Introduction to the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060

Like mythical creatures such as Bigfoot or the chupacabra, sightings of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 have been reported by enthusiastic GPU buyers, who are eager to catch a glimpse of this elusive graphics card. Recent leaks suggest that a full reveal may be imminent, possibly as early as this week. Initial indications point to the next Blackwell GPU being relatively affordable, but its potential limitation on VRAM may be a concern.

Leaked Specifications and Pricing

French retailers have begun promoting pre-configured desktop towers featuring the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060. According to a discovery by Videocardz, an Acer Nitro 50 tower contains a 14th-gen Intel Core i7-14700F CPU alongside Nvidia’s new lower-end graphics card, listed as a PCIe x16 card. The French seller EvoPC is offering the tower for 1,590 euros, equivalent to approximately $1,737. In comparison, a similar configuration with the Acer Nitro 60 on Amazon, featuring a last-gen RTX 4060, is priced between $1,520 and $1,541 from various sellers.

VRAM and Performance Concerns

The listing potentially confirms the 8GB of GDDR7 VRAM for the RTX 5060. Earlier this week, a reliable Nvidia leaker, kopite7kimi, posted supposed specs for the RTX 5050, RTX 5060, and RTX 5060 Ti. The RTX 5060 may feature 3,840 CUDA cores and a 150W power draw, representing a 25% increase from the Ada Lovelace architecture at the same level in 2022. However, the 8GB of VRAM may be a limitation, particularly at higher resolutions. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 was already relatively limited in this regard, and the restricted memory did not help.

RTX 5060 Ti and Other Nvidia GPUs

The RTX 5060 Ti is expected to have a less dramatic increase in core counts, from 4,352 on the 4060 Ti to 4,608. While core counts provide some insight into a GPU’s capabilities, they only tell part of the story. There are concerns that the 5060 Ti may not offer significant gen-on-gen performance improvements, similar to the RTX 4070 Ti Super compared to the RTX 5070 Ti. According to leaks, the RTX 5060 Ti will be available in both 8GB and 16GB GDDR7 RAM variants, with a 180W power draw.

Competition from AMD and Future Developments

Nvidia appears to be releasing its "titanium" edition GPUs without delay, similar to the RTX 5070 Ti. Leaks suggest that the RTX 5050 may be available in desktop form, whereas it was previously limited to laptops in the RTX 40-series. This GPU is expected to feature 8GB of VRAM and 2,560 Blackwell CUDA cores. Meanwhile, AMD plans to incorporate 16GB of GDDR6 VRAM into all its cards, with the 9060 aiming to compete at the 60-level. However, pricing will be a crucial factor in determining the landscape of the market. Nvidia still faces challenges in ensuring sufficient supply for the launch.