NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 represent two distinct eras of GPU design, separated by a decade of architectural evolution. The RTX 4060 is a modern Ada Lovelace part built on a 5 nm process, while the GTX 690 is a dual-GPU Kepler flagship from the 600-series. The data places the RTX 4060 at the 61st percentile of all GPUs and the GTX 690 at the 60th, indicating they occupy similar overall performance tiers despite their generational gap. However, the benchmark results show a decisive shift in capability, with the RTX 4060 delivering scores that are multiples of the older card's output in modern API tests.

FAQ

Q: How does the RTX 4060 compare to the GTX 690 in Geekbench OpenCL performance?

A: The RTX 4060 scores 95,057, which is 446.3% higher than the GTX 690's 17,399. This is the largest performance gap between the two cards in the head-to-head data.

Q: Which card has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The RTX 4060 has an average benchmark score of 17,639, while the GTX 690 scores 17,037. The RTX 4060 is ahead by approximately 3.5% based on these averages.

Q: What is the difference in process node size between the two cards?

A: The RTX 4060 uses a 5 nm process node, while the GTX 690 uses a 28 nm process node. This represents a significant reduction in manufacturing feature size.

Q: How much memory does each card have, and what type?

A: The RTX 4060 has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus. The GTX 690 has 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus.

Q: Does the GTX 690 support hardware ray tracing?

A: No. The GTX 690 has no RT cores listed in its specifications. The RTX 4060 includes 24 RT cores.

Q: Which card has a higher pixel rate?

A: The RTX 4060 has a pixel rate of 118.1 GPixel/s, compared to 32.61 GPixel/s for the GTX 690. The RTX 4060 is over 3.6 times faster in this fillrate metric.

Where Each One Wins

The RTX 4060 wins in every measurable benchmark category where both cards have data. In the two head-to-head tests, it takes the Geekbench OpenCL and Vulkan workloads outright. The OpenCL result is particularly dominant, with the RTX 4060 scoring 95,057 against the GTX 690's 17,399, a 446.3% advantage. The Vulkan test shows a similar trend, with the RTX 4060 at 48,643 versus 16,675, a 191.7% difference.

The GTX 690's only comparative strength lies in its average benchmark score relative to its nearest rivals. Its average of 17,037 places it within 1% of the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070, according to the deltaPct values. However, this does not translate into a win against the RTX 4060. The RTX 4060's average of 17,639 is higher, and its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon HD 7790 and AMD Radeon 780M, showing it competes in a different performance neighborhood.

The GTX 690 does have a higher texture rate relative to its shading units, but this does not yield a benchmark victory. In terms of raw compute, the RTX 4060's FP32 throughput of 15.11 TFLOPS dwarfs the GTX 690's 3.130 TFLOPS. For users prioritizing modern API performance, the RTX 4060 is the clear winner. The GTX 690 offers no benchmark scenario in the data where it outperforms the RTX 4060.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two cards is vast. The RTX 4060 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture using the AD107 chip, manufactured on a 5 nm process at TSMC. The GTX 690 uses the Kepler architecture with the GK104 chip, built on a 28 nm process, also at TSMC. This process shrink allows the RTX 4060 to pack 18,900 million transistors into a 159 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 118.9M per mm². The GTX 690, by contrast, houses 3,540 million transistors on a 294 mm² die, with a density of 12.0M per mm².

The RTX 4060 features 3,072 shading units, 96 TMUs, and 48 ROPs. It also includes 24 RT cores and 96 tensor cores, enabling hardware-accelerated ray tracing and AI workloads. The GTX 690 has 1,536 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, with no RT or tensor cores listed. The GTX 690's higher TMU count suggests a design optimized for texture-heavy workloads, but its overall compute capability is limited by the older architecture.

API support differentiates the cards significantly. The RTX 4060 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4, while the GTX 690 supports DirectX 12 (11_0) and Vulkan 1.2.175. This means the RTX 4060 can take advantage of modern rendering features like variable rate shading and mesh shaders, which the GTX 690 cannot. The RTX 4060 also supports FP16 at a 1:1 ratio with FP32, while the GTX 690 has no FP16 data listed.

Memory architecture also diverges. The RTX 4060 uses 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus, achieving 272.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GTX 690 uses 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, with 192.3 GB/s of bandwidth. Despite the narrower bus, the RTX 4060's faster memory clock of 17 Gbps effective versus 6 Gbps effective gives it a bandwidth advantage.

Specification Differences

The RTX 4060 and GTX 690 differ across nearly every specification field. The RTX 4060 has a base clock of 1830 MHz and a boost clock of 2460 MHz, while the GTX 690 operates at 915 MHz base and 1019 MHz boost. The RTX 4060's TDP is 115 W, requiring a 300 W suggested PSU and a single 12-pin power connector. The GTX 690 has a 300 W TDP, needs a 700 W suggested PSU, and uses two 8-pin connectors.

Memory specifications show the RTX 4060 with 8 GB GDDR6 and the GTX 690 with 2 GB GDDR5. The RTX 4060's 128-bit bus width is half the GTX 690's 256-bit bus, but the effective memory speed of 17 Gbps versus 6 Gbps compensates. The RTX 4060's bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s exceeds the GTX 690's 192.3 GB/s.

The cards differ in their bus interfaces and display outputs. The RTX 4060 uses PCIe 4.0 x8 and offers 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a outputs. The GTX 690 uses PCIe 3.0 x16 and provides 3x DVI and 1x mini-DisplayPort 1.2 outputs. Physically, the RTX 4060 is 240 mm long, 111 mm tall, and 40 mm wide. The GTX 690 is longer at 279 mm, same height at 111 mm, and slightly thinner at 38 mm. Both are dual-slot cards.

The launch MSRP for the RTX 4060 was 299 USD. The GTX 690 had a launch MSRP of 999 USD. Production status for both is listed as end-of-life, with the RTX 4060's predecessor being GeForce 30 and successor GeForce 50, while the GTX 690's predecessor is GeForce 500 and successor GeForce 700.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data contains two benchmark tests: Geekbench OpenCL and Geekbench Vulkan. In Geekbench OpenCL, the RTX 4060 scores 95,057 against the GTX 690's 17,399, a delta of 446.3%. This is an enormous margin, indicating that the RTX 4060 is over five times faster in this compute workload. The result highlights the massive generational leap in general-purpose computing performance.

In Geekbench Vulkan, the RTX 4060 scores 48,643 against the GTX 690's 16,675, a delta of 191.7%. While not as extreme as the OpenCL gap, this still represents nearly triple the performance. The Vulkan test is more representative of gaming workloads, suggesting the RTX 4060 holds a substantial advantage in modern graphics APIs.

Looking at the broader benchmark suite, the RTX 4060 has scores in additional tests that the GTX 690 lacks. For example, the RTX 4060 scores 2,302 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, 19,545 in Passmark G3D, and 9,213 in Passmark GPU Compute. The GTX 690 has no data for these tests, meaning its average benchmark score of 17,037 is derived solely from the two Geekbench results. This makes the comparison lopsided, as the RTX 4060's average of 17,639 incorporates a wider range of workloads.

The nearest rival data provides context for each card's standing. The RTX 4060's closest competitor is the AMD Radeon HD 7790, with a delta of -0.2%, meaning the RTX 4060 is essentially tied with that card. The GTX 690's nearest rival is the AMD Radeon HD 7970M, with a delta of 0.1%. Both cards sit near the 60th percentile, but the RTX 4060's wins in head-to-head tests are decisive.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous. The RTX 4060 outperforms the GTX 690 in every head-to-head benchmark, with margins of 446.3% in OpenCL and 191.7% in Vulkan. The RTX 4060 also has a higher average benchmark score of 17,639 versus 17,037, and it reaches the 61st percentile compared to the GTX 690's 60th. For any user prioritizing modern compute or gaming performance, the RTX 4060 is the superior choice.

The GTX 690's only advantages are historical. It launched at a higher MSRP of 999 USD, reflecting its original dual-GPU flagship status, but this does not translate to current performance. Its 2 GB of GDDR5 memory is a severe limitation for modern workloads, whereas the RTX 4060's 8 GB of GDDR6 provides more headroom. The GTX 690's 256-bit bus and higher TMU count are the sole spec areas where it does not trail, but these do not overcome the RTX 4060's advantages in clock speed, process node, and architecture features.

Buyers should select the RTX 4060 if they need a card that supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, hardware ray tracing, and tensor core acceleration. Its 15.11 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 272.0 GB/s bandwidth make it suitable for modern gaming and compute tasks. The GTX 690 is only relevant for legacy system builders or those requiring a specific dual-GPU configuration, but the data shows it cannot compete on any benchmark metric. The RTX 4060 is the definitive winner in this comparison.