Pick Enhanced if
Your PC meets the minimum
- You want ray tracing, DLSS or FSR.
- You want Hao’s Special Works and GTA+.
- Your friends already moved over.
Migrate once, then play there for good.
GTA OnlinePC
GTA 5 Enhanced vs LegacyWhat the PC Upgrade Changes, and Which Version to Play
Since March 2025, GTA 5 on PC comes in two versions. Enhanced brings the console-generation features to PC for free; Legacy stays for older hardware. They don’t play together, and moving your Online progress is a one-way trip. Here’s what changes and how to choose.
By Herberth "ARES" Andrade8 min read
- Released
- Mar 4, 2025
- Upgrade
- Free
- Cross-version play
- No
- Online migration
- One time
TL
TL;DR
Enhanced vs Legacy in One Screen
Enhanced adds
Ray tracing, DLSS, FSR, HSW
Plus DualSense support, faster loading with DirectStorage, Dolby Atmos and GTA+ on PC.
Legacy keeps
Lower hardware needs
Rockstar kept Legacy so PCs below the Enhanced minimum can still play.
Playing together
Same version only
Legacy and Enhanced players are separate. Friends must be on the same one.
Migration
One way, PC only
Online progress moves once and can’t be reversed. Your Legacy progress stays where it is.
The upgrade
What GTA 5 Enhanced Is
GTA V Enhanced launched on PC on March 4, 2025, on the Rockstar Games Launcher, Steam and Epic Games. It brings the features from PS5 and Xbox Series X|S to PC and is free for anyone who already owned GTA V there. New buyers get both versions. If you’re choosing a version to start fresh, or picking up a GTA 5 account that’s already built, the version matters, because the two don’t share sessions.
Comparison
Enhanced vs Legacy, Side by Side
| Feature | Enhanced | Legacy |
|---|---|---|
| Ray tracing | Ambient occlusion and global illumination on PC, plus ray traced shadows and reflections | No |
| Upscaling | AMD FSR and NVIDIA DLSS | No |
| Loading | Faster with SSD and DirectStorage on supported setups | Original |
| Controller | DualSense support with adaptive triggers | Standard |
| Audio | Dolby Atmos and improved speech, cinematic and music fidelity | Original |
| Hao’s Special WorksEnhanced only | Yes, with upgraded vehicles and Chameleon Paints | No |
| GTA+ on PC | Yes | No |
| New player start | Career Builder with GTA$4,000,000 and a choice of four careers | Original start |
| Career Progress tracking | Yes | No |
| GTA Online updates | Yes | Yes |
Faster cars, too
Hao’s Special Works upgrades only exist on Enhanced and current consoles, and they push some cars far past their normal top speed.
Hardware
GTA 5 Enhanced PC Requirements
These are Rockstar’s official specs for the Enhanced version. Below the minimum, Legacy is the version to play.
| Component | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10 (latest service pack) | Windows 11 |
| Processor | Intel Core i7-4770 or AMD FX-9590 | Intel Core i5-9600K or AMD Ryzen 5 3600 |
| Memory | 8 GB RAM | 16 GB dual-channel RAM |
| Graphics | GeForce GTX 1630 or Radeon RX 6400 (4 GB VRAM) | GeForce RTX 3060 or Radeon RX 6600 XT (8 GB VRAM) |
| Storage | 105 GB, SSD required | 105 GB, DirectStorage-compatible drive |
| Audio | 100% DirectX 10 compatible | Windows Spatial Sound with Dolby Atmos support |
Starting over?
Skip the Grind on Your New Version
Start on Enhanced or Legacy with a profile that already has the cars, properties and rank you want.
Migration
How Moving Your Progress Works
Rockstar lets you move Story Mode and GTA Online progress from Legacy to Enhanced. Read the rules first, because the Online move is final.
GTA Online migration rules
- It happens once and can’t be reversed.
- Your Legacy progress isn’t deleted.
- Characters, GTA$, progression, vehicles and properties come with you.
- It only works PC to PC. Console to PC or PC to console isn’t supported.
- Unspent GTA$ already on your Enhanced balance is removed when you migrate.
- Profiles with suspensions, bans, or illegitimate or insufficient progress may not be eligible.
Doing it
- 1
Open Enhanced
Start the migration from the GTA Online landing page. If you’ve already played Online on Enhanced, use the Pause Menu.
- 2
Review the character
Choose to continue with the migrated character or start a new one. Starting new overwrites that slot.
- 3
Story Mode
Story Mode saves follow their own route. Rockstar lets you download and migrate a save uploaded from Legacy.
Starter Pack owners
Criminal Enterprise Starter Pack benefits on Enhanced only go to the character that claimed them on Legacy and then migrated. Claim them on the character you plan to move.
Decision
Which Version Should You Play?
Stay on Legacy if
Your PC is below the minimum
- No SSD or an older graphics card.
- Your whole crew still plays Legacy.
- You’re not ready to make the one-way move.
Rockstar still runs GTA Online updates on Legacy.
FAQ
Questions Players Ask
Is GTA 5 Enhanced free?+
Yes. Players who already own GTA V on PC can upgrade to Enhanced for free. New buyers get both Enhanced and Legacy.
Can Legacy and Enhanced players play together?+
No. Rockstar keeps the two versions separate, so friends need to be on the same version to play together.
Can you move your GTA Online progress back to Legacy?+
No. The move from Legacy to Enhanced happens once and can’t be reversed. Your Legacy progress stays where it was.
Can you transfer GTA Online progress from console to PC Enhanced?+
No. Rockstar only supports the Legacy to Enhanced move within PC.
What are the minimum PC specs for GTA 5 Enhanced?+
Windows 10, an Intel Core i7-4770 or AMD FX-9590, 8 GB RAM, a GeForce GTX 1630 or Radeon RX 6400 with 4 GB VRAM, and 105 GB on an SSD.
Does GTA 5 Enhanced have ray tracing?+
Yes. It adds ray traced ambient occlusion and global illumination on PC, plus the ray traced shadows and reflections from PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.
Is Hao’s Special Works on Legacy?+
No. Hao’s Special Works and its vehicle upgrades are only on Enhanced and on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.
About the Author
Herberth "ARES" Andrade
Founder of EloAscend
Herberth runs EloAscend, which lists GTA 5 profiles for both PC versions and both console generations. This guide follows Rockstar’s own upgrade announcement and support rules.
Next step
Pick Your Version, Skip the Grind
Profiles for Enhanced, Legacy and consoles, with the cars and properties already in place.
Sources
Editorial note: the author works at EloAscend, and this article links to EloAscend services. Features and PC specs come from Rockstar’s March 4, 2025 announcement; migration rules come from Rockstar Support. Read on October 16, 2026. Rockstar can change these rules; we update this page when it does.