SMG is often Cyberpunk 2077 players’ favorite due to their fast fire rate and this tier list will reflect how good each of the SMGs is. We’re going to share comprehensive explanations of everything and the pros & cons.
All SMGs Ranked Tier List (2.1)
There’s a total of 17 SMGs that you can use in the game right now. All of them vary in terms of firing rate, bullet spread, and misc. specs. We’re going to share quickly how you can build your perks around SMG weapons.
First we have 20 points into the Reflexes which focuses on getting Air Dash and Submachine Fun. Add points into Body into Painkiller and its subsequent perks for extra survivability.
The Technical Ability is where you have to make adjustments depending on your gun, quickhacks, and playstyle. Pyromaniac is perfect when you want to burn your enemies, but stealthy playstyle will want to focus in Intelligence perks instead.
And here’s what the tier list for SMG in Cyberpunk 2077 by Update 2.1 looks like. We’ve similarly done Quickhacks tier list which you can check out if you’re considering which one to get.
S-Tier
Erebus
How is a haunted gun not the best gun in the game? Erebus is more than just a gun. It is able to upload Cyberware Malfunction and even better than that. It has a chance to upload the Blackwall Gateway. The only way to get Blackwall Gateway Quickhack, on the other hand, is by sacrificing Erebus.
To get Erebus, you must side with Reed in the Fire Starter Mission, loot Militech Canto Mk.6 from the hiding area in Somewhat Damaged Mission, and the Behavioral Component from the Cerberus Mech.
Instead of crafting the Militech Canto Mk.6 Cyberdeck, you can choose to craft the Erebus.
Raiju
Everything you hate about Senkoh LX is gone with the Raiju. You still have to charge up for the full auto. But you can shoot through wall on any mode, not to mention it just straight up deal 33% more crit damage and increased crit chance on headshots.
Buzzsaw
Buzzsaw is so reliable to shoot through walls and you’re not worried about not doing headshot. You don’t have to worry wasting bullets on the railing or cover and when you hit limbs, you deal extra damage. That makes anything you hit on an enemy means higher damage in general compared to other SMGs.
Pizdets
Boris Ribakov created Pizdets and correctly named it so after adding not just crit chance boosts with each shot, but also guaranteed headshot in stealth mode. It has a lot less mag capacity at only 20, but when you can take down enemies with headshots, you do need less than most.
It’s still capable when you need to fight aggressively with ADS for burst hits.
Problem Solver
In terms of sheer power, Problem Solver tops them all. What makes it less in terms of value is only because of how ammo-hungry this gun can be. You can unload 90 bullets in 6 seconds, so you either constantly loot ammos and get in and out of a car, you’re out of ammo in literal minutes at most.
You can’t add mod for the Iconic build, but you can still add scope to solve the ADS view and a muzzle for a better hipfire spread.
A-Tier
Yinglong
Falling all the way through S-Tier but still an amazing gun to use is Yinglong. Yinglong was one of the first SMGs that can cause EMP effect. Even with so many ways to do EMP effects, Yinglong is more like the pioneer in making the build popular.
This simple difference is why Yinglong is a top A-Tier SMG choice compared to the G58-Dian.
Cheasapeake
Right off the bat, Cheasapeake may feel a little slow, until you see the Barghest Iconic version. Subsequent kills increase your movement speed and the faster you move, the more damage you deal. Making this perfect for those of you who enjoy mobility in gunfights.
Not to mention it shoots faster the more you unload. Using Hackatomy on this can be a fun way to play with this gun.
Guillotine X-MOD2
Guillotine’s hipfire is not anything worth mentioning. But the built in holo scope makes this SMG special because it means accuracy. On top of that, the Iconic build which you can find for free in Longshore Stacks just sitting on the table. You can even grab it by breaking the window from the outside.
The X-MOD2 is genuinely better than the original build with only 1 point less in effective range. It deals more damage, has better handling, and even increased crit chance.
Clear out mobs, but pair this with something that hits heavier for tankier enemies.
B-Tier
Warden
Finally, on the top of the B-tier is Warden. Depending on which version you get, Warden which was added in Phantom Liberty, can be bought from Stadium and Barghest. Barghest has higher damage with Armor Penetration but sacrifices accurance at mid-range and above.
But what makes either version good is the fact that fire rate increases with each shot. And with that lock-on feature, you waste less time downing an enemy. Hackatomy which has a 5% chance to proc Quickhack per bullet can make this gun really powerful.
Also, if you’re interested, we have a guide which covers all the Secrets & Easter Eggs in UPDATE 2.0 of Cyberpunk 2077!
Shingen Mark V Prototype
Shingen Mark V Prototype is a free gun that you can get by looting the small weapon rack inside a container at the Arasaka Industrial in Santo Domingo. This Iconic tier gun can aim 3 targets at once and you can get burn effect from the gun as well. Not the base gun, though.
Arasaka Senkoh LX
Senkoh LX is the gun to look in style while raiding a gang. Its ordinary fire mode is a burst mode that doesn’t penetrate wall. But after full-charge, it has full auto-shoot mode with no horizontal spread, only vertical. Full-charge mode is the main way you want to damage people with.
The Chain Lightning perk is surprisingly an amazing match to this gun which convers bolts to Electrical.
Arasaka Shigure
Saratoga is fast and Shigure is fast. Shigure unloads mags after mags in mere minutes, sometimes seconds. It deals 3 points less damage than Saratoga, but you might like the generally more accurate aim.
To deal with the ammo, you just have to make sure there are ammo to loot or a car to hop into. And never forget that you can always carry a secondary weapon with different ammo.
The Big Mag is nearly vital to make full use of Shigure just so you reload less often. Firecracker is also good since it causes splash damage with every bullet that lands.
Arasaka TKI-20 Shingen
The Apex Legends Prowler of Cyberpunk 2077 but with auto-aim. Shingen has triple-burst mode which can feel a little unusual for some users. But when played right with Air Dashes and mods like Headhopper and Big Mag will help reduce ammo and reloading problems.
Still don’t know how to get and use Cyberware Capacity Charge in Cyberpunk 2077? We have a detailed guide about that topic you might want to check out!
C-Tier
Saratoga
Saratoga burns through your ammo like no tomorrow. It’s one of the most ammo-hungry with one of the highest fire rate. But the right perks like Focus Fire and Ready Steady, you can get lucky enough with looting or buying a Saratoga with crazy accuracy.
Hipfire spread is nearly non-existent, placing this gun on the top of C-Tier for SMG tier list in Cyberpunk 2077.
Fenrir
Is Fenrir bad? Not really, when you consider that you can get Fenrir for free during the Sacrum Profanum side quest. It also has 20% Shock Chance and decent bullet spread. But the damage just falls short of better SMGs.
G58 Dian
The auto-aim of G58 Dian makes aiming a lot less of a task. This is great for you who likes to dash around while aiming these. That in itself is great because not having to aim is already removing half of the work.
The drawback is the sheer damage because it hits weak. Which means it takes more time to down your enemies. There are better smart guns that you can make use of compared to this. Or you can just aim and down enemies one by one faster with better guns.
DS1 Pulsar
DS1 Pulsar has slightly slower fire rate, perfect for you who want to be able to control your ammo consumption better. Unfortunately, it has pretty bad bullet spread even with ADS on.
You need Focus Fire mode to reduce this. That can make this a better choice for you who are especially confident of your crosshair placement and aiming for headshots which has 100% multiplier.
That ends our tier list for all SMG that you can get and use in Cyberpunk 2077 with Update 2.1. Let us know your thoughts! Which one is your favorite? How do you like to run your favorite gun? If you’re ever tired of shooting, the Monowire is often a breath of fresh air for many players.
