Asus Prime GeForce RTX 5060 OC review: Strong price-performance GPU for 1080p gaming

The Asus Prime GeForce RTX 5060 OC performs well in testing and stands out as a solid option for casual 1080p gaming. It currently offers the most affordable entry point into Nvidia’s new Blackwell architecture for desktop users. Performance improvements over previous models like the RTX 4060 and RTX 3060 are clearly visible and, in some cases, exceed expectations. However, real-world use reveals growing limitations of the 8 GB VRAM, especially in memory-demanding games or when DLSS and frame generation are enabled.

Power consumption remains moderate at around 145 watts, and the cooling solution stays pleasantly quiet even under load. The use of a standard 6+2-pin power connector is convenient for those with older power supplies. Overall, Asus delivers an efficient and compact package for Full HD gaming with the RTX 5060 OC, though the limited 8 GB VRAM does raise concerns about long-term viability. Performance is largely on par with other cards using the same GPU. Those willing to spend more should consider a GeForce RTX 5060 Ti with 16 GB of VRAM—Asus offers such a model for 435 euros.

In Germany, the Asus Prime GeForce RTX 5060 OC currently starts at 350 euros and is available from major online retailers. However, the Asus Dual GeForce RTX 5060 Ti OC with 16 GB of VRAM—priced at 435 euros on Amazon—offers significantly better memory capacity and may be worth considering for users seeking more future-proof performance.

The Asus Prime GeForce RTX 5060 OC is built around the new GB205 chip and currently represents Nvidia’s most affordable entry point into the Blackwell series for desktop graphics cards. Despite its budget-tier positioning, it incorporates several core features from higher-end models, including the latest DLSS version and Multi-Frame Generation (MFG) technology. These innovations are intended to boost frame rates and improve visual smoothness, though real-world performance gains vary depending on the title.

Compared to the RTX 5060 Ti, the standard RTX 5060 comes with fewer shader units. It includes 8 GB of GDDR7 memory as standard, with no 16 GB variant currently offered by Nvidia. The most noticeable improvement over the RTX 4060 and RTX 3060 lies in the significantly higher memory bandwidth. However, the limited memory capacity remains a major drawback—especially in modern games with demanding VRAM requirements, where this can restrict performance at higher settings.

Further tests on Nvidia's Blackwell graphics cards:

• Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 (Founders Edition)
• Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 (Asus TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 5080 OC)
• Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti (KFA2 GeForce RTX 5070 Ti 1-Click OC)
• Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 (KFA2 GeForce RTX 5070 1-Click OC)
• Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 Ti (Asus TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 5060 Ti OC)
• Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 (Zotac GeForce RTX 5060 AMP)

The Asus Prime GeForce RTX 5060 OC leaves a solid and practical impression at first glance. Its understated design omits RGB lighting entirely, consistent with the minimalist approach of the Prime series. The triple-fan cooler is well built and uses double ball bearings for increased durability. Despite its 2.5-slot format, the card remains compact enough to fit in smaller cases, making it suitable for SFF systems. Overall build quality is robust, although the Zotac GeForce RTX 5060 AMP subjectively feels slightly more premium in terms of materials and finish.

Clock speeds are close to Nvidia’s reference values, with only a marginally reduced boost frequency. Asus also sticks to the default power profile, with our test unit operating at a total graphics power (TGP) of 145 watts.

The Asus Prime GeForce RTX 5060 OC is built on the latest Blackwell architecture and features 3,840 CUDA cores paired with 8 GB of GDDR7 VRAM, connected via a 448 GB/s memory interface. While power consumption has noticeably increased compared to the previous-generation RTX 4060 based on Ada Lovelace, the RTX 5060 OC offers a clear performance uplift. However, it remains disappointing that Asus—and Nvidia more broadly—continues to hold back on VRAM capacity. The 8 GB limitation restricts the card’s potential in certain modern games and higher graphics settings.

GPU Tweak III is Asus’s official software for overclocking and monitoring its graphics cards. It allows users to fine-tune clock speeds, voltages, fan curves, and performance targets. Preconfigured profiles make it easy to switch between high performance and quieter operation. The software also includes a clear real-time monitoring interface, which can optionally be mirrored on a smartphone or tablet.

The synthetic benchmarks of the Asus Prime GeForce RTX 5060 OC confirm the performance of the Zotac GeForce RTX 5060 AMP. Both models deliver almost the same performance. The gap to the GeForce RTX 5060 Ti remains moderate at just over ten percent, which underlines the potential of the RTX 5060 as a solid mid-range GPU.

The Asus Prime GeForce RTX 5060 OC falls clearly behind the GeForce RTX 5070 but stays relatively close to the RTX 5060 Ti. However, it is only marginally suited for occasional semi-professional workloads. Users requiring significantly more performance in productivity tasks should consider stepping up to the RTX 5070. AMD’s RDNA 4 graphics cards also offer competitive alternatives in this performance segment.

The Asus Prime GeForce RTX 5060 OC is capable of running most current games smoothly. However, in especially demanding titles like The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, reducing detail settings is often necessary to maintain stable and playable frame rates. For 1080p gaming, the RTX 5060 OC remains a solid option, though the practical performance gap to the RTX 5060 Ti is slightly wider than synthetic benchmarks suggest.

The 8 GB of VRAM is increasingly becoming a bottleneck. Even at 1080p resolution, the RTX 5060 can struggle in some modern titles. Features like DLSS and Frame Generation raise memory demands, making a larger VRAM capacity more desirable. Although the RTX 5060 benefits from a significantly higher memory bandwidth compared to the RTX 4060, the fundamental issue of limited VRAM persists. When the available video memory is insufficient, users may encounter startup issues, texture streaming errors, or incomplete asset loading—examples include Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and Space Marine 2. This limitation is not unique to the RTX 5060 and affects all GPUs with restricted VRAM.