Cyberpunk 2077 2.5 Slow Loading? AMD SMT Fix & FPS Warning

Updated October 27, 2026

If Cyberpunk 2077 suddenly takes much longer to load after Update 2.5, you may not need to reinstall the entire game. Some players have experienced save-loading times of 40–60 seconds or longer, even with the game installed on an SSD.

The slowdown can affect loading a saved game, quickloading after a death, or returning to gameplay through fast travel. For certain AMD Ryzen systems, changing the game's AMD Simultaneous Multithreading (SMT) setting may help.

On some Ryzen PCs, switching AMD SMT to Off has substantially shortened loading times. However, disabling SMT can also reduce CPU-limited gameplay performance.

This guide explains where to find the setting, how to test the workaround, and what to do if your loading times remain unusually long.

Quick Answer: How to Fix Slow Loading in Cyberpunk 2077 2.5

If you have a compatible AMD Ryzen processor, try changing AMD Simultaneous Multithreading (SMT) from Auto to Off.

Launch Cyberpunk 2077.
Open Settings → Utilities.
Find AMD Simultaneous Multithreading (SMT).
Note your current setting, then select Off.
Apply the change and restart the game if prompted.
Load the same save and check whether loading is faster.
Compare gameplay FPS before deciding whether to keep SMT disabled.

Important: SMT Off is a workaround, not a guaranteed fix. If loading times do not improve or gameplay becomes noticeably less smooth, restore your previous setting.

If you have an Intel CPU or cannot find the AMD SMT option, skip to the other loading fixes.

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Why Is Cyberpunk 2077 Loading Slowly After Update 2.5?

Update 2.5 has been followed by reports of noticeably longer loading times on PC.

Common symptoms include:

A saved game taking 40–60 seconds to load instead of a few seconds.
Quickloading becoming slower after dying or restarting an encounter.
Fast travel taking longer than expected.
Extended black-screen transitions before gameplay resumes.
Loading delays despite installing the game on an SSD.

These symptoms do not necessarily have the same cause.

Some players experience the slowdown on AMD Ryzen processors, while others encounter loading problems with different hardware configurations. Mods, background applications, storage performance, and damaged game files can also contribute.

The exact cause of every Update 2.5 loading regression has not been established.

For affected Ryzen systems, the AMD SMT option is a useful first setting to test because it can be changed without reinstalling the game or modifying Windows.

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Where to Find the AMD SMT Setting in Cyberpunk 2077

The AMD Simultaneous Multithreading option controls how Cyberpunk 2077 uses the logical processing threads available on supported AMD processors.

To locate it:

Open Cyberpunk 2077.
Enter the Settings menu.
Select the Utilities tab.
Find AMD Simultaneous Multithreading (SMT).
Check whether it is set to Auto, On, or Off.

Can't find the option?

Older Cyberpunk 2077 guides may direct you to Gameplay → Performance. That was its previous location. The setting was moved to the Utilities tab in an earlier update.

The option may also be unavailable depending on your CPU or platform.

Do not confuse the game's AMD SMT option with a motherboard BIOS setting. You do not need to disable SMT across your entire computer to perform this test.

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Fix 1: Turn AMD SMT Off and Test Loading Times

The first step is to establish whether disabling SMT actually improves loading on your system.

Step 1: Record Your Current Loading Time

Before changing anything, choose a save file you can load repeatedly.

Start a timer when you begin loading the save and stop it when gameplay becomes available.

Repeat the test two or three times to establish a baseline.

For example, your results might look like this:

First load: 52 seconds.
Second load: 48 seconds.
Third load: 50 seconds.

These are illustrative figures, not benchmark results. Your loading times will depend on your hardware and save.

Step 2: Change AMD SMT to Off

Open:

Settings → Utilities → AMD Simultaneous Multithreading (SMT)

Change the option from its current value to Off.

Apply the change. If the game asks for a restart, follow that instruction. Otherwise, restarting the game manually can help keep the comparison consistent.

Step 3: Load the Same Save Again

Return to the main menu and load the same save file.

Measure the loading time using the same method as before.

Repeat the test several times rather than judging the result from one load.

If the loading time drops substantially and the improvement is consistent, the SMT change may be helping your system.

Step 4: Check Gameplay Performance

Do not stop testing after the loading screen.

Travel to a busy part of Night City and check whether the game still runs smoothly.

Pay attention to:

Average FPS.
Sudden frame-rate drops.
Stuttering during driving.
Performance in crowded areas.
CPU-heavy combat encounters.

If loading improves but gameplay becomes significantly worse, SMT Off may not be worth keeping.

Step 5: Keep or Revert the Setting

Use this simple decision guide:

Loading is faster and FPS remains acceptable: Consider keeping SMT Off.
Loading is faster but FPS drops significantly: Restore Auto or your previous setting.
Loading does not improve: Restore the original setting and continue with the other troubleshooting steps below.

There is no reason to sacrifice gameplay performance if the loading-time improvement is negligible.

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AMD SMT Auto vs On vs Off: Which Is Best?

Cyberpunk 2077 offers three AMD SMT modes.

AMD SMT Auto

Auto lets the game manage its SMT behavior.

This is a sensible starting point for most players, particularly if loading and gameplay performance were previously normal.

AMD SMT On

On allows the game to use the available logical CPU cores.

Depending on the processor and workload, this may improve CPU utilization or gameplay performance.

However, more logical threads do not automatically mean faster loading times.

AMD SMT Off

Off limits the game's use of logical processing threads, effectively favoring physical CPU cores.

Some Ryzen users have found that this reduces unusually long loading times after Update 2.5.

The downside is that CPU-heavy gameplay may perform worse on certain systems.

Which Setting Should You Use?

For most players, start with Auto.

If Update 2.5 introduced a loading regression on your Ryzen system, compare Auto against Off. You can also test On if you want to determine which mode provides the best balance.

The best choice is the one that delivers acceptable loading times without introducing noticeable FPS drops or stuttering.

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Does Disabling AMD SMT Reduce FPS?

Disabling SMT can reduce CPU-limited gameplay performance on some systems. The impact varies with your processor, graphics card, resolution, graphics settings, and the area being tested.

For example, a player running the game at a GPU-limited 4K resolution may notice less of a difference than someone targeting very high frame rates at 1080p.

That does not mean SMT Off is always harmless at higher resolutions. CPU-heavy scenes can still expose performance differences.

How to Check for an FPS Penalty

Use the same location and graphics settings for each test.

Record your FPS with SMT set to Auto.
Switch SMT to Off.
Return to the same location.
Compare average FPS and noticeable stuttering.
Restore Auto if the performance loss is unacceptable.

If you use a performance-monitoring overlay, compare frame-time consistency as well as average FPS.

The goal is not simply to make loading faster. It is to improve the overall experience without creating a new performance problem.

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What if You Have an Intel CPU?

The AMD SMT workaround is intended for compatible AMD systems.

If your PC uses an Intel processor, do not assume that changing a similarly named BIOS option will solve Cyberpunk 2077's loading problems.

Intel processors may use Hyper-Threading, but disabling it system-wide is not an equivalent, confirmed fix for this Update 2.5 issue.

Instead, focus on the game's installation, storage, drivers, mods, and background software.

The troubleshooting steps below apply to both AMD and Intel systems.

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Other Fixes for Slow Save Loading and Fast Travel

If changing AMD SMT does not help, or the option is unavailable, try these fixes in order.

Fix 2: Verify Cyberpunk 2077 Game Files

Corrupted or incomplete game files can cause unexpected behavior after an update.

On Steam:

Open your Steam Library.
Right-click Cyberpunk 2077.
Select Properties.
Open Installed Files.
Choose Verify integrity of game files.

On GOG Galaxy or Epic Games Launcher, use the corresponding repair or verification option.

Allow the process to finish before launching the game again.

File verification is worth trying, but it will not necessarily resolve a loading regression caused by CPU scheduling or mod incompatibility.

Fix 3: Check Mods After Update 2.5

If your game is modded, confirm that your installed mods and their dependencies are compatible with the current game version.

Pay particular attention to:

Script frameworks.
Gameplay modifications.
User-interface changes.
Mods that affect loading, streaming, or world interactions.
Outdated dependencies required by multiple mods.

Create a backup of your saves and mod configuration before making changes.

Temporarily test the game with a compatible, clean configuration where practical. Avoid deleting mods or dependencies indiscriminately, as that can create additional problems with modded saves.

If loading returns to normal, reintroduce mods in small groups to identify the conflict.

Fix 4: Check GPU Drivers and Background Applications

Update your graphics driver if you are using an outdated or problematic version.

You can also check for relevant chipset-driver updates from your CPU or motherboard manufacturer.

Before launching the game, close unnecessary applications that consume significant CPU, memory, or storage resources.

Temporarily disable nonessential overlays and recording tools to see whether they affect loading behavior.

If performance does not change, restore the applications or settings you normally use.

Fix 5: Make Sure Cyberpunk 2077 Is Installed on an SSD

Cyberpunk 2077's updated PC requirements specify SSD storage.

If the game is installed on a mechanical hard drive, moving it to an SSD may improve loading and asset streaming.

However, an SSD does not guarantee that every loading issue will disappear.

If your game already runs from a healthy SSD and only became slower after Update 2.5, do not assume your storage drive is defective.

Check available disk space and whether another application is heavily using the drive before considering hardware replacement.

Fix 6: Test a Different Save File

A useful way to narrow down the problem is to compare more than one save.

Try loading:

Your latest manual save.
An earlier manual save.
A different character save, if available.

If every save loads slowly, the problem may be related to the installation, game settings, or system configuration.

If only one save is unusually slow, the issue may be associated with that particular save or its game state.

This test helps isolate the problem but does not prove the underlying cause.

Fix 7: Check Whether Fast Travel Is Also Affected

If loading from the main menu is slow, test fast travel separately.

Travel between two locations and observe whether the transition takes longer than it did before the update.

A system may experience slow save loading without having equally severe fast-travel delays.

Treat these as related symptoms rather than assuming they share an identical fix.

If none of these steps helps, consult the official Cyberpunk 2077 PC performance troubleshooting guide. It covers additional diagnostic steps and explains what information to provide when contacting support.

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Slow Loading vs Infinite Loading: What's the Difference?

Before trying additional fixes, identify which problem you are experiencing.

Slow Loading

The game eventually reaches gameplay, but loading takes significantly longer than expected.

For example, a save that previously opened in 10 seconds may now take close to a minute.

This is the type of problem for which testing AMD SMT Off may be useful.

Infinite Loading

The loading screen remains active indefinitely, or the game never reaches gameplay.

This can involve different causes, including incompatible mods, damaged files, or a save-specific problem.

If Cyberpunk 2077 never finishes loading, start with file verification, mod compatibility, and testing another save.

AMD SMT Off is not a confirmed universal fix for infinite loading screens.

If the game loads correctly but a mission objective will not advance, that is a separate progression issue. For example, our Clampdown stuck waiting for Meshuga guide covers an armory-related quest blocker rather than a PC loading problem.

Similarly, if Update 2.5 content does not trigger as expected, see our Clampdown not starting and missing Wakako text guide.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does AMD SMT Off fix Cyberpunk 2077 Update 2.5 loading times?
It can help some AMD Ryzen systems experiencing unusually long loading times. However, it is not a guaranteed fix, and results vary by processor and system configuration.

Where is AMD SMT in Cyberpunk 2077?
Open Settings → Utilities → AMD Simultaneous Multithreading (SMT). Older guides may show a different menu location because the setting was moved in a previous update.

Should AMD SMT be Auto, On, or Off?
Auto is a sensible baseline. Test Off if you have slow loading after Update 2.5, but compare gameplay performance before keeping the change.

Does turning off AMD SMT lower FPS?
It can reduce CPU-limited performance on some systems. Test the same gameplay area before and after changing the setting.

Why does Cyberpunk 2077 take 60 seconds to load after Update 2.5?
Long loading times can have several causes. Some players have experienced a regression after the update, but the exact cause is not established for every affected PC.

Does the AMD SMT fix work on Intel processors?
The game's AMD SMT workaround is intended for compatible AMD systems. Intel users should focus on file verification, drivers, storage, mods, and background applications instead.

Can mods cause longer loading times after Update 2.5?
Yes. Outdated or incompatible mods can contribute to loading and stability problems. Back up your files and test mod compatibility before making permanent changes.

Will reinstalling Cyberpunk 2077 fix slow loading?
Not necessarily. Reinstalling may help with damaged installation files, but it is not guaranteed to resolve a loading regression. Verify game files and test the relevant settings first.

Why is fast travel slow after Update 2.5?
Fast-travel delays may be related to game performance, asset streaming, storage, or other system-specific factors. Test whether normal save loading is also affected before assuming the same workaround will solve both.

What should I do if Cyberpunk 2077 is stuck on an infinite loading screen?
Start by verifying game files, checking mod compatibility, and testing another save. Infinite loading is a different symptom from slow loading, and AMD SMT Off is not a confirmed universal solution.

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Final Thoughts

If Cyberpunk 2077 takes much longer to load after Update 2.5, AMD Simultaneous Multithreading (SMT) is one of the first settings worth testing on a compatible Ryzen PC.

Switching SMT to Off may shorten loading times, but it can also reduce FPS. Compare both loading and gameplay performance before deciding whether to keep the change.

If SMT Off makes no difference, restore your previous setting and check game files, mods, background applications, and storage instead. The best fix is the one that improves loading without making Night City less enjoyable to play.

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