GeForce GTX 590 vs GeForce RTX 4060 Ti

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 590

2011Core: 607 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4060 Ti

2023Core: 2310 MHzBoost: 2535 MHz
RTX family
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GeForce GTX 590 vs GeForce RTX 4060 Ti Performance Spectrum

About G3D Mark

G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.

GeForce GTX 590 vs GeForce RTX 4060 Ti FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

GeForce GTX 590 vs GeForce RTX 4060 Ti: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

GeForce GTX 590

2011

Why buy it

  • Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 4060 Ti across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 3 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
  • 2011 hardware with 3 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 75.2% HIGHER MSRP
    $699 MSRPvs$399 MSRP

GeForce RTX 4060 Ti

2023

Why buy it

  • 268.4% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Costs $300 less on MSRP ($399 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
  • Delivers 1087.7% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 56.8 vs 4.8 G3D/$ ($399 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
  • Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
  • 166.7% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 3 GB).

Trade-offs

  • Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 268.4% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 578% in PassMark G3D (22,651 vs 3,341), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 8 GB vs 3 GB of VRAM, the newer feature stack, with DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution (2023) and DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023), while GeForce GTX 590 is limited to no meaningful modern upscaling stack and no comparable frame-generation support, a 5nm process instead of 40nm, and 34 vs 0 ray-tracing units. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce RTX 4060 Ti makes the most sense to buy today. It is $300 cheaper on MSRP at $399 vs $699, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 1087.7% (56.8 vs 4.8), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce GTX 590 vs GeForce RTX 4060 Ti Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 590

The GeForce GTX 590 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 24 2011. It features the Fermi 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 607 MHz. It has 1024 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 365W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,341 points. Launch price was $699.

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4060 Ti

The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 18 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 2310 MHz to 2535 MHz. It has 4352 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 160W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 34 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 22,651 points. Launch price was $399.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 590 scores 3,341 versus the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti's 22,651 — the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti leads by 578%. The GeForce GTX 590 is built on Fermi 2.0 while the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti uses Ada Lovelace, both on 40 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 1,024 (GeForce GTX 590) vs 4,352 (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti). Raw compute: 1.244 TFLOPS ×2 (GeForce GTX 590) vs 22.06 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti).

FeatureGeForce GTX 590GeForce RTX 4060 Ti
G3D Mark Score
3,341
22,651+578%
Architecture
Fermi 2.0
Ada Lovelace
Process Node
40 nm
5 nm
Shading Units
1024 ×2
4352+325%
Compute (TFLOPS)
1.244 TFLOPS ×2
22.06 TFLOPS+1673%
ROPs
48 ×2
48
TMUs
64 ×2
136+113%
L1 Cache
1 MB
4.3 MB+330%
L2 Cache
0.75 MB
32 MB+4167%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The clearest feature edge for the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is support for DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation. In games that support it, that can smooth out motion and lift perceived FPS. The GeForce GTX 590 does not have comparable native support in the same tier.The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti supports the newer DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 590 is capped at Upscaling support.

FeatureGeForce GTX 590GeForce RTX 4060 Ti
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution
Frame Generation
Not Supported
DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation
Ray Reconstruction
No
Yes (DLSS 3.5)
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
NVIDIA Reflex
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 590 has 3 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti carries 8 GB. GeForce RTX 4060 Ti gives you 166.7% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 256-bit on the GeForce GTX 590 and 128-bit on the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti. L2 Cache: 0.75 MB (GeForce GTX 590) vs 32 MB (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti) — the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce GTX 590GeForce RTX 4060 Ti
VRAM Capacity
3 GB
8 GB+167%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth
Unknown
288 GB/s
Bus Width
256-bit+100%
128-bit
L2 Cache
0.75 MB
32 MB+4167%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_0) (GeForce GTX 590) vs 12.2 (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti). OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce GTX 590GeForce RTX 4060 Ti
DirectX
12 (11_0)
12.2+2%
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Decoder: PureVideo HD (VP5) vs 5th Gen NVDEC. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (GeForce GTX 590) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti).

FeatureGeForce GTX 590GeForce RTX 4060 Ti
Encoder
8th Gen NVENC
Decoder
PureVideo HD (VP5)
5th Gen NVDEC
Codecs
H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2
MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 590 draws 365W versus the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti's 160W — a 78.1% difference. The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 700W (GeForce GTX 590) vs 550W (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti). Power connectors: 2x 8-pin vs 8-pin. Typical load temperature: 90°C vs 70°C.

FeatureGeForce GTX 590GeForce RTX 4060 Ti
TDP
365W
160W-56%
Recommended PSU
700W
550W-21%
Power Connector
2x 8-pin
8-pin
Length
240mm
Height
111mm
Slots
2
2
Temp (Load)
90°C
70°C-22%
Perf/Watt
9.2
141.6+1439%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 590 came in at $699, while the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti launched at $399. On MSRP, GeForce RTX 4060 Ti was 42.9% cheaper ($300 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 4.8 (GeForce GTX 590) vs 56.8 (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti) — the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti offers 1083.3% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 4060 Ti (2023 vs 2011).

FeatureGeForce GTX 590GeForce RTX 4060 Ti
MSRP
$699
$399-43%
Performance per Dollar
4.8
56.8+1083%
Codename
GF110
AD106
Release
March 24 2011
May 18 2023
Ranking
#555
#59

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