Cyberpunk 2077 CPU or GPU Bottleneck? Built-In Benchmark Testing (2026)

Cyberpunk 2077 benchmarking • Updated 15 October 2026

Cyberpunk 2077 provides a useful built-in benchmark, making performance troubleshooting more repeatable than guessing based on CPU and GPU names. But ray tracing, upscaling, frame generation, crowd activity, and video memory can create very different limits even on the same PC.

Why Cyberpunk 2077 is useful for bottleneck testing

Some games require a manually repeated path to get comparable numbers. Cyberpunk 2077 has a benchmark feature that CD Projekt Red references in its own support instructions. The company also describes where benchmark results are stored for troubleshooting on PC.

That does not make the benchmark a complete representation of every district or battle. Crowded streets, driving, ray-traced reflections, path tracing and particular visual effects can shift how CPU, GPU and memory resources are used. A reliable process therefore combines the benchmark with observations from gameplay scenes you actually care about.

Step 1: Establish a baseline you can reproduce

1. Record your CPU, GPU, system RAM, video memory, driver version and game build.
2. Open Settings → Graphics and select the preset and resolution you normally use.
3. For an initial comparison, turn off frame generation and document whether DLSS, FSR or XeSS upscaling is active.
4. Run the game’s benchmark multiple times and record average FPS, lows or frame-time measurements if available.
5. Use a compatible monitoring overlay for GPU utilization, power, temperature and other performance indicators. Do not assume the benchmark’s FPS value alone proves the bottleneck.

CD Projekt Red’s support page directs users to its Settings → Graphics → Run Benchmark option. It provides a path under your Windows user Documents directory for collecting benchmark results when contacting support. This is a reliable reference for reproducing your own result.

Step 2: Test native resolution before adding upscaling

Run a baseline at your chosen native resolution, with ray tracing off. Lower the resolution or render scale while leaving other major settings unchanged. Compare the repeat measurements. GPU-bound workloads often gain FPS when pixel-rendering work falls; CPU-bound scenes may change much less.

If the improvement is inconsistent, avoid making a confident call. High GPU utilization and GPU busy time strengthen evidence of rendering pressure. Flat FPS with a GPU that is not fully occupied is a reason to inspect CPU frame time, simulation work, throttling and synchronization, not automatic proof that the processor is weak.

Step 3: Add ray tracing in a separate test

Ray tracing and path tracing can put much greater demands on supported graphics hardware. Compare the same benchmark scene with the graphics preset held constant where practical, first with ray tracing disabled and then with a supported ray-tracing option enabled. Track both FPS and any increase in VRAM use.

A GPU that handles rasterized rendering well may struggle at the same resolution with advanced lighting enabled. That change should not be mistaken for the CPU suddenly becoming slower. Ray tracing performance varies strongly by GPU architecture and specific effect.

Step 4: Understand upscaling and frame generation

Modern upscalers can reduce internal rendering work. Frame generation can increase displayed frames without increasing game simulation or input updates in the same way as a higher native-rendered frame rate. For this reason, do not compare an uncapped native benchmark directly with a frame-generation result and call the difference a CPU-versus-GPU bottleneck measurement.

First diagnose using native or consistently configured upscaled rendering with frame generation off. After you understand the baseline, turn your preferred upscaling mode and frame generation back on. Evaluate image quality, input responsiveness and frame pacing in gameplay, not just the benchmark headline.

What to investigate when FPS remains low

• GPU near full use: try less demanding ray tracing, reflections, volumetric effects or a suitable upscaler. Check whether the GPU is also temperature or power limited.
• GPU not fully busy and lower resolution barely helps: examine CPU frame delivery, crowds, simulation, background processes and synchronization.
• Stutter or severe frame-time spikes: investigate VRAM capacity, system RAM, thermal behavior, storage and overlay software.
• Only the in-game benchmark looks smooth: validate busy gameplay scenes too. A benchmark route cannot cover all possible workloads.

Example pairing: Ryzen 5 7600 and RTX 4060

AMD lists the Ryzen 5 7600 as a six-core, twelve-thread processor with a 65 W default TDP. NVIDIA positions the GeForce RTX 4060 as a graphics card aimed at 1080p gaming. Those specifications describe the products but do not tell you an exact Cyberpunk 2077 frame rate.

To judge this pairing, establish an actual Cyberpunk benchmark at 1080p without frame generation. Record the exact graphics settings. Then test a lower rendering load and a separate ray-tracing configuration. An apparent limitation may change between those runs.

If 1080p performance already meets your target, an upgrade might deliver little practical benefit. If the game remains demanding at high graphics settings and the GPU is fully occupied, compare a faster GPU’s real benchmarks at the same settings before deciding.

How to use the website’s interactive tools

Choose your CPU and GPU on the main bottleneck calculator for a context checklist. Then enter the measured baseline FPS, reduced-resolution FPS and GPU utilization into the Real CPU/GPU Bottleneck Test. The result is a screening interpretation, not a laboratory conclusion.

Frequently asked questions

Sources and disclosure