Before we talk parts, a quick reality check: Rockstar hasn’t announced a PC version of GTA 6. The only date on paper is May 26, 2026 for PS5/Xbox Series X|S. That said, you don’t need a crystal ball to make a PC that’s ready for a huge, city-scale open world. Recent Rockstar ports (think Red Dead Redemption 2) and modern AAA trends point to the same pressure points: CPU threads for crowds/traffic, fast storage for streaming, and ample VRAM for high-res textures and weather. So the goal here isn’t prophecy; it’s a “buy now, no regrets later” plan.
TL;DR picks (what to buy today without overthinking it)
- 1080p/60 High: Ryzen 5 7600 or Core i5-13600K, RTX 4070 12GB or RX 7800 XT 16GB, 32GB DDR5, 1TB Gen4 NVMe.
- 1440p/60 Ultra: Ryzen 7 7800X3D or Core i7-13700K/14700K, RTX 4070 SUPER or RX 7900 XT, 32GB DDR5, 1–2TB Gen4 NVMe.
- 4K/60 High–Ultra: 7800X3D or i7-14700K, RTX 4080 SUPER/4090 or RX 7900 XTX, 32–64GB DDR5, 2TB Gen4 NVMe.
If you skimmed that and thought “why the VRAM bump?” open worlds love memory. High-detail cities, rain, reflections, and dense traffic nibble at VRAM in a way simple benchmarks don’t always show.
Why these parts (and not pricier ones)
Rockstar-scale games tend to lean on CPU scheduling (AI for cars/peds), IO throughput (streaming neighborhoods smoothly as you drive), and VRAM for texture + effects headroom. You don’t need halo parts to cover that. An 8-core with strong single-thread (or 3D cache) keeps simulation steady; a mid-high GPU with 12–20GB VRAM at 1440p gives you breathing room for “ultra” textures without constant tweaking. And yes, NVMe SSD isn’t optional anymore SATA or (please no) HDDs will hitch the moment you cross a bridge at speed.
Three buy-now builds (with rationale, not marketing)
1) 1080p / 60 High value that lasts
- CPU: Ryzen 5 7600 or Core i5-13600K
- GPU: RTX 4070 12GB or RX 7800 XT 16GB
- RAM: 32GB DDR5-6000 (16GB runs, 32GB ages better)
- Storage: 1TB Gen4 NVMe
- PSU/Case: 650–750W Gold, airflow-first mid-tower
Why it works: 1080p is usually GPU-light but CPU-spiky in open worlds; these chips keep population density/variety sliders honest. Extra VRAM on the 7800 XT helps when “High” quietly means “very high” textures plus heavy weather.
2) 1440p / 60 Ultra — the sweet spot
- CPU: Ryzen 7 7800X3D or i7-13700K/14700K
- GPU: RTX 4070 SUPER or RX 7900 XT (20GB VRAM is comfy)
- RAM: 32GB DDR5-6000
- Storage: 1–2TB Gen4 NVMe
- PSU/Case: 750–850W Gold, solid tower air or 240/280 AIO
Why it works: 1440p is where big cities shine. Large-cache AMD or high-IPC Intel keeps AI and physics from stuttering during rush hour; these GPUs do Ultra with room for DLSS/FSR in stormy downtowns.
3) 4K / 60 High–Ultra — bring the big guns
- CPU: 7800X3D or i7-14700K (or better)
- GPU: RTX 4080 SUPER/4090 or RX 7900 XTX (16–24GB VRAM)
- RAM: 32–64GB DDR5
- Storage: 2TB Gen4 NVMe (captures/mods eat space)
- PSU/Case: 850–1000W Gold/Platinum, premium airflow
Why it works: At 4K, volumetrics, reflections, shadows and high-res crowds can swamp lesser cards. Expect to trade a notch of those “cinema” sliders for a locked 60—worth it. Upscalers help; MSAA usually doesn’t.
Settings that usually tank FPS (so you don’t chase ghosts)
- CPU-leaning: Population density/variety, traffic density, and sometimes physics quality. Dropping these a tick can stabilize frametime more than killing shadows.
- GPU-leaning: Volumetric fog, screen-space/mirror reflections, water physics, high shadow resolution, and MSAA. Prefer DLSS/FSR/XeSS over raw AA when possible.
- Storage-related: Traversal hitching screams “slow drive.” Keep the game on NVMe, leave 10–15% free space, and avoid recording to the same SSD.
How many cores is “enough” in 2025?
An honest floor for busy open worlds is 8 cores / 16 threads. Will a fast 6-core survive? Often, yes until you hit the two worst words in PC gaming: big city. If you’re buying new, start at 8 cores and don’t look back.
RAM, VRAM, and disk—boring, crucial, future-proof
- RAM: 32GB DDR5 is the new sane default. It keeps Chrome, Discord, capture tools, and the game from elbowing each other.
- VRAM: Aim 12GB+ at 1440p, 16–24GB at 4K if you crave Ultra textures.
- Storage: Plan on 1–2TB NVMe. Large installs, photo mode shots, clips, and mods add up shockingly fast.
Smart upgrades if you already own a PC
- Still on 16GB RAM? Add a matched 16GB kit (dual-channel).
- HDD/SATA SSD? Move your open-worlds to NVMe first; it’s the most “felt” upgrade per dollar.
- Older 6/8-core CPU (e.g., 5600X/12400F+) but decent clock speeds? Step your GPU to RX 7800 XT / RTX 4070 tier and enjoy a huge leap.
- Tiny boot SSD? Add a second 1–2TB NVMe just for games/captures to avoid disk thrash.
Reasonable expectations (and how to tune without losing your mind)
Start with a Performance preset if offered, then bump the two or three visuals you personally notice: texture quality, shadow cascades, and crowd density. Lock a frame cap (60/120) with VRR if your screen supports it; otherwise enable V-Sync and cap slightly below your average to kill micro-stutter. Drop motion blur and film grain a notch clarity beats faux cinema when you’re weaving traffic in the rain.
FAQs (because you’ll ask anyway)
Is GTA 6 on PC confirmed? Not yet. As of now it’s PS5/Xbox only, dated May 26, 2026.
So why build now? Because these parts already crush today’s sandbox heavyweights and won’t age out by the time a PC port appears.
How big will it be? Past Rockstar PC releases have been very large installs; budget 150GB+ and don’t be surprised by more.
Will my 6-core run it? Likely, but expect tough scenes to bite. If you upgrade one thing for stability, make it CPU (8-core) or NVMe whichever you lack.