Have you been wondering if the RTX 4060 Ti can handle 4K gaming? Well, I’ve been dying to look into it since its launch on 24th May. And now I have the answer! Originally this GPU is designed for 1080p gaming but I wanted to push it to its limits by testing it in 4K benchmarks. Being a mid-range GPU, it’s not the best for 4K gaming unless you’re on a budget.
But there’s a catch here! RTX 4060 Ti has two variants; 8 GB and 16 GB. Last week 8 GB variant was launched and the 16 GB is expected to be released in July. Priced only 100$ more, I have high hopes that it might be a game changer in 4K gaming. Let’s see how it unfolds! For now, fasten your belts to find out if the 8GB version is good enough for 4K.
Some important factors while buying a 4K GPU
- VRAM:
It is very important to note if the GPU has enough memory to support 4K. Obviously, 4K games need a lot more VRAM than low-resolution games. With 8 GB of VRAM, RTX 4060 Ti would be fine in most 4K games. Are you thinking about trying Ray Tracing at 4K? Well then, I’d suggest you wait for the 16 GB variant or invest in a high-end GPU.
- Memory Bandwidth:
Another crucial feature that can’t be ignored is the memory bandwidth. And this 40- series card comes with a 128-bit of memory bus with a mere 288 GB/s of bandwidth. This shows that Nvidia never wanted to be a 4K gaming card. The low bandwidth holds it back to perform well in 4K benchmarks. It’s only suitable for some low-demanding games but gets strained in high-demanding games.
- CUDA Cores
CUDA cores are like the building blocks of a GPU. They’re responsible for processing all of the information and translating it visually on the user end. So the more they are, the better! But to our dismay, both variants of RTX 4060 Ti only have 4352 CUDA cores.
It feels like nothing when we compare it with a real-time 4K graphics card; the RTX 4090 which has 16,384 CUDA cores. Quadruple times more!
- Power consumption
While shopping for a 4K video card, don’t forget to check the power consumption because 4K cards can be very brutal on your energy bills. And you don’t want to be bankrupt! Right?
Well RTX 4060 Ti is so hungry for power that it needs a 650-watt power supply. Too much for an 8 GB VRAM, right? So if you have a small power supply you’ll going to have to upgrade it.
Enough of the on-paper evaluation! Now let’s see how it rolls in real-time 4K benchmarks. Here are some of the results of the RTX 4060 in various 4K games.
I used an i5-13600K CPU with 32 GB of DDR5 RAM for these tests.
| Games | Average FPS |
|---|---|
| CS: GO(high settings) | 186 |
| Overwatch 2 (Ultra settings) | 126 |
| Forza Horizon 5(Ultra settings) | 77 |
| Red Dead Redemption 2 (Ultra settings) | 35 |
| Horizon Forbidden Forest (Medium settings) | 55 |
| Cyberpunk 2077(high settings) | 45 |
As you can see, RTX 4060 Ti rocked in the first two games but that’s because both of them are competitive and way more optimized. But in the next few titles, it started to struggle and kept getting worse as I moved on to more power-demanding games like Hogwarts Legacy and The Last of Us Part 1. Based on the frame rates of 15 games it averages about 38 FPS.
Can the RTX 4060 Ti handle 4K resolution?
Well, I would have to say Yes! It does have the capability to pull off 4K graphics. But would I recommend it for 4K gaming? No!
Although it can manage to run 4K games, it was never primarily designed for this. And it’s pretty obvious from the benchmark results and the built specifications. I mean it’s a great budget card for those gamers who are more leaned towards 1080-1440p resolution. Making it one of the best GPUs for 1440p gaming.
But the 8 GB version of RTX 4060 Ti will only bottleneck your system if you enable ray tracing at 4K. However, you can expect a better performance from the 16 GB variant but don’t get your hopes too high, you won’t be getting blistering fast frame rates.
If you can’t live without 4K gaming, then you’d have to go for the more expensive options like RTX 4090 or RTX 2080 Ti.
Muhammad Allayhan, a gaming and PC hardware virtuoso, breathes life into pixelated worlds. A legendary overclocker, he unlocks hidden power in gaming rigs. Navigating from 8-bit realms to today’s masterpieces, Muhammad’s words immerse readers in an ever-evolving digital odyssey. Join him as he reveals the secrets of gaming’s cutting edge.
