Thanks to regular updates over the past few years, including the major next-gen graphical update, The Witcher 3 has never looked better on PC. However, to get the best out of it, you'll need to fine-tune your settings. We've tested and detailed the best settings for both PC and Steam Deck below.
It doesn't take the best graphics card to get maximum FPS out of The Witcher 3, but refining your graphics settings is key. Be sure to check your system meets the Witcher 3 system requirements.
Best Witcher 3 Graphics Settings for PC
- V-sync: On
- Framerate limit: Unlimited
- Display mode: Fullscreen
- Background characters: High
- Shadow quality: Ultra
- Water quality: Ultra
- Foliage visibility: High
- Grass density: Ultra
- Texture quality: Ultra
- Detail level: Ultra
- Motion blur: On
- Bloom: On
- Depth of field: On
- Chromatic Aberration: On
- Vignetting: On
- Light shafts: On
- Camera lens effects: Off
Lighting
The Witcher 3's lighting options are impressive. High or Ultra settings are visually stunning, and while Medium still looks good, it's not the best place to cut corners. For a small FPS boost (~4%), you can disable bloom.
Ultra+ lighting is a visual treat but demanding. Try other optimizations first before enabling it.
Ray Tracing
Ray tracing greatly affects performance. Unless you have an RTX 4000-series GPU, you may need to reduce other settings or lower resolution to maintain 60fps.
DLSS (set to Quality) helps a lot at 1440p. Avoid 1080p unless absolutely necessary, as it impacts the visual experience.
Resolution
If you have a 4K monitor, use native resolution. Dropping to 1440p is acceptable, but avoid going below that unless on the Steam Deck.
Shadow Quality
Ultra shadows look great, but Ultra+ is optional. Lower it if you're struggling to maintain stable performance.
Textures
Textures are crucial for immersion. Keep them at Ultra if your VRAM allows it. Ultra+ textures are optional but enhance realism further.
Grass and Foliage
Since Witcher 3 is largely outdoors, Ultra grass and foliage settings add a lot to the realism. Enable Ultra+ only if your GPU can handle it.
Best Witcher 3 Settings for Steam Deck
Use the built-in Steam Deck preset. It's optimized for handheld performance. Lock the Deck to 90Hz/45fps for smooth gameplay across all models.
The Witcher 3 Graphics Presets
If you prefer simplicity, use the game’s built-in presets: Low, Medium, High, Ultra, and Ultra Ray Tracing. However, Ultra+ is only accessible manually.
Use presets as a baseline and tweak for better performance. Cranking everything to max works best only if your hardware can handle it.
How We Test
Our test rig:
- CPU: Intel Core i7 11700F
- GPU: Nvidia RTX 4070 12GB
- RAM: 32GB DDR4 3200MHz
- Motherboard: MSI B560
- OS: Windows 11 64-bit
We benchmark at 1080p and 1440p using CapFrameX to monitor and compare performance data.
How to Monitor Performance in The Witcher 3
- Nvidia users: Use GeForce Experience (Alt + R) to show in-game overlay.
- AMD users: Use Radeon Overlay (Ctrl + Shift + O).
- Universal: CapFrameX or Nvidia FrameView offer clean benchmarking tools.
If you’re looking to upgrade your rig, check out our guide on how to build a gaming PC step by step.