The futuristic streets of Night City are about to get a significant performance boost for a wider range of PC gamers. CD Projekt Red has released patch 2.13 for Cyberpunk 2077, introducing official support for AMD's FidelityFX Super Resolution 3 (FSR 3) with Frame Generation technology.
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| A confident character in a vibrant futuristic setting, embodying the spirit of Cyberpunk 2077's recent performance enhancements |
A New Era of Performance
FSR 3 is AMD's answer to NVIDIA's DLSS 3, offering frame generation capabilities that can dramatically improve performance, especially in graphically demanding scenarios. This update is particularly exciting for owners of non-RTX graphics cards, as it brings frame generation technology to a broader audience.
Key Features of the Update:
- FSR 3 Implementation: Enables frame generation for improved performance on compatible hardware.
- Intel XeSS 1.3 Support: Adds compatibility with Intel's AI-based upscaling solution.
- DLSS Enhancements: RTX users can now enable both DLAA and DLSS Ray Reconstruction simultaneously.
- New Utilities Tab: Reorganizes certain settings for easier access.
Balancing Act: FSR 2.1 Remains an Option
Interestingly, CD Projekt Red has chosen to retain FSR 2.1 alongside the new FSR 3 implementation. This decision gives players the flexibility to choose between the two versions based on their hardware capabilities and personal preferences.
Caveats and Considerations
While FSR 3 promises significant performance gains, it's not without its drawbacks:
- Hardware Requirements: AMD recommends a baseline of 60 FPS before enabling FSR 3 for optimal results.
- Potential Artifacts: Lower frame rates may lead to more noticeable visual artifacts and frame pacing issues.
- Input Lag: Frame generation can introduce additional input lag, potentially impacting responsiveness.
What's Missing?
Some observers have noted that the implementation uses FSR 3.0 rather than the newer 3.1 version, which offers improved image quality and reduced ghosting. Additionally, AMD's Anti-Lag 2 technology is not included, which could have helped mitigate some of the input lag concerns.
Looking Ahead
This update marks a significant step forward in making Cyberpunk 2077's most demanding visual features accessible to a wider range of hardware. As technologies like FSR and XeSS continue to evolve, we can expect further improvements in performance and visual quality across the PC gaming landscape.
For Cyberpunk 2077 fans, this update offers a new way to experience Night City, potentially unlocking higher frame rates and more stable performance, especially when using the game's intensive ray tracing and path tracing options.