EZ Optimizer 2.0 is a software written by CodeZ1LLa that alters Cyberpunk’s in-game settings not easily accessible to the user to boost older hardware in-game performance. Love it or hate it, Cyberpunk 2077 is probably going to be one of the most influential games of this decade. The hype surrounding the game on the release date was unreal, enabling Cyberpunk to sell upwards of 13 million copies! Even though the game remains riddled with numerous bugs and hilarious glitches, there is no doubt that set in a neon-lit dystopian future, at its core, the game is an incredible piece of art.
CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077 features state-of-the-art technology in world design and graphical fidelity, excellent voice acting, deep character arcs, and an incredible story. Set during the year 2077, where superhuman capabilities are only a few eddies away, yet the story often manages to feel almost personal. With crumbling moral values and technology driven human augmentation, it feels as if every character in Cyberpunk, including V him/herself, faces a constant struggle to find one’s true existence underneath all the chrome, neurochips, weapons, and crime.
However, with its rushed release and inadequate hardware optimization, Cyberpunk proves a challenge to run smoothly on older hardware and often refuses to function on last-gen consoles such as the PlayStation 4. If you have been facing issues with inadequate frame rates for smooth gameplay during your Cyberpunk PC gaming sessions, check out EZ Optimizer 2.0 by CodeZ1LLa. The program can squeeze out upto 28% more FPS during gameplay, and all it requires are a few clicks!
There have been debates on whether the EZ Optimizer 2.0 is safe to run on your PC. According to VirusTotal, however, it is not flagged as malicious software by any of the 69 different engines it uses to check for safety. At its core, the software modifies values for various graphical settings in the game’s internal “user.ini” file. Said modifications do not drastically take away from the visual fidelity of the gameplay experience while boosting performance depending on what mode you choose in the application. How to get it?
CodeZ1LLa has a YouTube channel – EZ PC TECH, where he describes how to use his software and the link to download it in the description. Here are the steps you’d need to follow:
- Go to CodeZ1LLa’s YouTube video regarding EZ Optimizer 2.0.
- Follow the download link in the video description and download the software. It is crucial that you only download it from the original link on the video included by CodeZ1LLa himself. Said precaution is to avoid fake softwares that might run malicious code in your system.
- Place the downloaded file inside the game’s root directory. On Steam, C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Cyberpunk 2077.
- Run the application and choose whichever mode is most suitable for your hardware. Enjoy!
What to do once you have the software
CodeZ1LLa goes over every option in great detail in his video linked above. Please feel free to check out the same or continue reading as we go over each point and add a few recommendations.
First of all, which boost option should you choose? At 1080p, if you are on something like a GTX 1060 6GB, 1070, an RTX 2060, or an AMD Vega 56, it would be best to choose the MAX BOOST or the MAX BOOST+ option. The Vega 56, RTX 2060 (RT-off), or the 1070ti should fare acceptably well on the MAX BOOST+ option as well.
Also, at 1080p, if you are on a GTX 1080, Radeon RX 5700, Vega 64, or an RTX 2070, BALANCED or BALANCED+ mode should be the right choice for you. Any higher hardware capabilities should fare reasonably well at 1080p. If you play at a resolution above 1080p, choose whichever setting is best for hitting your target FPS. Also, at 2k or 4k resolutions, the software includes an option to disable anti-aliasing. At such resolutions, many people do not feel the need for the same. Said setting cannot be toggled in-game.
For the people who have already used EZ Optimizer 1.0, it is advised to click the DEFAULT button to bring every modified setting back to stock before modifying them again using the EZ Optimizer 2.0. If you wish to take a backup of the current settings, you can do so using the BACKUP button and restore them later in case you need to.
The EZ Optimizer 2.0 also includes other settings for optimizing other games. These settings generally slightly improve performance. If you are CPU bottlenecked in your games more often, you might want to look into these settings. The options include:
- Disabling background apps for more CPU headroom.
- Modifying the power plan on your PC according to Microsoft specifications for low-latency applications. The computer’s power draw might increase, but the 1% lows during gameplay also increase by around 5-7%, allowing it to be slightly smoother.
- Increasing the internal cache for the NTFS-Paged pool. It is an experimental feature that might or might not work depending on your system and is most suitable for 16+ GB RAM systems. Enabling this feature also requires a reboot.
How does it fare in-game
If you are on an older CPU or a less powerful CPU, such as the Ryzen 3 1300X or an Intel Core i3 8350k, you probably have the most to gain. This tool can be the difference between a highly frustrating, laggy, and choppy experience and, at the very least, a playable experience, provided a proper graphics card. The tool works well for improving the 1% lows, enabling much more consistent frame rates, which results in a smoother gameplay experience. This improvement is achieved by modifying various settings that decrease both the CPU and the GPU load, boosting your average frame rates.
Thus, it is the most suitable for older hardware where one would simply want to experience the game. Especially, given the current situation with sky-high GPU pricing and global chip shortages, it is next to impossible to get a decent system at anything near reasonable prices. The performance uplift mentioned above is also very beneficial for people who already own more powerful hardware and would choose better framerates over a slight loss in visual fidelity.
Our verdict on EZ Optimizer 2.0 is for you to give it a try. Tinker around with a few of its settings and see what suits you best. In the end, if you don’t enjoy the same, it includes an option to revert everything to stock so you can trace your steps back to the starting point with just a single click.
