GeForce RTX 2060 12GB vs GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 2060 12GB

2021Core: 1470 MHzBoost: 1650 MHz
RTX family
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VS
NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU

2023Core: 2310 MHzBoost: 2535 MHz
RTX family
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GeForce RTX 2060 12GB vs GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU 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 RTX 2060 12GB vs GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU 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 RTX 2060 12GB vs GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU: 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 RTX 2060 12GB

2021

Why buy it

  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 33.9 vs 0 G3D/$ ($470 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • 100% more Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation, which can increase overall FPS in supported games (272 vs 136).
  • 50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 8 GB).

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
  • GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU is the safer long-term pick here because the hardware is newer and the feature stack is stronger.
  • 15% higher power demand at 184W vs 160W.

GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU

2023

Why buy it

  • 28.9% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
  • Better long-term bet: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
  • Draws 160W instead of 184W, a 24W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 8 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • Fewer Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation (136 vs 272), which can reduce FPS gains in supported games.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 33.9 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $470 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 28.9% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 9.2% in PassMark G3D (17,400 vs 15,935), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: the newer feature stack, with DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution (2023) and DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023), while GeForce RTX 2060 12GB is limited to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) and no comparable frame-generation support, a 5nm process instead of 12nm, and a newer 2023 generation instead of 2021. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce RTX 2060 12GB makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and lighter 1440p, GeForce RTX 2060 12GB is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and lighter 1440p headroom, GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce RTX 2060 12GB vs GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 2060 12GB

The GeForce RTX 2060 12GB is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in December 7 2021. It features the Turing architecture. The core clock ranges from 1470 MHz to 1650 MHz. It has 2176 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 184W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. It features 34 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 15,935 points.

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU

The GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU 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: 17,400 points. Launch price was $399.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 2060 12GB scores 15,935 versus the GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU's 17,400 — the GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU leads by 9.2%. The GeForce RTX 2060 12GB is built on Turing while the GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU uses Ada Lovelace, both on 12 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 2,176 (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB) vs 4,352 (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU). Raw compute: 7.181 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB) vs 22.06 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU). Boost clocks: 1650 MHz vs 2535 MHz. Ray tracing: 34 RT cores (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB) vs 34 (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU) with 272 Tensor cores vs 136.

FeatureGeForce RTX 2060 12GBGeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU
G3D Mark Score
15,935
17,400+9%
Architecture
Turing
Ada Lovelace
Process Node
12 nm
5 nm
Shading Units
2176
4352+100%
Compute (TFLOPS)
7.181 TFLOPS
22.06 TFLOPS+207%
Boost Clock
1650 MHz
2535 MHz+54%
ROPs
48
48
TMUs
136
136
L1 Cache
2.1 MB
4.3 MB+105%
L2 Cache
3 MB
32 MB+967%
Ray Tracing Cores
34
34
Tensor Cores
272+100%
136

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The clearest feature edge for the GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU is support for DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation. In games that support it, that can smooth out motion and lift perceived FPS. The GeForce RTX 2060 12GB does not have comparable native support in the same tier.The GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU supports the newer DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce RTX 2060 12GB is capped at DLSS 2 Super Resolution.

FeatureGeForce RTX 2060 12GBGeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU
Upscaling Tech
DLSS 2 Super Resolution
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 RTX 2060 12GB has 12 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU carries 8 GB. GeForce RTX 2060 12GB gives you 50% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 336 GB/s (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB) vs 256 GB/s (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU) — a 31.3% advantage for the GeForce RTX 2060 12GB. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 2060 12GB and 128-bit on the GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB) vs 32 MB (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU) — the GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 2060 12GBGeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU
VRAM Capacity
12 GB+50%
8 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth
336 GB/s+31%
256 GB/s
Bus Width
192-bit+50%
128-bit
L2 Cache
3 MB
32 MB+967%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce RTX 2060 12GBGeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU
DirectX
12.1
12 Ultimate
Vulkan
1.3
1.4+8%
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 6.0 (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB) vs NVENC (8th Gen) (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP9 vs NVDEC (5th Gen). Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9 (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB) vs H.264,HEVC,AV1,VP9 (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU).

FeatureGeForce RTX 2060 12GBGeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU
Encoder
NVENC 6.0
NVENC (8th Gen)
Decoder
PureVideo HD VP9
NVDEC (5th Gen)
Codecs
MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9
H.264,HEVC,AV1,VP9
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 2060 12GB draws 184W versus the GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU's 160W — a 14% difference. The GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB) vs 650W (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU). Power connectors: 8-pin vs Mobile. Typical load temperature: 88°C vs 80°C.

FeatureGeForce RTX 2060 12GBGeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU
TDP
184W
160W-13%
Recommended PSU
550W-15%
650W
Power Connector
8-pin
Mobile
Length
229mm
Height
113mm
Slots
2
0-100%
Temp (Load)
88°C
80°C-9%
Perf/Watt
86.6
108.8+26%
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU (2023 vs 2021).

FeatureGeForce RTX 2060 12GBGeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU
MSRP
$470
Codename
TU106
AD106
Release
December 7 2021
May 18 2023
Ranking
#133
#59

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