NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 AD106 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 AD106 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 represent two distinct generations of NVIDIA’s mainstream graphics hardware. The RTX 4060 AD106, built on the Ada Lovelace architecture, is an end-of-life product from the GeForce 40-series. The RTX 5050, using the Blackwell 2.0 architecture, is an active member of the GeForce 50-series. The database contains benchmark results for the RTX 5050, while the RTX 4060 AD106 has no recorded scores. This analysis relies on the architectural specifications and the collected performance data for the newer card, placing the RTX 5050 in context against its measured rivals.

Where Each One Wins

The recorded data shows that the RTX 5050 holds a clear advantage in raw compute and graphics workloads, as indicated by its average benchmark score of 21035. This places it in the 66th percentile of all GPUs tracked in the database, a strong position for a mainstream card. In contrast, the RTX 4060 AD106 has no benchmark scores recorded, rendering it absent from the performance comparison. Without measured data, the older card cannot claim any wins in the database’s head-to-head results.

For the RTX 5050, the strongest performance appears in synthetic and API-specific tests. In the Passmark G3D test, it scores 17326, which is its highest raw graphics score. The Geekbench OpenCL and Vulkan tests show scores of 90334 and 89381, respectively, indicating solid compute and cross-platform rendering capability. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test yields a score of 2502, a modern workload that the Blackwell architecture handles efficiently. The Passmark DirectX 11 and DirectX 9 scores of 150 and 186, respectively, show backward compatibility with older APIs, while the DirectX 12 score of 66 and DirectX 10 score of 103 are lower, suggesting the card’s strengths lie in more current or compute-heavy tasks.

The RTX 4060 AD106, being end-of-life and lacking benchmark entries, has no wins to report in the database. Its specifications, such as a higher FP32 throughput of 15.11 TFLOPS versus the RTX 5050’s 13.17 TFLOPS, suggest potential theoretical advantages in raw shader work, but without recorded scores, these remain unverified in practice. The data only supports the RTX 5050 as the benchmarked performer, with its percentile ranking of 66 confirming it outperforms the majority of tracked GPUs.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between the two cards is significant, reflecting their different generations. The RTX 4060 AD106 uses the AD106 chip based on Ada Lovelace architecture, manufactured on a 5 nm process at TSMC. It contains 22,900 million transistors on a die size of 188 mm², yielding a transistor density of 121.8M per mm². The RTX 5050 uses the GB207 chip under Blackwell 2.0 architecture, also on a 5 nm TSMC process, but with fewer transistors at 16,900 million and a smaller die of 149 mm², resulting in a lower density of 113.4M per mm². The newer card uses fewer transistors but achieves higher clock speeds, suggesting architectural efficiency improvements.

Clock speeds differ notably. The RTX 4060 AD106 has a base clock of 1830 MHz and a boost clock of 2460 MHz. The RTX 5050 operates at a higher base of 2317 MHz and a boost of 2572 MHz. This 247 MHz boost advantage for the RTX 5050 contributes to its performance despite having fewer shading units. The memory subsystems also differ: the RTX 4060 AD106 uses GDDR6 at 2125 MHz (17 Gbps effective) delivering 272.0 GB/s bandwidth, while the RTX 5050 uses faster GDDR6 at 2500 MHz (20 Gbps effective) achieving 320.0 GB/s. Both cards have 8 GB of memory on a 128-bit bus, but the RTX 5050’s higher effective speed provides a 48 GB/s bandwidth advantage.

Compute resources are distributed differently. The RTX 4060 AD106 has 3072 shading units, 96 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 48 raster output units (ROPs). The RTX 5050 has fewer of each: 2560 shading units, 80 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. The RTX 4060 AD106 also has more RT cores (24 versus 20) and tensor cores (96 versus 80). This gives the older card higher theoretical pixel and texture rates: 118.1 GPixel/s and 236.2 GTexel/s, respectively, compared to the RTX 5050’s 82.30 GPixel/s and 205.8 GTexel/s. FP32 compute follows this trend, with the RTX 4060 AD106 at 15.11 TFLOPS versus the RTX 5050’s 13.17 TFLOPS, both with 1:1 FP16 ratios.

Interface and connectivity also differ. The RTX 4060 AD106 uses PCIe 4.0 x8, while the RTX 5050 uses the newer PCIe 5.0 x8, doubling the potential bandwidth to the host system. Display outputs show the RTX 5050 with a newer standard: 1x HDMI 2.1b and 3x DisplayPort 2.1b, versus the RTX 4060 AD106’s 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a. Power requirements are similar, with the RTX 5050 rated at 130 W TDP versus 115 W for the RTX 4060 AD106, both using a single connector (8-pin for the RTX 5050, 12-pin for the RTX 4060 AD106) and a suggested 300 W PSU. Both support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

The Verdict

From the data, the RTX 5050 is the only card with measured performance, and it delivers a solid mainstream result. Its average benchmark score of 21035 places it in the 66th percentile of all GPUs, which is a strong showing for a card with 8 GB of memory. The nearest rivals in the database confirm its positioning: the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL scores 21153 (0.6% higher), the AMD Radeon HD 8970M scores 21237 (1% higher), the NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile scores 21379 (1.6% higher), and the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT scores 20713 (1.6% lower). This indicates the RTX 5050 sits in a tight cluster, trading places with older and mobile parts within a 1.6% margin.

The RTX 4060 AD106 has no benchmark data, so its selection cannot be justified from the database. Its higher theoretical compute rates and larger transistor count suggest it may have been competitive in its time, but the lack of recorded scores leaves it without verification. For users choosing based on recorded performance, the RTX 5050 is the clear pick, especially for modern APIs and compute workloads where its scores are strong. The RTX 5050’s higher clocks, faster memory bandwidth, and PCIe 5.0 interface align with its active production status, while the RTX 4060 AD106’s end-of-life status and missing data make it a speculative choice. The verdict from the database is straightforward: the RTX 5050 delivers measured performance, the RTX 4060 AD106 does not.

FAQ

Q: How does the RTX 5050 compare to its closest rivals in the database?

A: The RTX 5050 has an average benchmark score of 21035. Its nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL at 21153 (0.6% higher), the AMD Radeon HD 8970M at 21237 (1% higher), the NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile at 21379 (1.6% higher), and the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT at 20713 (1.6% lower). This places it within a 1.6% performance band of those cards.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference between the two cards?

A: The RTX 5050 has a memory bandwidth of 320.0 GB/s, while the RTX 4060 AD106 has 272.0 GB/s. Both use 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, but the RTX 5050 uses a higher effective memory speed of 20 Gbps versus 17 Gbps.

Q: Which card has higher FP32 compute performance?

A: The RTX 4060 AD106 has a higher FP32 throughput of 15.11 TFLOPS, compared to the RTX 5050’s 13.17 TFLOPS. Both cards have a 1:1 FP16 ratio, meaning FP16 performance matches FP32.

Q: What are the clock speed differences?

A: The RTX 5050 has a base clock of 2317 MHz and a boost clock of 2572 MHz. The RTX 4060 AD106 has a base clock of 1830 MHz and a boost clock of 2460 MHz. The RTX 5050’s boost clock is 112 MHz higher.

Q: What interface does each card use?

A: The RTX 5050 uses PCIe 5.0 x8, while the RTX 4060 AD106 uses PCIe 4.0 x8. The RTX 5050’s interface offers higher potential bandwidth to the CPU.

Q: What is the production status of each card?

A: The RTX 4060 AD106 is end-of-life, with a release date of 2024-03-31. The RTX 5050 is active, with a release date of 2025-06-30 and a launch MSRP of 249 USD.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database records no direct head-to-head benchmarks between the RTX 4060 AD106 and the RTX 5050. The wins count is zero for both cards, and the head-to-head benchmark array is empty. This means there are no exact same-test comparisons available. However, the RTX 5050’s individual benchmark scores provide a full picture of its performance. The highest score is in Geekbench OpenCL at 90334, followed by Geekbench Vulkan at 89381. These compute-oriented tests show the RTX 5050’s strength in general-purpose and cross-vendor workloads.

In graphics-specific tests, the Passmark G3D score of 17326 is the standout, while the Passmark G2D score of 1113 indicates 2D performance is modest. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2502 is a modern, demanding workload, and the RTX 5050 handles it with a result that aligns with its percentile ranking. Older DirectX tests show lower scores: Passmark DirectX 11 at 150, DirectX 9 at 186, DirectX 10 at 103, and DirectX 12 at 66. This pattern suggests the RTX 5050 is optimized for current APIs and compute, with legacy performance being less of a priority.

For the RTX 4060 AD106, the absence of scores means no direct comparison is possible. The architecture specifications, such as a higher pixel rate of 118.1 GPixel/s versus 82.30 GPixel/s for the RTX 5050, hint at potential fill-rate advantages, but these are not reflected in any recorded test. The RTX 5050’s measured scores, particularly its average of 21035 and 66th percentile ranking, are the only concrete performance data available. Without a head-to-head benchmark entry, the database cannot confirm which card wins any specific test, leaving the RTX 5050 as the sole benchmarked contender with verified results.