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The dust has settled after the much-anticipated release of Nvidia’s latest GPU, and the consensus amongst the industry’s experts – as viewed in this RTX 4060 review roundup – is the RTX 4060 is falling short of expectations. Despite a price point that is not too high, there seems to be a sense that the cost doesn’t quite justify the product.
In this article, we’ve gathered a comprehensive roundup of conclusions from leading tech reviewers regarding the performance of the RTX 4060. We will delve into the reasons behind this disappointing reception and examine the specific aspects of the GPU that have left reviewers wanting more. Buckle up, it’s time to take a deep dive into the world of graphics cards and find out exactly what has led to this lukewarm response. We’ve got our own analysis throughout this piece too.
Review roundup
| Site Reviewing | RTX 4060 Review |
|---|---|
| Tom’s Hardware | RTX 4060 “was universally faster than the previous generation RTX 3060” |
| Ars Technica | “4060 is generally between 15 and 20 percent faster than the 3060“ |
| PCGamer | “The RTX 4060 is a very power efficient GPU“ |
| TechSpot | “isn’t as egregiously poor as the 4060 Ti, but it’s still disappointing“ |
RTX 4060 overall specs
One of the key specifications to consider when evaluating a GPU’s performance is the Video RAM (VRAM) and the Memory Interface Width. The RTX 4060 features 8GB GDDR6 VRAM and a 128-bit memory interface.
The 8GB VRAM of the RTX 4060 is adequate for a specific niche of gamers: those who primarily engage in esports and 1080p gaming. This volume of VRAM provides enough memory to handle the textures and assets of most esports titles and games running at 1080p resolution.
RTX 4060 review roundup
| Graphics Card Specs | Specs Detail |
|---|---|
| GPU Model | RTX 4060 |
| Architecture | AD106 |
| Cores | 3072 |
| Texture Units | 120 |
| Raytracing Cores | 30 |
| Base Clock | 1830 MHz |
| Boost Clock | 2535 MHz |
| Memory | 8GB GDDR6 |
| Memory Interface | 128-bit |
| TDP | 115 W |
| Price | $299 |
It’s worth noting that the RTX 4060’s offering can be disappointing when compared to the RTX 3060, which boasted 12GB VRAM. In this sense, it feels like a step backward to see Nvidia release a GPU with reduced VRAM at a $299 price point, even if Nvidia believes it’s a more efficient VRAM setup when it comes to memory bandwidth.
For those who prioritize high performance, ultra settings, or gaming at higher resolutions, this may be a significant factor to consider. The RTX 4060’s VRAM and memory interface may not cut it for these high-demand scenarios, potentially limiting its appeal to a more casual gaming audience. However, the performance seems solid…sort of.
RTX 4060 Performance
Reviewers across the board agree that the RTX 4060 does show some enhancements over its predecessor, the RTX 3060. According to Tom’s Hardware, the RTX 4060 outperformed the previous generation in all of their benchmark tests, barring a few exceptions.
They highlight that this GPU does present an improvement in speed, even with a reduction in price. However, the RTX 4060’s performance falls short in demanding scenarios, as seen in the Spider-Man: Miles Morales running at 1440p ultra.
Arstechnica reports that the RTX 4060, in its 1080p tests, performs as anticipated, showing a 15 to 20 percent speed boost over the 3060. This performance varies depending on the game and whether ray tracing is enabled or not. AT mentions that achieving 60 frames per second in games like Returnal and Cyberpunk 2077 at 1080p may require using DLSS and tweaking settings.
PCGamer provides a slightly more optimistic perspective, deeming the RTX 4060 a reasonable performer, especially for players who aren’t necessarily looking to run the latest games with all settings maxed out. If you’re upgrading from an older card and primarily playing games like WoW, Fortnite, or various esports titles, the RTX 4060 may serve you well.
In contrast, TechSpot takes a more critical stance. It argues that the RTX 4060 doesn’t offer enough to justify an upgrade for those who already own RTX 30-series GPUs or RX 6000-series cards unless they play DLSS 3 supporting games that might make the upgrade worthwhile. This leaves us with a somewhat mixed, but not hugely inspiring view.
RTX 4060 Conclusion – and our view
Taking into account the insights from this RTX 4060 review roundup, the 4060 does offer some improvements over the RTX 3060, albeit not as significant as one would hope considering the generational leap. Such acceptable performance increments, though tangible, may not compel gamers to upgrade, especially those already in possession of the recent RTX 30-series or RX 6000 XT series cards.
Our verdict? The RTX 4060 could be a decent choice for those looking to upgrade older rigs or who primarily play less demanding games. However, for everyone else, especially those who demand high performance in the latest games or those already equipped with recent GPUs, the RTX 4060 may not be the best choice. It appears that this GPU, while not entirely without its merits, may not meet the high expectations set by previous generational upgrades – particularly more powerful Nvidia Geforce RTX cards.
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