RTX 4060 vs RTX 5060: Is Upgrading Worth It in 2026?

RTX 4060 vs RTX 5060: Should You Upgrade?

The RTX 5060 is here, and RTX 4060 owners are wondering: is it worth upgrading? Let's break it down with real benchmarks.

Specs Comparison

Spec

RTX 4060

RTX 5060

Architecture	Ada Lovelace (AD107)	Blackwell (GB206)
CUDA Cores	3,072	3,840
VRAM	8GB GDDR6	8GB GDDR7
Memory Bandwidth	272 GB/s	448 GB/s
TDP	115W	145W
MSRP	$299	$299
DLSS	3.5	4.0 (Multi Frame Gen)
Encoder	NVENC (8th gen)	NVENC (9th gen)	Gaming Performance	Game (1080p Ultra)	RTX 4060	RTX 5060	Improvement

Cyberpunk 2077	62 FPS	75 FPS	+21%
Black Myth Wukong	48 FPS	58 FPS	+21%
Alan Wake 2	35 FPS	45 FPS	+29%
Fortnite	150 FPS	180 FPS	+20%
Hogwarts Legacy	55 FPS	68 FPS	+24%
Doom: The Dark Ages	70 FPS	85 FPS	+21%	Average improvement: 20-25% Ray Tracing Performance	Game (1080p RT)	RTX 4060	RTX 5060	Improvement

Cyberpunk 2077 RT	32 FPS	42 FPS	+31%
Alan Wake 2 RT	22 FPS	30 FPS	+36%
Marvel's Spider-Man 2	38 FPS	52 FPS	+37%	Ray tracing sees bigger gains — roughly 30-35% improvement. DLSS 4 vs DLSS 3 This is where it gets interesting. DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation is exclusive to RTX 50-series:	Game (1080p DLSS)	4060 + DLSS 3	5060 + DLSS 4	Improvement

Cyberpunk 2077	85 FPS	150 FPS	+76%
Doom: The Dark Ages	110 FPS	238 FPS	+116%
Black Myth Wukong	72 FPS	135 FPS	+88%

DLSS 4's Multi Frame Generation creates 3 frames for every 1 rendered, versus DLSS 3's 2 frames. In supported games, the RTX 5060 feels dramatically smoother.

Memory Bandwidth: The Hidden Upgrade

Both have 8GB VRAM, but the RTX 5060's GDDR7 delivers 65% more bandwidth:

• RTX 4060: 272 GB/s
• RTX 5060: 448 GB/s

This helps when VRAM is under pressure. The 5060 handles 1440p better than the 4060, even with the same VRAM amount.

Power Consumption

The RTX 5060 uses 26% more power:

• RTX 4060: 115W
• RTX 5060: 145W

Your 500W PSU still works fine, but expect slightly higher electricity bills.

Is It Worth Upgrading?

YES, upgrade if:

• You want DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation
• You play at 1440p (bandwidth helps)
• You're frustrated with RT performance
• You stream/record (better NVENC encoder)
• You can sell your 4060 for $150-180

NO, don't upgrade if:

• You only play at 1080p and are satisfied
• You don't use DLSS/Frame Generation
• 20-25% more FPS doesn't excite you
• You'd rather save for the RTX 5060 Ti 16GB

Upgrade Cost Analysis

• RTX 5060 MSRP: $299
• RTX 4060 resale value: ~$170
• Net upgrade cost: ~$130

For $130, you get:

• 20-25% more rasterization
• 30-35% more ray tracing
• DLSS 4 (75-100% more FPS in supported games)
• Better NVENC encoder
• Higher memory bandwidth

That's actually decent value.

The Better Upgrade: RTX 5060 Ti 16GB

If you're upgrading anyway, consider the RTX 5060 Ti 16GB at $399:

• 16GB VRAM (double the 5060)
• Similar performance to 5060
• No VRAM limitations at 1440p
• True future-proofing

For $100 more than the 5060, it solves the 8GB VRAM problem entirely.

Verdict

The RTX 4060 to RTX 5060 upgrade offers meaningful gains, especially with DLSS 4. If you can sell your 4060 for $150-170, the ~$130 net cost is worth it.

However, jumping to the RTX 5060 Ti 16GB ($399) or RTX 5070 ($549) makes more sense if you plan to game at 1440p or keep the card for 3+ years.

Compare GPUs with our GPU Comparison Tool or check the FPS Estimator for your games.