NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 vs 2070: The Ultimate Comparison for Gamers and Creators
Are you in the market for a powerful graphics card that can handle the latest games and demanding creative applications? Look no further than NVIDIA‘s RTX 20 series. Launched in 2018, these GPUs introduced revolutionary features like real-time ray tracing and AI-enhanced graphics. But with several models to choose from, it can be tough to decide which one is right for you.
Two of the most popular options are the RTX 2060 and RTX 2070. While they may look similar on paper, there are some key differences that could make one a better choice depending on your needs and budget. In this in-depth comparison, we‘ll break down everything you need to know to make an informed decision. Let‘s dive in!
RTX 2060 vs 2070: Specs Showdown
First, let‘s take a look at how the RTX 2060 and 2070 stack up in terms of technical specifications:
RTX 2060 | RTX 2070CUDA Cores 1920 | 2304
Base Clock 1365 MHz | 1410 MHz
Boost Clock 1680 MHz | 1620 MHz
Memory 6GB GDDR6| 8GB GDDR6
Memory Speed 14 Gbps | 14 Gbps
Bus Width 192-bit | 256-bit
Bandwidth 336 GB/s | 448 GB/s
TDP 160W | 175W
Price $349 | $499
As you can see, the RTX 2070 has the edge in most categories. It packs over 20% more CUDA cores for parallel processing and 2GB more video memory, along with a wider 256-bit memory bus enabling 33% more bandwidth. So on raw specs alone, the 2070 is clearly the more capable card.
However, the RTX 2060 does have a few advantages. It has a slightly higher boost clock speed, meaning it can reach faster speeds under heavy loads. The 2060 also sips less power with a 160W TDP (thermal design power) compared to the 2070‘s 175W.
But specs don‘t tell the full story. To really see how these cards perform, we need to look at some real-world gaming benchmarks.
RTX 2060 vs 2070 Gaming Benchmarks
Here is a chart showing how the RTX 2060 and 2070 perform in some popular games at different resolutions:
Game | Resolution | RTX 2060 | RTX 2070 Apex Legends | 1080p | 144 fps | 153 fps
| 1440p | 110 fps | 119 fps
| 4K | 65 fps | 74 fps
Fortnite | 1080p | 120 fps | 134 fps
| 1440p | 85 fps | 99 fps
| 4K | 49 fps | 57 fps
Battlefield V | 1080p | 86 fps | 95 fps
(DXR enabled) | 1440p | 61 fps | 70 fps
| 4K | 38 fps | 44 fps
Shadow of the | 1080p | 109 fps | 115 fps
Tomb Raider | 1440p | 78 fps | 86 fps
| 4K | 45 fps | 52 fps
In general, the RTX 2070 offers about a 10-15% performance uplift over the 2060. Both cards are excellent for high refresh rate 1080p gaming, easily surpassing 100 fps in most titles.
At 1440p, the RTX 2060 starts to show its limits but still delivers very playable framerates. The 2070 allows for a smoother experience closer to 100 fps.
4K gaming is a struggle for both cards in demanding AAA games, but the RTX 2070 gets a bit closer to 60 fps – the gold standard for smooth gameplay. Less intensive esports titles like Fortnite and Apex are playable at 4K/60 with some tweaks.
The gap widens when you enable ray tracing effects in supported games like Battlefield V. The 2070‘s beefier specs allow it to take a smaller hit and maintain higher framerates.
Keep in mind that performance varies greatly by game and settings. Some well-optimized titles may perform better than this, while unoptimized games may fare worse. But this should give you a general idea of what to expect.
Ray Tracing and DLSS
One of the key selling points of the RTX 20 series is their real-time ray tracing capabilities. This advanced rendering technique allows for ultra-realistic lighting, reflections, and shadows. In supported games, you‘ll see a huge leap in visual fidelity.
The good news is that both the RTX 2060 and 2070 have dedicated RT cores for handling ray tracing workloads. The 2070 has 36 RT cores compared to 30 in the 2060, giving it an advantage.
However, ray tracing is extremely demanding and both cards take a big performance hit with it enabled, especially at higher resolutions. You‘ll likely need to use NVIDIA‘s DLSS (deep learning super sampling) to compensate.
DLSS uses AI to intelligently upscale games from a lower render resolution, allowing you to gain back some performance. It‘s not perfect and can introduce some artifacts, but it makes ray tracing playable. Again, the 2070 has more tensor cores for DLSS and should see better results.
Pricing and Value
The RTX 2060 launched at an MSRP of $349, while the RTX 2070 debuted at $499. That‘s a significant $150 price gap for a 10-15% performance difference. However, current street prices have come down quite a bit.
As of March 2023, you can find RTX 2060s for as low as $270 and 2070s around $350-400, depending on the model and sale. That narrows the gap and makes the 2070 a more compelling step up.
Still, the RTX 2060 offers excellent value for 1080p and entry-level 1440p gaming. If you don‘t care about ray tracing or 4K, it‘s arguably the better buy. It‘s also a great match for popular esports titles where visual settings can be turned down to achieve high framerates.
On the flip side, the RTX 2070 is the clear choice for gaming enthusiasts looking for the best performance. It delivers a smoother experience at 1440p and makes 4K much more achievable, albeit with some compromises. The extra RT and tensor cores also make ray tracing more viable.
Which is best for content creation?
For casual content creation like photo editing, video editing, and streaming, both cards will do great. The RTX 2060 is more than capable for most workflows.
However, professionals who regularly work with high resolution video, complex 3D rendering, or AI/ML applications will appreciate the RTX 2070‘s extra horsepower. The 2GB additional memory is also a boon for those working with large textures and datasets.
Certain productivity apps like the Adobe suite can also take advantage of CUDA acceleration to speed up effects and encoding times. More CUDA cores means faster performance.
So if your workloads are on the lighter side, save some money and get the RTX 2060. But if you make a living off of your creative work, it‘s probably worth spending extra on the 2070.
Which should you buy?
By now you should have a pretty good idea of which card suits your needs best. But here‘s a quick recap with our general recommendations:
Get the RTX 2060 if you:
- Play at 1080p or 1440p
- Mostly play esports or less demanding games
- Want great value and bang for your buck
- Do casual content creation
Get the RTX 2070 if you:
- Want the best performance for AAA gaming
- Play at 1440p or dabble with 4K
- Care about ray tracing
- Regularly do heavier content creation workloads
- Have a larger budget to max out your build
No matter which card you choose, you‘ll be getting an incredibly capable GPU that should serve you well for years to come. The RTX 20 series is a solid investment even several years after launch.
We hope this detailed comparison helped make your decision easier! Let us know which card you opted for and how it‘s working out. And if you‘re still on the fence, feel free to ask any other questions in the comments below. Happy gaming!
