NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 vs NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data shows a dominant performance picture: the NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 wins 9 of the 10 recorded head-to-head comparisons against the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060. The largest margin comes in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, where the Quadro scores 1873 against the RTX 2060's 1242, a lead of 50.8%. That is not a small gap; it is a category-level difference in raw DX12 throughput.

Vulkan performance tells a similar story. The Quadro RTX 4000 records 78844 in Geekbench Vulkan, while the RTX 2060 manages 65846. That translates to a 19.7% advantage for the Quadro. OpenCL also favors the Quadro, with 74540 versus 65014, a 14.7% edge. These numbers matter for compute-heavy workloads that lean on the GPU rather than the CPU.

The PassMark suite reinforces the pattern. In DirectX 11, the Quadro RTX 4000 scores 128 versus 110 for the RTX 2060, a 16.4% win. DirectX 10 shows 108 versus 98, a 10.2% margin. DirectX 9 is closer: 205 versus 190, still a 7.9% win for the Quadro. The GPU compute test also goes to the Quadro, 6176 versus 5488, a 12.5% advantage. The 2D graphics test (PassMark G2D) shows 846 versus 745, a 13.6% lead.

The only test where the RTX 2060 takes the win is PassMark DirectX 12, scoring 53 against the Quadro's 52. That is a 1.9% margin, effectively a tie within measurement noise. It is notably the Quadro's DX12 score in PassMark is lower than its own DX11 score, which suggests the PassMark DX12 workload is not a strong indicator of overall capability for this card. In the more demanding 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, the Quadro wins decisively.

The 3DMark Steel Nomad result is particularly striking because it is a modern, heavy workload. A 50.8% lead there indicates that the Quadro RTX 4000 is not just slightly faster in old APIs; it is substantially faster in current-generation rendering paths. The RTX 2060 holds its own only in legacy DX12 rasterization as measured by PassMark, but that single outlier does not offset the broader pattern.

Looking at overall averages, the Quadro RTX 4000 posts an average benchmark score of 17789, while the RTX 2060 averages 15290. The Quadro sits at the 61st percentile among all GPUs in the database, while the RTX 2060 sits at the 58th percentile. The nearest rivals for the Quadro include the AMD Radeon HD 7790 (average score 17666, delta 0.7%), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 (17639, delta 0.9%), the AMD Radeon 780M (17588, delta 1.1%), and the AMD Radeon Pro 560 (17551, delta 1.4%). The RTX 2060's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 (15283, delta 0%), the AMD Radeon 680M (15270, delta 0.1%), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM (15199, delta 0.6%), and the AMD Radeon RX 7600 (15171, delta 0.8%). This places the Quadro in a slightly higher performance tier, roughly 16% above the RTX 2060 in average score.

Architecture Differences

Both cards use the Turing architecture and are manufactured by TSMC on a 12 nm process node. The Quadro RTX 4000 uses the TU104 chip, while the RTX 2060 uses the TU106 chip. Die size differs: the TU104 measures 545 mm² versus 445 mm² for the TU106. Transistor counts follow the same order, with the Quadro packing 13,600 million transistors versus 10,800 million on the RTX 2060. Transistor density is nearly identical, 25.0 million per mm² for the Quadro and 24.3 million per mm² for the RTX 2060, so the Quadro's advantage comes from a larger die and more transistors, not from a denser process.

The Quadro RTX 4000 carries 2304 shading units, 144 texture mapping units, and 64 ROPs. The RTX 2060 has 1920 shading units, 120 TMUs, and 48 ROPs. That is a 20% increase in shading units and a 33% increase in ROPs for the Quadro. Ray tracing cores are 36 on the Quadro versus 30 on the RTX 2060. Tensor cores are 288 versus 240. Every compute block is larger on the Quadro, which explains the consistent benchmark lead.

Memory configuration also differs. The Quadro RTX 4000 has 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, delivering 416.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The RTX 2060 has 6 GB of GDDR6 on a 192-bit bus, delivering 336.0 GB/s. The Quadro has 80 GB/s more bandwidth, which helps in texture-heavy scenes and large compute buffers. Memory clock is higher on the Quadro as well: 1625 MHz with 13 Gbps effective transfer versus 1750 MHz with 14 Gbps effective on the RTX 2060. The Quadro's wider bus compensates for the slightly lower memory clock.

Clock speeds favor the RTX 2060. The RTX 2060 has a base clock of 1365 MHz and a boost clock of 1680 MHz. The Quadro RTX 4000 has a base clock of 1005 MHz and a boost clock of 1545 MHz. That is a 360 MHz base clock deficit and a 135 MHz boost deficit for the Quadro. Yet the Quadro still wins almost every benchmark because its larger chip and wider memory bus overcome the clock disadvantage. Pixel rate is 98.88 GPixel/s on the Quadro versus 80.64 GPixel/s on the RTX 2060. Texture rate is 222.5 GTexel/s versus 201.6 GTexel/s. FP32 throughput is 7.119 TFLOPS versus 6.451 TFLOPS. FP16 is 14.24 TFLOPS (2:1) versus 12.90 TFLOPS (2:1). In every throughput metric, the Quadro leads.

Both cards support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. Both use PCIe 3.0 x16. Both have a TDP of 160 W and require a 450 W PSU. Power connectors are identical: 1x 8-pin. The Quadro is single-slot, while the RTX 2060 is dual-slot. The RTX 2060 is slightly shorter at 229 mm (9 inches) versus 241 mm (9.5 inches) for the Quadro, but the RTX 2060 is thicker at 35 mm (1.4 inches) versus a single-slot profile for the Quadro. Display outputs differ: the Quadro has 3x DisplayPort 1.4a and 1x USB Type-C, while the RTX 2060 has 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0, 2x DisplayPort 1.4a, and 1x USB Type-C. The RTX 2060 offers more output variety, including DVI and HDMI, but the Quadro provides three DisplayPort connections for multi-monitor professional setups.

The Verdict

The data is clear: the NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 is the faster card in nearly every workload measured. It wins 9 out of 10 head-to-head tests, with a 50.8% lead in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, a 19.7% lead in Vulkan, and a 14.7% lead in OpenCL. Its average benchmark score is 17789 versus 15290 for the RTX 2060, a gap of about 16%. If raw performance is the only criterion, the Quadro RTX 4000 is the pick.

However, the RTX 2060 has one meaningful advantage beyond the single PassMark DX12 win: physical footprint and output flexibility. The RTX 2060 is shorter (229 mm versus 241 mm) and includes DVI and HDMI outputs, which the Quadro lacks. For a gaming or general-purpose build where DVI or HDMI is needed without an adapter, the RTX 2060 is more convenient. The Quadro's three DisplayPort outputs are better suited to multi-monitor professional workstations.

The performance gap matters most in compute and modern DX12 workloads. The Quadro's larger TU104 die, 8 GB memory, and 416.0 GB/s bandwidth give it a clear edge in memory-heavy tasks. The RTX 2060's higher clock speeds do not compensate for the smaller chip. For users who run OpenCL, Vulkan, or heavy DX12 rendering, the Quadro is the better buy on performance alone. For users who prioritize output variety and a smaller card, the RTX 2060 remains functional, but it is slower in almost every measured test.

Specification Differences

The following fields differ between the two cards:

• Chip: TU104 (Quadro RTX 4000) versus TU106 (RTX 2060)
• Generation: Quadro Turing (Tx000) versus GeForce 20
• Transistors: 13,600 million versus 10,800 million
• Die size: 545 mm² versus 445 mm²
• Transistor density: 25.0M / mm² versus 24.3M / mm²
• Base clock: 1005 MHz versus 1365 MHz
• Boost clock: 1545 MHz versus 1680 MHz
• Memory clock: 1625 MHz, 13 Gbps effective versus 1750 MHz, 14 Gbps effective
• Memory size: 8 GB versus 6 GB
• Memory bus width: 256 bit versus 192 bit
• Memory bandwidth: 416.0 GB/s versus 336.0 GB/s
• Shading units: 2304 versus 1920
• TMUs: 144 versus 120
• ROPs: 64 versus 48
• RT cores: 36 versus 30
• Tensor cores: 288 versus 240
• Pixel rate: 98.88 GPixel/s versus 80.64 GPixel/s
• Texture rate: 222.5 GTexel/s versus 201.6 GTexel/s
• FP32: 7.119 TFLOPS versus 6.451 TFLOPS
• FP16: 14.24 TFLOPS (2:1) versus 12.90 TFLOPS (2:1)
• Slot width: Single-slot versus Dual-slot
• Dimensions: 241 mm x 111 mm versus 229 mm x 113 mm x 35 mm
• Display outputs: 3x DisplayPort 1.4a, 1x USB Type-C versus 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0, 2x DisplayPort 1.4a, 1x USB Type-C
• Release date: 2018-11-12 versus 2019-01-06
• Predecessor: Quadro Volta versus GeForce 10
• Successor: Workstation Ampere versus GeForce 30
• Launch MSRP: 899 USD (Quadro RTX 4000) versus 349 USD (RTX 2060)

Identical fields include: manufacturer (NVIDIA), architecture (Turing), process node (12 nm), foundry (TSMC), memory type (GDDR6), TDP (160 W), power connector (1x 8-pin), suggested PSU (450 W), bus interface (PCIe 3.0 x16), DirectX (12 Ultimate 12_2), OpenGL (4.6), Vulkan (1.4), and production status (End-of-life).

FAQ

Q: Which card has more memory bandwidth?

A: The Quadro RTX 4000 has 416.0 GB/s bandwidth with a 256-bit bus and 8 GB of GDDR6. The RTX 2060 has 336.0 GB/s with a 192-bit bus and 6 GB.

Q: Does the RTX 2060 win any benchmark against the Quadro RTX 4000?

A: Yes, it wins the PassMark DirectX 12 test, scoring 53 versus 52 for the Quadro, a 1.9% margin. That is the only one of the 10 head-to-head tests won by the RTX 2060.

Q: What is the performance difference in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12?

A: The Quadro RTX 4000 scores 1873, while the RTX 2060 scores 1242. The Quadro leads by 50.8%.

Q: Are both cards the same power draw?

A: Yes, both have a TDP of 160 W and require a 450 W PSU. Both use a single 8-pin power connector.

Q: Which card has more ray tracing cores?

A: The Quadro RTX 4000 has 36 RT cores, while the RTX 2060 has 30. The Quadro also has 288 tensor cores versus 240 on the RTX 2060.

Q: Which card is better for OpenCL compute workloads?

A: The Quadro RTX 4000. It scores 74540 in Geekbench OpenCL versus 65014 for the RTX 2060, a 14.7% advantage.

Where Each One Wins

The Quadro RTX 4000 wins in compute-heavy and modern rendering workloads. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 result is its standout: 50.8% ahead of the RTX 2060. That makes it the clear choice for DX12 gaming or rendering at higher settings. Vulkan workloads also favor the Quadro by 19.7%, which matters for Vulkan-based games and applications. OpenCL compute is another strong area, with a 14.7% lead, useful for GPU-accelerated tasks like video encoding, physics simulation, or scientific computing. The PassMark GPU compute test shows a 12.5% advantage, confirming the Quadro's edge in general compute.

The Quadro also wins all legacy DirectX tests: DX9 by 7.9%, DX10 by 10.2%, and DX11 by 16.4%. The 2D graphics test (G2D) goes to the Quadro by 13.6%. For professional users running multiple DisplayPort monitors, the Quadro's 3x DisplayPort 1.4a outputs are a practical advantage. The single-slot design also helps in dense workstation builds where space is limited.

The RTX 2060 wins only the PassMark DirectX 12 test, by 1.9%. That is a narrow margin, and the 3DMark Steel Nomad result contradicts it, showing the Quadro far ahead in a heavier DX12 workload. The RTX 2060's real advantages are physical and connectivity-related: it is shorter at 229 mm versus 241 mm, and it offers DVI and HDMI outputs natively, which the Quadro lacks. For a user who needs HDMI or DVI without adapters, or who has a tight case, the RTX 2060 is the more convenient card. Its higher clock speeds (1365 MHz base, 1680 MHz boost) do not translate into benchmark wins, but they do mean the card is not thermally or power-constrained relative to the Quadro.

Given the data, the Quadro RTX 4000 is the superior performer in almost every measured test. The RTX 2060 is the fallback for specific output requirements or small chassis constraints. For raw performance, the Quadro is the answer.