• 2 min read
MSI ships RTX 5060 with an RTX 5070 chip
MSI has released unusual GeForce RTX 5060 Gaming and Ventus 2X cards using a cut-down GB205 GPU normally found in the RTX 5070.
Image: ITzine
MSI has added an unusual twist to its GeForce RTX 5060 lineup. The new Gaming and Ventus 2X versions look like standard compact dual-fan cards on the outside, but inside they use the GB205 GPU that Nvidia normally reserves for the GeForce RTX 5070.
This is not a hidden upgrade for buyers. MSI has effectively introduced a kind of GeForce RTX 5060 V1 line: the cards differ mainly in design and cooling, but both remain standard RTX 5060 models in a short form factor.
The key point is that this GB205 chip has been cut down to match the specifications of the usual GB206. That means buyers should not expect extra compute units or any surprise performance boost.
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Nvidia and its board partners have used this kind of chip substitution before. Using dies with disabled blocks helps make better use of working silicon and can keep supply of lower-end cards moving when production balance shifts.
There is also no path to unlocking the GPU to RTX 5070 levels. On modern GeForce cards, disabled blocks are locked at the hardware level.
For MSI, the move also helps separate its product stack: Gaming remains the more premium-looking series, while Ventus stays the mainstream option without extra visual flair.
Computing Editor
Tomas lives in the terminal. He covers chips, laptops, and operating systems with a focus on performance and efficiency. He reads kernel changelogs the way other people read fiction, and he's always on the hunt for the perfect mechanical keyboard switch. If it processes data, Tomas has an opinion on it.
via ITzine
