effects.

✅ Quick Settings Summary

| Setting | Recommended Value | |--------|-------------------| | DLSS / FSR | Balanced or Quality | | Ray Tracing | Off | | Texture Quality | Medium | | Volumetric Fog | Low | | Crowd Density | Low | | Ambient Occlusion | Low | | GPU Scheduling | On | | Power Mode | Maximum Performance | | Install Location | SSD |

🧠 Final Tips

Begin with Medium preset + DLSS Quality and lower only what affects FPS most.
Monitor your GPU usage and temps to ensure your system is not throttling.
Experiment gradually — test each change in a dense area like Jig-Jig Street or during combat.

With these tweaks, you should enjoy noticeably smoother gameplay, even on mid-range or older hardware.

Now go out and take back Night City — minus the stutter! 🦾🌃