This comparison comes up every generation, and the honest answer hasn’t fundamentally changed: it depends on what you actually value, not which platform is objectively “better.” But the specifics worth knowing have shifted this year.
Short answer: PC gives you better long-term value and higher performance ceilings if you’re willing to build or maintain a rig, and it’s the only place to get mods for games like GTA V. Console gives you simplicity, a lower upfront cost at the entry tier, and zero maintenance, which matters more than people admit once the excitement of a new setup wears off.
Cost: closer than it used to be, but console still wins upfront
Console prices have gone up significantly this year. In the US, the PS5 costs $649.99 with a disc drive and $599.99 for the Digital Edition after Sony’s April 2026 increase, and Microsoft raised the Xbox Series X to $799.99 (disc) and $749.99 (digital) on August 1, 2026. The Xbox Series S remains the budget option at $499.99. A capable gaming PC usually costs more than any of those upfront, though it holds long-term value differently, since you can upgrade individual parts over years instead of replacing an entire console.
Performance ceiling: PC wins, but only if you spend for it
A well-built PC can outperform any current console, especially at higher frame rates or resolutions. But a budget PC around console price genuinely won’t beat a PS5 or Series X; you need to spend more than console price to see a real performance advantage, not just match it.
What you can’t get on console
Mods are the biggest one. GTA V’s entire modding scene, texture overhauls, gameplay tweaks, community content, exists only on PC. If that matters to you specifically, it’s not a close call.
What you don’t have to think about on console
No driver updates, no compatibility troubleshooting, no deciding whether your hardware can handle a new release at launch. This is worth more to a lot of people than benchmark charts suggest, especially for people who just want to play games rather than maintain a machine.
For GTA6 specifically
GTA6 launches November 19, 2026 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S only. Rockstar hasn’t announced a PC version, and the pattern with GTA V suggests a PC release could come well after the console launch. If PC is your only platform, that timing gap is worth factoring into your plans regardless of which system you’d otherwise prefer.
Bottom line
Choose PC if mods matter to you or you already enjoy tinkering with hardware. Choose console if you want to buy it once and just play, especially with GTA6 arriving on consoles first. Just don’t expect console prices to hold still: Sony and Microsoft have each raised them more than once since mid-2025.