GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design vs GeForce GTX 970

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.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. The GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design is positioned at rank #77 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Balanced cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design

#25

Radeon RX 7600M XT

MSRP: $329|Avg: $300

92%

#67

Radeon RX 550X (móvel)

MSRP: $35|Avg: $35

223%

#69

GeForce GTX 1070 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $150

202%

#70

GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $100

202%

#74

GeForce GTX 1050 (Mobile)

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50

184%

#75

Radeon RX 6300

MSRP: $60|Avg: $40

182%

#77

GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#78

Radeon HD 8970M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $170

100%

#82

Arc 7-Core iGPU

MSRP: $199|Avg: N/A

97%

#87

Radeon RX 560 (móvel)

MSRP: $99|Avg: $50

93%

#92

Radeon RX 550 (móvel)

MSRP: $79|Avg: $40

91%

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

⚠️ Generational Difference

The GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design is significantly newer (2020 vs 2014). The GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The GeForce GTX 970 lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.

🚀 Performance Leadership

The GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.4% higher G3D Mark score and 50% more VRAM (6 GB vs 4 GB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the GeForce GTX 970.

Insight	GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design	GeForce GTX 970
Performance	✅Leading raw performance (+0.4%)	❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.4%)
Longevity	Turing (2018−2022) (12nm)	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / Maxwell 2.0 (2014−2019))
Ecosystem	✨ DLSS 2 Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	🎮 High Capacity (6 GB)	❌ Less VRAM capacity
Efficiency	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt	⚡ Higher Power Consumption
Case Fit	—	Standard Size (267mm)

💎 Value Proposition

While current pricing data is unavailable, the GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design remains the clear technical winner. Check real-time availability to determine if the performance gap justifies the market price.

Performance Check

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 7800X3D 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.

GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design Benchmark Check

GeForce GTX 970 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design and GeForce GTX 970

GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design

The GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 29 2020. It features the Turing architecture. The core clock ranges from 975 MHz to 1185 MHz. It has 1920 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 65W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. It features 30 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 9,674 points.

GeForce GTX 970

The GeForce GTX 970 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 19 2014. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1050 MHz to 1178 MHz. It has 1664 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 9,640 points. Launch price was $329.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design scores 9,674 and the GeForce GTX 970 reaches 9,640 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design is built on Turing while the GeForce GTX 970 uses Maxwell 2.0, both on 12 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 1,920 (GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design) vs 1,664 (GeForce GTX 970). Raw compute: 4.55 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design) vs 3.92 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 970). Boost clocks: 1185 MHz vs 1178 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design	GeForce GTX 970
G3D Mark Score	9,674	9,640
Architecture	Turing	Maxwell 2.0
Process Node	12 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	1920+15%	1664
Compute (TFLOPS)	4.55 TFLOPS+16%	3.92 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1185 MHz	1178 MHz
ROPs	48	56+17%
TMUs	120+15%	104
L1 Cache	1.9 MB+211%	0.61 MB
L2 Cache	3 MB+50%	2 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The GeForce GTX 970 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design	GeForce GTX 970
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 2.0	FSR 2.1 (Compatible)
Frame Generation	FSR 3 / AFMF (Compatible)	FSR 3 (Compatible)
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	Standard

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design comes with 6 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 970 has 4 GB. The GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design offers 50% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 264 GB/s (GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design) vs 224 GB/s (GeForce GTX 970) — a 17.9% advantage for the GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design. Bus width: 192-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design) vs 2 MB (GeForce GTX 970) — the GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design	GeForce GTX 970
VRAM Capacity	6 GB+50%	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	264 GB/s+18%	224 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 with Max-Q Design) vs 12 (FL 12_1) (GeForce GTX 970). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design	GeForce GTX 970
DirectX	12 Ultimate (12_2)	12 (FL 12_1)
Vulkan	1.3	1.3
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (Turing) (GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design) vs NVENC 2nd gen (GeForce GTX 970). Decoder: NVDEC (4th Gen) vs PureVideo VP6. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265,VP9 (GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 970).

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design	GeForce GTX 970
Encoder	NVENC (Turing)	NVENC 2nd gen
Decoder	NVDEC (4th Gen)	PureVideo VP6
Codecs	H.264,H.265,VP9	H.264,H.265/HEVC

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design draws 65W versus the GeForce GTX 970's 150W — a 79.1% difference. The GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design) vs 500W (GeForce GTX 970). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 2x 6-pin. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 80°C.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design	GeForce GTX 970
TDP	65W-57%	150W
Recommended PSU	500W	500W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	2x 6-pin
Length	—	267mm
Height	—	111mm
Slots	1-50%	2
Temp (Load)	75°C-6%	80°C
Perf/Watt	148.8+131%	64.3