Getting the best 2060 graphics card is key if you’re looking to buy the best gaming PC or looking to build a PC on your own. The graphics card is even more important than the CPU. Unfortunately, the process of figuring out how to buy a GPU can be intimidating. There’s so much to consider, from the type of monitor you’re using (for recommendations, see our Best Gaming Monitors page) to the size of your PC case to the game settings you plan to play at.
Below are the things you need to keep in mind when shopping for your next GPU.
Thankfully, the supply and GPU prices on Nvidia’s RTX 30-series cards as well as AMD’s RX 6000 cards continue to improve. After 18 months of extreme prices, most cards can now be found online for only 20–30% over MSRP, sometimes less. However, note that next-generation GPUs are around the corner, like the Nvidia ‘Ada’ RTX 40-series and AMD’s RDNA3, so keep that in mind.
Let us have a look at some of the quick tips with the help of which you can easily select the right 2060 graphics card.
Quick tips:
Save some money for the CPU. If you spend all your money on graphics and don’t opt for one of the best CPUs, your system might score well on synthetic benchmarks but won’t do as well in real gameplay (due to lower minimum frame rates).
Match your monitor resolution. Many mainstream cards are sufficient for gaming at 1080p resolutions at between 30-60 fps, but you’ll need a high-end card for resolutions at or near 4K resolution with high in-game settings on the most demanding titles. So be sure to pair your GPU with the best gaming monitor for your needs.
Consider your refresh rate. If your monitor has triple-digit refresh rates, you’ll need a powerful card and processor to reach its full potential. Alternatively, if your monitor tops out at 60Hz and 1080p, there’s no point in paying extra for a powerful card that pushes pixels faster than your display can keep up with.
Do you have enough power and space? Make sure your PC case has enough room for the card you’re considering, and that your power supply has enough watts to spare, along with the correct type of power connectors (up to three 8-pin PCIe, depending on the card).
Check the MSRP before buying. A good way to tell if you’re getting a deal is to check the launch price or MSRP of the card you’re considering before buying. Tools like CamelCamelCamel can help separate the real deals from the fake mark-up-then-discount offerings.
Don’t get dual cards—they’re not worth it. Game support for Multi-card SLI or CrossFire setups has basically died. Get the best single card you can afford. Adding a second card is usually more trouble than it’s worth.
Don’t count on overclocking for serious performance boosts. If you need better performance, buy a more powerful card. Graphics cards don’t typically have large amounts of overclocking headroom, usually only 5-10%.
Set a budget and don’t settle for less: Graphics cards are usually the most expensive component in a PC build. Thankfully, you don’t need to replace them frequently (or at least you shouldn’t if you’re shopping smart). If you haven’t bought a graphics card yet, you’re in a really good position to save some money or get a better value than you could a few months ago.
If you want to save money above all else, consider checking out the $219 Nvidia GTX 1660 or the $279 GTX 1660 Ti. These are currently the most affordable Nvidia current-gen GPUs, and they both bring a decent performance boost over the GTX 1060, though the gains are much larger over older models from the 9-series.
If you have more money to spend, it might be worth saving up for cards like the RTX 2060 or RTX 2070 instead.
Ray-tracing: Ray-tracing is one of the exciting recent technologies found in newer graphics cards. Generally used in gaming, ray-tracing is a rendering technique that produces extremely realistic lighting effects. This is done through an algorithm, which traces a path of light and then attempts to simulate the way that light interacts with objects in the real world.
Games like Cyberpunk 2077, Watch Dogs Legion, and Control make extensive use of ray-tracing, which mimics the way that the human eye processes light reflection and shadows. Ray-tracing represents one of the biggest leaps in graphics in years, and it’s something both NVIDIA and AMD are improving upon in their newer GPUs.
Ray-tracing technology has not yet reached its full potential, but game developers are embracing it wholeheartedly. While the technology has been used by film studios for years, especially in big-budget action films, it’s more difficult to render this in real-time in your PC game. In the past, game companies have used a process called rasterization, which translates 3D polygonal models into a 2D image and pre-renders light effects.
With the beginnings of ray-tracing, you can still expect some impressive performance from modern graphics cards. That goes for everything from huge explosions in a firefight, down to the sun’s rays peeking through a window in a dimly lit room.
Integrated vs. discrete graphics: Integrated graphics are more common in smaller form factor systems such as laptops, but you’ll find them in desktop PCs as well for those who don’t need to run high-powered visual software. Integrated graphics may not have independent RAM, but they also don’t generate as much heat or use as much power and battery life as their discrete counterparts.
Integrated graphics are generally not preferred for graphic-intense gaming, but they are more budget-friendly. They’re also fine for more basic visual tasks, like streaming movies and TV. If you’re interested in using your PC for graphic-intensive tasks such as gaming at high settings, video editing, photo editing, and 3D rendering, then you need to invest in a discrete graphics card. These cards do have their own RAM, unlike their integrated cousins.
However, a discrete graphics card needs a good CPU to match, as well as a cooling setup to keep your PC from overheating. It will also eat up more power, so you’ll need a bigger (and more expensive) power supply in your desktop PC to run both processors. It also means that if you have a discrete card in your laptop, you’ll be faced with shorter battery life compared to less-powerful options.
Conclusion:
Want to build a high-end gaming PC? If yes, then a 2060 Graphics card is the best option you can choose to get the kind of gaming experience you want. Here in this post, we have discussed everything about selecting the right 2060 graphics card.
