GeForce RTX 2060 vs Radeon RX 590

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 2060

2019Core: 1365 MHzBoost: 1680 MHz

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

Radeon RX 590

2018Core: 1469 MHzBoost: 1545 MHz

Popular choices:

Performance Spectrum - GPU

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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, raw graphics performance, VRAM, feature set, power efficiency, pricing context, and long-term value so you can see which GPU actually makes more sense.

GeForce RTX 2060

2019

Why buy it

  • +51.5% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Delivers 21.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 33.4 G3D/$ ($349 MSRP vs $279 MSRP).
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • More future proof: Turing (2018−2022) on 12nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
  • Measures 229mm instead of 241mm, a 12mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation (2023).

Radeon RX 590

2018

Why buy it

  • Costs $70 less on MSRP ($279 MSRP vs $349 MSRP).
  • Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation (2023).
  • 33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 6 GB).

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (9,315 vs 14,114).
  • No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
  • Limited future-proofing: older hardware, 8 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in upcoming AAA games.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 33.4 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($279 MSRP vs $349 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 2060 better than Radeon RX 590?
Yes. GeForce RTX 2060 is the better GPU overall here. You are getting 51.5% higher PassMark G3D performance and DLSS 2 Super Resolution. It also comes from 2019 instead of 2018, which helps its case as the more complete modern gaming card.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 2060 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2019 generation instead of 2018, 51.5% more raw performance headroom, and the stronger feature stack with DLSS Super Resolution instead of FSR upscaling + limited Frame Generation. That broader feature stack should age better as more games lean on modern upscaling and frame-generation support.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?
GeForce RTX 2060 is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce RTX 2060 is about 25.1% more expensive on MSRP at $349 MSRP versus $279 MSRP, and you are getting 51.5% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 21.1%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.
Is Radeon RX 590 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?
Yes. Radeon RX 590 is still a strong modern gaming GPU: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It remains a good buy when you can get it meaningfully cheaper than the alternative around $279 MSRP, even if GeForce RTX 2060 is still the cleaner recommendation on overall value today.

Games Benchmarks

Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 9800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.

Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetGeForce RTX 2060Radeon RX 590
1080p
low108 FPS175 FPS
medium98 FPS159 FPS
high82 FPS138 FPS
ultra69 FPS107 FPS
1440p
low95 FPS153 FPS
medium83 FPS126 FPS
high69 FPS104 FPS
ultra60 FPS85 FPS
4K
low47 FPS76 FPS
medium43 FPS64 FPS
high31 FPS49 FPS
ultra27 FPS43 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce RTX 2060Radeon RX 590
1080p
low290 FPS170 FPS
medium247 FPS145 FPS
high197 FPS126 FPS
ultra155 FPS98 FPS
1440p
low192 FPS96 FPS
medium164 FPS75 FPS
high131 FPS60 FPS
ultra104 FPS49 FPS
4K
low108 FPS46 FPS
medium91 FPS36 FPS
high75 FPS31 FPS
ultra57 FPS26 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce RTX 2060Radeon RX 590
1080p
low635 FPS419 FPS
medium508 FPS335 FPS
high423 FPS279 FPS
ultra318 FPS210 FPS
1440p
low476 FPS314 FPS
medium381 FPS252 FPS
high318 FPS210 FPS
ultra238 FPS157 FPS
4K
low318 FPS210 FPS
medium254 FPS168 FPS
high212 FPS140 FPS
ultra159 FPS105 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce RTX 2060Radeon RX 590
1080p
low428 FPS419 FPS
medium354 FPS335 FPS
high286 FPS279 FPS
ultra244 FPS210 FPS
1440p
low357 FPS314 FPS
medium302 FPS252 FPS
high235 FPS210 FPS
ultra193 FPS157 FPS
4K
low204 FPS190 FPS
medium166 FPS149 FPS
high154 FPS131 FPS
ultra119 FPS105 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 2060 and Radeon RX 590

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 2060

The GeForce RTX 2060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 7 2019. It features the Turing architecture. The core clock ranges from 1365 MHz to 1680 MHz. It has 1920 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 160W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. It features 30 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 14,114 points. Launch price was $349.

AMD

Radeon RX 590

The Radeon RX 590 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 15 2018. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1469 MHz to 1545 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 175W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 9,315 points. Launch price was $279.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 2060 scores 14,114 versus the Radeon RX 590's 9,315 — the GeForce RTX 2060 leads by 51.5%. The GeForce RTX 2060 is built on Turing while the Radeon RX 590 uses GCN 4.0, both on a 12 nm process. Shader units: 1,920 (GeForce RTX 2060) vs 2,304 (Radeon RX 590). Raw compute: 6.451 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 2060) vs 7.119 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 590). Boost clocks: 1680 MHz vs 1545 MHz.

FeatureGeForce RTX 2060Radeon RX 590
G3D Mark Score
14,114+52%
9,315
Architecture
Turing
GCN 4.0
Process Node
12 nm
12 nm
Shading Units
1920
2304+20%
Compute (TFLOPS)
6.451 TFLOPS
7.119 TFLOPS+10%
Boost Clock
1680 MHz+9%
1545 MHz
ROPs
48+50%
32
TMUs
120
144+20%
L1 Cache
1.9 MB+239%
0.56 MB
L2 Cache
3 MB+50%
2 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the Radeon RX 590 is support for FSR Frame Generation. This allows it to generate entire frames using AI/Algorithms, essentially doubling the frame rate in CPU-bound scenarios or heavy ray-tracing titles. The GeForce RTX 2060 lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.The GeForce RTX 2060 gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Radeon RX 590 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

FeatureGeForce RTX 2060Radeon RX 590
Upscaling Tech
DLSS 2 Super Resolution
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation
Not Supported
FSR Frame Generation
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
AMD Anti-Lag
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 2060 comes with 6 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon RX 590 has 8 GB. The Radeon RX 590 offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 336 GB/s (GeForce RTX 2060) vs 256 GB/s (Radeon RX 590) — a 31.3% advantage for the GeForce RTX 2060. Bus width: 192-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 2060) vs 2 MB (Radeon RX 590) — the GeForce RTX 2060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 2060Radeon RX 590
VRAM Capacity
6 GB
8 GB+33%
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
336 GB/s+31%
256 GB/s
Bus Width
192-bit
256-bit+33%
L2 Cache
3 MB+50%
2 MB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (12_2) (GeForce RTX 2060) vs 12.0 (Radeon RX 590). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce RTX 2060Radeon RX 590
DirectX
12 Ultimate (12_2)
12.0
Vulkan
1.3+8%
1.2
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (Turing) (GeForce RTX 2060) vs VCE 3.4 (Radeon RX 590). Decoder: NVDEC (Turing) vs UVD 6.3. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265,VP9,VP8,MPEG-2,VC-1 (GeForce RTX 2060) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (Radeon RX 590).

FeatureGeForce RTX 2060Radeon RX 590
Encoder
NVENC (Turing)
VCE 3.4
Decoder
NVDEC (Turing)
UVD 6.3
Codecs
H.264,H.265,VP9,VP8,MPEG-2,VC-1
MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 2060 draws 160W versus the Radeon RX 590's 175W — a 9% difference. The GeForce RTX 2060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce RTX 2060) vs 500W (Radeon RX 590). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 8-pin. Card length: 229mm vs 241mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 72 vs 80°C.

FeatureGeForce RTX 2060Radeon RX 590
TDP
160W-9%
175W
Recommended PSU
500W
500W
Power Connector
8-pin
8-pin
Length
229mm
241mm
Height
113mm
111mm
Slots
2
2
Temp (Load)
72-10%
80°C
Perf/Watt
88.2+66%
53.2
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 2060 launched at $349 MSRP, while the Radeon RX 590 launched at $279. The Radeon RX 590 costs 20.1% less ($70 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce RTX 2060) vs 33.4 (Radeon RX 590) — the GeForce RTX 2060 offers 21% better value. The GeForce RTX 2060 is the newer GPU (2019 vs 2018).

FeatureGeForce RTX 2060Radeon RX 590
MSRP
$349
$279-20%
Performance per Dollar
40.4+21%
33.4
Codename
TU106
Polaris 30
Release
January 7 2019
November 15 2018
Ranking
#168
#285