Nvidia unveiled the RTX 5060 and RTX 5060 Ti in April 2025, with the more budget-friendly RTX 5060 now hitting the market after its announcement at Computex.
Starting at $299, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 is equipped with 3,840 CUDA cores spread across 30 Streaming Multiprocessors, designed to handle 1080p gaming effectively. Nvidia boasts that the RTX 5060 can achieve remarkable performance at this resolution, claiming it can reach 223 fps in Doom: The Dark Ages at 1080p with maximum settings, though this is facilitated by 4x multi-frame generation.
The key feature Nvidia is promoting with this new generation of graphics cards is Multi-Frame Generation, and the RTX 5060, despite being the most affordable option, fully supports this along with the entire DLSS 4 technology suite. However, with only 30 Streaming Multiprocessors, there are limits to what DLSS can achieve.
It's worth noting that the $299 starting price is just that—a starting point. While some models will be available at this price, many RTX 5060 variants will be pricier, often featuring additional perks like factory-overclocking and RGB lighting.
Reviews Are Coming... Later
Although the RTX 5060 is relatively affordable if the $299 MSRP is maintained, it's wise to hold off on purchasing until performance reviews are available. Nvidia's performance claims are based on Multi-Frame Generation, and real-world performance won't be clear until the GPU is tested in labs.
Unfortunately, there will be a delay in reviews. Unlike previous launches in this generation, such as the RTX 5090, Nvidia isn't providing an early driver to the press, meaning comprehensive reviews might not surface until a week or so after the GPU's release. While the RTX 5060 is expected to be a solid 1080p card, the broader Blackwell lineup has faced challenges in generational performance improvements.
There's a chance the RTX 5060 will show similar performance gains as the RTX 5070 did over its predecessor, especially in traditional gaming without frame generation. When I inquired about the performance increase over the RTX 4060, Nvidia suggested that the 5060 could offer up to double the performance with frame generation enabled, but only around a 20% boost in games without ray tracing or frame generation—and that's likely an optimistic scenario.
As with any high-cost tech purchase, it's advisable to wait for reviews before making a decision, ensuring you get the best value for your money. Those reviews are on their way, though they may take a few days to appear.
