PS5 Pro vs PS5: Is the Upgrade Worth It Before GTA 6?

With Grand Theft Auto VI approaching, PlayStation owners have a choice to make: stick with the standard PS5 or upgrade to the more powerful PS5 Pro? Sony's enhanced console offers faster rendering, more advanced upscaling and additional storage, but that does not automatically make it the better purchase for every player.

Our verdict: the PS5 Pro is worth considering if you want the best possible console experience and plan to play demanding releases for years to come. However, if you already own a standard PS5, upgrading solely for GTA 6 is a gamble until Rockstar confirms the game's performance targets and specific PS5 Pro enhancements. Players who do not yet own a PS5 should also weigh the Pro's additional capabilities against their budget rather than assuming they are essential for enjoying Rockstar's next open-world adventure.

PS5 Pro vs PS5: What are the main differences?

The PS5 Pro is designed to improve graphical performance without abandoning the existing PlayStation 5 generation. Both consoles can run the same generation of games, but the Pro provides developers with more graphical headroom to pursue higher resolutions, improved image quality and smoother performance.

Sony's headline figures highlight the scale of the hardware upgrade. The PS5 Pro has 67% more compute units than the standard PS5, 28% faster memory and rendering that can be approximately 45% faster. Those improvements give developers more room to balance visual fidelity and performance, although the results depend on how individual games use the hardware.

The practical difference is that the Pro can help games deliver sharper images and more consistent performance when developers implement suitable enhancements. However, these specifications do not guarantee a particular frame rate or resolution in every game.

Rockstar's open-world games combine detailed environments, traffic, pedestrians, lighting and complex simulation systems. Therefore, the PS5 Pro's extra GPU capacity could help with demanding scenes, but the final experience will depend on Rockstar's optimization and chosen graphics settings.

PSSR 2.0: What does it change?

One of the PS5 Pro's most important features is PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution, or PSSR. This AI-assisted upscaling technology reconstructs a higher-resolution image from a lower-resolution render, helping games deliver improved image clarity without requiring the console to render every frame at the full output resolution.

In practical terms, upscaling can help developers pursue a more attractive balance between visual detail and performance. Instead of choosing between a sharper image and a smoother frame rate, a game can potentially deliver improvements to both, depending on its rendering workload and implementation.

PSSR is particularly relevant to a game such as GTA 6, where players will expect detailed city streets, distant scenery, dense vegetation and convincing lighting across a large world. Better reconstruction could help preserve fine details while keeping rendering demands manageable.

PSSR 2.0 has also been discussed in connection with improvements to Sony's upscaling technology, including its potential to produce cleaner image reconstruction. However, beta availability or reports about PSSR 2.0 should not be treated as confirmation that GTA 6 will use it. Rockstar has not confirmed the game's specific upscaling implementation, and the benefits of any technology depend on how a developer integrates it.

The same applies to frame rates. A more powerful GPU can give Rockstar additional options, but it does not guarantee that GTA 6 will run at 60 FPS on the PS5 Pro. Until the developer reveals performance modes and technical details, any specific resolution or frame-rate prediction remains speculation. Without a specific date provided by Rockstar Games, the footage of the game revealed so far, including the official GTA VI launch trailer, can't be taken as a solid proof on the game's performance on a specific platform, even though we know that this trailer was captured entirely in-game from a PlayStation 5.

Will GTA 6 be enhanced for PS5 Pro?

Reports indicate that GTA 6 could receive PS5 Pro enhancements, making Sony's more powerful console an appealing prospect for players who prioritize image quality and performance. The PS5 Pro's additional GPU resources and PSSR technology provide plausible ways to improve the experience. However, depending on Rockstar's implementation, enhancements could target image clarity, visual settings or performance stability. These are possibilities, not confirmed features.

The standard PS5 remains an important part of the equation. The release of GTA 6 is scheduled for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, so players do not need to buy the Pro simply to access the game on PlayStation. Until official technical details emerge, prospective buyers should avoid investing in an upgrade based on promises of a particular resolution, frame rate or graphics mode.

PS5 Pro price and stock: Is now the right time to buy?

Even if the PS5 Pro looks like the better technical option, value for money is a separate question. Its additional performance, 2 TB SSD and upgraded wireless connectivity make it a more capable system on paper, but the upgrade is harder to justify for someone who already owns a working PS5. Availability is another consideration. Demand surrounding major releases can affect console stock and retailer offers, so buyers should compare current listings before committing to a purchase. 

Should you upgrade to PS5 Pro before GTA 6?

The right choice depends on your current console and what you expect from the game.

• Upgrade to PS5 Pro if: you want stronger graphics hardware, value improved image reconstruction, need more internal storage and regularly play demanding games on a compatible high-end display.

• Keep your standard PS5 if: you already own one, are happy with its performance and would be upgrading mainly because of GTA 6. Waiting for confirmed technical details could prevent an expensive decision based on speculation.

• Consider the Pro if you are buying your first PS5: it offers more performance headroom and a larger SSD, but the standard model may still be the better-value choice depending on the offers available and your budget.

Ultimately, the PS5 Pro is the more capable console, but its extra power does not yet make it a mandatory purchase for GTA 6. Rockstar's eventual performance breakdown will be the deciding factor for players who want to know whether the upgrade delivers a meaningful advantage in Los Santos and beyond.

Where to pre-order GTA 6

Whichever PS5 model you choose, you can prepare for Rockstar's next major release by reading our blog post about GTA 6 editions compared and learn about the possible implementation of crossplay. Visit our comparator to check where the game is available and compare prices before you pre-order GTA 6.

Until Rockstar confirms the differences between the standard PS5 and PS5 Pro versions, the safest approach is to choose your console based on its overall value rather than unconfirmed GTA 6 enhancements.