Cyberpunk 2077 PC Build — Run It at Ultra + Ray Tracing in 2026
Cyberpunk 2077 with Phantom Liberty and path tracing enabled remains the most demanding PC game benchmark available. No GPU runs it without compromise — the question is which compromises you make. We cover two complete builds: a $750 machine for 1080p Ultra without ray tracing, and a $1,400 build for 1440p with ray tracing at playable frame rates.
Cyberpunk 2077 PC requirements
CD Projekt Red published minimum and recommended specs, but the real-world requirements for actually enjoying the game vary significantly by resolution and ray tracing settings.
The key insight: Cyberpunk 2077 is extremely GPU-heavy. The CPU matters less than in most games — any modern 6-core processor will not bottleneck a high-end GPU. Spend your budget on the GPU.
Build 1 — 1080p Ultra, No Ray Tracing (~$974)
Target: 1080p Ultra settings, 60-80fps average, DLSS Quality
The RTX 4060 Ti 16GB handles Cyberpunk 2077 at 1080p Ultra without ray tracing comfortably. DLSS Quality mode (renders at ~1440p internally, outputs 1080p) gives you an additional 40-50% performance boost with minimal visual impact. With DLSS Quality, expect 80-110fps at 1080p Ultra.
Cyberpunk at 1080p Ultra + DLSS Quality: 80-110fps. RT Reflections only: 55-70fps. Full RT: avoid.
Build 2 — 1440p Ray Tracing (~$2078)
Target: 1440p, RT Ultra + DLSS Quality, 60fps+
For ray tracing at 1440p, you need the RTX 5070 Ti paired with the Ryzen 7 7800X3D. The 7800X3D's 3D V-Cache is particularly effective in Cyberpunk 2077 because the game is one of the more CPU-sensitive open-world titles when frame rates are high. With DLSS Quality and RT Ultra preset, expect 65-90fps at 1440p.
1440p RT Ultra + DLSS Quality: 65-90fps. Path Tracing (ultra-RT): 40-55fps — use DLSS Performance for smoother frame rates.
Best in-game settings for performance
These settings provide the best performance-to-visual-quality ratio. Toggle them off first before lowering resolution or texture quality.
DLSS 3 Frame Generation (Build 2 only): enable it in the Graphics menu. It roughly doubles frame rates at the cost of a small amount of latency. At 60fps native, frame generation brings you to 100+ perceived fps. This is the single biggest performance improvement available on RTX hardware.
Is ray tracing worth it in Cyberpunk 2077?
Yes — but only if you have the hardware for it. Cyberpunk 2077 has some of the best ray tracing implementation of any game. RT reflections make Night City's rain-slicked streets look dramatically better than screen-space reflections. RT shadows eliminate the harsh aliased edges of rasterized shadows. If you have an RTX 4080 or better, turn it on.
Below that tier, the performance cost is not worth the visual gain. At 1080p with an RTX 4060 Ti, you will drop from 90fps to 50fps by enabling RT Ultra — a trade most people would not make. Stick to screen-space effects and use DLSS Quality mode instead.
Which build is right for you?
If you want to play Cyberpunk 2077 at high quality without spending a fortune, the $750 1080p Ultra build delivers an excellent experience. If you want the full ray-traced Night City experience at 1440p, you need the $1,400 build with an RTX 5070 Ti.
Not sure if your current PC can handle it? Use our AI builder to analyze your setup and recommend the most impactful upgrade for Cyberpunk 2077 specifically.
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