You’ve heard it here: Nvidia has pulled back the curtain on its new RTX 4060 lineup. This exciting reveal includes the RTX 4060 Ti set to launch next week, May 24th, with a tempting starting price of $399. But hold your breath, because here comes the game-changer: the RTX 4060. This wonder will hit the market in July for an astonishing $299, undercutting the original retail price of the RTX 3060 by $30. Add to the mix a beefed-up 16GB version of the RTX 4060 Ti coming this July for $499, and Nvidia is shaking up the gaming scene yet again.
Affordable Gaming Goodness with the RTX 4060 Family
60-class GPUs from Nvidia have been a fan-favorite among PC gamers on Steam. The release of the RTX 4060 family is making waves as it’s the first time we’ve seen Nvidia’s cutting-edge RTX 40-series cards break the sub-$500 barrier, even dipping below $300.
The $399 RTX 4060 Ti is set to roll out on May 24th sporting a respectable 8GB of VRAM, while the beefier 16GB variant is expected in July for a higher, yet still attractive, $499. The PC gaming community is buzzing with debates around the value of 8GB cards, especially given the emergence of high-demand games that push GPUs to their limits, even at 1080p, if you’re gunning for max settings.
Nvidia Plays Its Cards Right with 4060 Ti
Targeting the 1080p market, Nvidia has positioned its RTX 4060 Ti as the go-to option. Although the previous RTX 3060 Ti demonstrated competent performance at 1440p just a few years back, Nvidia only provided performance data at 1080p for the new release. But don’t write off 1440p performance just yet; we’ll have to wait for in-depth reviews for those numbers. Based on Nvidia’s data, don’t expect a huge performance jump from the RTX 3060 Ti to 4060 Ti, unless you’re running DLSS 3.
In terms of specs, the RTX 4060 Ti boasts a 22 teraflop card with AV1 encoder support and promises more efficient power usage. Both the 8GB and 16GB versions draw a total of 160 watts of power, with Nvidia estimating an average gaming power usage around 140 watts. This marks a significant improvement from the RTX 3060 Ti, which consumed 200 watts, indicating some serious strides in power efficiency.
The Surprisingly Powerful RTX 4060
Turning to the RTX 4060, we’re looking at a 15 teraflop card with 8GB of VRAM, 4GB less than the 12GB on the RTX 3060. However, Nvidia has made equally significant strides in energy efficiency. The RTX 4060’s total power draw is just 115 watts, with an average power usage during gaming at an estimated 110 watts. By comparison, the RTX 3060 drew 170 watts, showcasing the RTX 4060’s impressive power efficiency.
Nvidia Stands its Ground Against Intel
Intel’s recent efforts to pressure Nvidia’s RTX 3060 lineup by pricing its A750 competitor at $249 seems to have backfired. With its aggressive $299 pricing, Nvidia is making a bold move in the mainstream PC gaming market. Competition is great though, and with this it keeps pricing more affordable across the board.
The 8GB Question and What’s Next
The choice of 8GB VRAM for both the RTX 4060 Ti and 4060 might raise a few eyebrows. Many gamers, particularly those in the 60-class, are accustomed to 1080p resolution and optimizing settings for peak performance. However, Nvidia seems to be one step ahead, evidenced by the announcement of a 16GB RTX 4060 Ti. Still, one can’t help but wonder why there isn’t a push for 12GB on the base model to improve texture quality, ray tracing, and overall visual performance.
Interestingly, Nvidia might not be the only one in the 8GB bandwagon. Rumor has it that AMD is gearing up to launch an 8GB Radeon RX 7600, a move that comes just weeks after the company highlighted the disadvantages of lower VRAM cards.
Nvidia’s Bold Leap with the RTX 4060 Family
In a nutshell, Nvidia’s RTX 4060 family is set to make waves in the gaming scene with impressive specs and even more impressive price points. While questions remain about the 8GB VRAM allocation and 1080p performance targeting, the advances in power efficiency and the aggressive price point of the RTX 4060 are indisputable. The true performance capabilities of these new cards, however, will only be evident once they hit the market and get into the hands of gamers.
The arrival of the RTX 4060 lineup signifies Nvidia’s dedication to keeping PC gaming accessible, without compromising on performance. Now, it’s a waiting game to see how competitors respond and how the market evolves. Get ready, gamers, exciting times lie ahead!
