Cyberpunk 2077 Best Graphics Settings for Low-End PCs (1080p)
Cyberpunk 2077 is one of the heaviest-looking games you can run at 1080p on modest hardware, but its graphics menu is also one of the most customizable. This guide is a subjective starting point for low-end PCs – think older GTX 16-series and RX 500-series cards or entry-level modern GPUs – built around one idea: cut the options that cost the most frames and look the worst, keep the cheap ones that make the city readable.
Who This Preset Is For
- You play at 1080p and want a stable frame rate over max visuals.
- Your GPU has 6 GB or less of VRAM, or an older 8 GB card.
- You prefer a clean, readable image over heavy cinematic effects.
The Heavy Hitters: Lower These First
Cyberpunk's options are not equally expensive. Three of them quietly eat a large share of your frame budget:
- Volumetric Fog Resolution – controls the density of fog, smoke and atmosphere. Dropping it from Ultra to Low barely changes how the city feels at street level but frees up a surprising number of frames.
- Screen Space Reflections Quality – puddles, windows and wet streets. This is one of the costliest options in the menu. Low keeps most reflective surfaces working; Ultra mostly refines edge quality.
- Volumetric Cloud Quality – matters most when you look at the sky. Many players happily leave this on Low for entire playthroughs.
Recommended Low-End Settings (1080p)
| Setting | Recommended | Why (subjective) |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Preset | Low or Medium | Baseline. Medium if you are close to 60 fps already, Low if not. |
| Texture Quality | Medium | Mostly VRAM-bound; keep Medium unless you see stutter or have under 6 GB VRAM, then Low. |
| Screen Space Reflections Quality | Low | Biggest single frame-saver with the smallest visible loss on low-end monitors. |
| Volumetric Fog Resolution | Low | Fog still reads as atmosphere; Ultra mostly adds cost. |
| Volumetric Cloud Quality | Low | Sky looks fine; you rarely stare at clouds mid-chase. |
| Ambient Occlusion | Medium | Cheap for the contact shadows it adds – one of the best quality-per-frame options. |
| Shadow quality options | Low–Medium | Keep cascaded and distant shadows modest; shadows flicker less than they cost. |
| Anisotropic Filtering | 8x or 16x | Nearly free on all modern GPUs – keep textures sharp when viewed at an angle. |
| Motion Blur | Off | Clearer image in combat and driving; a preference, not a rule. |
| Depth of Field | Off | Avoids smudged backgrounds; saves a few frames too. |
| Film Grain / Chromatic Aberration / Lens Flare | Off | Pure taste – most low-end players prefer the cleaner image. |
| Upscaling (DLSS / FSR / XeSS) | Quality mode, if available | Often the best frames-per-quality trade at 1080p; expect slight softness in motion. |
| Dynamic Resolution Scaling | On, ~85–90% (fallback) | A budget option if you do not use an upscaler: holds frame rate during busy scenes. |
Quick Tips (In-Game Options Only)
- Change one setting at a time and play for a few minutes – you will quickly learn which drops you personally do not notice.
- If the game feels smooth but stutters in crowded markets, Texture Quality is usually the VRAM suspect, not the preset.
- Prefer Quality-mode upscaling over a lower overall preset – most players find upscaled Medium looks better than native Low.
- Film grain and chromatic aberration are pure style calls; neither meaningfully affects performance, so keep them if you like the look.
Disclaimer: All settings recommendations are subjective preference guides only. Results may vary based on individual hardware, game patch version, driver releases and personal visual taste. This is not a guaranteed universal fix. We do not provide any system modification instructions and take no responsibility for any changes you make inside your game. Always adjust game settings gradually to suit your own preference.
FAQ
What is the best overall preset for Cyberpunk 2077 on a low-end PC?
Most low-end players get the best balance by starting with Low or Medium at 1080p, then selectively raising options that look good and cost little – anisotropic filtering, ambient occlusion – while keeping screen space reflections and volumetric fog low.
Should I turn off motion blur and depth of field?
Many players do, for a clearer image and a small performance gain. Some prefer the cinematic feel they add, so it is a taste decision – try both for a few minutes each.
Is upscaling worth using on a low-end PC?
If your GPU supports DLSS, FSR or XeSS, Quality mode at 1080p is often the single most effective way to gain frames while keeping the image close to native. See our DLSS vs FSR vs XeSS comparison for the trade-offs.