Cyberpunk 2077 is one of the most demanding games on the market right now. To enjoy it in all its ray tracing and DLSS glory, you’ll need a powerful graphics card. But which GPU should you get for Cyberpunk 2077 in 2023? This detailed guide examines the system requirements, graphics settings, and top cards for smooth 60+ FPS performance.

Key Takeaways:

• Cyberpunk 2077 is very GPU intensive, requiring at least a mid-range card for 60 FPS at 1080p.
• For max settings at 1440p, an RTX 3070 or RX 6800 is recommended. RTX 3080 or RX 6900 XT delivers 60+ FPS at 4K.
• 8GB of VRAM is enough for 1080p. 10GB or higher is better for 1440p and 4K.
• NVIDIA GPUs work best thanks to DLSS and more mature ray tracing support.
• AMD RDNA 2 cards offer great value, but lack DLSS. RX 6000 series ray tracing is still in early stages.
• Aim for 60+ FPS at your target resolution to enjoy Cyberpunk 2077 smoothly. Shoot for at least 30 FPS minimum.

Cyberpunk 2077 System Requirements

Cyberpunk 2077 has pretty beefy official system requirements, especially at higher settings:

Minimum Specs (Low Settings, 1080p):

• CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K or AMD FX-8310
• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 3GB or AMD Radeon RX 470
• RAM: 8GB
• Storage: 70 GB HDD (SSD recommended)

Recommended Specs (High Settings, 1080p):

• CPU: Intel Core i7-4790 or AMD Ryzen 3 3200G
• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB or AMD Radeon RX 590
• RAM: 12GB
• Storage: 70 GB SSD

Ideal Specs (Ultra Settings, 4K):

• CPU: Intel Core i7-6700 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600
• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080S or AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT
• RAM: 16GB
• Storage: 70 GB SSD

As you can see, Cyberpunk 2077 can be quite demanding, especially at higher resolutions and graphics settings. A strong 6GB+ video card is recommended for smooth 60 FPS gameplay. You’ll also want a fast quad core CPU and at least 12GB of RAM.

Graphics Settings Impact on Performance

Cyberpunk 2077 has a ton of graphics options to tweak, with major performance impacts:

• Resolution – The biggest impact. 4K is extremely demanding. 1440p is 35% easier to run than 4K. 1080p is much more playable.
• Ray Tracing – High impact on NVIDIA RTX cards. Lower FPS by 30% or more when enabled. AMD RDNA 2 ray tracing has less impact.
• DLSS – NVIDIA DLSS boosts FPS by up to 60% when enabled. Great way to offset ray tracing costs.
• Image Quality – Lowering quality from Ultra to High improves FPS significantly. Don’t use Ray Tracing on Ultra.
• Post-Processing – Costly settings like Motion Blur and Depth of Field hurt FPS on weaker GPUs. Turn off if needed.
• Shadow Quality – High impact on FPS. Keep on Medium or High for good balance.
• Crowd Density – Lower for noticeable FPS gains. High density taxes your GPU more.

Optimizing these settings based on your GPU will help Cyberpunk run much better. Use lower settings at first, then increase quality as you test performance. DLSS can also help maximize FPS on RTX cards.

Recommended Graphics Cards for Cyberpunk 2077

Now let’s get into the best GPU picks for Cyberpunk 2077 at various budgets and resolutions:

1080p Medium Settings

If you just want to play Cyberpunk 2077 at 1080p resolution and medium quality settings, these affordable graphics cards will work:

• NVIDIA GTX 1060 6GB – Reliable old mid-range card that hits 35-45 FPS on Medium.
• GTX 1660 Super – Newer budget model with 55-65 FPS expected. Great bang for buck.
• AMD RX 580 8GB – Similar performance to GTX 1060. Look for sub-$150 used pricing.
• RTX 2060 – Overkill for 1080p Medium, but gives you room to max settings. Averages 90 FPS.

Any modern video card with 6GB+ of VRAM should handle 1080p reasonably well. Shoot for at least a GTX 1060 / RX 580 level card.

1080p Ultra Settings

For maximum graphics settings at 1080p, including ray tracing and 60+ FPS, these GPUs are recommended:

• NVIDIA RTX 3060 Ti – Newest mid-range card perfect for 1080p Ultra. Averages 75 FPS with ray tracing enabled.
• AMD RX 6600 XT – Competitive AMD choice with similar performance. No DLSS but has ray tracing.
• NVIDIA RTX 2070 Super – Last-gen high end card still powerful. Expect 65 FPS with ray tracing on.
• NVIDIA RTX 3060 – Entry-level current-gen RTX card. Delivers 60 FPS at 1080p Ultra.

For high refresh rate 1080p gaming, the RTX 3060 Ti is an excellent choice with its combination of shader power and 8GB of VRAM. RDNA 2 options like the RX 6600 XT are also great here.

1440p Ultra Settings

Stepping up to 1440p significantly increases demands. These GPUs can handle Ultra settings and 60+ FPS:

• NVIDIA RTX 3070 – The new 1440p sweet spot. Averages 80 FPS with ray tracing and DLSS.
• AMD RX 6800 – AMD counterpart to RTX 3070 with similar power. Lacks DLSS support.
• NVIDIA RTX 2080 Super – Previous-gen flagship card still packs a punch. Expect 70 FPS.
• AMD RX 5700 XT – Great budget choice for 1440p. Hits 60 FPS with tweaked settings.

For maximizing 1440p performance in Cyberpunk, the RTX 3070 is highly recommended. It’s incredible value with impressive ray tracing and DLSS capabilities. AMD’s RX 6800 is close behind if you want to save money.

4K Ultra Settings

Running Cyberpunk 2077 at 4K resolution with maxed settings requires serious GPU power:

• NVIDIA RTX 3080 – The 4K beast thanks to 10GB VRAM and high core count. Averages 60 FPS with DLSS.
• AMD RX 6900 XT – Top-end RDNA 2 card competes with RTX 3080. Lower VRAM hurts it at 4K Ultra.
• NVIDIA RTX 3070 Ti – Good alternative with decent 60 FPS 4K potential. DLSS helps compensate for 8GB VRAM.
• NVIDIA RTX 3080 Ti – Overkill but ensures maxed 4K performance in other titles too. Expect 75 FPS.

For the ultimate 4K Cyberpunk 2077 experience, the RTX 3080 is your best bet right now. AMD’s RX 6900 XT puts up close competition but falls behind at higher resolutions. Lower-end cards will seriously struggle at 4K Ultra.

NVIDIA vs AMD GPU Performance

Let’s talk about general performance differences between NVIDIA and AMD graphics cards in Cyberpunk 2077:

NVIDIA GPUs have some major advantages:

• DLSS Support – DLSS is a game-changer, boosting FPS by 30-60% in most cases. Essential for high resolution ray tracing.
• RTX Ray Tracing – Mature ray tracing support with lower performance impact. 30 series handles it very well.
• Better Optimization – Early patches focused on NVIDIA stability and drivers. Performance slightly higher on RTX cards.
• NVIDIA Reflex – Reduces input latency with GeForce GPUs. Important for fast-paced FPS gameplay.

AMD RX 6000 cards offer great value but lack some key features:

• No DLSS Alternative – Big disadvantage is no DLSS-like upscaling tech for higher resolutions. Lowers maximum settings potential.
• Immature Ray Tracing – RDNA 2 ray tracing support is still in early days. Performance hit is higher than NVIDIA RTX.
• Aggressive Pricing – RX 6000 models are generally $50-100 cheaper than competing NVIDIA cards. Great for budget buyers.
• AMD FidelityFX – Alternative effects like Contrast Adaptive Sharpening help compensate in non-RTX areas.

Overall, NVIDIA RTX cards are better optimized for Cyberpunk 2077 right now. DLSS and superior ray tracing support give them an advantage. But AMD RX 6000 GPUs hold their own with better pricing and minimum FPS in many tests.

VRAM Concerns

Cyberpunk 2077 can use a lot of VRAM, especially at higher resolutions and with ray tracing enabled. Here are the recommended VRAM capacities:

• 1080p – 8GB is sufficient for 1080p in most cases. 6GB cards may need some texture reduction.
• 1440p – 8GB still works for Medium/High settings. 10GB+ ideal for Ultra and ray tracing.
• 4K – At least 10GB (or 12GB on AMD) required for 4K Ultra. 8GB cards will struggle.

Having more VRAM headroom allows for future texture increases via patches too. So if you’re choosing between GPUs, try to go with a model with 10GB or greater memory if possible, even for lower resolutions like 1440p.

Targeting 60 FPS Minimum

Cyberpunk 2077 plays best with at least a solid 60 FPS. Dips below 60 FPS can feel sluggish, especially in action-heavy sections:

• Shoot for a minimum of 60 FPS during combat, driving, and crowded city areas.
• Disable extremely demanding settings like Ultra Ray Tracing until you sustain 60 FPS.
• Use DLSS Quality mode for up to 60% FPS gain without much loss in sharpness. Big advantage for RTX cards.
• Reduce Crowds and consider Medium global illumination quality. Local shadows to High also helps.
• Overclock your GPU if possible for extra performance, even just 100-200 MHz.
• 30 FPS minimum is playable but not ideal. Use Low/Medium settings if needed to hit 30 FPS minimum.

Optimizing these tips to hold 60 FPS as much as possible will provide a great Cyberpunk 2077 experience. DLSS and reducing ray tracing cost can help a lot if your frame rate is struggling.

Wrapping Up

Cyberpunk 2077 demands powerful graphics hardware, but you don’t need an absolute top-tier card to enjoy it with good settings. Focus on the resolution you want and pick a suitable GPU from this guide to maximize performance. Mid-range options like the RTX 3060 Ti and RX 6700 XT are the best values for 1080p and 1440p gaming. For smooth 4K, step up to an RTX 3080 or RX 6900 XT. And remember to use settings optimization and DLSS to hit your FPS target! Let us know if you have any other questions.

FAQ

What graphics card should I get for Cyberpunk 2077?

For 1080p, the RTX 3060 Ti or RX 6600 XT are great choices. For 1440p, target the RTX 3070 or RX 6800. At 4K, you’ll need an RTX 3080 or RX 6900 XT.

What graphics card do I need for cyberpunk PC?

At a minimum, a GTX 1060 or RX 580 is required. For High settings at 1080p, look to a RTX 2060 or RX 5700. For maxed ray tracing, get an RTX 3070 or RX 6800.

Is Cyberpunk 2077 GPU heavy?

Absolutely. Cyberpunk 2077 demands a powerful modern graphics card for smooth performance, especially with ray tracing. GPU is by far the most important component.

What is the best graphics driver for Cyberpunk 2077?

For NVIDIA GPUs, use the latest Game Ready driver for optimal Cyberpunk performance. On AMD Radeon, opt for the Adrenalin 2020 Edition driver. Keep your graphics drivers updated.

What GPU for 1080p Ultra?

The RTX 3060 Ti and RX 6600 XT deliver 60+ FPS at 1080p max settings. They offer the best blend of price and performance for high-refresh gaming.

What GPU for 1440p Ultra?

RTX 3070 is the latest sweet spot card for 1440p Ultra, capable of 60+ FPS with DLSS and ray tracing. The RX 6800 is a good AMD alternative.

What GPU for 4K Ultra?

You’ll need serious GPU power for 4K Ultra like the RTX 3080 or RX 6900 XT. Lower-end cards can’t handle max settings. Use DLSS Quality mode to boost 4K FPS if you have an RTX GPU.

AMD or NVIDIA for Cyberpunk 2077?

NVIDIA RTX cards generally perform better thanks to DLSS support and more refined ray tracing. But AMD RX 6000 GPUs are very capable too, with better pricing and VRAM quantity.