Cyberpunk 2077 Settings Matrix: 5 GPUs × 1080p, 1440p, 4K
This is a preset matrix, not a benchmark chart. It tells you which preset tier makes sense for a given card at a given resolution, what to cut when it does not hold, and where a combination stops being sensible at all. There are deliberately no frame-rate numbers: they shift with patches, scenes and drivers, and a number copied from someone else's machine is worse than useless when you are tuning your own.
The Matrix
| GPU | 1080p | 1440p | 4K |
|---|---|---|---|
| GTX 1650 (4 GB) | Low–Medium base, upscaling on, RT off. Texture quality Medium to protect VRAM. | Low base with upscaling at a stronger step; expect a softer image. | Not a sensible target — VRAM and raw throughput both run out. |
| GTX 1660 Super (6 GB) | Medium base, RT off, no upscaling needed. | Low–Medium; upscaling Quality recommended. | Technically launches; better to stay at 1440p. |
| RX 6600 (8 GB) | High base, RT off, native. Very comfortable. | Medium–High with FSR Quality. | Only with heavy upscaling; image trade is significant. |
| RTX 3060 (12 GB) | High base, RT off, native. Room to raise textures. | Medium–High with DLSS Quality. See the 3060 at 1440p guide. | Possible with DLSS Performance; expect visible softness. |
| RTX 4060 (8 GB) | High base; ray tracing becomes an option with DLSS Quality. | Medium–High with DLSS Quality. | DLSS Performance required; VRAM is the limiter, not compute. |
Presets are a starting point, not a verdict. A card that "should" manage High at 1440p can still drop in Jig-Jig Street at night with rain, crowd density and neon reflections stacked — which is exactly where the preset has to survive.
Five Sliders That Actually Decide Your Frame Rate
- Screen Space Reflections — wet asphalt everywhere in Night City. High is beautiful and expensive; Medium is the standard compromise.
- Volumetric Cloud Quality — the sky is a huge, layered volume. Medium removes most of the cost with little loss at ground level.
- Crowd Density — a processor cost, not a GPU one. It matters in markets and plazas and does nothing in the Badlands.
- Cascaded Shadows Range / Resolution — how far and how sharply shadows are drawn. Medium is the usual sweet spot.
- Texture Quality — a VRAM decision. If you see hitches rather than low frame rate, this is the slider you touched wrong.
Ray tracing is a sixth decision rather than a slider: at 1080p it is optional, at 1440p it needs upscaling help, at 4K it is a different conversation entirely. See ray tracing cost vs payoff.
Cut Order When It Doesn't Hold
- Volumetric Cloud Quality — least noticed, most expensive sky option.
- Screen Space Reflections — Medium, then Low.
- Shadow Resolution — one tier, never both at once.
- Local Shadow Mesh Quality — small objects' shadows.
- Crowd Density — only if your dips are in populated areas.
- Upscaling one step stronger — before touching texture quality.
What not to cut: texture quality (VRAM permitting) and anisotropic filtering. They are cheap and they are most of what makes Night City look like Night City.
How to Read "Preset Tier"
Each tier means a specific combination rather than a vibe:
- Low base — most effects at Low/Off, textures Medium, upscaling on. Readability over fidelity.
- Medium base — reflections and volumetrics Medium, shadows Medium, textures High. The general-purpose tier.
- High base — most options High, ray tracing still off. The best-looking tier that still holds a stable frame rate on mid-range cards.
- RT on — ray tracing enabled, paired with a Quality upscaling mode and everything else settled first.
The one test that matters: stand in a crowded, rainy street at night, look down the road, and walk. That single scene combines crowd simulation, reflections, volumetrics and shadows. If it holds there, your preset is real; if it only holds in the Badlands, it is a screenshot preset.
Resolution Reality Check
Each step up in resolution multiplies the pixel count: 1440p is roughly 1.8× the pixels of 1080p, and 4K is about 4×. No settings menu changes that arithmetic. That is why the matrix above shows preset tiers dropping as resolution rises — not because the cards get worse, but because there is more work per frame.
It is also why upscaling becomes less optional the higher you go: at 4K, a Quality-type mode is not a compromise, it is the only way to keep both resolution and frame rate in the same sentence.
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 should I set first in Cyberpunk at 1440p?
Pick the upscaling mode (Quality), then set reflections and volumetric clouds to Medium, then settle shadows. Those three decisions define the budget; everything else is refinement.
Is ray tracing worth it at 1080p on a 3060?
It is possible with DLSS Quality, but our preference is to keep it off and raise other settings. In fast play the difference is smaller than the frame cost suggests.
Why no FPS numbers in this table?
Because they depend on scene, patch, drivers and the rest of your system. Preset tiers and cut order transfer between machines; a specific number does not.