PS5 Runs Cyberpunk 2077 Path Tracing In Experimental Linux Test

Digital Foundry has tested full path tracing on the Sony PlayStation 5 using a custom Linux loader that effectively turns the console into a PC-like system capable of running PC graphics workloads.

The experiment, first highlighted by Wccftech, explored whether modern path-traced games could realistically run on current PlayStation hardware. While the results proved that path tracing is technically possible on PS5, performance and image quality varied dramatically depending on the title and settings.

PS5 manages playable path tracing in Quake II RTX

Digital Foundry tested three major path-traced PC games: Quake II RTX, Portal with RTX, and Cyberpunk 2077. Among the three, Quake II RTX delivered the strongest overall results.

At native 4K resolution, the game reportedly struggled to maintain even 10 FPS. However, enabling TAAU upscaling from 1080p to 4K improved performance significantly, pushing average frame rates closer to 40 FPS.

Dynamic Resolution Scaling improved results further. With the internal resolution dropping as low as 540p, the PS5 could reportedly reach 60 FPS while still maintaining image quality that Digital Foundry described as believable for a console release.

The outlet suggested that lighter or indie-style games could realistically implement path tracing on current-generation console hardware.

Portal with RTX pushes the PS5 much harder

Portal with RTX proved far more demanding.

Even with aggressive scaling, the game barely managed around 30 FPS at 1080p output resolution using TAAU upscaling from an internal 540p render resolution.

Digital Foundry noted that image quality suffered heavily because of the extremely low internal resolution and weak denoising quality. Although technically playable, the experience reportedly fell short of what players would expect from a polished console release.

Cyberpunk 2077 RT Overdrive overwhelms current PS5 hardware

The most difficult test came from Cyberpunk 2077.

At 1080p using XeSS Performance mode, the benchmark averaged only 22.6 FPS. Lowering the output resolution to 1920×800 and reducing internal rendering resolution increased performance modestly to 26.9 FPS.

Digital Foundry also tested the PT Optimized mod, which reduces ray bounces from two to one. That adjustment boosted performance to roughly 35.5 FPS.

The team additionally experimented with FSR 3.1 frame generation, which pushed displayed frame rates close to 70 FPS. However, the generated frames reportedly looked incorrect, and gameplay did not feel genuinely smooth at that frame rate.

Image quality remains a major problem

While upscaling and aggressive optimizations improved performance, image quality took a substantial hit in more advanced games.

Cyberpunk 2077 reportedly looked rough due to extremely low internal rendering resolutions. Frametime consistency also remained unstable throughout testing, reducing overall smoothness.

The results suggest that current PS5 hardware can technically run path tracing, but major compromises remain necessary.

PS5 Pro and PS6 could change the picture

Digital Foundry suggested the experiment may better reflect what developers could achieve on the rumored PlayStation 5 Pro or future PlayStation 6 hardware.

Improved ray tracing acceleration and technologies like PSSR upscaling could make path tracing far more practical in future console games.

However, the outlet also raised concerns that next-generation path tracing ambitions could face limitations if developers must also support future handheld PlayStation hardware with lower graphics capabilities.

In other PlayStation news, Sony is reportedly exploring changes to the PlayStation Trophy system, while the next State of Play presentation is scheduled for June 2.