Full Path Tracing in Cyberpunk 2077 on RTX 5090 changes everything

A post on the r/nvidia subreddit suggests that path tracing represents the most significant advancement in gaming graphics in recent years. User unlockhart demonstrated Cyberpunk 2077 using full path tracing on a system equipped with an RTX 5090 and a Ryzen 7 9800X3D. The video shows improved light accuracy, realistic reflections on wet surfaces, and higher shadow depth throughout the game environment.

The author describes the difference between rasterized rendering and path tracing as transformative, arguing that the technology makes game environments feel more grounded. However, the discussion within the thread focused on high hardware requirements. Running the game at these settings requires an RTX 50-series GPU and the use of frame generation and upscaling. These features remain inaccessible to most users.

The community remains divided. Supporters compare the impact of path tracing to the industry shift from 2D to 3D graphics. Critics argue the technology is too resource-intensive, noting that the visual improvements do not always justify the performance loss, even with DLSS enabled. Currently, path tracing serves as a technical preview of future graphics standards rather than a mainstream feature.

Source: reddit