NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970

VS
Performance
GeForce RTX 4060138% better
38,19137% of 104,598
GeForce GTX 970
16,03315% of 104,598

The GeForce RTX 4060 has 138% better performance than the GeForce GTX 970 for the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark.

Performance per dollar
GeForce RTX 4060162% better
127.7379% of 161.45
GeForce GTX 970
48.7330% of 161.45

The GeForce RTX 4060 has 162% better value for the money than the GeForce GTX 970 for the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark.

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Summary

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About the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 GPU

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is a desktop graphics card that launched in Q2 2023 with a MSRP of $299. It is built on the Ada Lovelace GPU microarchitecture (codename AD107) and is manufactured on a 5 nm process.

Memory

The RTX 4060 has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory, with a 2,125 MHz memory clock and a 128 bit interface. This gives it a memory bandwidth of 272 Gb/s, which affects how fast it can transfer data to and from memory. GPU memory stores temporary data that helps the GPU with complex math and graphics operations. More memory is generally better, as not having enough can cause performance bottlenecks.

Cores and Clock Speeds

The RTX 4060 includes 3,072 CUDA cores, the processing units for handling parallel computing tasks. The GPU operates at a core clock speed of 1,830 MHz and can dynamically boost its clock speed up to 2,460 MHz. Complementing the processing units are 96 texture mapping units (TMUs) for efficient texture filtering and 48 render output units (ROPs) for pixel processing. Additionally, the GPU features 96 tensor cores optimized for AI-accelerated workloads and 24 RT cores dedicated to real-time ray tracing calculations.

Compatibility & Power Consumption

The RTX 4060 occupies 2 PCIe expansion slots. It supports HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4a display connections. NVIDIA recommends a power supply of at least 300 W to handle the GPU's thermal design power (TDP) of 115 W.

Benchmark Performance & Value

The RTX 4060 has the 42nd best 3DMark 11 Performance GPU score among the 543 benchmarked GPUs in our database. It achieves 36.51% of the performance of the best benchmarked GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090. Its 38,191 score and $299 launch price (MSRP) gives it a performance per dollar of 127.73. This is the 4th best in value for the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark.

About the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 GPU

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 is an end-of-life desktop graphics card that released in Q3 2014 with a MSRP of $329. It is built on the Maxwell 2.0 GPU microarchitecture (codename GM204) and is manufactured on a 28 nm process.

Memory

The GTX 970 has 4 GB of GDDR5 memory, with a 1,753 MHz memory clock and a 256 bit interface. This gives it a memory bandwidth of 224.4 Gb/s, which affects how fast it can transfer data to and from memory. GPU memory stores temporary data that helps the GPU with complex math and graphics operations. More memory is generally better, as not having enough can cause performance bottlenecks.

Cores and Clock Speeds

The GTX 970 includes 1,664 CUDA cores, the processing units for handling parallel computing tasks. The GPU operates at a core clock speed of 1,050 MHz and can dynamically boost its clock speed up to 1,178 MHz. Complementing the processing units are 104 texture mapping units (TMUs) for efficient texture filtering and 56 render output units (ROPs) for pixel processing.

Compatibility & Power Consumption

The GTX 970 occupies 2 PCIe expansion slots. It supports DVI, HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.2 display connections. NVIDIA recommends a power supply of at least 300 W to handle the GPU's thermal design power (TDP) of 148 W.

Benchmark Performance & Value

The GTX 970 has the 138th best 3DMark 11 Performance GPU score among the 543 benchmarked GPUs in our database. It achieves 15.33% of the performance of the best benchmarked GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090. Its 16,033 score and $329 launch price (MSRP) gives it a performance per dollar of 48.73. This is the 66th best in value for the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark.

General Info

General overview of the GPU, including details like its manufacturer, release date, launch price, and current production status.

InfoGeForce RTX 4060GeForce GTX 970
ManufacturerNVIDIANVIDIA
ArchitectureAda LovelaceMaxwell 2.0
Market SegmentDesktopDesktop
Release DateQ2 2023Q3 2014
Launch Price (MSRP)$299$329
Production StatusActiveEnd-of-life
ShopCheck PriceCheck Price

Gaming Performance

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Select a game to compare FPS metrics

Display FPS for Sons of the Forest
Sons of the Forest
Display FPS for F1 23
F1 23
Display FPS for Diablo 4
Diablo 4
Display FPS for Far Cry 6
Far Cry 6
Display FPS for Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Display FPS for The Last of Us Part 1
The Last of Us
Display FPS for Resident Evil 4 (Remake)
Resident Evil 4 (Remake)

FPS Benchmarks

This table showcases the average frame rate (FPS) achieved both GPUs in at various resolutions. Frame rate is a crucial indicator of how smoothly the GPU can run the game. A higher FPS generally translates to a smoother gameplay experience.

  • Frames Per Second
FPS data for Sons of the Forest
Sons of the Forest
GeForce RTX 4060GeForce GTX 970
Low - 1080p
107 FPS
--
Medium - 1080p
92 FPS
--
High - 1080p
88 FPS
--
Ultra - 1080p
87 FPS
--
QHD - 1440p
66 FPS
--
4K UHD - 2160p
38 FPS
--
FPS Source: Notebookcheck

Compare Frames Per Second (FPS)

The average frame rate (FPS) in can be compared to similar GPUs to assess relative performance. Generally, higher FPS results in a smoother gameplay experience.

Choose Baseline GPU:GeForce RTX 4060 orGeForce GTX 970

Compare Cost Per Frame

The average cost per frame in can be compared to similar GPUs to assess relative value. Generally, a lower cost per frame implies better value for your money.

Choose Baseline GPU:GeForce RTX 4060 orGeForce GTX 970

Benchmark Performance

#
Performance
GeForce RTX 4060138% better
38,19137% of 104,598
GeForce GTX 970
16,03315% of 104,598

The GeForce RTX 4060 has 138% better performance than the GeForce GTX 970 for the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark.

The GeForce RTX 4060 is ranked 42nd with a score of 38,191, and the GeForce GTX 970 is ranked 138th with a score of 16,033.

Performance per dollar
GeForce RTX 4060162% better
127.7379% of 161.45
GeForce GTX 970
48.7330% of 161.45

The GeForce RTX 4060 has 162% better value for the money than the GeForce GTX 970 for the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark.

The GeForce RTX 4060 is ranked 4th with a performance per dollar of 127.73, and the GeForce GTX 970 is ranked 66th with a performance per dollar of 48.73.

Relative Performance

The average score in the benchmark test can be compared to similar GPUs to assess relative performance. Generally, powerful GPUs tend to have higher scores.

Choose Baseline GPU:GeForce RTX 4060 or
GPUBenchmark Performance
GeForce RTX 208040,278+5%
Radeon RX 6600 XT39,051+2%
GeForce RTX 406038,191
GeForce RTX 3060 Ti37,941-1%
Radeon VII37,881-1%
Radeon R9 Nano17,282-55%
Radeon R9 290X16,167.5-58%
GeForce GTX 97016,033-58%
GeForce GTX 780 Ti15,619-59%
GeForce GTX 165013,645-64%

Relative Value For Money

The average performance per dollar in the benchmark test can be compared to similar GPUs to assess relative value. A higher score implies a better value for your money.

Choose Baseline GPU:GeForce RTX 4060 or
GPUPerformance Per Dollar
Radeon RX 7800 XT131.48+3%
Arc A750129.02+1%
GeForce RTX 4060127.73
Radeon RX 7700 XT127.71-0%
Arc A770125.54-2%
GeForce GTX 96054.11-58%
GeForce GTX 95052.52-59%
GeForce GTX 97048.73-62%
Radeon R9 390X41.83-67%
Radeon R9 280X36.09-72%

Benchmark Scores

This table showcases the average performance scores achieved by both GPUs across industry-standard benchmark tests. These scores provide a valuable insight into overall performance. Powerful GPUs tend to have higher scores.

  • Popular
BenchmarkGeForce RTX 4060GeForce GTX 970
3DMark Time Spy Graphics
10,494
(+196.11%)
3,544
3DMark Time Spy Score
11,138
(+201.6%)
3,693
3DMark Cloud Gate Graphics
156,140
(+114.42%)
72,819
3DMark Fire Strike Standard Graphics
28,111
(+135.16%)
11,954
3DMark Night Raid Graphics
128,761
--
3DMark 11 Performance Score
36,813
(+177.85%)
13,249
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64 Bit
--
141.6
PassMark G3D Mark
19,869
(+106.15%)
9,638
PassMark G2D Mark
1,101
(+43.55%)
767
Benchmarks Source: Notebookcheck

Technical Specs

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Graphics Processor

General information about the graphics processing unit like their architecture, manufacturing process size, and transistor count. Newer GPU architectures generally bring efficiency improvements and may introduce technologies that enhance graphical capabilities.

SpecGeForce RTX 4060GeForce GTX 970
CodenameAD107GM204
ArchitectureAda LovelaceMaxwell 2.0
Process Size5 nm28 nm
Transistors18,900 million5,200 million

Memory Details

Memory specifications like their capacity, bandwidth, and clock speeds. GPU memory stores graphics data like frames, textures, and shadows which helps display rendered images. These specs are crucial for graphics-intense applications like gaming and 3D modeling.

SpecGeForce RTX 4060GeForce GTX 970
Memory Size8 GB4 GB
Memory TypeGDDR6GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth272 Gb/s224.4 Gb/s
Memory Clock2,125 MHz1,753 MHz
Memory Interface128 bit256 bit
L1 Cache128 KB48 KB
L2 Cache24 MB2 MB

Board Compatibility

Compatibility information like their slot size, bus interface, power consumption, and display support. These specs are useful for verifying compatibility with your motherboard, power supply, and monitor.

SpecGeForce RTX 4060GeForce GTX 970
Slots2 slots2 slots
Bus InterfacePCIe 4.0 x8PCIe 3.0 x16
Thermal Design Power (TDP)115 W148 W
Suggested PSU300 W300 W
Power Connectors1x 12-pin2x 6-pin
OutputsHDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4aDVI, HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.2

Cores & Clock Speeds

Processing power information like its cores and clock speed. These specs impact how fast they can process graphics. Each type of core or component serves a specific computational purpose.

SpecGeForce RTX 4060GeForce GTX 970
CUDA Cores3,0721,664
Stream Multiprocessors (SM)24--
Texture Mapping Units (TMU)96104
Render Output Units (ROP)4856
Tensor Cores96--
Ray Tracing Cores24--
Core Clock Speed1,830 MHz1,050 MHz
Core Clock Speed (Boost)2,460 MHz1,178 MHz

Theoretical Performance

Theoretical performance numbers derived from the raw specifications of the different components like core count and clock speeds. While these provide a glimpse into peak processing power, they do not represent real-world performance.

SpecGeForce RTX 4060GeForce GTX 970
Pixel Fill Rate118.1 GPixel/s65.97 GPixel/s
Texture Fill Rate236.2 GTexel/s122.5 GTexel/s
FP32 Performance15.11 TFLOPS3.92 TFLOPS
FP64 Performance236.2 GFLOPS122.5 GFLOPS

API Support

Graphics API versions supported by these graphics cards. APIs evolve over time, introducing new features and functionalities. Older GPUs may not support recent versions.

SpecGeForce RTX 4060GeForce GTX 970
DirectX12 Ultimate (12_2)12 (12_1)
OpenCL3.03.0
OpenGL4.64.6
Shader Model6.86.8

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* Performance rating, performance per dollar, and rankings are based on the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark and MSRP.