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The Complete GTA VI Setup Guide

Everything on this site about GTA VI, in the order the decisions actually come up — not an arbitrary list. Each step below links to a full, independently researched breakdown; this page just tells you which ones matter for you and in what order.

Last updated 2026-07-23

1. 1

   Pick your console, if you haven't already

   Everything else on this page depends on this choice. GTA VI is confirmed for standard PS5 and Xbox Series X/S — the PS5 Pro is a real hardware upgrade, but Rockstar hasn't confirmed game-specific enhancements for it. There's also a dated, confirmed price change worth knowing about before you buy either Xbox.

   Compare PS5, PS5 Pro and Xbox Series X →
2. 2

   Decide: living room TV or desk monitor

   Both consoles output up to 4K/120Hz over HDMI 2.1 with VRR — but a lot of TVs and monitors marketed as "console-ready" don't actually have a genuine HDMI 2.1 input. We check that specifically rather than trusting the label, for whichever setup fits how you'll actually play.

   Best Gaming TV for PS5 and Xbox Series X →
3. 3

   Or, if you're at a desk

   Same HDMI 2.1 requirement applies, plus a few desk-specific tradeoffs — panel type, size versus pixel density, and whether a high refresh rate is actually wasted on a console capped at 120Hz.

   Best Gaming Monitor for PS5 and Xbox Series X →
4. 4

   Check your controller situation

   The controller that ships with your console is a complete way to play GTA VI — pro controllers add remapping, back paddles, and (on Xbox) meaningfully longer battery life. We rank PS5 and Xbox options separately since they're not interchangeable.

   Best Controller for PS5 and Xbox Series X (PS5 & Xbox) →
5. 5

   Keep a spare controller charged

   The DualSense's battery life is a known weak point (~5-6 hours) — easy to run into during a long GTA VI session. A charging dock keeps a second controller topped up without tying up a console USB port. Xbox pads solve this differently (AA or a rechargeable pack), so this is PS5-specific.

   Best PS5 Controller Charging Station →
6. 6

   Think about storage before you're forced to

   Rockstar hasn't published GTA VI's install size — treat any number you see elsewhere as a rumor. What is certain: PS5 and Xbox expand storage in completely different ways (a self-installed M.2 drive versus a proprietary plug-in card), so the two aren't interchangeable here either.

   Best SSD for PS5 and Xbox Series X (PS5 & Xbox) →
7. 7

   If you're planning long sessions, your chair matters more than people think

   Every source we cite agrees on one thing: "gaming chair" branding isn't itself an ergonomics guarantee, and chairs under roughly $200-250 tend to need replacing within about two years.

   Best Gaming Chair for Long Sessions →
8. 8

   Planning to play GTA Online? Your router is the one thing here that's actually optional

   This only affects online play — the single-player campaign runs entirely locally. And whichever router you pick, a wired Ethernet connection to your console will do more for latency than any router upgrade.

   Best Gaming Router for Online Play →
9. 9

   Add audio, if the built-in TV or controller speaker isn't enough

   One of our three picks here is a $38 wired headset that, by our scoring, actually comes out ahead of two pricier wireless options — it's worth reading why before assuming wireless is automatically better.

   Best Gaming Headset for PS5 and Xbox Series X →
10. 10

    Planning to stream or record commentary?

    You don't need a keyboard or mouse — GTA VI has no confirmed PC version or keyboard/mouse support. You need a microphone and, optionally, a webcam. Every source we cite agrees the microphone matters more than the camera.

    Best Streaming Setup for Console Gaming →
11. 11

    Last: polish the desk itself

    Not a full ranked guide like the others — a monitor arm and a cable management kit don't have three genuinely different competing tiers worth a long breakdown. Just the two upgrades that actually change how a desk setup feels day to day.

    Desk Setup Essentials →

Want the full release timeline? GTA VI Release Date: Everything Confirmed So Far →