On PC, Grand Theft Auto V comes in two versions: GTA V Enhanced and GTA V Legacy. Rockstar states on its store that the purchase includes both, with the Legacy version included for hardware that does not meet the minimum system requirements of GTA V Enhanced. This guide helps you choose the right version based on your own hardware, before installing or starting a progress migration.
Problem
- You don't know which of the two versions to install.
- GTA V Enhanced won't start, or runs poorly, on an older PC or a laptop.
- You are hesitating about transferring your progress to Enhanced.
What sets the two versions apart
According to the GTA V Enhanced Steam page, this version brings graphics modes with ray tracing, support for AMD FSR and NVIDIA DLSS, faster loading thanks to SSD and DirectStorage on supported devices, Adaptive Triggers on the DualSense controller and Dolby Atmos audio, among other things. In return, it needs more recent hardware and an SSD is required.
GTA V Legacy remains the original PC version, with much more modest system requirements.
Step 1: note your hardware
When to use it: always first, before any installation.
Suggested solution
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager, then go to the Performance tab.
- Write down:
- CPU: the exact model;
- Memory: the amount of RAM;
- GPU: the graphics card model and its dedicated GPU memory (if there are two GPUs, use the dedicated card);
- Disk: the type shown (SSD or HDD) for the drive where you plan to install the game, and the free space.
- Press Windows + R, type the following command, then confirm to see your Windows version:
winver
Expected result: you have the five pieces of information to compare in step 2.
Step 2: compare with the system requirements
When to use it: once your hardware has been noted.
Suggested solution
GTA V Enhanced – minimum (Steam page):
- up-to-date 64-bit Windows 10;
- Intel Core i7-4770 or AMD FX-9590;
- 8 GB of RAM;
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1630 (4 GB) or AMD Radeon RX 6400 (4 GB);
- 105 GB of free space, SSD required.
GTA V Enhanced – recommended: Windows 11, Intel Core i5-9600K or AMD Ryzen 5 3600, 16 GB of RAM, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 (8 GB) or AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT (8 GB), DirectStorage-compatible SSD.
GTA V Legacy – minimum: 64-bit Windows 10, Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 or AMD Phenom 9850, 4 GB of RAM, NVIDIA 9800 GT (1 GB) or AMD HD 4870 (1 GB), 125 GB of free space.
The Steam pages of both versions state that some components, such as mobile chipsets, integrated graphics and AGP graphics cards, may be incompatible.
Expected result: you know whether your PC meets the Enhanced minimum.
Step 3: choose the version
When to use it: after the comparison in step 2.
Suggested solution
- Your PC meets the Enhanced minimum, graphics card and SSD included: install GTA V Enhanced. The closer you are to the recommended specs, the more graphics options you can enable.
- You have no SSD, or your graphics card is below a GTX 1630 / RX 6400 with 4 GB, or you only have integrated graphics: stay on GTA V Legacy, which is intended for this case.
- Borderline case (minimum only just met): you can try Enhanced. If it starts badly or stays too slow, Legacy is still included in your purchase.
- Install the chosen version from your store (Rockstar Games Launcher, Steam or Epic Games). On Steam, each version has its own page: GTA V Enhanced and GTA V Legacy.
Expected result: the installed version starts and runs smoothly on your PC.
Step 4: before migrating your progress
When to use it: if you already played GTA V Legacy and are moving to Enhanced.
Suggested solution
- According to the Enhanced Steam page, PC players can transfer their Story Mode progress as well as their GTA Online characters and progression to Enhanced with a one-time migration.
- Because this migration is one-time, make sure Enhanced works properly on your PC before starting it (steps 1 to 3).
- For the Story Mode save, see GTA V Legacy save missing from GTA V Enhanced on PC: how to transfer it. For GTA Online, see the guide GTA Online character missing from GTA V Enhanced on PC: migrate your profile.
Expected result: you migrate only once, to a version that runs well on your hardware.
Final check
- ☐ CPU, RAM, graphics card, disk type and Windows version are noted.
- ☐ The chosen version matches the minimum stated for your hardware.
- ☐ Enhanced is installed on an SSD, or Legacy is chosen for lack of an SSD.
- ☐ The progress migration is only started after a successful Enhanced test.
Sources
- Rockstar Games Store: Grand Theft Auto V
- Rockstar Newswire: Free Upgrade for Grand Theft Auto V on PC Now Available
- Steam: Grand Theft Auto V Enhanced and Grand Theft Auto V Legacy
Still having the problem?
Reply to this topic with:
- Your CPU, RAM, graphics card (with its memory) and disk type.
- Your Windows version (winver result).
- The version tried (Enhanced or Legacy), your store and what happens at launch.