The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060: A Game-Changing Graphics Card?
The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 has arrived at a time when the graphics card industry is going through an identity crisis. Affordable GPUs like the Nvidia RTX 2060 are still the most popular among PC gamers, according to the Steam Hardware Survey. However, both Nvidia and AMD have not fully addressed the needs of this large PC gaming community. This is evident with the release of the RTX 4060 Ti, which comes with a hefty price tag of $399. Thankfully, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 has maintained the same price point as its predecessors, the RTX 3060 and RTX 2060, at $299. While the RTX 4060 does offer a significant performance boost for those upgrading from the RTX 2060, its limited 8GB of VRAM may hinder it, especially as games become more demanding.
Is DLSS 3.0 Worth It?
If you already own a powerful graphics card like the RTX 3060 or the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT, the RTX 4060 may not be the right choice for you. In terms of direct testing, I did not have access to an RTX 3060, but I did test the performance of the RTX 4060 against the RTX 3060 Ti. While the RTX 3060 Ti outperforms the RTX 4060 in most games, the RTX 4060 does have an advantage when DLSS 3.0 Frame Generation is enabled. DLSS 3.0 is a new technology found in Nvidia RTX 40-series graphics cards, which uses AI to predict and generate extra frames, increasing framerates. By eliminating the render queue used in previous gaming systems, Frame Generation ensures that the GPU is constantly running at full capacity, resulting in higher frame rates. Nvidia addresses the potential latency issues of this technology with its Reflex technology, which reduces latency and maintains responsiveness. While the RTX 3060 can provide similar performance, it lacks DLSS 3.0 support. Currently, the RTX 3060 may be the more cost-effective option, but if you have to choose between the RTX 4060 and the RTX 3060 at the same price, the RTX 4060 offers an additional feature worth considering.
Asus Dual RTX 4060 – Design and Specs
The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 is based on the Ada Lovelace graphics architecture, like the rest of the RTX 40-series lineup. It features third-generation ray tracing cores and fourth-generation Tensor Cores, although in smaller quantities compared to the RTX 4090. The RTX 4060 has 24 Streaming Multiprocessors, which includes 96 Tensor Cores and 24 RT Cores. It also has 3,072 CUDA cores, slightly less than the RTX 3060. With 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM, the RTX 4060 falls short compared to the RTX 3060 released in 2021. However, it makes up for this with increased cache size, reducing the need for extensive data storage in VRAM. Initial testing indicates that the RTX 4060 may still face VRAM limitations. In terms of power consumption, the RTX 4060 operates at a peak of only 117W. Cooling is relatively easy, and temperature peaks at 76°C without much fan noise. It’s important to note that Nvidia did not produce an in-house Founders Edition for the RTX 4060, making it available only through third-party manufacturers like Asus, Zotac, and Gigabyte. Depending on the brand and model, prices may vary, with some reaching up to $350. However, if you’re willing to spend that much, it’s advisable to save a little more and opt for the $399 RTX 4060 Ti instead. The Asus Dual RTX 4060, reviewed in this article, is a basic aftermarket card with an attractive all-black design, a metal backplate, and two fans. Notably, it features a single 8-pin power connector, simplifying the installation process compared to the commonly used 24-pin connector.
Nvidia RTX 4060 – Performance
The Nvidia RTX 4060 is marketed as a 1080p graphics card, and it delivers exceptional performance at that resolution, with a few exceptions. Most games can comfortably achieve an average of 60+ fps at 1080p with maximum graphical settings. However, there are certain games where the RTX 4060 struggles. For example, in Far Cry 6, the GPU experiences drops in frame rates when there is a high load on the VRAM, resulting in dips to 40 or 50 fps. While this may not pose a problem for most games at 1080p, it’s worth considering if you plan to play graphically demanding games in the future.
RTX 4060 Benchmarks:
– Far Cry 6: Average frame rate of 102 fps, with drops to 40-50 fps during intense moments.
– Cyberpunk 2077: At the “RT Ultra” preset and DLSS on Quality mode, the RTX 4060 achieves a solid 62 fps at 1080p. Enabling Frame Generation increases the frame rate to 96 fps, providing a smooth gaming experience.