Introduction
Our initial review of the RTX 4060 showed us some very polarizing findings but one thing stood out and that’s performance. The RTX 4060 pretty much sits very closely with the RTX 3060 in most benchmarks and the community is in an uproar about this since the RTX 4060 Ti. NVIDIA has always had a generational uplift every generation especially in its largest segment which is the XX60 class. That said, many have blatantly overlooked 3 important things when judging this card:
- The RTX 4060 easily competes for the most power efficient graphics card on the market right now, close to the RTX 4090 barring price
- The RTX 4060 sits on the exact same price point as the RTX 3060 on the current market right now in certain region
- Not all users upgrade every generation so upgraders coming off older generation cards will see better value in the latest cards.
But on the horizon looms competition with AMD’s RX 7600, which itself is also faced with the same enthusiasm as the RTX 4060. Ultimately, it boils down to usage when it comes to these two and for many of us, absolute value so price is key. With that being said, we have one of the more competitively priced RTX 4060 in the Philippine market today for review: the PALIT RTX 4060 DUAL.
Palit is riding the 3D printing wave with their new cards but they don’t market on this card that heavily but one thing to note about the Palit RTX 4060 DUAL is its actual use of a PCIe 8X length connector. If you haven’t heard, the RTX 4060 is on a 128-bit memory bus and also communicates via PCIe Gen4 8X only. Many of the cards in market use the full x16 connector for presentation and structural support as some still come with a massive cooler. While that may not be a bad thing, its also not necessary for this card although it does have its benefits when you see out same-class card comparisons.
Now the PCIe connector, isn’t really so much of a problem especially when you’re not pushing as much data thru the PCIe lanes as you would a larger card but it does really hurt premium cards when it comes to presentation. The advantage though is that for low-power applications, you can place the Palit RTX 4060 DUAL on a secondary PCIe slot with 8x lane and take advantage of Gen5 boards that share lanes with the primary x16 GPU slot. Its a minor consolation, but it is worth noting.
Another thing worth noting is Palit’s choice to use a plastic backplate. I mentioned earlier that the 8x slot makes the graphics card feel less significant but that would secondary to the overall look and palit was smart enough to cover-up and clean up the Palit RTX 4060 DUAL with a plastic backplate. Keyword: plastic. Not a glaring issue but one thing that should be pointed out as I nearly snapped-off the grills on the back of this card while grabbing this card out of a case for a test-fit.
Also seen in the photo above is the 8-pin PCIe power connector which will be common across all RTX 4060. Also it is worth saying that there is this weird naming similarity between ASUS and Palit. The card we are reviewing is the Palit RTX 4060 DUAL. While we don’t have it right now for review, there is also the ASUS RTX 4060 DUAL. The DUAL in the name denotes the fan count and both brands have actually used this name for a while now with no dispute.
With all of that said, let’s proceed with the review.
Product Gallery – Palit RTX 4060 DUAL
Power Draw, Clock Speed and Temperature
We start off by testing how high our GPU clocks go as well as how much power our card uses in gaming use. We use the built-in benchmark in Returnal in 4K benchmark as well as Kombustor (when needed) for this tests so that users will have an idea what kind of usage behavior they can see from these cards. Returnal’s benchmark is impressive and gives a good idea on how certain scenario types afffect performance.
Given that most cards will boost all the way to their highest potential, the numbers we see here should be a good indicator of what to expect from these cards in general. Results are captured via inline power metering instruments primarily Powenetics v2 by Cybenetics/Hardware Busters for accurate card-only data capture. Occassionally, we use PCAT v2 (or v1) for FrameView-related functionalities. Powenetics v2 is the modern iteration of our original Powenetics system licensed from Cybenetics Labs and allows more thorough read-outs for the entire system including the CPU power, GPU power (+PCIe slot) and the system power overall. This removes the guess work from taking power readings from differing GPU APIs and provides consistent readings regardless of vendors.
Temperature and Power Draw
Comparison – RTX 4060
Most partner cards will perform roughly the same across the board and once a baseline has been established, there’s really not a lot of sense in presenting granular data per partner card. That said, we are moving towards focusing more on unique graphics card traits like cooling, power draw, fan speed, etc after our day 1 review which will usually be represented by either a reference model card or the only card we have at the time, updated later on with a reference card. For now, we’re still developing this methodology but we aim to put GPU models from different brands against each other, showing performance figures primarily representing power, cooling, and clock stability as well as voltage and fan speed.
Test Setup and Methodology
Processor: Intel Core i9-13900K
Memory: Kingston FURY Renegade DDR5-6400 32GB
Storage: Kingston FURY Renegade 2TB SSD
PSU: FSP Hydro G Pro 1000W
Cooling: ROG Ryujin II 360 AIO Cooler
Monitor: ROG PG27UQ 4K 144hz HDR1000
VGA: Listed
For a full-hardware workout, visitย https://benchmarks.ul.com for our system warm-up and stress test of choice.
For benchmarking methodology please see ourย game benchmark methodย guide.
Test results are gathered and produced on CapFrameX. This makes it easier for use to get both line graph comparison and raw averages without extra tools. Simply the easiest tool for benchmarking and its available for everyone to use, free of charge. Check it out at capframex.com.
Since this is a GPU review, we benchmarked the area of the games that put heavy load on the GPU.
All our test runs are repeatable, click the links below for area and details. Read ourย benchmarking methodology.
- Counter-Strike: Global Offensive: FPS Benchmark Workshop Map
- DOTA2 โ
The International Main Event – Day 6: T1 vs PSG.LGD Game 2 (48:00) – The 10-Man Buyback Fight Rainbow Six: Siege โ Benchmark Mode- PUBG Battlegrounds – Custom Scene
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2022)
- Valorant
Grand Theft Auto V โ Palomino HighlandsShadow of the Tomb Raider – Kuwaq YaquDestiny 2 – The Tower- Forza Horizon 5
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Elden Ring – Custom scene, FPS cap removed, offline- Cyberpunk 2077 – Little China, noontime
- Marvel’s Spider-Man – Empire State area
- F1 2023 – Singapore Grand Prix, night time, rain
- Microsoft Flight Simulator – Landing mission, YSSY
- A Plague’s Tale Requiem – Opening scene
See our Youtubeย playlist for benchmark sequences.
Note: Some proprietary technologies of NVIDIA likeย PCSS,ย HBAO+, andย HairWorksย work on AMD GPUโs BUT to maintain uniformity amongst GPUs, these have been turnedย OFF.
You can click on any of the benchmark charts enlarge. You can also move forward and backwards to quickly navigate through our charts via gallery view. For this test, only the out-of-box normal mode will be tested.
Kindly let me know if you spot an errors in the charts. I do my best to keep them error free but while test results are reliable and accurate, bringing them over to Excel and relying on formulas to generate the reports sometimes can cause mix-ups.
Notes:
- All data are gathered from exactly the same system, with exactly the configuration we list here. No data is reused from another system or from any variations of. We gather data from only one system as indicated here.
- Graphics cards are allowed to heat up prior to benchmarking. Cooler graphics cards may boost higher than normal.
- Following up on the above, we try to enjoy the game and play a bit before proceeding to the actual benchmark scenario. This allows us to detect any other problems like stuttering, frame skipping, or any other problems.
- Games that receive graphical updates that affect performance e.g. (DOTA2 moving from DX9 to DX11) will be retested completely.
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CSGO)
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, popularly known as CSGO, competes for Steam’s most popular game. It has found a resurgence in its popularity and has recently peaked in 2020 in the number of players that play the game. Based on Valve’s Source Engine, the game received major asset overhauls during the years since its inception nearly 10 years ago. Still, it’s a light game and can be played on fairly lighter systems but the competitive scene for CSGO has seen average players demand high FPS from their systems thus gaining favorable standing with GPU vendors just from the demand for higher FPS alone. CSGO is a game that can easily go past 500FPS on enthusiast systems on maximum settings. We’re including CSGO as requested by our community.
API: DirectX9 (default)
Maximum In-Game Settings
Texture Streaming Disabled
Vsync OFF
DOTA 2
Note: JUNE 2020 – DOTA2 has recently implemented a transition from DirectX9 to DirectX11 and new install of the game will prompt users to switch from DX9 to DX11. With that said, we are testing DOTA2 in DX11 from now on.
In contention for the most popular game on Steam and the biggest competition in eSports: DOTA 2 is powered by the Source 2 engine. The game is fairly light on low to medium settings but maxed out, with heavy action on screen especially during clashes, can really stress most systems. This is a game where frame times matter as responsiveness is very important in high-stakes competition. We’re looking at consistently low frametimes in thisย game for the best experience
Our test uses actual game replay, using the segment from game 2 of PSG.LGD versus T1 during Day 6 of the Main Stage. The clash during the 48:00 where we see a drawn-out fight which sees both team expending all of their buybacks to secure this clash.
You can watch the replay of the actual game used in the benchmark in your Dota2 client. You can browse the TI10 replay files to see the actual match. You can download it for your own reference.ย (save it to your DOTA2 replays folder)
API: DirectX11 (default)
Best-Looking slider setting (Ultra)
FPS_MAX 0
Vsync OFF
PUBG Battlegrounds
Developed and published by PUBG Corporation, PlayerUknnown’s Battlegrounds now officially PUBG Battlegrounds, was an ARMA3 mod which has gained a massive global playerbase after being released as a stand-alone game. The game is now available for almost all platforms from PC to mobile but PC has been the definitive edition of the game. The game has evolved much since its release, receiving multiple polish to arrive at its current state.
API: DirectX 11
Settings: Ultra
Vsync: OFF
Valorant
Developed by League of Legends developer, Riot Games, Valorant is a first-person shooter featuring multiple heroes or agents which have unique skills to assist them within the games traditional team-based FPS combat. The game is gaining incredible success and has taken a large chunk of the now-incredibly massive CSGO playerbase as well, presenting a more refreshed take on classic TDM FPS but spices it up with skills, etc. Like CSGO and League, this game is light as a feather for the largest adoption possible. With 360hz monitors and input lag/system latency a major focus for these games, we’re now including it as reference for players.
API: DirectX 11
Max Detail settings
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 (2022)
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2022) is the latest addition to the COD franchise and once again puts the main game back into the hands of Infinity Ward. With Black Ops Cold War and Vanguard both failing to continue the success of 2019’s COD Modern Warfare which has in-turn changed to Warzone, Activision is set on resetting the slate once again with COD Modern Warfare 2. Built alongside Warzone 2.0 on the IW 9.0 engine, CODMW2 ditches some partner technologies like ray tracing to keep it friendlier to all systems but still pushes more detailed models and environments for a modern look.
API: DirectX 12
Render Resolution: 100%
Ultra Preset
Forza Horizon 5
Developed by Playground Games and published by Xbox Game Studios, Forza Horizon 5 is the latest installment in the Forza series, picking up straight after the British escapades of Horizon 4, Horizon 5 takes us now to Mexico for another open-world racing spectacle, that is Horizon. Built on proprietary ForzaTech engine, the game harnesses its power to provide an excellent experience on both PC and Xbox.
API: DirectX 12
Settings: High
Raytracing: Off
Vsync: Off
A Plague’s Tale: Requiem
API: DirectX 12
Detail Settings: Ultra Preset
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
CD Projekt Redโs latest installment in the Witcher saga features one of the most graphically intense offering the company has to date. As Geralt of Rivia, slay monsters, beasts and men as you unravel the mysteries of your past. Vast worlds and lush sceneries make this game a visual feast and promises to make any system crawl at its highest settings. This game has found great resurgence in its playerbase thanks to the release of Netflix’ Witcher series. On December 2022, The Witcher 3 received a next-gen patch which bring ray tracing as well as many other changes to the game.
API: DirectX 12
Ultra Preset
Cyberpunk 2077
The most anticipated game of 2020 has just received its sort of “launch patch” this 2022 with version 1.5 changing many things in terms of performance as well as few things in the graphics department. Perhaps the most anticipated game of the last decade, Cyberpunk 2077โs launch has been a rollercoaster gamers on PC are largely in agreement that it was definitely worth the wait bar the bugs. Made by CD Projekt Red and based on the REDengine4, Cyberpunk 2077 is one of the most modern games introducing full utilization of raytracing amongst others. We do not enable raytracing in this test segment, that will be for the latest section of this review..
API: DirectX 12
Settings: Ultra Preset
Raytracing Off
DLSS Off
Vsync: OFF
Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered
Sony’s streak of PlayStation exclusives going to PC continues with Spider-Man. Originally releleased for PS4 in 2019, the game sees a PS5 upgrade and 2022 PC remastered release. The PC version of Spider-Man features a ton of modern PC graphical enhancements including all modern upscaling techniques along with ray tracing. The game natively supports ultrawide monitor resolution and is actively updated with with technologies from NVIDIA, AMD and Intel.
API: DirectX 12
Settings: Very High Preset
F1 2023
F1 23 doesn’t vary much from its predecessor but updates the game to feature more robust control and racing experience thanks to all the learnings and adjustments we’ve had from the 2022 changes. On the PC, F1 2023 will also receive some new graphical updates but primarily uses the same presentation engine as the game before it.
API: DirectX 12
Settings: Ultra Preset
Microsoft Flight Simulator
Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) is the much awaited release since Flight Simulator X from 2006. Harnessing the power of Microsoft Azure, Bing Maps and AI functionalities, Microsoft Flight Simulator brings the definition of realism to a new level with maps that are alive and real, rendered directly from their real-world counterpart and populated ingame with details. The game is constantly update to maintain real world relevance particularly for large events or other recent occurences.
API: DirectX 12
Settings: Ultra Preset
Conclusion
Thoughts on the RTX 4060
The biggest issue plaguing the RTX 4060 is the lack of massive improvement versus previous the bi-annual growth that NVIDIA has shown on their cards. If you’re coming off an RTX 4060, it is a sidegrade and despite the performance boost you may see with DLSS3, it will be dependent on the game you’re playing.ย This is still its edge over the RTX 3060 and the Radeon RX 7600 although both cards do have their advantages, mostly on price. Brand new, the Philippine price range for the RTX 3060 is exactly the same as the RTX 4060 with around PHP18,000+/- the base price. Some dealer will offer them lower potentially and Chinese and grey market options may see prices go lower but second-hand would be a better deal especially for local stocks with their warranties in tact. The RX 7600 is slight price reduction and ultimately, in the same position as the RTX 4060 and offers nothing of value compared to previous-gen options.
But take note, this is from last-gen upgraders. If you are coming off a GTX 750, GTX 950 or GTX 1050 Ti and have finally saved enough to get a drop-in upgrade to your rig, then the RTX 4060 would really be a massive jump and its lower power draw wont stress your aging PSU, but if you’re on something older, consider the PSU as well so that does add to the overall cost.
Now we come to power savings and I’ve seen people throwing out ROI in terms of power saving and while that applies for PC bangs, gaming cafes and businesses in general where savings scale as you operation hours and units at work add up, home users running a single computer would only be concerned about HOW MUCH power it adds to the bill versus their old one in relation to the overall performance. That said, despite all the hate it receives and all the negative press, the RTX 4060 in a vacuum is decent card and any non-techy individual that just wants a modern card for a turnkey solution should not be dissuaded into buying into the tech media cynical slant to get views and clicks for supplementary content that doesn’t apply to a global market. If you’re from the US, Facebook marketplace and Ebay or even groups on Reddit are a rich source for second-hand GPUs and if you can get an RTX 3080 and have the power supply the handlie it at the same price as the RTX 4060 then that’s the better deal but for us in Asia where finding a second-hand card with an in-tact warranty is just so hard plus finding it priced better than current-gen cards just opens adds to the challenge.
If you’re coming off an RTX 3060, the upgrade path would be an RTX 3070 or better. If you’re coming off a GTX 1050 Ti or an RX 570. then the RTX 4060 makes more sense. Its a complicated recommendation but if you’re really nailed at this price point, you’re not buying a bad card with the RTX 4060 but rather just a sidegrade *FROM* an RTX 3060.
Thoughts on the Palit RTX 4060 DUAL
The Palit RTX 4060 DUAL is currently the cheapest RTX 4060 in the Philippines as of this review in July 2023. NVIDIA has an MSRP of PHP20,630 for the RTX 4060 with most dealers selling for just a bit lower since launch. Palit sits on the most affordable list at just around PHP19,000 from most dealers with local warranty. Now you hear me mention in-tact warranty throughout this review and its worth mentioning that there has been a growth in reseller sourcing their stocks from the US or some cheaper region and then reselling them locally with a slight price reduction.
While the PHP1,000 or higher savings you get on day-1 is nice, most of these products are sold with 1 month personal warranties from their sellers and if you can work with that and wait for the seller to find a middleground to get warranty overseas, I’d just recommend saving yourself the hassle and just buy local. I know, I know, PH has some of the highest MSRP in Southeast Asia versus other regions and if you feel you’re savvy enough to work around the grey market and its nuances then great. But for the lay person that just wants to get their game on, ignore all the noise and focus on your needs. The Palit RTX 4060 DUAL is the most accessible option amongst the current crop of RTX 4060 cards we have right now and its straight-up, no-nonsense solution if you want an essentials-only card with decent cooling for your gaming PC.
The Palit RTX 4060 DUAL is could probably cut-down on its footprint but its tight, 2-slot design and card length is compact enough for most modern cases, even tighter SFF cases that can house a GPU. Sipping 122W peak, the PALIT RTX 4060 DUAL should stay cool as long as its properly ventilated. Its lower TGP also means you can pair it with a lighter PSU alongside a 65W CPU and you have a decent mid-range gaming system for 1080p displays that sips almost half the power of a modern console but offers all the advantage of a gaming PC.
The Palit RTX 4060 DUAL’s choice to go with a physical 8x connector does have its advantages which makes it a niche choice for some very specific use-cases. Small-form factor cases are the first to come to find but not necessarily ITX but rather mATX chassis with 16x and 8x slots options but to expandd storage, some may opt to use an M.2 riser or even Gen5 SSDs which share lanes with the graphics card PCIe slot. Again, these are specific cases and not actual features of this graphics card but it is an option if you do find yourself in very, very specific situations. For the rest of users, the simple advantage opf this card is its absolute value.
Its hard to nitpick on a GPU that’s been beaten to death due to negative press but that’s on NVIDIA for choosing to go with this card as their xx60 card. Many people feel that the RTX 4060 should’ve been the RTX 4050 and I do agree with that. But regardless of a name change, an RTX 4050 at $300 isn’t something I’d welcome. It just opens up the possibility of increasing the baseline price of graphics cards in the future and that’s not something I’d be happy to see.
Regardless, focusing on performance alone, the Palit RTX 4060 DUAL holds up Palit’s flag and if you don’t want to pay much for a current-gen graphics card, the Palit RTX 4060 DUAL is easily the best value RTX 4060 around.
