Nuked 
Hey there, tech enthusiasts! Today, we’re diving into the latest on Nvidia’s mid-range GPUs—the RTX 5060 and 5060 Ti. If you’re a fan of gaming and gadgets, grab a snack because this review is packed with info to help you decide if these cards are worth your hard-earned cash.
Initially launched on May 19, Nvidia’s release of the RTX 5060 series stirred some commotion. The company was a bit slow to ship pre-release hardware, and the drivers were not immediately available, which is unusual for Nvidia. Some outlets got early drivers, but many had to wait until launch day for the full experience.
Nvidia tried to manage expectations by offering limited pre-launch drivers, specifically to run certain benchmarks with a new DLSS Multi-Frame Generation (MFG) feature enabled. This led to some controversy, as Nvidia showcased performance boosts that are sometimes exaggerated by comparing frame rates with DLSS MFG turned on, even when native performance was underwhelming.
Overall, the RTX 5060 feels like a modest upgrade over its predecessor, performing similarly to a more-efficient RTX 3070 but at a lower price—around $200 less, theoretically. However, with only 8GB of RAM, you might find it limiting at higher resolutions, especially as gaming titles become more demanding.
The specs reveal the GPU silicon is based on Nvidia’s Blackwell architecture, with the 5060 featuring 3,840 CUDA cores and a boost clock of 2,497 MHz, while the Ti version has 4,608 cores at 2,572 MHz. Both cards benefit from the switch from GDDR6 to GDDR7 memory, boosting bandwidth despite a narrow 128-bit bus. Power consumption is higher than previous generations, with the 5060 drawing around 145W, which aligns with performance gains but impacts efficiency.
In terms of design, the 5060 cards vary slightly depending on the manufacturer; for example, Asus and Gigabyte offer different versions, with the 5060 often using a shorter PCB and a single 8-pin power connector, whereas the Ti offers a slightly more robust setup.
Tested on a solid gaming setup featuring a Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU, the 5060 delivers solid performance increases at 1080p and 1440p, but those gains start to hit the RAM limitations at 1440p in some titles. The 16GB RTX 5060 Ti can help mitigate this issue, providing 15-20% more performance at 1440p but at a steep price—around $500 or more.
DLSS MFG remains a useful tool but less so on slower cards like the 5060, which struggle to maintain the base frame rates needed for smooth frame generation. Power-wise, these cards demand more energy due to architectural upgrades but achieve comparable efficiency to Nvidia’s previous offerings.
In the end, the RTX 5060 is a middling option—especially if you can find it for around $299. It’s a decent upgrade over the 4060 and a good choice for budget-conscious gamers wanting a playable experience at 1080p or 1440p. However, the limited 8GB RAM and stiff competition from AMD’s RX 9060 XT make it less appealing for long-term use or high-resolution gaming.
Overall, Nvidia’s new cards are competitive but not revolutionary. The company’s review tactics and pricing strategies have sparked some criticism, but the hardware itself can still serve as a reliable, if imperfect, gaming partner for those who know its limitations.
