How has the graphics quality evolved from gta iv to gta online?

Grand Theft Auto IV was released in 2008 and used the RAGE engine to deliver its visuals, featuring a stylized urban environment and realistic character models for its time. Grand Theft Auto Online, launched in 2013 for the same engine, has received multiple patches that introduce texture improvements, lighting changes, and performance optimizations. While both titles share the same underlying engine, the game code and asset pipelines differ, and the official documentation does not provide a side‑by‑side technical comparison of graphical fidelity or performance metrics between the two games. Consequently, any statement about a definitive upgrade in graphics quality beyond the fact that GTA Online has been updated over time would be speculative.