NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER in 2025: Still a Relevant Choice?
Overview of capabilities, performance, and practical recommendations
1. Architecture and Key Features: Turing - the Foundation of a Revolution
The GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER graphics card, released in 2019, is based on the Turing architecture — the first generation of NVIDIA GPUs with hardware ray tracing support. Despite its age, this model remains relevant due to a number of innovations:
- 12 nm TSMC Process: Optimized energy efficiency and transistor density.
- RT Cores: Process real-time ray tracing, which is critical for realistic lighting and reflections.
- Tensor Cores: Accelerate AI algorithms, including DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling).
- Support for RTX and DLSS 2.0: Even in 2025, many games (such as Cyberpunk 2077 and Alan Wake 2) utilize these technologies to enhance FPS without losing detail.
- FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) from AMD: Although FSR is developed by competitors, the RTX 2060 SUPER is compatible with it, broadening the optimization possibilities.
The card also supports DirectX 12 Ultimate and Vulkan RT, ensuring compatibility with modern game engines.
2. Memory: GDDR6 and Speed Balance
The RTX 2060 SUPER is equipped with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory with a 256-bit bus. The bandwidth reaches 448 GB/s, which is 33% higher than that of the base RTX 2060 (336 GB/s). This allows for:
- Comfortable handling of high-resolution textures in games and professional applications.
- Minimization of FPS drops in scenes with a lot of objects.
- Running projects at 1440p (2K) without significant performance degradation.
For comparison, the competing Radeon RX 5700 XT (2019) offered a similar amount of GDDR6 but with a narrower 256-bit bus and the same bandwidth of 448 GB/s — maintaining parity.
3. Gaming Performance: From Full HD to 4K
In 2025, the RTX 2060 SUPER remains a reliable option for 1080p and 1440p. Examples of average FPS (at high settings, without ray tracing enabled):
- Cyberpunk 2077: 65–70 FPS (1080p), 45–50 FPS (1440p).
- Elden Ring: 75 FPS (1080p), 55 FPS (1440p).
- Call of Duty: Warzone: 90 FPS (1080p), 65 FPS (1440p).
With ray tracing enabled, performance drops by 30–40%, but DLSS 2.0 compensates for the losses:
- In Cyberpunk 2077 with RT Medium + DLSS Quality: 50 FPS (1080p).
- In Control with RT High + DLSS Balanced: 60 FPS (1440p).
For 4K, the card is only suitable for less demanding projects (e.g., Fortnite, Rocket League) or when using FSR/DLSS in Performance mode.
4. Professional Tasks: Not Just for Gaming
Thanks to 1920 CUDA cores and support for OpenCL, the RTX 2060 SUPER handles:
- Video Editing: Rendering in DaVinci Resolve and Premiere Pro is accelerated by 20–30% compared to the GTX 10 series.
- 3D Modeling: In Blender and Maya, the card shows results close to the RTX 3050 (but lags behind the new RTX 40 series models).
- Scientific Computing: CUDA support allows its use in machine learning (at a basic level) and simulations.
However, for serious workloads (e.g., 8K rendering), it’s better to opt for cards with larger amounts of memory and support for PCIe 4.0.
5. Power Consumption and Cooling: What to Consider
- TDP: 175 W. For a system with the RTX 2060 SUPER, a power supply of 500–550 W is recommended (e.g., Corsair CX550).
- Temperatures: The reference model heats up to 70–75°C under load. Custom cooler versions (ASUS Dual, MSI Gaming X) reduce the temperature to 65°C.
- Case: Minimum requirements are 2 expansion slots and good ventilation. Ideally, a case should have 3-4 fans (e.g., NZXT H510, be quiet! Pure Base 500).
The card does not require liquid cooling, but regular dust cleaning is necessary.
6. Comparison with Competitors: AMD and NVIDIA
In 2025, the RTX 2060 SUPER competes with:
- AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT: Cheaper ($250), but weaker in ray tracing and lacks a DLSS equivalent.
- NVIDIA RTX 3050: Priced at $270, offers DLSS 3.0, but only 8 GB of GDDR6 and lower performance at 1440p.
- Intel Arc A750: Priced at $230, good for DirectX 12, but drivers are still unstable.
The RTX 2060 SUPER wins over its counterparts in supporting RTX technologies but falls short against newer budget models in energy efficiency.
7. Practical Tips: How to Avoid Issues
- Power Supply: Don’t skimp — choose models with an 80+ Bronze certification (e.g., EVGA 500 BQ, Seasonic S12III).
- Compatibility: The card works with PCIe 3.0 but is also compatible with PCIe 4.0/5.0 (without performance loss).
- Drivers: Regularly update GeForce Experience. For older games, Studio Drivers can be used.
- Overclocking: Moderate overclocking (e.g., +150 MHz on the core) can provide a 5-7% FPS boost but will increase power consumption.
8. Pros and Cons of the RTX 2060 SUPER
Pros:
- Optimal price ($250–300) and performance ratio.
- Support for DLSS and ray tracing.
- Reliability and proven architecture.
Cons:
- Limited performance at 4K.
- High power consumption by 2025 standards.
- Lack of hardware support for DLSS 3.0.
9. Final Conclusion: Who is This Card For?
The RTX 2060 SUPER in 2025 is suitable for:
- Gamers with 1080p/1440p monitors looking to play with high settings and ray tracing.
- Budget professionals: Editors and designers who do not need top-tier GPUs.
- Owners of older PCs updating their systems without replacing the power supply.
If you're looking for a card to last a couple of years before transitioning to PCIe 5.0 and DDR5 systems, the RTX 2060 SUPER is still a worthy option. However, for 4K and the latest AAA games (such as GTA VI), it’s better to consider the RTX 4070 or RX 7700 XT.