Published: December 13, 2020 |Source: OC3D Internal Testing |Author:Mark Campbell
Cyberpunk 2077 – Introduction – This is Next-Generation gaming
Cyberpunk 2077 is easily the most hyped PC release of 2020, arriving as a cross-generation title with a level of scale and ambition which stretches the capabilities of current-generation systems to their limits. For PC gamers, Cyberpunk 2077 has and will fuel many PC upgrades, offering visuals and features which are beyond the capabilities of the game’s current console versions.ÂÂ
Today, we will be looking at Cyberpunk 2077 and how PC gamers can achieve the best visual experience on their systems. We will detail optimised settings, hardware-specific features and how ray tracing gives Cyberpunk a next-generation look and feel in many locations.Â
We will be testing CPU performance, GPU performance, FidelityFX CAS Upsampling, DLSS, ray tracing and more. This is easily our most in-depth PC performance analysis to date, and it will offer PC gamers plenty of data to help optimise Cyberpunk 2077’s performance on their systems.Â
Cyberpunk 2077 is a game with next-generation ambitions, with next-generation patches being in the works for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X. In time, Cyberpunk’s PC version will also change, but for now, here is the definitive guide for how to get the most out of Cyberpunk 2077’s PC version.ÂÂ
Contents (click to go to specific pages)
– Graphics Options & System Requirements– RTX only Ray Tracing Support
– Graphical Settings Comparisons – Low to Ultra RT
– CPU Performance –ÂHidden CPU Performance Options, Core Scaling and more
– Ray Tracing On VS Off – Is it Worth it?
– DLSS and FidelityFX CAS Upsampling
– Ray Tracing and DLSS – A match made in heaven
– Every Graphics Setting Tested – Optimising Cyberpunk 2077’s PC performance
– Graphics Preset Scaling and OC3D’s Optimised PC Settings
– 1080p Performance
– 1440p Performance
– 4K Performance
– Conclusion– How to Optimise Cyberpunk 2077’s PC version
GPU drivers
When testing Cyberpunk 2077, we opted to use the newest drivers from both the Radeon and Geforce camps. These drivers areÂAMD’s Radeon Software Adrenalin Edition 20.12.1 driverÂas well asÂNvidia’s Geforce 460.79 driver.
Testing Methodology – Our New Test System
WithÂCyberpunk 2077r, we will be using our new Games and Graphics Card test system, which is powered by AMD’s Ryzen 9 3950X processor and PCIe 4.0 storage.Â
More information about this system is availableÂhere, where we have detailed why we have moved to Ryzen for our GPU and games testing.Â
CPU & Motherboard – AMD Ryzen 9 3950X and ASUS ROG Crosshair VII Formula
There is a lot to consider when building a new games testing system. Will this system stand up to the test of time. Does this system contain the features that new games will require, and are we choosing the right CPU platform for the job?Â
With the next-generation of consoles coming with Zen 2 processors and support for PCIe 4.0 storage, it was logical to choose a Ryzen-based test platform. Intel’s current offerings do not offer PCIe 4.0 support, and we cannot build a new test system knowing that it will be outdated as soon as games start to utilise faster storage mediums.Â
With ASUS’ ROG X570 Crosshair VII Formula, we know that we have a motherboard that has capable VRMs to withstand the punishments that a hardware test system must face. With X570 we also know that we can upgrade to Zen 3/Ryzen 4000 should we ever need to. Â
Memory –ÂCorsair Dominator Platinum RGB Series DDR4 @ 3600MHz
Having chosen a Ryzen processor for our new test systems, we needed capable memory modules which offered clock speed that would allow us to get the most out of our Ryzen processor.
3600MHz memory is the “sweet-spot” for Ryzen 3000 series processors, offering high levels of memory bandwidth while settings AMD’s Infinity Fabric speeds to optimal levels. With this speed in mind, we decided to opt for Corsair’s Dominator Platinum RGB series of DDR4 modules, as it offers us a great aesthetic, has modules that offer our optimal memory speeds and has relatively tight timings given its clock speeds.Â
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SSD Storage – Corsair MP600 2TB PCIe 4.0 M.2 NVMe SSD
As we mentioned previously, future games are going to require fast NVMe storage. Both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X will make fast SSD storage a baseline feature of new gaming systems.
PCIe 4.0 devices are an obvious choice for those who want SSDs with the most potential throughput, making Corsair’s MP600 SSD a great option for us. With 2TB of storage available to it, it offers us more than enough storage for even the largest of PC games. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare/Warzone will need a lot more 50GB upgrades before we would even dream of filling this SSD.Â
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Case – Corsair Obsidian 500D RGB SE
When it comes to PC cases we require two things, a large case (to accommodate large GPUs) that’s easy to access and looks good on camera. When new graphics cards start to flood in, we need a case that can look good on video. Beyond that, when testing new graphics cards, we need an enclosure with a side panel that’s easy to take on and off, speeding up our testing procedures.Â
With these requirements in mind, Corsair’s Obsidian 500D RGB SE was a perfect fit. It is large enough to accommodate any graphics card without interfering with a front-mounted AIO liquid cooler, and it has a hinged side panel to make component switching fast and straightforward. For our use case, this chassis is perfect.Â
Power Supply – Corsair RM1000i
Your power supply is the most important part of any test system. There’s a reason why rule number 1 for PC building is no never cheap out on your power supply.Â
Over the years, we have used many test systems which have been powered by Corsair’s RMi series of power supplies, and the reasons behind that are simple. They are 80 Gold rated, making them very power efficient, and we have never had an RMi power supply fail on us. If you read our PSU reviews, you will know that these units are solid performers.Â
Corsair Link is also a useful component of Corsair RMi series power supplies, as they allow us to see how much power the unit is using at any given time digitally.Â
We have also paired this unit with Corsair’s premium braided cables, which gives our test system a more premium look.Â
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Cooling – CorsairÂiCUE H150i RGB Pro XT
While we are keeping our Ryzen 9 3950X at stock clock speeds, we do want to do what we can to keep it cool under load. We also want to do what we can to keep our system as quiet as possible. With this in mind, we have decided to use Corsair’s latest 360mm H150i series All-in-One Liquid Cooler.
With the iCUE H150i, we can control the units fans, pump and RGB lighting with the same software as our other system components and keep AMD’s Ryzen 9 3950X cool with relative ease. When testing graphics cards, keeping other fan noise to a minimum is a must, as this allows us to properly judge the noise levels of specific graphics cards or other system components. ÂÂ
Full System Specifications
OC3D Game/GPU Test Rig
AMD Ryzen 9 3950X Processor with Prescision Boost Overdrive
ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Formula (X570) MotherboardÂ
Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB Series DDR4 3600MHz (2x8GB) Memory
Corsair RM1000i Power Supply
Corsair iCUE H150i RGB Pro XT All-in-One Liquid CPU Cooler
Corsair MP600 2TB PCIe 4.0 SSD
Corsiar Obsidian 500D RGB SE Case
Windows 10 x64 “May 2020” Update
GPU Selection
No gaming test suite would be complete without a large selection of GPUs. At OC3D our current test suite covers Nvidia’s RTX 20-series and GTX 10-series GPUs alongside AMD’s RDNA, RX Vega and RX 500 series graphics cards.
We hope to add Nvidia Ampere graphics cards to our game testing lineup soon.Â
Geforce RTX 30 series (Ampere)
– Gigabyte RTX 3070 Eagle
Radeon RX 6000 series – Big Navi (RDNA 2)
– AMD Radeon RX 6800
Radeon RX 5000 Series – Navi (RDNA)
– Powercolor Radeon RX 5700 XT Red DevilÂ
– Powercolor Radeon RX 5700 Red Devil
– Sapphire RX 5500 XT Pulse
Geforce RTX 20-Series & GTX 16-Series
– Nvidia RTX 2080 Ti Founders Edition
– Nvidia RTX 2060 Founders Edition
– Palit GTX 1660 Super StormX
Geforce GTX 10-series
– Nvidia GTX 1080 Founders Edition
– ASUS GTX 1060 Strix Gaming OC
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AMD RX Vega Series
– AMD RX Vega 56
AMD RX 500 Series
– AMD RX 580 Strix OCÂ Â Â ÂÂ
