The only graphics cards you should buy for Cyberpunk 2077 path tracing

Millions of gamers expected Cyberpunk 2077 to deliver the most graphically impressive gaming experience they’d ever known. Alas, that didn’t happen when the game actually released. All the bugs and the unfinished state of the game aside, it was a far cry from the visuals that were hyped up over the years. Nearly three years after its launch, CD Projekt RED finally brought full-blown path tracing to Cyberpunk 2077.

Night City is finally looking like it should have at the time of the game’s original release, but this new ray tracing wizardry doesn’t come cheap. With the performance hit accompanying the path tracing mode, simply having one of the best GPUs in the world is not enough. You need to set your sights on the high end, along with some advanced software trickery to extract an enjoyable experience. Hence, I decided to cover the only graphics cards you should consider buying to fully appreciate Cyberpunk 2077’s path tracing glory.

The best or nothing: Buy these GPUs for Cyberpunk 2077 in 2023

Source: MSI

MSI Gaming X Trio GeForce RTX 4080

Editor’s choice

The smartest pick

$1205 $1325 Save $120

Combining top-notch performance, silent operation under load, and killer looks, the MSI Gaming X Trio is one of the standout RTX 4080 models you can get your hands on. It doesn’t hurt that it’s priced right around the $1,200 MSRP.

Pros

• Impressive thermals and noise
• Subtle RGB lighting
• Dual BIOS support

Cons

• MSI Center
• Lacks advanced cooling

The RTX 4080 is currently the best bang-for-buck graphics card if you’re considering the high-end of the market. Until the rumored RTX 4080 Ti arrives, the RTX 4080 is the card that sets you up comfortably for tackling the most intensive games. Cyberpunk 2077’s path tracing mode is powerful enough to tank your FPS by almost 50%, unless you have some help from Nvidia’s DLSS 3.5.

The new ray reconstruction feature coupled with frame generation on the latest RTX 4000 cards provides the necessary performance boost without sacrificing too much on image quality. For now, frame generation is limited to the latest Nvidia graphics cards, and the MSI Gaming X Trio GeForce RTX 4080 is hands down, one of the best RTX 4080 options for you to put that fancy new tech to good use.

You’re getting all the high-end performance of the RTX 4080 with a design that will look great in both horizontal and vertical orientations in your PC. Despite not having a vapor chamber, the Gaming X Trio has no problems running at its boost clock of 2,610MHz. It runs fast, cool, and silent, and compared to some other RTX 4080 models, you don’t need to spend RTX 4090 money to get one. For excellent 1440p performance in Cyberpunk 2077, the RTX 4080 is the perfect pick.

Source: Asus

ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4090 OC Edition

Best high-end

For no-compromise gaming

The Asus TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4090 OC Edition is one of the best models if you’re targeting the absolute best GPU in the world. It features great cooling and a stealthy design that could fit in any gaming rig.

Pros

• Excellent performance
• Fantastic cooling and noise levels
• Subdued design

If you’re feeling awfully generous and want near-100 FPS performance at 4K with every setting cranked up, there really is no other option than the RTX 4090. A significant step up from the RTX 4080, it’s the flagship card from Nvidia’s current lineup and allows all the latest tech in Cyberpunk 2077 to spread its wings in glorious 4K. Mind you, you’ll still need all the DLSS and frame generation help you can get, but the insane number of CUDA cores and the 24GB VRAM will easily handle anything.

The Asus TUF Gaming OC series has repeatedly struck a fine balance between price, performance, and thermals. The same being true for their RTX 4090 card, you don’t need to spend more than $2,000 for higher-end models. At best, you’ll get a minor increase in boost clock and slightly better temps, neither of which will be noticeable enough. As for looks, the industrial design with subtle RGB will work great for anyone aiming for an overall classy-looking build, making the TUF OC one of the top RTX 4090 picks today.

Source: Zotac

ZOTAC Gaming GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Trinity OC

Best value

Affordable high-end performance

$770 $880 Save $110

The RTX 4070 Ti is the graphics card that makes sense for the vast majority of gamers, as it provides a solid 1440p experience in Cyberpunk 2077 at a relatively affordable price. The Zotac Trinity OC model is one of the fastest, best-looking, and silent cards you can buy.

Pros

• Excellent performance
• Singular design
• Impressive cooling

Cons

• Not the highest boost clocks

The RTX 4070 Ti is the absolute lowest card you should go for if you refuse to turn down any graphical setting in Cyberpunk 2077. Sure, you can buy one of the more budget-friendly options on the list, but you’ll have to be okay with making a few compromises. With the Zotac Gaming GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Trinity OC, you can rest assured that you’ll be able to experience Cyberpunk 2077’s path tracing at 1440p at a consistent 80+ FPS, provided frame generation and DLSS are turned on.

The Zotac Trinity OC is one of the cheapest, but best RTX 4070 Ti models you’ll find, and that means you’re not sacrificing much. It might not feature the overkill cooling solutions seen on some other models, but you’re getting a factory-overclocked 2,610MHz boost clock and a cooling system fully capable of keeping the card running comfortably at those speeds. Zotac’s Trinity OC models have one of the most unique and striking designs, along with tasteful RGB implementation. The 12GB VRAM is enough for 1440p resolution for at least a few years.

Source: Gigabyte

Gigabyte GeForce RTX 4070 WINDFORCE OC

Best affordable

The one for the average gamer

$550 $600 Save $50

The Gigabyte GeForce RTX 4070 Windforce OS is a “mid-range” GPU that punches above its weight. Assisted by Nvidia’s Ada Lovelace architecture and all the upscaling trickery that comes with it, it offers decent 1440p performance in Cyberpunk 2077’s path tracing mode.

Pros

• Excellent performance for the price
• Great thermals and noise levels
• Best RTX 4000 price-to-performance

Cons

• Not the best design
• Not the highest boost speeds

If you’re willing to make minor adjustments to Cyberpunk 2077’s in-game settings, the RTX 4070 can be one hell of a deal, considering the recent price cuts it has received. With 12GB VRAM and 5,888 CUDA cores, the RTX 4070 can be seen as a more affordable RTX 3080 with the added benefits of the Ada Lovelace architecture. DLSS 3 and frame generation are able to prop up the RTX 4070 to a point where you can generate respectable performance even in Cyberpunk 2077’s path tracing mode.

While you don’t need to go beyond DLSS Quality on cards like the RTX 4070 Ti and above, you’ll have to switch to DLSS Balanced if you need a consistent 60+ FPS in path tracing at 1440p. The image quality will suffer slightly but you’ll be able to enjoy the latest visual overhaul of the game at optimum settings. The Gigabyte Windforce OC model is one of the best RTX 4070s available, delivering excellent performance, thermals, and noise levels. It might not have a great design, but it has everything you need for a great 1440p path tracing experience.

Cyberpunk 2077 path tracing: Nvidia all the way

After the big 2.0 update and the introduction of path tracing to Cyberpunk 2077, it was always going to be tough for AMD’s current crop of cards to compete, at least in this specific scenario. And as expected, I couldn’t include even the RX 7900 XTX from Team Red on this list. You could technically generate playable FPS from the AMD flagship at 1440p (using FSR performance mode), but it’ll still be a sub-60 FPS experience. It’s better to skip the current generation of AMD cards if Cyberpunk 2077’s path tracing is important for you.

Amid an all-Nvidia showing, my best recommendation is the RTX 4080. It packs flagship-grade performance and 16GB VRAM to handle path tracing and any other intensive gaming load with ease. You’re spending north of $1,000 for it, but it can set you up for years of top-tier gaming performance. Thanks to DLSS 3 and all the accompanying software features from Nvidia, the RTX 4080 is the smartest pick when it comes to high-end GPUs for Cyberpunk 2077.

If money’s no concern, you should absolutely go for the RTX 4090. The most powerful GPU on the market will be a sweet addition to an enthusiast gaming PC build. And if you’re hunting for a budget deal, the RTX 4070 Ti is an easy recommendation. It’s not the absolute minimum you could spend on a GPU for high-end Cyberpunk 2077 performance, but it’s worth the investment.

Source: MSI

MSI Gaming X Trio GeForce RTX 4080

Editor’s choice

$1205 $1325 Save $120

Combining top-notch performance, silent operation under load, and killer looks, the MSI Gaming X Trio is one of the standout RTX 4080 models you can get your hands on. It doesn’t hurt that it’s priced right around the $1,200 MSRP.