Xbox Series X upgrade turns your console into a ‘Pro’ ahead of GTA VI release

It's been six years since Microsoft and Sony last went head-to-head, with the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series lineup locking horns around Christmas 2020.

While the lower-spec Xbox Series S has been branded as little more than a Game Pass machine by some, the beefier Series X was held as the most powerful console on the market until the PS5 Pro arrived on the scene in November 2024.

Even though we should be winding down on this generation of console, the gaming wars rumble on in the background as we look ahead to Microsoft's upcoming Project Helix.

Effectively Xbox's rival to the PS6, there are obvious alarm bells that it's tipped to cost up to $1,200.

If you're already balking at that potential price tag and want to get a little more out of your Series X, one recent upgrade can potentially turn it into a 'Pro' model that could take on the PS5 Pro.

What is the Xbox Series X's 'Pro' upgrade?

Microsoft has had a rough year in terms of studio shuffles, massive layoffs, and complaints about AI integration, and while it hasn't quite faced the same backlash as Sony has for announcing it’s going to ditch physical discs, there are plenty of disgruntled gamers out there.

That ire could be turned around, as Windows Central explains developers are using AMD FSR 4.1 technology on both Xbox Series X and Series S games.

This means we could enjoy improved graphical clarity and frame rates.

Looking at FSR 4.1 implementation for PC games and on the pricey Xbox Ally X, those that support it are enjoying massive improvements.

FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution) works in a similar way to Sony's PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution on the PS5 Pro, letting developers run games at lower resolutions while upscaling images to a higher resolution.

This allows consoles to focus their resources on areas like frame rates, and over the years, AMD has continued to improve FSR to the 4.1 results we see today.

With the Xbox Series family following in the Ally's footsteps, it's another step in Microsoft trying to create a more unified family of consoles, handhelds, and gaming PCs. Windows Central has cheered the upgrade, concluding: "Those early Xbox Ally X results suggest FSR 4.1 could act as a software-driven mid-generation upgrade of sorts, helping developers squeeze more performance out of existing hardware."

How FSR on Xbox could reignite the console wars with GTA VI

Importantly, FSR 4.1 capabilities arrive just in time for a not-so-little release called GTA VI. Tipped to be the biggest release of all time, GTA VI has so far been marketed as being played best on the PS5 Pro. The problem with that is that, unless you already have a PS5 Pro, you might struggle to get one in time for the automotive adventure's release. While the PS5 Pro has a (hiked) MSRP of $900, it's currently being sold for $1,400 at GameStop. Sony has also been asking gamers to trade in their unused PS5 consoles for cash into their bank accounts, suggesting the Blue Team is trying to turn a potentially dormant player base into an active one.

GTA VI is absolutely one of the games that could benefit from FSR 4.1, but currently, there's no news on whether Rockstar Games will integrate this kind of tech into the game.

Windows Central already reported improvements for demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Gears of War: E-Day being able to showcase more consistent frame rates on the Xbox Ally X when FSR 4.1 was enabled, while The Witcher 3 remaster was closer to 60 FPS and boasted image clarity improvements.

Even if Rockstar doesn't add FSR 4.1, it'll definitely be worth holding onto your Series X for a bit longer.