Forbidden Review: NVIDIA RTX 5060 GPU Benchmarks

The video provides an in-depth, real-world benchmark review of the NVIDIA RTX 5060 GPU, which Nvidia did not officially sample or release. The reviewers purchased the card in Taiwan and on Newegg, paying between $330 and $360, thus focusing on actual market prices rather than MSRP. They criticize Nvidia’s marketing and branding strategies, suggesting that the 5060 is underwhelming and not deserving of the “RTX” branding, implying Nvidia is engaging in “shrinkflation” and controlling the narrative to favor higher-tier models.

Performance comparisons show that the RTX 5060 is roughly equivalent to a previous-generation RTX 3070, with the 5060 Ti outperforming it by 15-25% across various resolutions. The card significantly outperforms older GPUs like the RTX 3060 and GTX 1060, with improvements ranging from 33% to over 200% depending on the comparison. However, the reviewers point out that the 8GB VRAM is a limiting factor in many modern games, and the card’s overall value is questionable given its performance and VRAM constraints.

The benchmarks span multiple popular titles, including Starfield, Dragon Age 2, Final Fantasy 14, Resident Evil 4, Cyberpunk 2077, and others, at various resolutions from 1080p to 4K, with and without ray tracing. Results indicate that the 5060 often ties or slightly trails more expensive or higher-tier GPUs like the RTX 3070 Ti and 4070 Ti, and in some cases, it is outperformed by older or less expensive options such as the RTX 3060 Ti and Intel’s Arc B580. The GPU’s performance in ray tracing is also modest, with unplayable framerates at 4K in demanding titles, further questioning its value proposition.

The reviewers criticize Nvidia’s strategy of segmenting the market with limited VRAM options and suggest that the 5060’s performance is more aligned with mid-range or older cards rather than a true next-generation product. They highlight that the GPU’s availability and pricing are not problematic, but the real concern lies in Nvidia’s anti-consumer practices, including potential manipulation of media and partner relations. They emphasize that Nvidia’s actions might be damaging the broader PC gaming and building community, and they urge viewers to wait for upcoming reviews of competing AMD and Intel cards for a clearer market picture.

In conclusion, the video underscores that the RTX 5060 offers only marginal improvements over previous models at a high price point with limited VRAM, making it an unattractive choice for gamers. The reviewers plan to compare power efficiency and other metrics in future videos and advise viewers to wait for more competitive options, particularly from AMD and Intel. They also call for community support through their channels and express skepticism about Nvidia’s current market tactics, framing it as part of a broader, potentially harmful industry trend.