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Geeky Gadgets
23-07-2025
- Geeky Gadgets
Cyberpunk 2077 Finally Comes To Mac Apple Silicon
What if someone told you, just a few years ago, that a game as graphically demanding and ambitious as Cyberpunk 2077 would run natively on a Mac? For decades, Mac users have been relegated to the sidelines of gaming, watching from afar as PC players reveled in innovative titles. But now, with the arrival of Cyberpunk 2077 on macOS—fully optimized for Apple Silicon—the narrative is shifting. This isn't just a game release; it's a bold statement about the growing viability of Mac gaming. Using technologies like Metal FX scaling and dynamic resolution, this launch signals Apple's intent to carve out a space in the gaming world, one that combines performance with accessibility in ways we've never seen before. But what does this mean for you, the gamer? Whether you're a casual player with an M1 MacBook Air or a hardware enthusiast wielding an M3 Ultra, this release promises something for everyone. From seamless frame generation to pre-configured presets that take the guesswork out of optimization, Cyberpunk 2077 on macOS offers a glimpse into the future of gaming on Apple devices. Yet, this achievement doesn't come without its trade-offs. Challenges like limited ray tracing capabilities and the occasional visual artifact remind us that the journey to gaming parity with PCs is far from over. So, is this the dawn of a new era for Mac gaming—or just a fleeting moment in the spotlight? Let's unpack what makes this release so significant and what it reveals about the evolving landscape of gaming on macOS. Cyberpunk 2077 on macOS This launch not only underscores the growing potential of macOS as a gaming platform but also highlights the challenges developers face in optimizing games for Apple's ecosystem. The result is a mix of opportunities and limitations that could influence the trajectory of gaming on macOS in the coming years. System Requirements: What You Need to Play To enjoy Cyberpunk 2077 on macOS, your system must meet specific hardware requirements. These requirements are divided into performance tiers, making sure compatibility across a range of Apple Silicon devices: Minimum: M1 chip with 16GB of RAM, delivering 30 FPS at 900p resolution. M1 chip with 16GB of RAM, delivering 30 FPS at 900p resolution. Recommended: M3 Pro with 16GB of RAM, achieving 60 FPS at 1080p resolution. M3 Pro with 16GB of RAM, achieving 60 FPS at 1080p resolution. High-Fidelity: M2 Max or M3 Max with 32GB of RAM, supporting 1440p gaming. M2 Max or M3 Max with 32GB of RAM, supporting 1440p gaming. Ultra Settings: M3 Ultra or M4 Max with at least 36GB of RAM, allowing very high settings. These tiers ensure that a wide spectrum of Mac users, from casual gamers to enthusiasts with high-end machines, can access the game. The scalability of Cyberpunk 2077 is largely attributed to its integration with Metal FX scaling and dynamic resolution, which dynamically adjust rendering quality to maintain smooth frame rates across different hardware configurations. How Metal FX Scaling Enhances Performance Metal FX scaling plays a crucial role in optimizing Cyberpunk 2077 for macOS. This technology dynamically adjusts the game's rendering resolution in real time, striking a balance between visual fidelity and system performance. For example, during graphically demanding scenes, the resolution may temporarily decrease to maintain consistent frame rates, then return to higher fidelity when system resources allow. Another key feature of Metal FX scaling is frame generation, which interpolates additional frames to enhance smoothness. This technology significantly boosts frame rates, particularly on mid-range Apple Silicon devices. However, it is not without its trade-offs. In certain scenarios, such as fast-moving scenes, minor visual artifacts like ghosting may occur. Despite these occasional imperfections, the combination of dynamic resolution and frame generation ensures a playable and visually engaging experience, even on lower-end configurations. Cyberpunk 2077 on Mac Watch this video on YouTube. Advance your skills in Cyberpunk 2077 by reading more of our detailed content. High Power Mode and Pre-Configured Presets For users with high-end Macs, High Power Mode offers an additional performance boost. Available on configurations such as the M4 Max, this feature maximizes CPU and GPU performance, allowing the game to run at ultra settings with 1440p resolution and Metal FX scaling. However, this enhanced performance comes at the cost of increased fan noise and power consumption, which may be noticeable during extended gaming sessions. To simplify the gaming experience, Cyberpunk 2077 includes pre-configured presets tailored to various Mac hardware configurations. These presets automatically adjust settings such as texture quality, shadow detail, and ray tracing levels to match your system's capabilities. This eliminates the need for manual adjustments, allowing you to start playing immediately without compromising performance or visual quality. Ray Tracing and Frame Generation: Strengths and Limitations Cyberpunk 2077 supports ray tracing on macOS, but its performance is limited by the current capabilities of Apple Silicon chips. While standard ray tracing settings are achievable on higher-end configurations, advanced features like ray tracing overdrive remain out of reach. This limitation highlights the gap between Apple Silicon and dedicated gaming GPUs when it comes to handling computationally intensive tasks. Similarly, frame generation, powered by Metal FX or FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR), offers significant benefits but also comes with trade-offs. While it can substantially improve frame rates, particularly on mid-range systems, it may occasionally result in visual inconsistencies. For instance, fast-moving objects might exhibit ghosting, which can detract from the overall experience. These challenges emphasize the need for continued innovation in both hardware and software to fully unlock the potential of these technologies. Steam's Native Apple Silicon Support Valve's recent update to Steam, introducing native Apple Silicon support, has been instrumental in enhancing the Mac gaming experience. By optimizing the platform for Apple's architecture, this update eliminates the need for Rosetta 2 emulation, reducing overhead and improving load times. The result is smoother gameplay and better compatibility for titles like Cyberpunk 2077. This development also opens the door for more developers to bring their games to macOS. As more titles are optimized for Apple Silicon, the Mac gaming ecosystem is set to expand, offering users a broader selection of high-quality games. This shift could encourage further investment in macOS gaming, making it a more viable platform for both developers and players. The Future of Mac Gaming The release of Cyberpunk 2077 on macOS represents a pivotal moment for gaming on Apple platforms. It demonstrates that, with the right optimizations, even graphically demanding titles can run smoothly on Apple Silicon. This achievement sets a precedent for other developers, potentially leading to a wider array of AAA games becoming available on Mac. However, challenges remain. The current limitations of ray tracing and frame generation highlight areas where Apple's hardware still lags behind traditional gaming PCs. Addressing these gaps will require ongoing advancements in both hardware and software, as well as continued collaboration between Apple and game developers. Looking ahead, the future of Mac gaming appears increasingly promising. As Apple Silicon continues to evolve and developers refine their optimization techniques, the potential for high-quality gaming on macOS will only grow. For now, Cyberpunk 2077 serves as a testament to what is possible, offering a glimpse into the exciting future of gaming on Mac. Media Credit: ETA PRIME Filed Under: Apple, Gaming News, Top News Latest Geeky Gadgets Deals Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, Geeky Gadgets may earn an affiliate commission. Learn about our Disclosure Policy.
Tom's Guide
19-07-2025
- Tom's Guide
We benchmarked Cyberpunk 2077 on Mac: here's how well it runs on Macs vs. Windows PCs
Nearly five years after launch, Cyberpunk 2077 now runs natively on Macs — and it runs well, if you rely on Apple's MetalFX upscaling tech. I know because here at Tom's Guide our crack team of testing experts has been hard at work in our lab this week benchmarking how well the game runs on a slew of modern Macs. Now we have numbers for how well Cyberpunk 2077 runs on everything from a 2021 M1 Max MacBook Pro to a cutting-edge M4 Max Mac Studio, and the results should get you excited if you've been dreaming of playing CD Projekt Red's cyberpunk RPG. Because our testing reveals that while even the latest Macs can't match the gaming prowess of the best gaming PCs, if you fine-tune the settings and enable MetalFX resolution scaling you can get some pretty good framerates playing Cyberpunk 2077 on your Mac. Before we dig into the data, I wanted to quickly remind you that Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate runs on most Macs with Apple silicon—but there are some key caveats you should know about. Notably, to run it your Mac must be packing an M1 chip or newer and have at least 16GB of unified memory. So we couldn't test how well it runs on an entry-level MacBook Air M1 or MacBook Air M2, for example, because they only have 8GB of memory. On top of that, only Macs with M3 or newer chips support the game's ray tracing features. So as you're looking through our test results, remember that only the M3 and M4 Macs can even run the game with ray tracing enabled. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate launched on the Mac App Store Thursday (July 17), and our testing team immediately downloaded a few copies and started benchmarking it on every Mac we could lay our hands on. So while we haven't yet had a chance to comprehensively benchmark it on every possible Mac configuration, we do have a nice spread of test results that gives you a good sense of how well the game runs on Apple silicon old and new. The quick answer is: pretty well! However, you have to give yourself over to Apple's MetalFX resolution scaling and the nebulous "For Your Mac" graphical preset in order to get a decent framerate playing Cyberpunk 2077 on most Macs. When we did our best to fine-tune the graphical settings to match what we use when running Cyberpunk 2077 benchmarks on Windows PCs, the framerate tanked. If you'd like to get a sense of how different these two configurations look, click to zoom in on the screenshots below. To show you what I mean I'm going to list the specific settings we used for these benchmarks below. But if you're not interested, you can skip straight to the results! Read our test settings ▼ We ran these benchmarks on every Mac we could find using two graphical settings configurations, the vague "For Your Mac" setting that Apple recommends and a slight modification of the "Ray Tracing: Ultra" preset that we use when benchmarking this game on gaming laptops and desktops. On the oldest Macs that did not support ray tracing, we used the "Ultra" preset instead. For full transparency I'm going to share our exact Mac testing settings here so you can see for yourself how we came by these numbers, but if you're more interested in the results feel free to skip down to the next section! Ray Tracing: Ultra "For this Mac" Resolution Scaling Off MetalFX MetalFX Sharpness N/A 0.5 Target FPS N/A 60 Minimum resolution N/A 50 Maximum resolution N/A 80 Frame generation Off Off Texture quality High High Ray tracing (reflections/shadows on, lighting ultra, path tracing off) On Off Crowd density High High Field of view 80 80 Film grain On On Chromatic aberration On On Depth of field On On Lens flare On On Motion blur High High Contact shadows On On Improved facial lighting geometry On On Anisotropy 16 16 Local shadow mesh quality High High Local shadow quality High High Cascaded shadows range High High Cascaded shadows resolution High High Distant shadows resolution High High Volumetric fog resolution Ultra Ultra Volumetric cloud quality Ultra Ultra Max dynamic decals Ultra Ultra Screen space reflections quality Ultra Ultra Subsurface scattering quality High High Ambient occlusion High High Color precision Medium Medium Mirror quality High High Level of detail High High Vsync 60 60 Windowed mode Fullscreen Fullscreen Resolution 2560 x 1440 2560 x 1440 Before I start comparing Windows and Mac results side by side, let me run down how our many Macs performed in these tests. As you can see from our testing, you basically cannot get a steady 30 frames per second or above at max settings on any Mac we have on hand. However, if you're willing to use the "For this Mac" preset and lower the resolution to 1200p you can get decent performance on even a 13-inch MacBook Air. (Ray Tracing) Ultra "For this Mac" 16" MacBook Pro M1 Max (1920x1200) 31.2 78.9 16" MacBook Pro M1 Max (3456x2160) 9.5 43.4 14" MacBook Pro M2 Pro (1920x1200) 36.1 41.4 14" MacBook Pro M2 Pro (3042x1890) 15.8 30.5 13" MacBook Air M3 (1920x1200) 4.3 34.7 13" MacBook Air M3 (2560x1600) 2.6 27.3 15" MacBook Air M4 (1920x1200) 6.1 34.4 15" MacBook Air M4 (2880x1800) 2.8 22.8 16" MacBook Pro M4 Pro (1920x1200) 14.1 65.8 16" MacBook Pro M4 Pro (3456x2160) 4.8 38.8 Mac Studio M4 Max (1920x1080) 29.5 108.8 Mac Studio M4 Max (3840x2160) 8.5 60.2 You might also notice that the older M1 Max MacBook Pro appears to run the game better than the new MacBook Pro M4 Pro, and the reason is simple: M1 and M2 Macs don't support ray tracing, and the game is a lot less demanding without it. So if you have a newer M4 Mac, don't sweat it: disabling ray tracing should give you a nice framerate boost. However, I'd personally be bummed to lose that feature because I find it adds a nice patina of realism to the game. Now let's compare those results to what we saw when we ran the game on some of the latest and best gaming laptops we've recently tested. Before you look at the numbers, keep in mind that this is a raw performance test so we do not enable any graphical upscaling tech like the MetalFX resolution scaling available on Mac. So that means none of these test results were generated using any Nvidia DLSS, AMD FSR or Intel XeSS upscaling. Ray Tracing Ultra Asus TUF Gaming A14 RTX 4060 (1920x1080) 29.6 Asus TUF Gaming A14 RTX 4060 (2560x1600) 15.3 Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 RTX 5080 (1920x1080) 49.6 Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 RTX 5080 (2880x1800) 24.3 Razer Blade 14 RTX 5070 (1920x1080) 39.6 Razer Blade 14 RTX 5070 (2800x1800) 9.1 HP Omen Max 16 RTX 5090 (1920x1080) 71.5 HP Omen Max 16 RTX 5090 (2560x1600) 46.8 As you can see, the numbers are generally better than anything you can get running the game on Mac with no upscaling enabled. One notable exception is the 2025 Razer Blade 14, which seems to struggle with this benchmark at its native 1800p resolution. But of course, since we don't benchmark our review units with any kind of upscaling enabled you don't get the full picture of what's possible on a modern Windows gaming laptop with framerate enhancements like Nvidia's DLSS. To show you what I mean, look how fast a modern gaming laptop (the Asus ProArt P16 with an Nvidia RTX 5070 GPU, AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 CPU and 32GB RAM) can run Cyberpunk 2077 with graphical settings cranked to max (Ray Tracing Overdrive) at its native (2560x1600) resolution with increasing levels of DLSS 4's Multi Frame Generation enabled. Ray Tracing Overdrive Multi Frame Gen x2 73.4 Multi Frame Gen x3 83.7 Multi Frame Gen x4 110.6 That's fairly typical of the performance increase I've seen on multiple gaming laptops and PCs after enabling DLSS and Multi Frame Gen while playing Cyberpunk 2077. Admittedly, when Multi Frame Gen debuted with the first GeForce RTX 50-series graphics cards in January I didn't love how the higher levels (3x-4x) seemed to cause disorienting graphical glitches in some games, but nowadays CD Projekt Red and Nvidia seem to have fine-tuned it and even at Multi Frame Gen 4x I rarely see any issues in Cyberpunk. While we haven't yet had a chance to test every config of Cyberpunk 2077 on every Mac, it's pretty safe to say that even the most tricked-out Mac Studio M3 Ultra probably won't run it as well as an equally expensive Windows gaming PC with the latest and greatest. But let me tell you, I've been reviewing some very expensive gaming PCs recently (like this $7,399 Corsair Vengeance i8300) and despite sporting an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 GPU and cutting-edge components that thing struggles to surpass a solid 80+ FPS with all graphical settings cranked to max—even with DLSS 4 and Multi Frame Gen 4x enabled. That's in part because Cyberpunk 2077 is a very demanding game that employs some of the latest graphical tech you can get, so it's remarkable that our testing shows you can now play it on a MacBook from four years ago and expect a decent 30-60 FPS, especially if you enable MetalFX upscaling and trust in Apple's "For Your Mac" config. There's no shame in relying on it either, since you also need to rely on DLSS or FSR to get great framerates in the game at peak settings when playing on Windows. So while Windows gaming machines still seem like the best place to play Cyberpunk 2077 if you care about graphical fidelity and performance, it's clear Apple and CD Projekt Red have done yeoman's work to bring one of the best PC games to Mac.
Economic Times
16-07-2025
- Economic Times
Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition is coming to Macs with Apple Silicon. It's official
Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Cyberpunk 2077 and its expansion, Phantom Liberty, will be available on the Mac App Store starting July 17. This marks the first time the game will run natively on macOS, with full support for Apple Silicon and Metal, Apple 's graphics API. The Mac version includes all previously released updates and content. It supports hardware-specific graphic presets that adapt based on the Apple silicon chip in use, offering a tailored experience across different Mac models. Performance and visuals are tuned to take advantage of Apple's M-series chips, from M1 to the latest M3 and M4 will find support for MetalFX and AMD FSR upscaling, as well as frame generation optimised for Apple GPUs. The game includes features like Spatial Audio with head tracking for AirPods, dynamically calibrated HDR for Apple's XDR displays, and compatibility with controllers, Magic Mouse, and Trackpad. Cross-progression is also available across 2077: Ultimate Edition is not limited to the Mac App Store; it will also be available via Steam, and the Epic Games game uses native Metal API integration and Apple's Tile-Based Deferred Rendering architecture to optimise performance. By reducing memory traffic and minimizing CPU overhead, the rendering pipeline is tailored to Apple's GPU design. Native and converted Metal shaders work together to balance quality and efficiency, with MetalFX upscaling integrated to maintain frame this year, a future update will add support for new Metal 4 features introduced at WWDC 2025. MetalFX Frame Interpolation will insert intermediate frames to improve fluidity and stability during gameplay, aiming for 120 FPS on Ultra settings. MetalFX Denoising will also be added to enable real-time path tracing at the highest graphics settings.
India Today
16-07-2025
- India Today
Cyberpunk 2077 coming to Mac on July 17 but only these users can play it, Apple confirms
Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition is set to make its debut on Apple silicon Macs on July 17, Apple has announced. The game will be available through the Mac App Store, as well as platforms like Steam, and Epic Games Store. This release brings the full base game along with the Phantom Liberty expansion to Mac users, leveraging the capabilities of Apple silicon and Metal technology for optimal performance. Apple confirmed that only Macs equipped with their silicon chips and running macOS 15.5 or later will support the game edition is specifically tailored for Apple silicon, supporting Macs with 16GB or more of unified memory. These specifications ensure smooth gameplay, sharp visuals, and enhanced battery life. The game also supports features like Spatial Audio, providing an immersive auditory experience, particularly with AirPods' Head Tracked Spatial Audio. These enhancements highlight the game's optimisation for the Apple hardware features have been integrated into the game to enhance the gaming experience on Macs. The "For this Mac" graphics presets are specifically optimised for different models of Apple silicon Macs. Additional features include MetalFX upscaling and AMD FSR upscaling, optimised for Apple silicon to provide superior graphics quality. Users can also benefit from dynamically calibrated HDR for Apple XDR displays and enjoy cross-progression across all supported platforms. The game's integration with Apple's Tile-Based Deferred Rendering (TBDR) architecture is noteworthy. By using native Metal API support, the game maximises GPU efficiency, reducing memory traffic and processing commands more effectively. This approach is designed to reduce CPU overhead and make full use of Apple's MetalFX technology, enhancing both performance and visual quality during upcoming Metal 4 features, announced during WWDC 2025, promise further enhancements. Future updates to Cyberpunk 2077 will include MetalFX Frame Interpolation and MetalFX Denoising, aimed at achieving higher frame rates and improved visual fidelity. The MetalFX Frame Interpolation will generate intermediate frames to stabilise frame rates, while MetalFX Denoising will enable real-time path tracing. These advancements are expected to offer smoother gameplay and richer the Mac release, players using a range of Apple devices from M1 to M4 chips, including the latest Mac models like the iMac and MacBook Pro, can expect a highly tuned gaming experience. Each device's capabilities are carefully considered to ensure the game performs optimally across different hardware inclusion of comprehensive updates and free content further enhances the value of Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition on Mac. By leveraging Apple's hardware and software innovations, CD Projekt Red aims to provide Mac users with a gaming experience that rivals other platforms, with seamless integration and performance improvements across the board.- Ends
Time of India
16-07-2025
- Time of India
Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition is coming to Macs with Apple Silicon. It's official
Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Cyberpunk 2077 and its expansion, Phantom Liberty, will be available on the Mac App Store starting July 17. This marks the first time the game will run natively on macOS, with full support for Apple Silicon and Metal, Apple 's graphics API. The Mac version includes all previously released updates and content. It supports hardware-specific graphic presets that adapt based on the Apple silicon chip in use, offering a tailored experience across different Mac models. Performance and visuals are tuned to take advantage of Apple's M-series chips, from M1 to the latest M3 and M4 will find support for MetalFX and AMD FSR upscaling, as well as frame generation optimised for Apple GPUs. The game includes features like Spatial Audio with head tracking for AirPods, dynamically calibrated HDR for Apple's XDR displays, and compatibility with controllers, Magic Mouse, and Trackpad. Cross-progression is also available across 2077: Ultimate Edition is not limited to the Mac App Store; it will also be available via Steam, and the Epic Games game uses native Metal API integration and Apple's Tile-Based Deferred Rendering architecture to optimise performance. By reducing memory traffic and minimizing CPU overhead, the rendering pipeline is tailored to Apple's GPU design. Native and converted Metal shaders work together to balance quality and efficiency, with MetalFX upscaling integrated to maintain frame this year, a future update will add support for new Metal 4 features introduced at WWDC 2025. MetalFX Frame Interpolation will insert intermediate frames to improve fluidity and stability during gameplay, aiming for 120 FPS on Ultra settings. MetalFX Denoising will also be added to enable real-time path tracing at the highest graphics settings.
