Introduction
The anticipation around Nvidia’s newest offering, the RTX 4060, is building up, and everyone is eagerly awaiting its launch slated for sometime in July. While Nvidia has promised exceptional performance, there are certain aspects that may dampen the excitement. In this article, we delve into the specifications, price, performance, and other critical aspects of the RTX 4060.
Specifications
Nvidia’s RTX 4060 boasts the following features:
- 3072 CUDA cores
- 24 Ray tracing cores
- 8 gigabytes of 17 gigabit per second GDDR6 memory
- 128-bit memory bus, offering a total bandwidth of 272 gigabytes per second
- Power consumption of only 115 Watts
Price
The RTX 4060’s MSRP stands at:
- $299 in the US
- 349 Euros in the EU
- 289 pounds in the UK
Performance
The RTX 4060’s performance, as per Nvidia’s in-house testing, can be summarized as follows:
- It can deliver 60 or more FPS on average in some of the most recent AAA games at 1080p resolution using Ray tracing with DLSS.
- Over 90 FPS average in Cyberpunk 2077 and over 100 FPS in games like Dying Light 2 and Hitman 3 using Nvidia’s frame generation technology.
However, these results may be skewed, and it would be advisable to wait for independent reviews before forming a final judgment.
Memory Concerns: A Disappointing Upgrade?
The RTX 4060 might prove to be a disappointing replacement for the RTX 3060 due to its memory capacity. In 2023, memory capacity is critical. It has been proven that 8 gigabytes is inadequate for running the newest AAA games in 2023, even at 1080p resolution. This lack of memory causes stuttering in some games and poor texture loading in others.
Console games like PS5 and Xbox have 16 gigabytes of unified memory, surpassing PC standards. Consequently, game developers are struggling to fit everything into 8 gigabytes due to the GPU makers’ slow adoption of new industry standards.
The Better Alternatives
Considering the memory issue, it may be a good idea to consider the 12 gigabyte RTX 3060 or 10 gigabyte RX 6700 if you’re planning to spend around $300 on a new graphics card this summer. The 12 gigabyte RX 6700 XT, priced as low as $330, offers superior performance than the RTX 3060 and could also be a worthy option.
Impressive Efficiency: A Silver Lining
On a brighter note, the power efficiency of the RTX 40 series graphics cards is impressive. The RTX 4070 manages to deliver 40% more FPS than the 3060 TI, both being 200-watt cards. However, the current pricing strategy may nullify any value argument.
Why NVIDIA Won’t Lower Prices
NVIDIA is unlikely to change its pricing strategy significantly anytime soon, mainly because of its substantial profits from selling GPUs to the AI industry. This scenario is similar to how cryptomining bailed out Nvidia during the GTX 10 series and RTX 20 and 30 series.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the RTX 4060 might not be the best upgrade option. However, Nvidia can change the narrative by releasing a 16 gigabyte variant of the RTX 4060.