MSI has launched the GeForce RTX 4060 8G Gaming Duke 3X, based on one of the best graphics cards, for the Chinese retail market. The new GPU is MSI's effort to revitalize its Duke series of cards. The last Duke-branded SKU dates back to Turing, the RTX 20-series generation.
The Duke series has existed since the Pascal (10xx) series. However, MSI disrupted the series rhythm, skipping it entirely for Ampere (30xx). But the Duke series is back for the 40-series Ada Lovelace cards. Hierarchy-wise, the Duke series is positioned between MSI's Ventus and Gaming series, so it's oriented toward budget-conscious consumers, particularly those in the Chinese market.
It's uncertain if the GeForce RTX 4060 8G Gaming Duke 3X is a one-time thing, but MSI has previously given the x080-series and x070-series, such as the GeForce RTX 2080 Ti and GeForce RTX 2070, the Duke treatment. Before those models, we've also seen the GeForce GTX 1080 Ti and GeForce GTX 1070 in similar Duke clothing. Therefore, there's a chance that MSI could extend the Duke series to the higher-tier SKUs, such as the GeForce RTX 4080 and GeForce RTX 4070, to bring more affordable options to the market.
The GeForce RTX 4060 8G Gaming Duke 3X has a triple-fan cooler. While other brands have equipped their custom GeForce RTX 4060 with a triple-fan cooling solution, this is the first model from MSI to do so. The GeForce RTX 4060 8G Gaming Duke 3X isn't a short graphics card by any means, measuring 12.6 inches (319 mm) long, but luckily, it's a dual-slot design. The GeForce RTX 4060 8 G Gaming Duke 3X has a sleek, black design with minimal lighting. Only the MSI logo lights up on the card. The card also features a black metallic back plate to help strengthen the PCB and enhance its aesthetics.
By default, the GeForce RTX 4060 8G Gaming Duke 3X has a boost clock speed of 2,460 MHz, the same as Nvidia's reference specifications. However, MSI's custom model can hit 2,475 MHz if you enable the extreme performance mode through the MSI center software. It's less than a 1% overclock, so you're unlikely to notice the higher boost clock speed in daily usage.
The graphics card's memory subsystem has not changed. The 8GB of GDDR6 memory still runs at 17 Gbps across a 128-bit memory bus, delivering a maximum memory bandwidth of up to 272 GB/s. The graphics provide three DisplayPort 1.4a outputs and one HDMI 2.1a port to connect your monitors. The GeForce RTX 4060 8G Gaming Duke 3X doesn't feature a heavy factory overclock, so it still complies with the 115W TDP reference specifications. Therefore, the graphics card only draws power from a single 8-pin PCIe power connector.
MSI only recently listed the GeForce RTX 4060 8G Gaming Duke 3X, and the graphics card's availability and pricing are unknown. Although it's a model for the Chinese market, it will probably be available through third-party sellers in the U.S.
