AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT vs. NVIDIA RTX 2060: Which 1080p Card Wins?

The AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 are top picks in the mid-range graphics card market. They both fall in the $250-$300 price range. The RX 5600 XT was launched in January 2020, aiming to bridge the gap between AMD’s high-end and budget cards. On the other hand, the RTX 2060 has been around since January 2019, marking the entry point for NVIDIA’s RTX series.

Both cards deliver great performance at 1080p resolution. But which one comes out on top? We’ll explore their differences, looking at features, gaming performance, and value.

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

The RX 5600 XT and RTX 2060 are priced around $300, making them compelling options for 1080p gaming.
AMD’s RX 5600 XT boasts 2304 GPU cores and 6GB of GDDR6 memory, while NVIDIA’s RTX 2060 has 1920 CUDA cores, 6GB of VRAM, 30 RT cores for ray tracing, and 240 Tensor cores for AI computations.
The RX 5600 XT has seen performance improvements through driver updates, while the RTX 2060 maintains a more consistent software ecosystem.
Nvidia’s RTX 2060 supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing, a feature the RX 5600 XT lacks.
Both cards offer excellent value in the $300 price range, with the RX 5600 XT providing a better price-to-performance ratio.

Feature Technology Breakdown

GPU Architecture and Specifications

The Radeon RX 5600 XT uses AMD’s Navi 10 GPU, from the RX 5000 series. It has 2,304 stream processors and a boost clock of up to 1,750 MHz. The Navi 10 chip is made on TSMC’s 7nm process, with 10.3 billion transistors in a 251mm2 die.

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, on the other hand, is based on the Turing TU106 GPU. It has 1,920 CUDA cores and a boost clock of 1,680 MHz. The Turing TU106 chip is made on NVIDIA’s 12nm process, with 10.8 billion transistors in a 445mm2 die.

Memory and Bandwidth

Both cards have 6GB of GDDR6 video memory. But, they differ in memory configuration. The RX 5600 XT has a 192-bit memory bus and a maximum memory speed of 12 Gbps, giving it a memory bandwidth of 288 GB/s.

The RTX 2060 also has a 192-bit memory bus but a 14 Gbps memory speed. This results in a higher memory bandwidth of 336 GB/s.

Specification	Radeon RX 5600 XT	GeForce RTX 2060
GPU	Navi 10	Turing TU106
Stream Processors	2,304	1,920
Boost Clock (MHz)	1,750	1,680
Transistors (billions)	10.3	10.8
Die Size (mm²)	251	445
Memory	6GB GDDR6	6GB GDDR6
Memory Bus Width	192-bit	192-bit
Memory Speed	12 Gbps	14 Gbps
Memory Bandwidth	288 GB/s	336 GB/s

The table above shows the main differences in GPU architecture and memory specs between the Radeon RX 5600 XT and GeForce RTX 2060. These differences affect their performance and capabilities.

RX 5600 XT vs RTX 2060

The AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 are neck and neck in gaming. The RTX 2060 is about 14% faster at 1080p. It’s 23% faster at 1440p and 42% faster at 4K.

The RX 5600 XT has 384 more shading units than the RTX 2060. It also uses 10W less power, making it more efficient. This means it can handle more tasks without using too much energy.

The RTX 2060 has a faster memory clock speed than the RX 5600 XT. This gives it 48 GB/s more memory bandwidth. Faster memory means smoother and more detailed graphics.

Overclocking can also affect performance. The MSI RTX 2060 Gaming X 6GB is about 3% faster than the Founders Edition. The RX 5600 XT only gets about 1% faster after overclocking.

In the end, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 is a bit better than the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT. This is especially true at higher resolutions like 1440p and 4K.

Ray Tracing and Software Ecosystem

The AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT and NVIDIA RTX 2060 differ in ray tracing support. The RTX 2060 has RT cores for better ray tracing in games. It also uses NVIDIA’s DLSS for better image quality.

Ray Tracing Support

The RX 5600 XT doesn’t have special ray tracing hardware. But, it can use AMD’s Radeon Rays and DirectX Raytracing (DXR) APIs. This means it can handle ray tracing, but not as well as the RTX 2060. It also supports Vulkan RT API for ray tracing.

Driver Support and Features

Both AMD and NVIDIA have strong driver support and software ecosystems. Their software suites, AMD Radeon Software and NVIDIA GeForce Experience, offer many features. These include performance monitoring, game optimization, and driver updates.

NVIDIA’s adaptive sync technology and HDMI 2.1 VRR support also improve gaming on compatible displays.

Feature	AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT	NVIDIA RTX 2060
Ray Tracing Support	DirectX Raytracing (DXR), Vulkan RT	Dedicated RT Cores, NVIDIA DLSS
Driver Support	AMD Radeon Software	NVIDIA GeForce Experience
Adaptive Sync	FreeSync	G-Sync, HDMI 2.1 VRR

Conclusion

The AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT and Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 are top picks for mid-range graphics cards. They deliver great performance at 1080p and 1440p. The RTX 2060 has a slight edge, with a 14% lead at 1080p and 23% at 1440p. But, the RX 5600 XT can catch up with overclocked models.

The RX 5600 XT shines with its high performance per watt and lower power use. It’s perfect for those watching their budget but still want great gaming. It can even outperform the RTX 2060 in some games. Plus, it’s often cheaper than most RTX 2060 models, making it a great value.

In the end, both cards are great for 1080p and 1440p gaming. The RX 5600 XT stands out for its value, efficiency, and performance. The RTX 2060, on the other hand, offers consistent performance and ray tracing. Choose the one that fits your needs and budget for an amazing gaming experience.

FAQ

What are the key differences between the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060?

Both the Radeon RX 5600 XT and GeForce RTX 2060 are mid-range graphics cards priced between 0-0. The RX 5600 XT uses AMD’s Navi 10 GPU, while the RTX 2060 is based on Nvidia’s Turing TU106 chip. They both have 6GB of GDDR6 video memory but differ in memory configuration.In real-world gaming, the RTX 2060 has a slight edge. It leads by 14% at 1080p and 23% at 1440p compared to the RX 5600 XT.

How do the GPU architectures and specifications compare between the RX 5600 XT and RTX 2060?

The Radeon RX 5600 XT is powered by AMD’s Navi 10 GPU. It has 2,304 stream processors and a boost clock of up to 1,750 MHz. It’s made on TSMC’s 7nm process.The GeForce RTX 2060, based on Nvidia’s Turing TU106 chip, has 1,920 CUDA cores. Both cards have 6GB of GDDR6 video memory but differ in memory setup.

What are the key differences in ray tracing support and software ecosystem between the RX 5600 XT and RTX 2060?

The GeForce RTX 2060 supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing. It has dedicated RT cores for better ray traced effects and Nvidia’s DLSS for image quality. The Radeon RX 5600 XT lacks hardware-level ray tracing support.Both AMD and Nvidia offer strong driver support and software ecosystems. They provide features like performance monitoring, game optimization, and driver updates.