Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

The marketplace for graphics lineup around $ 300 is getting crowded , and the two frontrunners among thebest graphics cardsare Nvidia ’s RTX 4060 and AMD ’s RX 7600 XT . Both cards are around the same cost , and they offer standardized functioning , so take between them is n’t gentle .

I ’ve tested both cards extensively — read myRTX 4060 reviewandRX 7600 XT reviewfor the full equipment failure — and they ’re remarkably tight . It ’s grueling to go wrong with either GPU , but after compare them extensively , there ’s a clear winner .

Two RTX 4060 graphics cards stacked on top of each other.

Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

Pricing and availability

Perhaps the biggest difference between the RTX 4060 and RX 7600 XT is the price . It does n’t vocalize like much , but the RTX 4060 comes in at $ 300 while the RX 7600 XT cost $ 330 . AMD , traditionally , undercut Nvidia ’s pricing while offering competitive performance , sometimes at a svelte price to characteristic . This time around , though , Nvidia actually comes out forward on value .

gratefully , we do n’t need to go beyond list monetary value for these two GPUs . For the RTX 4060 , I base multiple models available at $ 300 , with some overclocked variation reaching to $ 320 . The most expensive model I find was $ 390 , but you’re able to get one for far less . I even spotted some sales , with thisgoing for $ 295 .

The RX 7600 XT is much newer . I found multiple models usable at $ 330 , with overclocked adaptation like thereaching up to $ 350 .

It ’s voiceless to say where prices go from here . On one hand , the RTX 4060 has been on the market place longer , so it ’s more likely to go on sales event . On the other , AMD is typically more generous with its Mary Leontyne Price cuts , so the RX 7600 XT could end up inexpensive . For now , AMD ’s circuit board is more or less more expensive , and it ’s heavy to imagine it will drop far below lean price any clock time before long .

Specs

As common , you should n’t compare the core specs of GPUs from different marque . AMD and Nvidia use different nomenclature for cores , and clock velocity interacts with architecture differently . The two main specs we can compare are memory and power , and there are some cock-a-hoop differences between the RTX 4060 and RX 7600 XT .

First , memory . The RTX 4060 comes with 8 GB while the RX 7600 XT doubles that to 16 GB . It sounds like a clean win for AMD , but there ’s a little more subtlety to the conversation . Both posting use GDDR6 computer memory and a 128 - bit memory passenger vehicle . That signify , although the RX 7600 XT has more mental ability , both cards have around the same memory bandwidth .

There are some games ( I ’ll get to those next ) where higher capacity makes a difference , grant you a tumid bod buffer . Others do n’t see the benefit of the gamy memory capacitance on the RX 7600 XT . It ’s important to point out this moral force because it ’s easy to see 16 GB on the RX 7600 XT and assume the monetary value jumping is justify , and that is n’t always the compositor’s case .

AMD still has an boundary with memory , but Nvidia comes out ahead with world power . Both wag bid similar performance , but Nvidia achieves that carrying into action with a caloric design powerfulness ( TDP ) of just 115 watts . The RX 7600 XT want 190W. It ’s a massive jumping , and even more massive view the RTX 4060 will often lam below 100W when you ’re using it to play games .

Performance

On to some hard Book of Numbers . Both of these GPUs target 1080p , and at that resolution , the RTX 4060 is 2 % faster on middling . That includes the 11 games I run for GPU critique , include titles withray tracingwhere Nvidia bear a strong hint . Overall , you should consider the performance identical , but there are a fortune of little devils in the detail here .

If you look across the games I tested , you’re able to see how close thing are . The RX 7600 XT and RTX 4060 craft blow inAssassin ’s Creed Valhalla , Horizon Zero Dawn , Returnal , andForza Horizon 5,with a delta of only a few frames .

But then there are the outliers . InResident Evil 4,the the RTX 4060 shoots ahead with a 12 % lead , but inRed Dead Redemption 2,the RX 7600 XT direct by close to 17 % . The most important bench mark , however , isThe Last of Us Part One . In this VRAM - lowering title , the RX 7600 XT post an 18 % wind , showing how supernumerary capacity can make a difference in sealed game .

As you could surmount up the resolution , VRAM should become more important . It does , but the difference is n’t as stark as you might expect . Across my entourage of test , the RTX 4060 and RX 7600 XT post an identical norm . The supernumerary VRAM helped the RX 7600 XT exit the gap with the RTX 4060 , but it only had to make up 2 % of ground .

The groupings get much soaked at 1440p , withAssassin ’s Creed Valhalla , Returnal , andForza Horizon 5showing basically indistinguishable performance . The RTX 4060 loses some undercoat inResident Evil 4,however , but it ’s able to make that up inRed Dead Redemption 2.Once again , The Last of Us Part Oneis the significant benchmark for VRAM , with the RX 7600 XT posting a lead of around 26 % .

When reckon at in the raw secret plan performance , the RX 7600 XT comes out slightly in front . It posts essentially identical event to the RTX 4060 , all while provide a prominent bump in those VRAM - large titles likeThe Last of Us Part One . Nvidia still has some fight go forth in it with shaft tracing , however .

Ray tracing and upscaling

Although overall plot performance is still important , ray tracing is becoming progressively common in PC releases . Today , you should expect that a $ 300 GPU will be capable to handle ray tracing at 1080p , and thankfully , both the RX 7600 XT and RTX 4060 pass that mark .

Nvidia certainly passes it more cleanly , however . Although the two scorecard station similar results inReturnal , Nvidia shows a dominate lead story inCyberpunk 2077andResident Evil 4.The differences matter in these two games , too . Nvidia is able to offer above 60 frames per second ( Federal Protective Service ) inResident   Evil 4and above 30 fps inCyberpunk 2077,hitting crucial chump that the RX 7600 XT fails to reach .

Nvidia also acquire the feature battle . DLSS 3.5includes upscaling and frame generation , which is supported in an increasing numeral of game . AMD has FSR 3 , but it ’s only uncommitted in a total of four games at the time of this writing . In order for FSR 3 to be a dependable DLSS 3.5 contender , it needs far more support than it has now .

On AMD ’s end , it offer the AMD Fluid Motion Frames ( AFMF ) feature through the driver . This adds frame generation to almost any DirectX 11 or DirectX 12 game . It does n’t work as well as DLSS 3.5 , and it drop out during fast motion to preserve image quality . But it has much broader support , even compare to the farm lineup of DLSS 3 games .

Even with AFMF in play , Nvidia has the win here . Not only do you get honest ray tracing , but DLSS 3 is uncommitted in a enough games that you should n’t struggle arrive solid performance in most title . AMD ’s go - wide approach sacrifices some tone and performance in the process , and it ’s a feature film you likely wo n’t turn on in every game .

Should you buy the RTX 4060 or RX 7600 XT?

It ’s a tough alternative between the RTX 4060 and RX 7600 XT . The extra VRAM provides nice peacefulness of mind on the RX 7600 XT , but you trade some ray tracing execution and DLSS going with AMD . On the other last , the RTX 4060 definitely misplace some battles , but it ’s cheap and has a honorable bent of features overall .

Considering how exit the GPUs are in terms of price and operation , you ’ll have to make the terminal call depending on prices when you ’re stag . As things sit down now , I recommend the RTX 4060 for most people . The 8 GB of VRAM can sting , but you ’ll only finger the effect of it in a minuscule circle of games likeThe Last of Us Part One . For that forfeit , you ’re get down better ray tracing public presentation in most claim , DLSS , and crucially , a lower price .