Nvidia launches RTX 4060 and 4060 Ti: Is it time to upgrade?

The "60"-branded GPUs in Nvidia's RTX lineup are the most affordable for mid-range video cards. And with Nvidia announcing their official launch on May 24, 2023, many gamers are getting ready to upgrade their GPUs.

But are the RTX 4060 and 4060 Ti worthy upgrades to the 2060 and 3060?

RTX 4060, RTX 4060 Ti (8GB) and RTX 4060 Ti (16GB) Specifications

Eight months after Nvidia launched the flagship-spec RTX 4090, 4080, and 4070 Ti GPUs, users are finally getting more affordable versions of the Ada Lovelace architecture. This started with the launch of the RTX 4070 in April 2023 and continued with the 4060 Ti and 4060.

Let's see what the RTX 4060 and 4060 Ti have to offer in theory:

While these specs are a far cry from what the 4090 has to offer, they're still more than capable of running the latest games at 1080p. And with prices starting at just $299, they're a great alternative to the 4070, which starts at $599.

If you have an older card, such as a GTX 1660 or an RTX 2060, or this is your first time learning about a gaming PC and you want a brand new, relatively powerful GPU at an affordable price, you should seriously consider buying a 4060 series video card.

But if you already have a 3060 class GPU, is the 4060 series a good upgrade?

RTX 3060 (8GB) vs. RTX 4060

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First, let's compare the RTX 3060 (8GB) and the traditional RTX 4060. Although the 3060 (8GB) was the last 3060 card to come out, it also had the lowest specs. This is even more complicated because its launch price is the same as the price of the old 3060 (12GB) but performs better. Because of this, many are advised to stay away from the RTX 3060 (8GB).

Will the RTX 4060 suffer the same fate? Ability. Although the 4060 has the same 8GB GDDR6 memory configuration, it has a higher base clock and boost clock than the 3060. Furthermore, the 4060's TDP is only 115W, much lower than the 3060's 170W.

Also, don't forget the newer chips rocking the 4000 series GPUs. The Ada Lovelace architecture offers several improvements over Ampere, allowing Nvidia to increase the power and efficiency of its video cards.

RTX 3060 (12GB) vs RTX 4060 Ti (8GB)

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While the 3060 (12GB) is almost the same as the 8GB version, the additional 4GB does wonders, allowing the card to perform up to 35% better. So will the 12GB RTX 3060 outperform the 8GB 4060 Ti?

Although the 4060 Ti (8GB) has less memory than the 3060 (12GB) and a smaller memory bus, it has a larger number of CUDA cores, a higher base clock and boost clock, and a lower TDP.

Furthermore, some initial test results show that the 4060 Ti performs noticeably better than the 3060 (12GB). The 4060 Ti achieved a score of 22.06 TFLOP, while the 3060 (12GB) scored only 9,462 on the same test.

RTX 3060 Ti vs. RTX 4060 Ti (16GB)

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To date, the analysis has determined that the 4060 series lineup offers a significant performance improvement, and this remains true when comparing the 3060 Ti and the 4060 Ti (16GB). Although the 3060 Ti outperforms the 3060 (12GB), the difference is negligible.

But expect it to perform better when playing games and performing other tasks since the memory capacity of the 4060 Ti (16GB) is significantly larger than that of the 3060 Ti and 4060 Ti (8GB).

Compare prices between 3060/3060 Ti and 4060/4060 Ti

Of course, the 4060 series of GPUs will outperform the 3060. But the main question is are they worth the upgrade? Let's compare their launch prices and some of the options in the 3060 series.

As you can see, the RTX 4060 came out for $20 cheaper than the most affordable RTX 3060 - a good sign that overpriced GPUs are a thing of the past. However, the high-end RTX 4060 Ti (16GB) is $100 more expensive than the previous 3060 Ti, although this is understandable since it has twice the VRAM.

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Now, let's look at some other options on Amazon. You can buy the Asus Dual GeForce RTX 3060 OC 8GB for $339.99, while the Asus Dual GeForce RTX 3060 V2 OC 12GB costs $364.99. Finally, the Asus Dual GeForce RTX 3060 Ti OC costs around $409.99.

As you can see, the alternatives cost about $10 less than the starting price of Nvidia cards, so you should consider this if you are waiting for a third-party 4060 series GPU.

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But if you believe Nvidia's test results, the 25% price increase for the RTX 4060 Ti (16GB) is worth it because it can perform more than twice as well as the 3060 Ti with DLSS 3.0 enabled. But based on raw horsepower alone, the average 10% improvement isn't worth much.

When can you get the RTX 4060 and 4060 Ti?

In case you are still looking forward to getting your hands on the 4060 or 4060 Ti, then you should know that NVIDIA will offer the 4060 Ti (8GB) on May 24, 2023, while the 4060 and 4060 Ti (16GB) will be available. in July 2023.

Should I upgrade to Nvidia 4060 or 4060 Ti?

The 4060 series looks to be a promising upgrade, with the 4060 and 4060 Ti (8GB) offering more performance for the same or less price than previous generation offerings.

However, do not rush to order. You should look at real-world results from reputable benchmarks and testers to know what you're getting.

This can also help you to know if any issues arise to avoid any trouble with the new gaming CPU build.

Samuel Daniel

Update 27 June 2023