Review of the GeForce RTX 2060.

It is now appropriate to evaluate the fourth iteration of the graphics card within the NVIDIA RTX series. The Founders Edition GeForce RTX 2060 has officially arrived for assessment. These cards are priced starting at 349 USD for the reference design provided by NVIDIA. However, the question remains: will they possess sufficient power to stand out in a crowded market? The past few months have been quite tumultuous for NVIDIA. Approximately four to five months ago, the GeForce RTX 2080 and 2080 Ti were released, generating significant interest among consumers eager to experience the DLSS (Tensor) features and the hybrid Raytracing capabilities in Battlefield V. NVIDIA engaged in extensive viral marketing campaigns to attract media attention. However, the situation took a turn when potential buyers were deterred by the exorbitant pricing. Upon the launch of Battlefield V, many users expressed disappointment, questioning the noticeable differences in performance while grappling with low frame rates, all while needing to invest substantial amounts of money to access the new Raytracing and Tensor technologies. Subsequent patches and drivers have indeed enhanced overall performance; however, the situation became challenging as graphics cards remained priced at approximately 800 USD/EUR for the RTX 2080 and 1250 USD/EUR for the 2080 Ti, with no signs of price reduction. The introduction of the GeForce RTX 2070 was met with a more favorable reception. Most of the significant performance issues associated with Battlefield V were largely addressed shortly after its release, making a card priced around 500 to 550 EUR/USD appear more appealing, albeit still costly. In recent months, the RTX series has struggled to attract buyers, leading to a decline in NVIDIA's popularity. In such circumstances, it is imperative for a company to rectify the situation. The initial effort in this regard is the subject of our review today: the GeForce RTX 2060, a product that is accessible to a broader audience. The xx60 series is generally categorized as mainstream or mid-range; however, with a starting price of 349 USD, we are curious about the public's perception of this cost. The previous generation GTX 1060 was introduced at a price of 299 USD. Historically, mainstream offerings were priced around 199 USD. This indicates a significant price increase of 75% over just a few years, and if this trend persists, we may see prices nearly double within a year. It is important to acknowledge that technological advancements come with higher costs, including more expensive fabrication processes and the use of GDDR6 memory in RTX models. All these elements contribute to the pricing. We sincerely hope that the value justifies the cost, as we have a favorable view of the RTX 2060, which is positioned within a more accessible price range for consumers. The critical question that remains is whether this product meets the necessary standards.

GeForce RTX 2060

The fourth generation of RTX graphics cards continues to utilize the Turing architecture, marking a significant evolution in the graphics card market. In addition to the standard shading engine, NVIDIA has incorporated 30 RT (Ray Tracing) cores and 240 Tensor (AI) cores into the new GPUs, both of which are operational. However, it is important to note that the GeForce RTX 2060 is essentially a modified version of the GeForce RTX 2070 chip, resulting in a reduced GPU and memory configuration. The new RTX series primarily focuses on DX-R (DirectX-R compatible hardware accelerated Ray Tracing). This review examines the reference card, commonly known as the founder edition. It is equipped with 6GB of GDDR6 memory operating at 14 Gbps. This graphics card, rated at 160 Watts, features 1920 active shader processors, compared to 2304 on the RTX 2070. The standard founder version boasts a boost clock of 1680 MHz, with no differences in reference specifications when compared to AIB partners. The card includes 6 GB of the well-known GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit wide bus, delivering 336 GB/s, and is priced at 349 USD.

Having a smaller TU106 silicon with close to 11 Billion transistors it doesn't run too hot. The cooler is dual-slot design. The card comes fitted with just one rear positioned power headers (8-pin). The card offers one HDMI ports and two DisplayPort outputs, a DVI connector (yes, that is not a typo) and the new Virtual link (USB) connector. This Turing 106 GPU empowered product keeps that GPU at roughly 65 Degrees C marker depending on game load. Though the GDDR6 memory has been not been tweaked, the ICs are stock 14 GHz (effective clock-rate) but can be bumped upward towards 15 to 16 GHz with the flick of your fingers as we'll show you in the tweaking chapters. Say hello to the GeForce RTX 2060, after which we'll dive into the nitty gritty over the next pages.