Sony’s PlayStation 5 Pro is now a fast-approaching reality, with the $700 mid-generation upgrade set to release on November 7. This launch comes approximately a year ahead of the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6, a game that’s expected to push the four-year-old base PS5 to its absolute limits. But the question on every gamer’s mind: How essential will the PS5 Pro be to fully experience GTA 6’s cutting-edge gameplay?
While the PS5 Pro promises a slew of performance enhancements, some experts argue that the current-generation PS5 may already be more than capable of handling the graphical demands of GTA 6. Richard Leadbetter, technology editor at Digital Foundry, points to the impressive visuals seen in last year’s GTA 6 trailer, saying, “I think there’s good evidence to suggest that the [GTA 6 trailer] was running on either PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X.” This suggests that the base PS5 is likely capable of delivering a visually stunning experience, albeit with some limitations.
Where the PS5 Pro may struggle, however, is in the area of frame rates. When asked if GTA 6 could realistically run at 60 frames-per-second (fps) on the PS5 Pro, Leadbetter was candid: “No. Grand Theft Auto games have always run complex simulations that push the CPU hard, which is why every GTA game has initially launched on their target platforms at 30fps (or lower!).”
According to Leadbetter, the CPU in the PS5 Pro is identical to that of the base PS5, making it difficult to achieve 60fps, especially if GTA 6 targets 30fps on the standard console. “This isn’t a GPU problem, it’s a CPU problem,” he explains. The expansive world of GTA 6 is expected to feature a staggering level of complexity, from intricate traffic systems to lifelike pedestrian behavior. All of these systems put tremendous strain on the CPU, limiting the ability to boost frame rates.
Despite these constraints, the PS5 Pro is still expected to offer visual improvements. Leadbetter believes that while the console may not hit the coveted 4K 60fps mark, gamers can still expect higher-quality visuals compared to the base PS5. “What you will get will be higher quality visuals, but likely still running at similar frame-rates [to the base console],” he notes. For players hoping for a locked 30fps experience, the PS5 Pro’s slight boost to CPU clock speeds—around 10 percent—could offer more stable performance in busy, resource-intensive scenes.
However, Leadbetter tempers expectations, stating that while the PS5 Pro is undoubtedly an impressive machine, its capabilities may not be as transformative as some may hope. “I think the hardware’s certainly capable, but the actual presentation confused me. Nine minutes just isn’t really enough to describe in depth the features the machine has and the philosophy behind the design.”
In the end, while the PS5 Pro is likely to enhance the visual experience of GTA 6, the CPU limitations and Rockstar’s historical preference for 30fps targets mean the jump in performance may not be as significant as some expect. For many, the base PS5 could still deliver a more than satisfying GTA 6 experience, leaving the PS5 Pro as a desirable, but not essential, upgrade for Rockstar’s next epic title.
