CD Projekt Red announced new updates to Cyberpunk 2077, and one big one is details on the upcoming port to Apple computers. The Mac OS version of the sci-fi RPG, which lands on Thursday, July 17th, now has its technical specifications available, so Mac users can see if their machine can handle the demands of 2077. Short answer: hope you’ve got a newer model bro.
Chippin’ In
One of the first things to notice is the chip requirements. Every configuration listed uses an Apple Silicon M-series chip. This immediately excludes any Apple computer with an Intel CPU, meaning no Apple device made before 2020 can run the game.
RAM Will Make or Break You
RAM seems to be a major threshold for whether you can run the game. A minimum of 16 GB excludes all but the most recent (M4) base models of Macbook Airs. That also rules out base models of Mac Minis and iMacs from 2020-2021.
As for Macbook Pros, the 13″ versions (2020-2022) will be unable to play it with only 8 GB of RAM. And don’t even think about playing it on iPad, unless you want molten silicon in your lap. Some of the computers that can run 2077 include the 14″+ Macbook Pros, along with any Mac Studio from 2022 or newer. Clearly, the more RAM you have, the better.
Performance Boosts from Apple Silicon
The resolution requirements list MetalFX dynamic resolution scaling as being active at all levels. Apple Silicon chips come with neural processing units by default—free processing power 2077 can use for AI scaling. One thing that will help the game’s performance: M3 silicon GPUs have hardware-level ray tracing, mesh shading, and dynamic caching. This is probably why the recommended settings call for an M3 Pro chip.
TLDR: the more expensive and newer your Apple computer is, the better the game will run. Big shock, I know.
Thermals and Storage: Don’t Overheat
One more thing to note: cooling. Apple Silicon computers are stable under high load and high heat, but that doesn’t mean a playable experience when fighting against thermal throttling. You’ll probably get the best experience on a Mac with an active cooling, ideally a Mac Studio. Beyond that, the game requires 92 GB of space, or 159 GB if you install it from the App Store.
Cyberpunk’s Growing Universe
Mac OS is the latest platform to get 2077, after the Nintendo Switch 2 received a port earlier this year.
Cyberpunk’s now a flagship brand for CD Projekt Red, with a sequel in development and Edgerunners Season 2 on the way.
For more news, check out our Other Games section!
