GeForce RTX 4060 vs Radeon R9 260

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4060

2023Core: 1830 MHzBoost: 2460 MHz

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

Radeon R9 260

2013Core: 947 MHz

Popular choices:

RTX 4060

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 4060

2023

Why buy it

  • +541.3% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Delivers 198.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 65.4 vs 21.9 G3D/$ ($299 MSRP vs $139 MSRP).
  • Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
  • 300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 2 GB).
  • More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

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

Radeon R9 260

2013

Why buy it

  • Costs $160 less on MSRP ($139 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (3,048 vs 19,548).
  • Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
  • Very weak future-proofing: 2013-era hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 21.9 vs 65.4 G3D/$ ($139 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 4060 better than Radeon R9 260?
Yes. GeForce RTX 4060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 19,548 vs 3,048 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 4060 is a 2023 card with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation, while Radeon R9 260 is a 2013 model from an older generation with FSR upscaling. So this is not really a tight same-tier comparison. It is more a modern card against an older, weaker alternative.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 4060 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2023 generation instead of 2013, 541.3% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 8 GB instead of 2 GB, and better frame-generation support with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023) instead of FSR upscaling. That leaves it with more room for heavier textures, tougher ray tracing loads, and higher-end 1440p or 4K gaming over the next few years.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?
GeForce RTX 4060 is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce RTX 4060 is about 115.1% more expensive on MSRP at $299 MSRP versus $139 MSRP, and you are getting 541.3% higher G3D Mark. Radeon R9 260 really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.
Is Radeon R9 260 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?
No, not for a fresh gaming build. Radeon R9 260 is 2013 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM, 3,048 in G3D Mark, and FSR upscaling. That is simply too far behind to be an easy modern recommendation.

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 4060Radeon R9 260
1080p
low167 FPS82 FPS
medium152 FPS67 FPS
high134 FPS54 FPS
ultra115 FPS35 FPS
1440p
low137 FPS68 FPS
medium114 FPS57 FPS
high99 FPS41 FPS
ultra90 FPS26 FPS
4K
low86 FPS25 FPS
medium74 FPS24 FPS
high62 FPS16 FPS
ultra55 FPS13 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce RTX 4060Radeon R9 260
1080p
low392 FPS137 FPS
medium334 FPS110 FPS
high268 FPS91 FPS
ultra211 FPS69 FPS
1440p
low240 FPS103 FPS
medium209 FPS82 FPS
high169 FPS69 FPS
ultra137 FPS51 FPS
4K
low119 FPS58 FPS
medium98 FPS46 FPS
high82 FPS43 FPS
ultra63 FPS34 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce RTX 4060Radeon R9 260
1080p
low812 FPS137 FPS
medium642 FPS110 FPS
high551 FPS91 FPS
ultra440 FPS69 FPS
1440p
low535 FPS103 FPS
medium443 FPS82 FPS
high379 FPS69 FPS
ultra329 FPS51 FPS
4K
low365 FPS69 FPS
medium297 FPS55 FPS
high234 FPS46 FPS
ultra186 FPS34 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce RTX 4060Radeon R9 260
1080p
low746 FPS137 FPS
medium613 FPS110 FPS
high536 FPS91 FPS
ultra440 FPS69 FPS
1440p
low594 FPS103 FPS
medium486 FPS82 FPS
high421 FPS69 FPS
ultra330 FPS51 FPS
4K
low358 FPS69 FPS
medium308 FPS55 FPS
high285 FPS46 FPS
ultra220 FPS33 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 4060 and Radeon R9 260

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4060

The GeForce RTX 4060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 18 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 1830 MHz to 2460 MHz. It has 3072 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 115W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 24 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 19,548 points. Launch price was $299.

AMD

Radeon R9 260

The Radeon R9 260 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 5 2013. It features the GCN 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 947 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 275W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,048 points. Launch price was $399.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 4060 scores 19,548 versus the Radeon R9 260's 3,048 — the GeForce RTX 4060 leads by 541.3%. The GeForce RTX 4060 is built on Ada Lovelace while the Radeon R9 260 uses GCN 2.0, both on 5 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 3,072 (GeForce RTX 4060) vs 2,560 (Radeon R9 260). Raw compute: 15.11 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4060) vs 4.849 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 260).

FeatureGeForce RTX 4060Radeon R9 260
G3D Mark Score
19,548+541%
3,048
Architecture
Ada Lovelace
GCN 2.0
Process Node
5 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
3072+20%
2560
Compute (TFLOPS)
15.11 TFLOPS+212%
4.849 TFLOPS
ROPs
48
64+33%
TMUs
96
160+67%
L1 Cache
3 MB+376%
0.63 MB
L2 Cache
24 MB+2300%
1 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the GeForce RTX 4060 is support for DLSS 3.5 + 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 Radeon R9 260 lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.The GeForce RTX 4060 gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Radeon R9 260 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4060Radeon R9 260
Upscaling Tech
DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation
DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
Yes (DLSS 3.5)
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
AMD Anti-Lag
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 4060 comes with 8 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 260 has 2 GB. The GeForce RTX 4060 offers 300% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 24 MB (GeForce RTX 4060) vs 1 MB (Radeon R9 260) — the GeForce RTX 4060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4060Radeon R9 260
VRAM Capacity
8 GB+300%
2 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
272 GB/s
Unknown
Bus Width
128-bit
128-bit
L2 Cache
24 MB+2300%
1 MB
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 4060 draws 115W versus the Radeon R9 260's 275W — a 82.1% difference. The GeForce RTX 4060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 4060) vs 450W (Radeon R9 260). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 1x 6-pin.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4060Radeon R9 260
TDP
115W-58%
275W
Recommended PSU
550W
450W-18%
Power Connector
8-pin
1x 6-pin
Length
240mm
Height
111mm
Slots
2
Temp (Load)
73°C
Perf/Watt
170.0+1432%
11.1
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 4060 launched at $299 MSRP, while the Radeon R9 260 launched at $139. The Radeon R9 260 costs 53.5% less ($160 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 65.4 (GeForce RTX 4060) vs 21.9 (Radeon R9 260) — the GeForce RTX 4060 offers 198.6% better value. The GeForce RTX 4060 is the newer GPU (2023 vs 2013).

FeatureGeForce RTX 4060Radeon R9 260
MSRP
$299
$139-54%
Performance per Dollar
65.4+199%
21.9
Codename
AD107
Hawaii
Release
May 18 2023
November 5 2013
Ranking
#84
#316