Get your Witcher 3 settings updated right away!
Get your Witcher 3 settings updated right away!
I've always found that the benefit of higher quality shadows is not worth it. As long as there is some form of shadows (e.g. medium or low), then it's fine. Once you go up to high or ultra (equivalent) of shadows in games, the framerate trade-off is not worth it. It is really a screenshot-only setting, and you'll manage with lower shadows settings. As for what that gives you in TW3, I can't say for sure yet. I only played for 2 hours. Using 2x GTX 680 SLI. I run a 1440p monitor, but am forced to run 1080p if I want 60 FPS (most of the time).
Adjust all parameters to maximum resolution 1440p, disable any audio effects, turn off hair effects, enable SSAO, and aim for at least 30 fps. If needed, lower grass settings to medium.
The HD7950 operates the game at 30 frames per second in 1080p resolution using maximum settings and without any hair effects. When I reduced the distant foliage adjustment to high, my frame rate increased by 10fps without any visible change. Disabling V-sync made the game run much smoother with almost no visible tearing.
Nvidia offers a helpful resource on graphics performance and optimization for The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt.
Try different presets to see what fits your setup. Adjust settings if needed to improve performance. It may require some testing, but you'll learn how each change impacts your game. Finding the right configuration can take time. If you prefer, use the default presets and let me know what works best for you.