Want to play Cyberpunk 2077 2.0 on the go, but without sacrificing too many of the gorgeous visuals and cinematics in CD Projekt Red's sprawling technological metropolis? Then you're in luck, Steam Deck owners.
German review site Computerbase took it upon themselves to test run the latest Cyberpunk 2077 update on Valve's handheld device, and to everyone's pleasant surprise, found out that it ran rather well.
Cyberpunk 2077's 2.0 update brings a number of improvements to the base game, and the title looks better than ever. A far cry from its rocky start to life, but CDPR has proven time and time again that they're dedicated to ensuring Cyberpunk 2077 remains one of the most visually stunning games on the current market.
Cyberpunk 2077 2.0 Steam Deck settings - get the most out of the small but mighty handheld
So we're sure you're eager to find out how best to run Cyberpunk 2077 2.0 on the Steam Deck. We've compiled some of the optimal settings below for you, but there are a few things to take into consideration.
CD Projekt Red has said in no uncertain terms that Cyberpunk 2077 should be run on an SSD now, rather than a conventional hard drive or SD on this particular handheld.
This is largely due to the graphic improvements that have come with this most recent update. Thanks to the lower bandwidth, running it on an internal hard drive is likely to hinder the quality of the game.
Despite how the system requirements are understandably increased with the 2.0 update, they're still pretty achievable on the Steam Deck. The handheld device actually already has the majority of CDPR's advised minimum requirements, and can quite happily run the game itself with no problems.
It's mostly just the graphics side of things that might need some tinkering when playing Cyberpunk 2077 on something other than consoles or desktop computers.
Steam Deck settings for Cyberpunk 2077
So here's how the average FPS looks running Cyberpunk 2077 2.0 on the Steam Deck at different settings:
- Low, FSR 'balanced' - 33 fps
- Low - 31 fps
- Steam Deck - 30 fps
- Medium, FSR 'balanced' - 30 fps
- Medium - 27 fps
- High, FSR 'balanced' - 25 fps
- High - 24 fps
As expected, the higher the graphics settings, the lower the FPS falls, with some of them dropping into the teens at times. Of course, anyone playing Cyberpunk 2077 on their Steam Deck is going to understand that it's not a full desktop PC capable of 4K and 100 fps graphics.
But the average frame rate being around 30 fps is a pretty respectable amount for this type of game on a Steam Deck. As we mentioned before, Cyberpunk 2077 actually has a preset for Steam Deck, so even with its disadvantages, the game is still perfectly capable of running smoothly.
Playing Phantom Liberty DLC on Steam Deck
While the handheld device has proven its chops with the base game, CDPR has told Steam Deck owners to exercise caution when trying to play the new Phantom Liberty DLC coming to Cyberpunk 2077.
The developers have been incredibly transparent with their newest foray into Night City, and the DLC is likely to push the Steam Deck's processor way past its capabilities. So you'll have to stick with something that has a little more firepower to explore the new additions to Night City.
But there you have it, that's everything you need to know about playing Cyberpunk 2077 on the Steam Deck! If you're already checking out Phantom Liberty, we've got plenty of handy guides to help you on your missions, including how to enter Dogtown and how to beat Chimera.
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