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Nvidia’s RTX 4060 might not be such a disappointment after all

Nvidia’s RTX 4060 is right around the corner, so it’s really no surprise that the first benchmarks are already starting to leak out. Today, two tests have been spotted, and they bode pretty well for the GPU. The RTX 3060, which is still a favorite among Nvidia users, might be around 20% slower than the upcoming Ada Lovelace model.

Will the RTX 4060 become one of the best GPUs, or at least one of the most popular models in this generation?

Nvidia's RTX 4070 graphics cards over a pink background.
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

The benchmarks, first spotted by BenchLeaks, both feature an unnamed RTX 4060 GPU in two different Geekbench 6 tests: the GPU Compute test using Vulkan and then a second test using OpenCL. While the scores slightly vary, it does seem like the RTX 4060 will offer an acceptable generational uplift.

In the Vulkan test, the RTX 4060 scored 99,419 points, but it reached 105,630 points in OpenCL. Both mark a decent increase over the RTX 3060, which, as shared by Tom’s Hardware, averages 85,996 and 88,280 points, respectively. The RTX 4060 also maintains a lead over the AMD RX 7600 — the AMD card is close in Vulkan (95,147 points), but falls behind in OpenCL (80,209 points). Ultimately, according to the OpenCL score, the RTX 4060 is around 20% faster than its predecessor; the Vulkan lead is at around 12%.

Of course, benchmark scores don’t translate well to actual gaming performance. The RTX 4060 may run into a problem with VRAM, but for a budget card, it might still offer acceptable performance. A more expensive GPU like the RTX 4060 Ti can’t really get away with running just 8GB of video memory these days, but for the RTX 4060, priced at $300, many people might make an exception.

[GB6 GPU] Unknown GPU
CPU: Intel Core i5-13600K (14C 20T)
CPUID: B0671 (GenuineIntel)
GPU: GeForce RTX 4060
API: Vulkan
Score: 99419
PCI-ID: 10DE:2882https://t.co/ukIhf7xrMR

— Benchleaks (@BenchLeaks) June 21, 2023

The GPU is said to arrive with 3,072 CUDA cores, 8GB VRAM across a 128-bit memory bus, and 24MB of L2 cache. Although it sports fewer cores than its predecessor, the roomier cache should contribute to better performance. This new model also unlocks Nvidia’s DLSS 3, which might be enough to tempt some users into a fairly inexpensive upgrade.

It’s rather important for the RTX 4060 to succeed. Nvidia’s Ada Lovelace generation is famously overpriced, with GPUs that are either too expensive or of poor value (or both). If the RTX 4060 offers decent performance for $300, it might be an absolute hit.

Will the RTX 4060 be the new go-to for value-oriented PC builds? That remains to be seen. With just two benchmark scores right now, nothing is certain. We’ll know more when we test the card ourselves in time for its June 29 release date.

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Monica J. White
Monica is a UK-based freelance writer and self-proclaimed geek. A firm believer in the "PC building is just like expensive…
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