NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 GB205 Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The recorded data presents an unusual comparison. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060, built on the GB206 chip, has a full set of benchmark results across ten different tests, ranging from 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 to Passmark GPU Compute. Its average benchmark score sits at 26331, placing it in the 72nd percentile of all GPUs in the database. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 GB205, despite sharing the same product name and specifications on paper, has no recorded benchmark scores at all. Its average benchmark score is 0, and it holds a 50th percentile ranking, which is a default value rather than a measured performance tier.

In practical terms, every measurable win in this comparison goes to the RTX 5060 with the GB206 chip. The GB205 variant cannot claim a single benchmark victory because the database contains no test results for it. The wins for the GB206 model are not narrow margins either. In 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, the GB206 card posts a score of 3628. In Geekbench OpenCL, it reaches 112787, and in Geekbench Vulkan, it scores 113321. Passmark results show a G3D score of 20891 and a GPU Compute score of 10899. The GB205 model, by contrast, has zeroes across all these fields.

The use-case split is therefore one-sided. For any workload that relies on DirectX 12, Vulkan, OpenCL, or general compute, the RTX 5060 with GB206 is the only variant with data supporting its performance. The GB205 model exists in the database as a hardware entry, but its performance profile is unmeasured. Users looking at the database for synthetic benchmark comparisons will find no evidence that the GB205 version can match the GB206 version in any test. The data indicates that the GB206 version is the functional product, while the GB205 version is a specification placeholder awaiting results.

Architecture Differences

Both cards carry the same architecture generation, Blackwell 2.0, and both are manufactured by NVIDIA for the GeForce 50-series. The process node is identical at 5 nm, and both use TSMC as the foundry. Clock speeds match exactly: base clock at 2280 MHz, boost clock at 2497 MHz, and memory clock at 1750 MHz with 28 Gbps effective data rate. Memory configuration is also identical: 8 GB of GDDR7 on a 128-bit bus, delivering 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The shading units, texture mapping units, and render output units are all the same: 3840 shading units, 120 TMUs, and 48 ROPs. Ray tracing cores number 30 on both, and tensor cores number 120 on both.

The differences lie in the silicon itself. The RTX 5060 uses the GB206 chip with 21,900 million transistors on a die size of 181 mm². The transistor density works out to 121.0 million transistors per square millimeter. The RTX 5060 GB205 uses the GB205 chip with 31,100 million transistors on a larger die of 263 mm². Its transistor density is slightly lower at 118.3 million transistors per square millimeter. The GB205 die is substantially larger in absolute terms, adding roughly 9,200 million transistors, yet the functional specifications of the card remain unchanged.

The API support is identical on both: DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. Pixel rate and texture rate are the same at 119.9 GPixel/s and 299.6 GTexel/s, respectively. FP32 and FP16 performance are both rated at 19.18 TFLOPS, with FP16 running at a 1:1 ratio. Power draw is 145 W for both, with a dual-slot cooler and a single 8-pin power connector. The suggested power supply is 300 W for both. Physical dimensions match at 241 mm length, 111 mm height, and 40 mm width. Bus interface is PCIe 5.0 x8, and display outputs are 1x HDMI 2.1b and 3x DisplayPort 2.1b.

The release dates differ. The GB206 version entered production status as Active with a release date of 2025-05-18. The GB205 version also shows Active status but lists a release date of 2026-05-31. Both have the same predecessor and successor in the database: GeForce 40 and GeForce 60, respectively. The launch MSRP for both is 299 USD. The architectural split here is purely physical: the GB205 die is larger and has more transistors, but the card-level specifications do not change. The database shows no benchmark evidence that the larger die translates into any performance difference.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

Since the head-to-head benchmark array in the database is empty, the comparison relies on the individual benchmark results recorded for the GB206 model versus the absence of results for the GB205 model. The GB206 version delivers a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 3628. That score represents its performance in a modern DirectX 12 workload. The GB205 version has no recorded score for this test. In Geekbench OpenCL, the GB206 scores 112787. The GB205 has no entry. In Geekbench Vulkan, the GB206 scores 113321. The GB205 has no entry.

Passmark tests show a similar pattern. The GB206 scores 127 in DirectX 10, 200 in DirectX 11, 77 in DirectX 12, and 225 in DirectX 9. The GB205 has zeroes for all of these. The Passmark G2D score for the GB206 is 1154, and its G3D score is 20891. The GB205 has no recorded G3D or G2D results. The Passmark GPU Compute score for the GB206 is 10899, while the GB205 again shows no data.

The average benchmark score for the GB206 is 26331. Its nearest rivals in the database provide context for that number. The AMD Radeon 860M scores 26401, which is 0.3 percent higher than the GB206. The NVIDIA GeForce MX550 scores 26421, also 0.3 percent higher. The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary scores 26553, which is 0.8 percent higher. The AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT scores 26011, which is 1.2 percent lower than the GB206. These deltas show the GB206 sitting in a tight cluster with those rivals, within a range of roughly one percent in either direction. The GB205 model has no nearest rivals listed and no average score to compare.

The biggest win for the GB206 in absolute terms is the Geekbench Vulkan score of 113321, closely followed by the OpenCL score of 112787. The biggest single-test lead over any rival is not against the GB205, since that model has no scores, but rather the Passmark G3D score of 20891, which positions the card in the upper-middle tier of the database. The GB205 cannot be said to win anywhere, because the recorded data contains no results for it.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear choice for anyone selecting between these two entries. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 with the GB206 chip is the only variant with measurable performance. It has ten benchmark scores, an average score of 26331, and a 72nd percentile ranking. It competes closely with the AMD Radeon 860M, NVIDIA GeForce MX550, AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary, and AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT, with deltas of 0.3 percent or less for the first three and 1.2 percent for the last. The GB205 model has no benchmark scores, an average score of 0, and a 50th percentile ranking that reflects a lack of data rather than measured performance.

The specification sheets are identical, which makes the decision harder at first glance. Both cards use 8 GB of GDDR7, 3840 shading units, 30 ray tracing cores, 120 tensor cores, and a 145 W power draw. Both run at 2280 MHz base and 2497 MHz boost. Both have the same memory bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. The only differences are the physical chip and its transistor count. The GB205 has 31,100 million transistors on a 263 mm² die, while the GB206 has 21,900 million transistors on a 181 mm² die. The larger die does not change any card-level specification, and without benchmark data, it cannot be shown to change performance.

A user who relies on the database for performance expectations should pick the GB206 version. It has recorded results across DirectX 9 through DirectX 12, OpenCL, Vulkan, and compute workloads. The GB205 version is listed as Active in production status, but its performance profile is unverified. The release date for the GB205 is later, 2026-05-31, compared to 2025-05-18 for the GB206, which may explain the missing benchmarks if the card has not yet shipped or been tested. The launch MSRP for both is 299 USD.

The verdict from the data is straightforward: the RTX 5060 with GB206 delivers all the measurable performance, while the RTX 5060 GB205 is a specification entry without test results. The GB206 sits slightly below the MX550 and Radeon 860M in average score, but within 0.3 percent, and slightly above the RX 6750 XT by 1.2 percent. The GB205 cannot be compared to any rival because no scores exist. For the purposes of this database, the GB206 is the operative product.

FAQ

Q: Which card has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 with the GB206 chip has an average benchmark score of 26331. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 GB205 has an average benchmark score of 0.

Q: Do the two cards have the same memory configuration?

A: Yes. Both have 8 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 128-bit bus with 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth and a memory clock of 1750 MHz, 28 Gbps effective.

Q: What is the difference in transistor count between the two chips?

A: The GB206 chip has 21,900 million transistors on a 181 mm² die. The GB205 chip has 31,100 million transistors on a 263 mm² die.

Q: How does the RTX 5060 with GB206 compare to the AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT?

A: The GB206 version scores 26331 on average, while the AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT scores 26011, which is 1.2 percent lower.

Q: Are the clock speeds the same on both cards?

A: Yes. Both run at a base clock of 2280 MHz and a boost clock of 2497 MHz, with the same memory clock of 1750 MHz.

Q: Does the GB205 version have any recorded benchmark results?

A: No. The database shows an empty benchmark array for the GB205 model, with no scores in any test and no nearest rivals listed.