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Yes, but not as native 90-FPS rendering. A community demonstration of Cyberpunk 2077 on Steam Deck reportedly rendered just above 40 FPS with HelixSR and displayed approximately 80–90 FPS after MAKO frame generation was enabled. The extra frames are generated between rendered frames, so they can make motion look smoother without doubling the game’s simulation, input-processing or genuinely rendered frame rate. Only the Steam Deck OLED can show a 90-FPS output at the panel’s full refresh rate; the LCD model is limited to 60Hz.
What the 90-FPS Cyberpunk demonstration means
The headline combines two different measurements. Notebookcheck’s contemporaneous report said the underlying Cyberpunk render rate stayed just above 40 FPS. With MAKO generating additional frames, the displayed counter rose to roughly 80–90 FPS. That is a generated-frame result, not proof that the Steam Deck is natively rendering Cyberpunk at 90 FPS.
Generated frames can improve perceived motion smoothness, especially during camera movement, but they do not run the game’s logic twice as fast. Input sampling, animation updates and simulation still depend primarily on the base render loop. Frame-generation artifacts, uneven pacing or added latency can also offset some of the visual benefit. The demonstration is a report of a community setup, not a controlled laboratory benchmark that applies to every Deck, game setting or software version.
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What HelixSR changes on Steam Deck
HelixSR is a community project that presents itself as a drop-in FSR 3.1 upscaler for Direct3D 12 while running DLSS’s neural-network upscaler on AMD graphics hardware. Because Steam Deck uses an AMD APU, the project provides a way to use that neural upscaling path without an NVIDIA GPU.
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HelixSR is the upscaling component. It does not, by itself, create the approximately 80–90 FPS output reported in Cyberpunk. That result also used MAKO, a separate Linux graphics layer that adds frame generation and scaling.
Important menu restrictions
HelixSR’s documentation says NVIDIA-only options such as NVIDIA Reflex and DLSS Frame Generation do not work through the project. Leave those options disabled in the game. HelixSR supplies the upscaling path; MAKO supplies the separate frame-generation layer used in the demonstration.
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What MAKO contributes
MAKO is described by its project maintainers as a Vulkan-powered graphics layer for Linux gaming, including Steam Deck, Steam Machine and desktop Linux. In this use case, it creates additional displayed frames after the game has rendered its base frames. The practical result is a higher on-screen frame counter and smoother apparent motion, but not a higher native simulation rate.
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MAKO and HelixSR are actively developed community projects. Their installation methods, compatibility and performance can change as versions are updated, so use the current instructions in each project’s documentation rather than assuming that a setup shown in an older video will still work unchanged.
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Can your Steam Deck display 90 FPS?
Valve’s official specifications list the Steam Deck OLED display with a refresh rate of up to 90Hz. Valve Steam Support states: “the Steam Deck LCD display is capped at a 60Hz refresh rate, and the Steam Deck OLED display is capped at 90Hz refresh rate.”
| Steam Deck model | Panel limit | What the Cyberpunk result means |
|---|---|---|
| Steam Deck OLED | Up to 90Hz | Can display a generated result near 90 FPS when the software and frame pacing cooperate. |
| Steam Deck LCD | 60Hz maximum | Cannot show 90 distinct refreshes per second; generated frames may still affect pacing or motion below the panel limit. |
A 90-FPS counter on an LCD Deck therefore does not translate into 90 visible panel refreshes. The OLED model is the only Deck that can use the full 90Hz target described in the demonstration.
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How to approach a HelixSR and MAKO setup
Community graphics layers can affect game files, launch behavior and compatibility. Treat the process as an experiment and keep a way to return to the game’s stock configuration.
- Identify the Deck model. Check whether you have an OLED or LCD unit. This determines whether a 90Hz output can be presented at the panel’s maximum refresh rate.
- Prepare a rollback. Close the game, preserve your current configuration and note the stock launch settings before installing community components.
- Install HelixSR using its current Linux instructions. The project documents the Steam Deck command
./helixsr-setup.sh. Run it from the location and environment specified by the project’s documentation. - Keep unsupported NVIDIA controls off. Do not enable NVIDIA Reflex or DLSS Frame Generation in Cyberpunk when using HelixSR; the project documentation identifies those options as unsupported in this configuration.
- Add MAKO separately. Follow the current MAKO repository instructions for its Linux graphics layer and frame-generation setup. HelixSR alone is not the frame-generation step.
- Test with an overlay that distinguishes rendered and generated output. Record the base game frame rate, displayed frame rate, frame pacing and input feel instead of relying only on the largest counter.
- Revert if stability drops. Remove or disable the community layers and restore the saved stock settings if the game fails to launch, shows severe artifacts or develops inconsistent pacing.
What to measure instead of the headline counter
| Question | What is established | What remains unestablished |
|---|---|---|
| Native rendered FPS | Just above 40 FPS was reported in the Cyberpunk demonstration. | A universal native rate for all Decks, settings and versions is not stated. |
| Displayed FPS with generation | Approximately 80–90 FPS was reported with MAKO frame generation. | A repeatable result across users is not stated. |
| Image quality | HelixSR provides the upscaling path. | No controlled image-quality comparison is stated. |
| Latency and frame pacing | Generated frames do not double the game’s input or simulation rate. | A measured latency penalty or frame-time result is not stated. |
| Compatibility | The projects target Linux gaming and Steam Deck use cases. | Compatibility with every game, Proton version or update is not stated. |
| Power and battery use | Not stated for this demonstration. | Do not assume a battery-life gain or loss without testing your own configuration. |
Practical expectations for playing Cyberpunk
- Use the base rendered rate as the performance floor. It determines how often the game produces genuinely new frames and processes input.
- Judge generated output by camera smoothness and consistency, not just the FPS number.
- Watch for ghosting, disocclusion errors and UI artifacts, which can become more obvious when generated frames are inserted.
- Compare input responsiveness in combat and driving, where added latency or uneven pacing is easier to notice.
- Expect software updates to change behavior. HelixSR and MAKO are community projects rather than Valve-supported features.
The bottom line on “90 FPS in Cyberpunk on Steam Deck”
HelixSR makes DLSS-style neural upscaling available on AMD-based Steam Deck hardware, while MAKO can generate additional frames. In the reported Cyberpunk demonstration, the game rendered at a little over 40 FPS and appeared at roughly 80–90 FPS with frame generation. Call that an 80–90 FPS displayed or generated-frame result—not native 90-FPS rendering. The OLED Deck can refresh at up to 90Hz; the LCD Deck cannot. For a worthwhile setup, compare native FPS, generated FPS, image quality, latency, frame pacing, compatibility and power use rather than treating the headline counter as the whole performance story.
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