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Short answer: choose Performance mode when responsive controls and smoother motion matter most; choose Ray Tracing mode on supported consoles when lighting quality matters more than a 60 FPS target. The familiar 30 FPS Ray Tracing and 60 FPS Performance descriptions belong to the December 2022 next-generation release. The September 29, 2026 Remastered edition adds a separate PS5 Pro profile, so those older targets should not be treated as a complete description of every current mode.
This guide separates the original PS5 and Xbox Series settings from verified Remastered changes, explains what is and is not known about resolution, and shows how to choose a mode without mistaking a publisher target for a guaranteed frame rate.
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Which graphics mode should you use?
Your best setting depends on whether you notice motion clarity or lighting detail more strongly.
- Choose Performance mode for smoother camera movement, faster-feeling controls and the original 60 FPS target on PS5, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.
- Choose Ray Tracing mode on PS5 and Xbox Series X if enhanced global illumination and ambient occlusion are worth accepting the original 30 FPS target.
- Choose Quality mode on Xbox Series S when increased resolution and image fidelity matter more than smoothness. Series S has no ray-tracing feature in the original next-generation notes.
- On PS5 Pro Remastered, the current announcement describes 60 FPS with ray tracing enabled through PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR), while Performance mode offers up to 90 FPS with VRR.
These are mode targets and publisher descriptions, not independent measurements or guarantees that the game remains locked to one frame rate in every scene.
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Original next-generation modes: PS5 and Xbox Series X
CD PROJEKT RED’s December 12, 2022 version 4.0 notes described two modes for PS5 and Xbox Series X. Both used dynamic resolution scaling, meaning the renderer could adjust internal resolution to manage workload rather than rendering at one permanently fixed value.
| Mode | Publisher target | Visual features | Resolution behavior |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ray Tracing | 30 FPS target | Ray-traced global illumination and ambient occlusion | Dynamic resolution scaling |
| Performance | 60 FPS target | Smoother gameplay prioritized over the heavier lighting mode | Dynamic resolution scaling |
The notes do not publish a numerical resolution range for either mode. Therefore, it is not accurate to promise a fixed 4K, 1440p or minimum resolution from those specifications. Output resolution and internal rendering resolution are also different: a console can send a 4K signal while dynamically rendering below that value during demanding scenes.
What console ray tracing actually changes
For the 2022 console modes, ray tracing refers specifically to global illumination and ambient occlusion. Those effects influence how light fills environments, how objects shade one another and how contact areas appear grounded. The notes do not describe console ray-traced reflections or ray-traced shadows as part of these modes; additional ray-traced effects were associated with compatible PC hardware.
What the 30 FPS and 60 FPS labels mean
A 30 FPS target gives the renderer more time per frame for expensive lighting work. A 60 FPS target presents twice as many frame opportunities per second and generally makes panning, riding and combat feel more immediate. “Target” does not mean a laboratory-verified lock. Busy areas, effects or later patches can cause variation, which is why the official wording should not be rewritten as “always 30” or “always 60.”
Xbox Series S: Quality and Performance
The original next-generation notes describe Series S separately from PS5 and Series X.
| Series S mode | Publisher target | Priority | Ray tracing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quality | 30 FPS target | Increased resolution and better image fidelity | Not included in the cited notes |
| Performance | 60 FPS target | Smoother gameplay over visual quality | Not included in the cited notes |
Do not describe Series S Quality as a lower-powered version of Ray Tracing mode. The documented distinction is that Series S has no ray-tracing features in these notes; Quality instead spends its budget on resolution and image fidelity.
What changed in The Witcher 3 Remastered in 2026?
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Remastered launched on September 29, 2026 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. CD PROJEKT RED says it reworks lighting, rendering and ray tracing, and includes dedicated PS5 Pro support. Current owners on those platforms are eligible for a free upgrade, subject to ownership and storefront eligibility.
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PS5 Pro modes
The official announcement gives the clearest current console figures for PS5 Pro. It states that PSSR enables a smooth 60 frames per second with ray tracing turned on. It also states that Performance mode offers up to 90 frames per second with VRR.
| PS5 Pro Remastered statement | What is established | What is not established |
|---|---|---|
| Ray tracing enabled | 60 FPS described with PSSR | No numerical resolution figure is published |
| Performance mode | Up to 90 FPS with VRR | No complete resolution or frame-time table is published |
“Up to 90 FPS” is a ceiling-like description, not a promise that every scene reaches 90. Seeing that benefit also depends on a VRR-capable display and compatible signal path. The announcement does not extend these PS5 Pro figures to base PS5, Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S.
Why the old mode table cannot be applied unchanged
Remastered changes lighting, rendering and ray-tracing behavior, and PS5 Pro has hardware-specific support. The 2022 30 FPS Ray Tracing and 60 FPS Performance labels remain useful historical context, but they are not a verified exhaustive table for the 2026 build. No current official table establishes exact resolution ranges or identical mode behavior across every console.
Patch 5.01: new console controls and fixes
Patch 5.01, published October 8, 2026 for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, changed the practical settings picture.
- New console options: Bloom, Light Shafts and Depth of Field were added to the graphics settings.
- Performance work: the notes report performance optimizations.
- Base PS5 fixes: settings resetting on launch were fixed, and frame-rate-limit issues in different graphics modes were corrected.
- Dynamic Resolution Scaling default: the general changes list says DRS is now off by default.
The patch notes do not explain whether every console exposes the same DRS switch, nor do they provide a platform-by-platform account of how disabling the default affects each mode. Treat the setting as a control to inspect rather than assuming one universal result.
How to check the settings after updating
- Install the Remastered build and patch 5.01, then start the game.
- Open the game’s Options menu and enter the Display or Graphics section; the label can vary by platform build.
- Identify the mode selector first: Ray Tracing, Performance or, on Series S, Quality and Performance.
- Review Dynamic Resolution Scaling. Because patch 5.01 changes its default to off, confirm the current value instead of relying on an older configuration.
- Set Bloom, Light Shafts and Depth of Field according to your preference. These controls adjust presentation; they do not turn a 30 FPS target into a 60 FPS target.
- Apply the changes, restart if the game requests it, and verify that the selected mode remains after relaunch. The patch specifically addressed launch-time settings resets on base PS5.
Resolution: what you can safely conclude
Dynamic resolution scaling is a performance-management technique. When the GPU needs more headroom, the game can lower internal rendering resolution; when conditions allow, it can raise it. That behavior helps a mode pursue its frame-rate target, but it does not reveal a fixed minimum, maximum or native output resolution.
The official material supplied for the original modes gives no numerical range. The 2026 Remastered announcement also gives no PS5 Pro resolution figures. Avoid guides that turn these sources into promises of a particular 4K or 1440p mode unless they provide separate, verifiable measurements.
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Choosing a mode by display and play style
If your display is 60 Hz without VRR
Performance mode is the straightforward choice when you value responsive movement. Ray Tracing mode’s original 30 FPS target can still look attractive for a slower, cinematic playthrough, but motion will be less fluid.
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VRR can make fluctuations within the supported range appear smoother by matching display refresh to changing frame output. On PS5 Pro Remastered, it is specifically part of the announcement’s “up to 90 frames per second” Performance description. It does not create extra rendering performance on its own.
If lighting and atmosphere are your priority
Use Ray Tracing mode on PS5 or Xbox Series X in the original next-generation build, or the PS5 Pro Remastered ray-tracing profile if you own that hardware. Expect the choice to trade some motion smoothness for more advanced global illumination and ambient occlusion in the older mode description.
If you play on Xbox Series S
Choose Quality for the documented 30 FPS target and higher resolution or image-fidelity priority. Choose Performance for the documented 60 FPS target and smoother play. There is no ray-tracing option in the cited Series S notes.
Version history that explains changing advice
| Release | Relevant graphics information | How to use it today |
|---|---|---|
| Version 4.0 next-generation update, December 12, 2022 | Introduced the PS5 and Series X Ray Tracing and Performance descriptions, plus Series S Quality and Performance. | Historical baseline for the original console modes. |
| Patch 4.01 | Optimized ray-traced global illumination on next-generation consoles. | Historical performance improvement; not a measurement of Remastered. |
| Patch 4.02 | Improved Performance mode and fixed an Xbox Series X memory-related crash in Ray Tracing mode. | Historical fix, not proof of current behavior. |
| Remastered, September 29, 2026 | Reworked visuals and performance; added PS5 Pro support, including the announced 60 FPS ray-tracing and up-to-90 FPS VRR claims. | Current baseline for the Remastered edition. |
| Patch 5.01, October 8, 2026 | Added console image controls, optimizations, base-PS5 frame-rate-limit and settings fixes, and changed DRS’s general default to off. | Install before judging current settings behavior. |
What is still unknown
Official publisher notes establish intended features and targets, not independent benchmark results. They do not provide a complete, current resolution-and-frame-rate matrix for base PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Nintendo Switch 2. They also do not publish measured frame-time results for Remastered.
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CD PROJEKT RED said on October 8, 2026 that work was continuing on a Nintendo Switch 2 update intended to move the version closer to parity, including shared global changes and improved image clarity and sharpness. That is a reported plan, not a delivered feature, so it should not be used as a current Switch 2 setting recommendation.
Quick Recap
Bottom line for each console
- Base PS5: the original choice is Ray Tracing at a 30 FPS target or Performance at a 60 FPS target, both with dynamic resolution scaling; patch 5.01 also addresses frame-rate-limit and settings-reset issues.
- Xbox Series X: the same original 30 FPS Ray Tracing and 60 FPS Performance targets apply in the 2022 description, with dynamic resolution scaling.
- Xbox Series S: use Quality for the 30 FPS resolution-and-fidelity priority or Performance for the 60 FPS smoothness priority; the cited notes include no ray tracing.
- PS5 Pro Remastered: the current announcement describes 60 FPS ray tracing with PSSR and up to 90 FPS Performance with VRR. It does not publish resolution figures.
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