GTA 5’s PC system requirements depend on the version: the game has two builds — Legacy (the 2015 original) and Enhanced, released on March 4, 2025. Legacy runs on a quad-core Core 2 Quad Q6600 with 4 GB of RAM and a graphics card with 1 GB of memory, while Enhanced asks for a Core i7-4770 or FX-9590, 8 GB of RAM, a 4 GB graphics card and, without exception, an SSD. Data verified on October 21, 2026 against the Steam pages for both versions and Rockstar Games announcements.
- Legacy, minimum: Core 2 Quad Q6600 / Phenom 9850, 4 GB RAM, NVIDIA 9800 GT / AMD HD 4870 with 1 GB, 125 GB of storage, Windows 10 64-bit.
- Enhanced, minimum: Core i7-4770 / FX-9590, 8 GB RAM, GTX 1630 / RX 6400 with 4 GB, an SSD with 105 GB of free space.
- Enhanced, recommended: Core i5-9600K / Ryzen 5 3600, 16 GB RAM, RTX 3060 / RX 6600 XT with 8 GB, an SSD with DirectStorage support, Windows 11.
Legacy or Enhanced: what’s the difference
Enhanced is a free upgrade for anyone who already owns GTA 5 on PC, and a new purchase adds both versions to your library. Rockstar kept Legacy in the launcher for computers that fall short of Enhanced’s minimum and continues to support it.
- Graphics. Enhanced adds ray tracing: ambient occlusion and global illumination, which the consoles don’t have, plus shadows and reflections from the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S versions. Rockstar ties these features to the recommended configuration.
- Upscalers and loading. Enhanced supports AMD FSR and NVIDIA DLSS, and loading is faster thanks to SSDs and DirectStorage on compatible systems. The list also includes higher resolutions and frame rates, Dolby Atmos and the DualSense controller with adaptive triggers.
- GTA Online. Legacy and Enhanced players end up in separate sessions: to play with a friend, you both need the same version.
- Progress. Story Mode and your GTA Online character can be transferred from Legacy to Enhanced. The transfer doesn’t delete your Legacy progress, but you can’t copy it back.
GTA 5 Legacy system requirements
The table mirrors the GTA V Legacy page on Steam. Both versions require a 64-bit processor and operating system.
| Parameter | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10, 64-bit | Windows 10, 64-bit |
| Processor | Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 or AMD Phenom 9850 (4 cores) | Intel Core i5-3470 (4 cores) or AMD FX-8350 (8 cores) |
| RAM | 4 GB | 8 GB |
| Graphics card | NVIDIA 9800 GT 1 GB or AMD HD 4870 1 GB | NVIDIA GTX 660 2 GB or AMD HD 7870 2 GB |
| DirectX | 10, 10.1 or 11 | Not listed separately |
| Storage | 125 GB | 125 GB |
| Sound card | DirectX 10 compatible | DirectX 10 compatible |
In its notes, Steam warns that mobile chipsets, integrated graphics and AGP graphics cards may be incompatible, and that requirements change over time with updates and downloadable content.
GTA 5 Enhanced system requirements
| Parameter | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 with the latest updates | Windows 11 |
| Processor | Intel Core i7-4770 or AMD FX-9590 | Intel Core i5-9600K or AMD Ryzen 5 3600 |
| RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB |
| Graphics card | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1630 or AMD Radeon RX 6400 | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 or AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT |
| VRAM | 4 GB | 8 GB |
| Storage | SSD required, 105 GB | SSD with DirectStorage support, 105 GB |
| Sound | DirectX 10 compatible | System with Windows Spatial Sound support |
The minimum graphics card for Enhanced is a budget 4 GB model, but the processor has to be Core i7-4770-class, and the SSD is listed as required. Dolby Atmos sound needs an audio system that supports it. Rockstar specifically notes that ray tracing is designed for the recommended configuration.
What else you need to run it
- Rockstar Games account. Without signing in to it, you can’t install the game or play online. For Enhanced, Steam lists the Rockstar Games Launcher as required.
- Internet. A connection is required for activation, GTA Online and periodic license checks.
- Additional software. DirectX, Chromium and Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 SP1 are installed along with the game.
- Anti-cheat. Since update 1.69 on September 17, 2024, GTA Online on PC has used BattlEye, and Enhanced includes kernel-level anti-cheat. For Story Mode, the Rockstar Games Launcher added an option to disable BattlEye.
How to check your PC
Everything you need is in Windows itself, so no third-party software is required. The paths come from Microsoft’s help page on device information.
Find your processor, memory and Windows version
Right-click Start and open Settings → System → About. Under “Device specifications,” you’ll find the processor, RAM amount and system bitness; under “Windows specifications,” the edition and version.
Result: You can see the processor, RAM amount, system bitness and Windows version.
Identify your graphics card
Press Win + R, type dxdiag and confirm. On the System tab, the System Information section shows the DirectX version; the Display tab shows the graphics card name and its memory. Compare them with the “Graphics card” and “VRAM” rows in the tables.
Result: You know the graphics card model, its memory size and the DirectX version.
Check your drive
In Settings, open System → Storage: Enhanced needs 105 GB on an SSD, Legacy needs 125 GB. The drive type is shown in Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) on the Performance tab when you select the disk.
Result: You know whether there’s enough space and whether you have an SSD for Enhanced.
GTA 5 on a low-end PC: what to do
If you want GTA 5 on an old computer that doesn’t meet Enhanced’s minimum, install Legacy: Rockstar kept it for exactly these systems.
- Memory and graphics card. Legacy is designed for 4 GB of RAM and a graphics card with 1 GB. The requirements flag integrated laptop graphics as possibly incompatible, so there are no guarantees for it.
- Hard drive. Enhanced requires an SSD, while Legacy’s requirements don’t list one. The difference between drive types is covered in “HDD vs SSD”.
- Disk space. Both versions take up more than 100 GB. If your system drive is full, you can move the game to another drive in Steam without reinstalling it.
- Graphics settings. Lower the resolution and graphics quality in the game’s settings, and in Enhanced turn on FSR or DLSS. Rockstar designs ray tracing for the recommended configuration, so it’s best left off on a low-end PC.
- Upgrade. If the graphics card is the bottleneck, see the graphics card roundup; for the recommended Windows 11, the guide to upgrading from Windows 10 will help.
Sources and methodology
Analysis of public sourcesChecked 21 October 2026
- Steam — Grand Theft Auto V Legacy store.steampowered.com
- Steam — Grand Theft Auto V Enhanced store.steampowered.com
- Rockstar Games — Free Upgrade for Grand Theft Auto V on PC Now Available (March 5, 2025) store.steampowered.com
- Rockstar Games — Pre-Load the Free Grand Theft Auto V PC Upgrade Now (February 28, 2025) store.steampowered.com
- Microsoft — Find information about your Windows device support.microsoft.com
Frequently asked questions
Will GTA 5 run on 4 GB of RAM?
Legacy will: 4 GB is listed in its minimum requirements. Enhanced needs at least 8 GB, and 16 GB for the recommended tier.
Do you need an SSD for GTA 5?
For Enhanced, yes: an SSD is required even at the minimum, and the recommended tier calls for an SSD with DirectStorage support. Legacy’s requirements don’t list an SSD.
How much space does GTA 5 take on PC?
According to Steam as of October 21, 2026, Legacy needs 125 GB and Enhanced needs 105 GB. Leave extra room for GTA Online updates.
Can you play GTA Online with a friend if you have different versions?
No. Rockstar split Legacy and Enhanced into separate sessions, so you both need the same version to play together.
Does GTA 5 work on Steam Deck?
As of October 21, 2026, Valve lists both versions on Steam as Unsupported due to the anti-cheat configuration. In the update 1.69 notes, Rockstar wrote that Story Mode is available on Steam Deck, but GTA Online is not, and that the device isn’t officially supported.
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