The Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 launched at a compelling price point, promising performance that rivaled higher-tier cards. But what exactly does the RTX 2060 compare to in terms of real-world gaming performance? This in-depth benchmark analysis pits the RTX 2060 against a range of GPUs, including the GTX 1070 Ti, GTX 1080, Vega 56, and RTX 2070, across 36 different games to determine its true capabilities.
This comparison utilizes the Gigabyte RTX 2060 Gaming OC Pro and MSI RTX 2060 Gaming Z, with the Gigabyte card serving as the primary test subject. The RTX 2060 boasts 17% fewer CUDA cores than the RTX 2070 but comes at a 30% lower price. While it features the same 14Gbps GDDR6 memory, the memory bus is 25% narrower, impacting bandwidth. The key question: does this translate to a significant performance drop?
Benchmark Results and Analysis: RTX 2060 vs. The Competition
Testing was conducted on a system featuring a Core i9-9900K clocked at 5 GHz, 32GB of DDR4-3200 memory, AMD Adrenalin 2019 Edition 19.1.1 drivers for Radeon GPUs, and Game Ready 417.35 WHQL for GeForce GPUs. Here’s a breakdown of key results:
Shadow of the Tomb Raider
The RTX 2060 delivered 63 fps on average at the highest quality preset, matching the GTX 1080 and Vega 64. This placed it just 5% behind the RTX 2070 and 9% ahead of the GTX 1070 Ti.
Strange Brigade
In Strange Brigade, the RTX 2060 achieved 86 fps, trailing the RTX 2070 by 15% and slightly behind the Vega 56. However, it still outperformed the GTX 1070 Ti.
Battlefield V
The RTX 2060 shone in Battlefield V, achieving performance just 4% lower than the RTX 2070 and surpassing both the GTX 1070 Ti and Vega 56.
Sniper Elite 4 and Monster Hunter World
While the RTX 2070 pulled ahead in Sniper Elite 4 by 15%, the RTX 2060 maintained a lead over the GTX 1070 Ti and Vega 56. In Monster Hunter World, the RTX 2060 delivered a strong 54 fps at 1440p on the highest settings, nearing the performance of the Vega 64 and GTX 1080.
Warframe and Just Cause 4
Warframe saw the RTX 2060 slightly behind the GTX 1070 Ti and Vega 56. In Just Cause 4, the card managed 59 fps, comparable to the GTX 1080 and Vega 64, and 11% behind the RTX 2070.
Conclusion: RTX 2060 – Price-Performance Champion
The RTX 2060 consistently delivers performance that rivals or surpasses the GTX 1070 Ti and Vega 56, often approaching the GTX 1080 in certain titles. While the RTX 2070 offers higher performance, the RTX 2060’s significantly lower price makes it a compelling value proposition for gamers seeking strong 1080p and even 1440p performance. The comprehensive benchmark results highlight the RTX 2060’s impressive capabilities, establishing it as a strong contender in the mid-range GPU market.
