AMD Radeon RX 9060 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D V2 Comparison

The benchmark data presents a stark contrast between the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D V2 and the AMD Radeon RX 9060. While both cards occupy the 59th percentile among all GPUs, their performance profiles and architectural foundations could not be more different. The NVIDIA card is a monolithic powerhouse designed for maximum throughput, whereas the AMD card is a more modest, power-efficient offering. The single shared benchmark paints a clear picture of their relative standing, but the underlying specifications reveal a deeper divergence in design philosophy.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

In the sole common benchmark, 3DMark Steel Nomad (DX12), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D V2 achieves a score of 16,504. The AMD Radeon RX 9060 scores 3,322 in the same test. This results in a delta of 396.8% in favor of the NVIDIA card, meaning it delivers nearly five times the performance of the AMD card in this specific workload.

This performance gap is so substantial that it places the two cards in entirely different competitive tiers. The RTX 5090 D V2’s score of 16,504 is nearly identical to the NVIDIA T400’s average of 16,508, a delta of 0%. It also edges out the AMD Radeon PRO W7500 (16,415) by 0.5% and the NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell (16,408) by 0.6%. The closest rival is the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT, which trails the RTX 5090 D V2 by 0.9% with a score of 16,361.

Conversely, the RX 9060’s score of 3,322 in this benchmark is not its only data point, but it is the only one that allows for a direct head-to-head comparison. Its average benchmark score across all tests is 16,014, which places it in a different league. Its nearest rivals in the overall average include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, which scores 16,129 and is -0.7% behind the RX 9060, and the AMD Radeon R9 370X, which scores 15,862 and is 1% behind. This indicates that while the RX 9060 is competitive in its own tier, that tier is far below the one occupied by the RTX 5090 D V2.

The data unequivocally shows that the RTX 5090 D V2 is the superior performer in this head-to-head comparison. The RX 9060’s wins are zero, while the RTX 5090 D V2 takes the single win with a commanding margin.

Architecture Differences

The architectural chasm between these two GPUs is the primary reason for their disparate performance. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D V2 is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture, utilizing the GB202 chip. In contrast, the AMD Radeon RX 9060 is based on the RDNA 4.0 architecture, using the Navi 44 chip, codenamed Strix Point.

The manufacturing process also differs. The NVIDIA card is produced on a 5 nm process node, while the AMD card uses a more advanced 4 nm node, both from TSMC. Despite the smaller node, the AMD chip is significantly smaller and less complex. The GB202 die measures 750 mm² and contains 92,200 million transistors, resulting in a density of 122.9M transistors per mm². The Navi 44 die is just 199 mm² with 29,700 million transistors, but achieves a higher density of 149.2M transistors per mm².

The most significant difference lies in the sheer scale of the compute resources. The RTX 5090 D V2 is equipped with 21,760 shading units, 680 TMUs, and 176 ROPs. It also features 170 RT cores and 680 tensor cores. The RX 9060, by contrast, has only 1,792 shading units, 112 TMUs, and 64 ROPs, along with 28 RT cores and no tensor cores. This 12x difference in shading units and 24x difference in TMUs directly translates to the massive performance gap observed in the benchmarks.

Memory architecture reinforces the divide. The RTX 5090 D V2 uses 24 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 384-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 1.34 TB/s. The RX 9060 is limited to 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing only 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The NVIDIA card’s memory subsystem is in a different class, enabling it to feed its massive compute engine.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 benchmark?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D V2 is significantly faster, scoring 16,504 compared to the AMD Radeon RX 9060's 3,322, a difference of 396.8%.

Q: How does the NVIDIA card compare to its closest rivals?

A: The RTX 5090 D V2's score of 16,504 is essentially tied with the NVIDIA T400 (16,508) and slightly ahead of the AMD Radeon PRO W7500 (16,415) and NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell (16,408).

Q: What are the key architectural differences between the two cards?

A: The RTX 5090 D V2 uses NVIDIA's Blackwell 2.0 architecture on a 5 nm node, while the RX 9060 uses AMD's RDNA 4.0 architecture on a 4 nm node. The NVIDIA card has significantly more shading units (21,760 vs. 1,792) and RT cores (170 vs. 28).

Q: Is the AMD Radeon RX 9060 competitive in its own performance tier?

A: Yes, the data shows its average benchmark score of 16,014 is within 1% of rivals like the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti (16,129) and AMD Radeon R9 370X (15,862).

Q: What is the memory configuration difference?

A: The RTX 5090 D V2 features 24 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 384-bit bus with 1.34 TB/s bandwidth, whereas the RX 9060 has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus with 288.0 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Do both cards support the same modern APIs?

A: Yes, both support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

Specification Differences

The following table highlights the key fields where the two cards differ:

| Specification | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D V2 | AMD Radeon RX 9060 |

| :--- | :--- | :--- |

| Chip | GB202 | Navi 44 |

| Architecture | Blackwell 2.0 | RDNA 4.0 |

| Process Node | 5 nm | 4 nm |

| Transistors | 92,200 million | 29,700 million |

| Die Size | 750 mm² | 199 mm² |

| Base Clock | 2017 MHz | 1700 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 2407 MHz | 2990 MHz |

| Game Clock | N/A | 2400 MHz |

| Memory Size | 24 GB | 8 GB |

| Memory Type | GDDR7 | GDDR6 |

| Memory Bus | 384 bit | 128 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 1.34 TB/s | 288.0 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 21760 | 1792 |

| TMUs | 680 | 112 |

| ROPs | 176 | 64 |

| RT Cores | 170 | 28 |

| Tensor Cores | 680 | N/A |

| Pixel Rate | 423.6 GPixel/s | 191.4 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 1,636.8 GTexel/s | 334.9 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Performance | 104.8 TFLOPS | 21.43 TFLOPS |

| TDP | 575 W | 132 W |

| Power Connectors | 1x 16-pin | 1x 8-pin |

| Suggested PSU | 950 W | 300 W |

| Display Outputs | 1x HDMI 2.1b, 3x DisplayPort 2.1b | 1x HDMI 2.1b, 2x DisplayPort 2.1a |

| Dimensions (LxHxW) | 304 mm x 137 mm x 48 mm | N/A |

Where Each One Wins

The data clearly delineates the strengths of each card. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D V2 is the unambiguous winner for any workload that demands raw, uncompromising performance. Its 396.8% lead in the 3DMark Steel Nomad benchmark, combined with its 24 GB of GDDR7 memory and 104.8 TFLOPS of FP32 compute, positions it as the definitive choice for high-end gaming at extreme resolutions, professional 3D rendering, and complex compute tasks. Its immense memory bandwidth and massive shading unit count ensure that it can handle the most demanding scenarios without bottlenecking.

The AMD Radeon RX 9060, while not competitive with the RTX 5090 D V2, has its own distinct advantages based on the data. Its 132 W TDP and 300 W suggested PSU, compared to the RTX 5090 D V2's 575 W TDP and 950 W suggested PSU, indicate a dramatically lower power requirement. This makes it a far more suitable option for systems with smaller power supplies, compact builds, or users prioritizing energy efficiency. Its higher transistor density (149.2M / mm²) and smaller die size (199 mm²) also suggest a more efficient design. While its performance is in a lower tier, its average benchmark score of 16,014 shows it is competitive with cards like the RTX 3060 Ti, making it a solid performer for mainstream 1080p or 1440p gaming where power consumption is a primary concern.