Introduction
NVIDIA’s RTX 4060 is one of the cheapest graphics card within the RTX 40 and Radeon 7000 generation, offering gamers with an affordable way to gain access to the Ada Lovelace architecture. As a result, the RTX 4060 is a strong option for a budget-friendly PC build targeting 1080p gaming, with some legs at 1440p settings to boot. Plus, the DLSS 3.0 upgrade included with these cards provides enhanced Ray-tracing capabilities, as well as introducing frame-generation technology to the budget market for improved gaming performance.
Whilst there have been concerns raised with the 8GB VRAM in this card, many of the GPUs within a similar price range of the RTX 4060 suffer from a similar fate. Plus, these restrictions tend to only have an impact on 1440p gaming, in which case, you’d want to pick up a GPU that is better suited to running modern titles at 1440p.
But for budget gamers interested in the RTX 4060, you may be wondering which of these GPUs is the best fit for your gaming PC. Luckily, we’ve rounded up and tested a range of RTX 4060 variants to see which AIBs provide the best balance of price, performance, and aesthetic.
Suggested Article: Best Power Supplies to Buy for the RTX 4060
Best RTX 4060 Graphics Card: MSI Ventus 2X RTX 4060
📸 View the MSI Ventus 2X RTX 4060 gallery.
After must deliberation, we’ve picked the MSI Ventus 2X variant as the best RTX 4060. The reason being is down to the price. The RTX 4060 is already a card with questionable value due to the existence of the lower priced and better performing RX 7600, so the best options right now are the cards that sit closest to MSRP. Though the MSI Ventus 2X won’t be the best thermally capable option, and nor is it the most aesthetically pleasing, it is one of the cheapest GPUs, making it a strong choice for those looking for a budget 1080p graphics card.
Design: 3.8/5
Performance: 4/5
Value for Money: 4.8/5
Our Verdict: 4.2/5
Skip to the full testing, gallery and where to buy the MSI Ventus 2X RTX 4060 ⬇️
The Best RTX 4060 Graphics Cards
1. MSI Ventus 2X RTX 4060
Best Value
MSI’s Ventus 2X RTX 4060 is one of the few cards to possess a somewhat reasonable launch price of $300, making it a great option for those on a budget, or for consumers attempting to be price conscious. This particular model is the Ventus 2X AIB, which is one of MSI’s more budget-focused cards. This card offers a dual-fan design, keeping the overall footprint of the card nice and small, whilst also featuring MSI’s updated TORX fan design, which should aid with airflow and thermals.
Aesthetics wise, the Ventus 2X is one of the more plain looking cards, sporting a black design across the entirety of the card.
RGB is unfortunately a bit lacking, but I’d argue that most consumers won’t be worried about this based on the price. Overall, the Ventus 2X seems to be a great budget option for those looking for the best priced RTX 4060.
The dual-fan design is likely to be somewhat better than a Founders Edition card, but the overall thermal capability is likely to be weaker in comparison to some of the triple-fan cards on the market.
Pros
- Sits at MSRP price point.
- Ideal for smaller cases.
- Perfect for price conscious consumers.
Cons
- Weaker on the design front.
- Thermals will be better on triple-fan cards.
2. Gigabyte Windforce OC RTX 4060
Best for Performance
Gigabyte has been a mainstay in the graphics card space for quite some time, and their Windforce cards are known for being strong when it comes to thermals, and even stronger when it comes to gaming performance. This particular model is a dual-fan design, so thermals may be slightly weaker in comparison to liquid cooled cards or triple-fan GPUs.
Regardless of this, performance should be pretty strong overall. This card is an OC model, which means the boost clock will feature a slight overclock that should aid performance in certain games, providing you with a small bump in framerates.
Again, the aesthetic is a little bit weak on this card, Gigabyte have kept the overall design a little bit more plain, but I do like some of the textured accents on the front of the card.
The Windforce has a TGP of around 115W. The low power consumption of this card will allow consumers to pick up lower wattage PSUs, which should save you some money on components. However, due to this GPU being an OC model, it comes in at a higher price point compared to MSRP. If you’re looking for the cheapest card available, this card won’t be the best choice.
Pros
- Overclock will boost performance in certain games.
- Low power consumption.
- Small footprint.
Cons
- Thermally weaker than other triple-fan designs.
- Card is relatively plain when it comes to aesthetic.
3. ASUS Dual OC RTX 4060
Best for Aesthetics
The ASUS Dual OC model is one of the best looking RTX 4060 graphics cards available, sporting a well-rounded futuristic design that can be seen on the back and the front of the GPU. Whilst this card is still offering the plain grey and black aesthetic, the markings on the shroud do provide some nice contrast.
With this design, gamers on a budget can enjoy a GPU that has some additional flair, bringing a cool aesthetic to your PC build. It is a bit lacking in the lighting department, but we imagine this is to keep costs down, which helps keep the price of this GPU down.
The only factor that significantly weakens the appeal of this GPU is the higher price point. However, this card is only marginally higher than the other RTX 4060 cards we tested, making it easier to justify going slightly over budget.
Pros
- Unique design looks great.
- Dual-fan design should aid with thermals.
- Perfect for a build that prioritises aesthetic.
Cons
- Triple-fan cards are more thermally capable.
- Much more expensive than MSRP.
Is DLSS Worth It?
DLSS is one of NVIDIA’s pillar technologies that is advertised as one of the major benefits and big selling points of their graphics cards, but is DLSS worth it, and do you need to turn it on? Honestly, it depends. Whilst DLSS is pretty ground-breaking at higher resolutions, its pretty pointless at 1080p. Because 1080p is primarily CPU bound, it won’t actually do a lot in terms of providing a performance bonus in your favourite games.
At 1440p and 4K, DLSS can provide some big boosts to your framerate, but there are some caveats to this. Mainly, image quality can be reduced. Therefore, if you enjoy a higher visual fidelity, you might want to keep DLSS off. The other weakness involves latency. Though DLSS 3 has reduced the impact in this area, latency can still be noticeable in visually intense areas which can obviously hinder your gameplay experience. So despite there being performance improvements when DLSS is enabled, there are some significant cons to this technology too.
So, to as to whether DLSS is worth it, it can be, but it shouldn’t be your deciding factor for picking up a graphics card. Whilst there are benefits to using DLSS, it is dependent on whether the game supports it, and whether you actually need it. You might find that the raw performance of your graphics card is enough that DLSS isn’t needed.
How We Tested the Best RTX 4060 Graphics Cards
In order to test and evaluate the best RTX 4060 graphics cards, there are a number of factors that we take into account, these are:
- Gaming and Workstation Performance
- GPU Length
- Aesthetic and Design
- Value for Money
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I Need PCI-E 5.0 for the RTX 4060?
No you don’t! The RTX 4060 only uses PCI-E 4.0, so you won’t need a fancy new motherboard to utilise this GPU to its full potential.
Can the RTX 4060 Handle 4K?
Unfortunately not. Whilst the 4060 can handle 1080p and has some legs in 1440p, 4K is out of the question. You’ll want to pick up a more powerful card if you plan on playing games at 4K.
How Big is the RTX 4060?
The 4060 comes in a range of different size, but the majority of the new AIB cards are all under 300mm, with some of them sitting below 200mm too.
