Lecture on RTX 4060 Graphics Card

Overview

• Purchased an RTX 4060 for $300
• Excited at first; experience led to disappointment
• Compared negatively to 4060 TI and 3050

Installation Experience

• Delivered from Amazon with stickers on box
• Installed it to play recent games with ray tracing and high demands

Performance in Games

Alan Wake 2

• Unable to reach playable FPS at low settings (1080p)
• Poor ray tracing performance (20 FPS with high ray tracing)

Cyberpunk 2077

• Ray tracing overdrive performed poorly
• 1080p performance improved slightly with DLSS
• 540p resolution provided playable experience

Other Games

• Dishonored 2, no ray tracing at playable frames
• Comparison with RTX 3060: 10-15% faster in games without ray tracing

DLSS and Frame Generation

• DLSS enhanced FPS but was still insufficient for 1080p gaming
• Frame generation added noticeable lag
• Not close to doubling FPS as advertised

VRAM and Longevity

• Dropped VRAM from 12 GB (3060) to 8 GB (4060)
• VRAM issues at 1440p, especially with ray tracing and modern games
• RTX 3060 with 12 GB VRAM likely to age better

Hardware and Design

• Smaller GPU size: 159 mm² compared to 276 mm² (3060, 3050)
• Power draw: 115W, lightweight card, compact and highly efficient
• Zotac model: high-quality, cool, and quiet
• Power delivery: minimal, only a few capacitors and MOSFETs

Target Audience

• Performance at 1080p: reasonable but not exceptional
• Unsuitable for 1440p ultra settings, struggles with modern demanding games
• Good for 3D modeling in Blender
• Not recommended for average gamers due to high price and low VRAM

Conclusion and Market Perspective

• RTX 4060 decent but underwhelming doing ray tracing at reasonable performance at 1080p
• Better cards at similar price points are available
• High competition but lack of innovation in the entry-level GPU market
• Lower profit margins on such cards might contribute to lack of focus on improvements
• RTX 4060: not the worst, but far from exciting
• Recommended only if no other options are available

Final Thoughts

• Disappointment over entry-level GPU market stagnation
• 4060 offers solid but unimpressive performance
• Current market not favorable for affordable, high-quality graphics cards
• Reviewer reluctantly hesitant to recommend RTX 4060