ASUS and ROG GeForce RTX 2060 graphics cards trace rays on a budget
The graphics world was shaken and stirred when NVIDIA announced its GeForce RTXTM 2080 GPUs and the game-changing technologies that came with them. The RTX 2070 appeared shortly after that, and now a more affordable mid-range option is here in the form of the RTX 2060. We’ve deployed the chip on ROG Strix GeForce RTX 2060, ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 2060, and ASUS GeForce Turbo RTX 2060 cards with upgraded cooling to help you get the most out of the GPU.
The next generation goes mainstream
More than just providing path to better performance for gaming and VR, NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX family introduced a Turing architecture that adds new capabilities. In addition to the normal CUDA cores that perform rasterization, it has two additional types of cores that combine to enable ray tracing, the holy grail of graphics. Before now, ray tracing was too computationally intensive to occur in real time, but dedicated RT and Tensor cores make it happen. The RT cores perform ray tracing to enable incredibly lifelike lighting and shadow effects, and the Tensor cores use AI to make that process more efficient.
The GeForce RTX 2060 has 1920 CUDA cores with a 1365MHz base clock; it’s capable of pumping out 37T RTX-OPS and 5 Giga Rays/s. A 192-bit memory interface connects the chip to 6GB of GDDR6 with 336GB/s of aggregate bandwidth. Like with the rest of the specs, that’s a modest step down from its big bigger brothers, but the RTX 2060 is much more affordable as a result.
Strix and stones
Our latest round of GeForce RTX graphics cards is based on a new TU106-200 GPU, but the cards enjoy most of the same features as their RTX 2070 counterparts. Just like the other RTX cards in the Strix family, the ROG Strix GeForce RTX 2060 has a custom circuit board manufactured by our Auto Extreme Technology. Auto Extreme is entirely automated production process that reduce human errors. It also completes all the soldering in a single pass, without leaving flux residue. This method not only reduces thermal strain on the components, it’s also easier on the environment because the process uses less power and doesn’t involve harsh chemicals.
The PCB is reinforced by a metal frame that reduces torsion and flexing to improve rigidity and durability. This beefs up the overall strength of the card and nicely complements the metal backplate.
RGB lighting accents the backplate, and the fans on the shroud are also flanked by LEDs. With our Aura Sync software, you can control all of the lighting, and synchronize effects and colors across multiple compatible devices. When you’re feeling less ostentatious, you can press the Stealth mode button on the card to kill the lights.
The Strix RTX 2060 is prepared for G-Sync monitors thanks to dual DisplayPort 1.4 outputs, while two HDMI 2.0b ports give you plenty of flexibility for connecting big-screen TVs and other monitors. In all, you can power four displays simultaneously with a single card.
Still cool
We brought the powerful cooling from the ROG Strix GeForce RTX 2070 to the 2060. It mixes manufacturing, hardware, and software to prevent the GPU’s performance from being hampered by high temperatures.
The Strix RTX 2060 enjoys better thermal transfer between the GPU and the heatsink because we use precision machining to create a smoother MaxContact surface that doubles the contact area compared to traditional manufacturing. The cooler is substantial, covering 2.5 slots, and its size enables sufficient cooling for lighter loads without the fans spinning at all. The Strix runs in complete silence in this 0dB mode. When temps creep up to 55°C, the fans automatically kick back on and take care of business.
The fan use a patented Wing-Blade design with a unique shape that moves more air without additional noise. Because they’re IP5X-certified for dust resistance, the fans won’t suffer degraded performance from buildup over time, allowing them to maintain their efficiency for longer.
You can use the card’s BIOS switch to toggle between Performance and Quiet modes depending on whether you want to optimize the card for cooler temperatures or lower noise. Fan Connect II extends the card’s GPU-based fan control to system fans, allowing them to react intelligently to gaming loads that heat up the graphics card more than other components. The card has two headers compatible with three- and four-pin fans, and you can set them to react to both the CPU and GPU temperature to ensure the system’s cooling responds deftly to a range of workloads. You can tune fan curves and access other tweaking and overclocking options via the included GPU Tweak II software
Turbo charged
The ASUS Turbo GeForce RTX 2060 has the same freshly renovated shroud and fan design that we introduced with the RTX 2080 version. This blower-style card occupies just two slots to better accommodate smaller chassis and multi-GPU configurations, but it has a couple of tweaks to ensure that the cooling performance remains strong. An angled surface on the shroud helps direct cool air into the fan when it’s stifled by an adjacent case panel or another card. The 80-mm fan larger than the previous generation, and its dual ball bearings are sealed with IP5X-rated dust resistance. The rear exhaust is redesigned to let air flow out more freely.
A classy lighting strip across the top edge adds just a hint of flair to the angular shroud. The card requires only a single 8-pin power connector instead of the 8-pin + 6-pin arrangement found on RTX 2070 cards.
Dual duel
The ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 2060 covers 2.7 slots to accommodate its extra-large cooler. It has two of the same 90-mm Wing-Blade fans as the Strix RTX 2060 to move tons of air between all of those metal fins. Our 0dB tech lets the fans turn off completely to reduce noise with lighter loads. They’re also IP5X-certified for dust resistance to improve longevity and ensure enduring performance.
Like its Strix and Turbo siblings, the Dual RTX 2060 is subjected to a punishing 144-hour validation process that uses popular games and demanding stress tests to ensure stability. It has pairs of DisplayPort and HDMI ports like the Strix but adds DVI for legacy connections.
| ROG Strix RTX 2060 OC Edition | ROG Strix RTX 2060 Advanced Edition | ROG Strix GeForce RTX 2060 | ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 2060 OC Edition | ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 2060 Advanced Edition | ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 2060 | ASUS Turbo GeForce RTX 2060 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CUDA Cores | 1920 | 1920 | 1920 | 1920 | 1920 | 1920 | 1920 |
| Memory | 6GB GDDR6 | 6GB GDDR6 | 6GB GDDR6 | 6GB GDDR6 | 6GB GDDR6 | 6GB GDDR6 | 6GB GDDR6 |
| Outputs | 2 x HDMI 2.0b 2 x DisplayPort 1.4 |
2 x HDMI 2.0b 2 x DisplayPort 1.4 |
2 x HDMI 2.0b 2 x DisplayPort 1.4 |
2 x HDMI 2.0b 2 x DisplayPort 1.4 1 x DVI-D |
2 x HDMI 2.0b |
2 x HDMI 2.0b 2 x DisplayPort 1.4 1 x DVI-D |
2 x HDMI 2.0b 2 x DisplayPort 1.4 |
| Price | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC |
The best on a budget
The ROG Strix, ASUS Dual, and Turbo GeForce RTX 2060 graphics cards will hit the market starting January 15. Check with your local ROG representative for details on regional pricing and availability.
ROG announced tons of new tech at CES. Check out this article to see all of our announcements in one place.
