MacGameFPS

How many FPS does Cyberpunk 2077 get on the MacBook Air M1? 1080p, 1440p and 4K performance

9FPS

1080p High

Estimate

5

1440p

3

4K

Too slow

About 9 FPS at 1080p on High: Cyberpunk 2077 runs natively on the MacBook Air M1 (Apple M1, 7-core GPU, 16 GB), but it does not reach 30 FPS even on Low with MetalFX. You need a more powerful Mac to play it smoothly.

Data reviewed October 1, 2026 · how we calculate it

Cyberpunk 2077 FPS on MacBook Air M1 by resolution and quality

Estimate
ResolutionLowMediumHighUltra
1080p12FPS11FPS9FPS7FPS
1440p8FPS7FPS5FPS5FPS
4K4FPS3FPS3FPS2FPS

Estimated average in normal gameplay with the game and macOS up to date. Green: 60+ · lime: 45+ · amber: 30+ · orange: 20+ · red: under 20.

Recommended settings

For 60 FPS

Not reached even on Low at 1080p, nor with MetalFX.

For 30 FPS

Not reached even on Low at 1080p, nor with MetalFX.

Moving to 1440p High puts the MacBook Air M1 at about 5 FPS. MetalFX renders at a lower resolution and upscales, so it is the cheapest way to play at the display’s native resolution.

Full guide to boost Cyberpunk 2077 FPS on Mac →

Performance with MetalFX

MetalFX renders Cyberpunk 2077 at a lower internal resolution and reconstructs the image: you gain FPS for a little sharpness. Figures on High with 16 GB.

ResolutionNativeQualityBalancedPerformance
1080p9FPS11FPS13FPS15FPS
1440p5FPS7FPS8FPS9FPS
4K3FPS3FPS4FPS5FPS

All figures are without ray tracing. The real MetalFX gain varies by game and version.

The MacGameFPS verdict

Calibrated on real Mac benchmarks, not spec sheets

Is the MacBook Air M1 enough for Cyberpunk 2077?

No: at 9 FPS on 1080p High it is not playable. You need a more powerful Mac.

Too slow · 1440p 5 FPS · 4K 3 FPS

Guide to boost Cyberpunk 2077 FPS on Mac →

MacBook Air M1 or MacBook Pro M1 for Cyberpunk 2077?

In Cyberpunk 2077 at 1080p High, the MacBook Air M1 gets 9 FPS and the MacBook Pro M1 12 FPS: 33% more.

MacBook Air M1 specs

MacBook Air M1
Chip
Apple M1
GPU cores
7 / 8
Unified memory
8 / 16 GB
Cooling
Fanless
Geekbench Metal
29,497
Tier
Entry level · 8/100

See the MacBook Air M1’s FPS in every game →

Other Macs with the M1 chip

The Apple M1 also powers the MacBook Pro M1, the Mac mini M1, and the iMac M1. In Cyberpunk 2077, the MacBook Pro M1 gets 12 FPS at 1080p High, 33% more than the MacBook Air M1, mainly because its fan keeps clocks up under load.

How much memory do you need?

On Apple Silicon the GPU shares memory with the system, so the RAM you picked when buying the Mac is also your video memory. Cyberpunk 2077 asks for 16 GB minimum.

Memory1080p High1440p High
8 GBWon't runWon't run
16 GB9FPS5FPS

Published measurements

  • Measured13 FPS1080p · High · MetalFX Quality · MacBook Air M1Tom's Hardware

Other Macs for Cyberpunk 2077

1080p · High

Cyberpunk 2077 on every Mac →

Shopping for an all-round gaming Mac? Mac ranking by real FPS →

Other games on the MacBook Air M1

Every game on the MacBook Air M1 →

Official Mac requirements

Minimum
macOS 15.5 or later · Apple M1 · 16 GB memory · 92 GB storage
Recommended
macOS 15.5 or later · Apple M3 Pro · 18 GB memory · 92 GB storage

Source: store.steampowered.com

FAQ

Can the 8 GB MacBook Air M1 run Cyberpunk 2077?

Not with 8 GB: the game asks for 16 GB. You need the 16 GB configuration.

Can Cyberpunk 2077 hit 60 FPS on the MacBook Air M1?

Not consistently. It does not even reach 30 FPS on Low.

Does the MacBook Air M1 throttle in Cyberpunk 2077?

The MacBook Air M1 has no fan. In long sessions it lowers clocks to manage heat, and our figures already account for that sustained loss, around 20% in a game this demanding.

What about 1440p and 4K?

On High, the MacBook Air M1 gets about 5 FPS at 1440p and about 3 FPS at 4K in Cyberpunk 2077. These are native figures: MetalFX raises both noticeably.

Do these figures include MetalFX or ray tracing?

No. The headline figure is native resolution, no MetalFX and no ray tracing. The table below shows MetalFX turned on. Ray tracing, where a game offers it, costs a lot of FPS on any Mac.

Is Cyberpunk 2077 native on Apple Silicon?

Yes, it has a native Apple Silicon version, available on Steam and the Mac App Store. No CrossOver, Parallels or Game Porting Toolkit needed.