INNO3D GeForce RTX 5060 8GB TWIN X2 OC Review - Impressive but Flawed Generational Performance

Introduction

The GeForce RTX 5060 launch has been one that has been surrounded by controversy and negative backlash from prominent voices on account of two reasons - no review drivers being supplied ahead of the mainstream RTX Blackwell GPU's launch and the fact that it's the latest GeForce RTX GPU to arrive with only 8GB of VRAM. Granted, it does ship with GDDR7 memory that is 65% faster than the 8GB of GDDR6 memory found on its predecessor, the GeForce RTX 4060, but not increasing the capacity to 12GB or even 16GB does limit the card's potential as a 1440p GPU for some titles.

We're already starting to see the effects of this in games like Dragon Age: The Veilguard and Horizon Forbidden West, two cinematic AAA-style releases, the former featuring impressive ray-traced lighting effects. Our reviews of GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8GB and 16GB models show that the additional VRAM capacity can deliver up to 20% more performance when VRAM is the limiting factor. However, this is not the case in most titles, and there's also the idea that when it comes to mainstream 60-Class GPUs, customizing settings or lowering certain things like texture pool sizes and shadow quality can make up the shortfall.

It's worth getting this bit of criticism out of the way early because, outside of the whole 8GB debate, the GeForce RTX 5060 offers one of the most significant gen-on-gen gains for the GeForce RTX 50 Series, to the point where it's NVIDIA's most impressive mainstream 60-Class GPU in years. Positioned as a 1080p PC gaming GPU, across our 14-game benchmark suite that includes several titles with ray-tracing enabled and games running with Ultra quality-like settings, the compact INNO3D GeForce RTX 5060 TWIN X2 OC is 51% faster than the GeForce RTX 3060 and 28% faster than the GeForce RTX 4060.

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This means that for those with older mainstream GeForce 60-Class GPUs from the 10, 20, or 30 Series era, the GeForce RTX 5060 is a worthwhile upgrade. However, with AMD also launching the Radeon RX 9060 XT this month, the 16GB variant is faster overall and better suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming. When you throw in RDNA 4's vastly improved ray-tracing performance and AI-powered FSR 4 upscaling, choosing GeForce over Radeon in the $300 or so price range isn't as easy as it once was.

As a worthy upgrade for GeForce RTX 3060 owners (a card that ironically features 12GB of VRAM), the INNO3D GeForce RTX 5060 TWIN X2 OC is a fantastic choice. It is a compact, quiet, and impressively efficient GPU, delivering its 51% boost to 1080p gaming performance using considerably less power. Plus, it benefits from the arrival of DLSS 4 and Multi Frame Generation, AI-powered technologies that deliver fantastic image quality while improving performance even further at 1080p and 1440p.

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RTX Blackwell - NVIDIA's Gaming Architecture for the AI Era

Below is a summary of NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 50 Series and RTX Blackwell architecture, applicable to all models.

NVIDIA describes 'Neural Rendering,' which includes all previous versions of DLSS and the brand-new DLSS 4, as the 'next era for computer graphics.' They're not alone; the Lead System Architect for the PlayStation 5 Pro console, Mark Cerny, recently said that ray-tracing is the future of games and that AI will play an integral role in making that happen. DOOM: The Dark Ages developer id Software shared a similar sentiment, adding that the arrival of DLSS was an 'inflection point' for PC game visuals and performance, and on par with the arrival of dedicated GPUs and programmable shaders.

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With the arrival of the Blackwell generation and the GeForce RTX 50 Series, AI is now being used to accelerate programmable shaders with the brand-new RTX Neural Shaders. Yes, these are actual neural networks that use live game data, and the power of Tensor Cores to do everything from compress textures, render lifelike materials with a level of detail impossible to match using traditional rendering methods, and even use AI to partially trace rays and then infer "an infinite amount of rays and bounces for a more accurate representation of indirect lighting in the game scene."

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RTX Mega Geometry is incredible in its own right; it essentially increases a scene's geometry detail and complexity (triangles or polygons) by up to 100x. 100 times the detail, it's hard to wrap your head around - but the added benefit in a game like Alan Wake 2 is dramatically improving the performance of the game's Full Ray Tracing or Path Tracing mode. With DLSS 4 and RTX Neural Shaders, NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 50 Series and RTX Blackwell architecture (which includes the same AI optimizations as data center Blackwell) can be viewed as the turning point for PC gaming - the moment when AI becomes integral to everything from designing a game to programming and then finally rendering it on a 4K display to play.

DLSS 4 includes more goodies than NVIDIA's highly touted new Multi Frame Generation technology, but let's start there. DLSS 3's version of Frame Generation has evolved with DLSS 4, powered by Blackwell hardware and software, and an innovative use of AI to generate frames 40% faster while using 30% less VRAM. Switching to a new model also means that Frame Generation and Multi-Frame Generation could soon come to GeForce RTX 20, 30, and RTX 40 Series owners. DLSS 4 benefits all GeForce RTX gamers.

With the 5th Generation of Tensor Cores in the GeForce RTX 50 Series delivering 2.5X more AI performance, NVIDIA's latest GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs can execute five complex AI models - covering Super Resolution, Ray Reconstruction, and Multi Frame Generation in a couple of milliseconds. Part of the reason it happens so quickly is the addition of hardware Flip Metering, which shifts frame pacing to the Blackwell display engine. The result is frame rates of up to 4K at 240 FPS and higher, without stuttering issues. With up to 15 of every 16 pixels generated by AI, the result is up to 8X the performance when compared to native rendering or rasterized performance.

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DLSS Super Resolution and Ray Reconstruction are also switching to a new 'Transformer' model, with over double the parameters and four times the compute requirement. This is one of the most exciting aspects of the GeForce RTX 50 Series, as it pushes DLSS into a new realm of image quality and performance. The best part is that it will work on all GeForce RTX GPUs; however, there will be a performance hit compared to running it on an RTX 50 Series GPU. Already available in games, DLSS 4's Transformer model is another DLSS 2.0-like moment for the technology, and the results speak for themselves.

Even better, DLSS 4 is integrated into the NVIDIA App with a new 'DLSS Override' feature that allows users to experience the latest tech without waiting for a patch or game update. DLSS 4 is built to be backward compatible, with over 125 games and apps supported (so far).

It doesn't stop there, as the new AI Management Processor (AMP) allows AI models to share the GPU with graphics workloads. As a result, expect to see digital humans in games alongside AI assistants like NVIDIA's Project G-Assist becoming more prevalent in the coming years. This filters down to the creator side, with AI assistants for streamers, who will also benefit from the GeForce RTX 50 Series' expanded creator features.

RTX Blackwell introduces 4:2:2 chroma-sampled video encoding and decoding. The ninth-generation NVENC encoder also improves AV1 and HEVC quality. RTX Blackwell is a game changer for creators and editors, especially with the new low-voltage and cutting-edge GDDR7 memory that dramatically improves memory bandwidth and speed.

Specs and Test System

Specifications

Here's a look at the specs of the GeForce RTX 5060 compared to the previous generation's GeForce RTX 4060, GeForce RTX 3060, and GeForce RTX 5060 Ti.

Like all GPUs in the GeForce RTX 50 Series lineup, the GeForce RTX 5060's custom TSMC 4N process is similar to the technology that powers the GeForce RTX 4060. This is the first time a new GeForce RTX generation has been created, where the lack of a process or node shrink means that the RTX 5060's efficiency and performance gains arrive via architectural improvements. New AI optimizations and RT Cores pave the way for more advanced ray-tracing, or Path Tracing, with neural rendering that has matured to the point where DLSS is something you'd enable wherever it's available.

There's also more hardware in the GeForce RTX 5060, with 25% more CUDA, Tensor, and RT Cores than the GeForce RTX 4060, which has led to an increased power rating of 145W. This is still super efficient, with power delivered over a single traditional 8-pin power connector, and lower than AMD's mainstream Radeon RX 9060 XT 8GB GPU. As mentioned in the introduction, although the GeForce RTX 5060 only features 8GB of VRAM, it's 8GB of fast GDDR7 memory with a bandwidth of 448 GB/sec - a sizeable increase over the 272 GB/sec you get from the RTX 4060's 8GB of GDDR6 memory.

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Add all this up, and you've got NVIDIA's best-performing 60-Class GPU to date, a card that can deliver 100+ FPS maxed out gaming at 1080p before you enable DLSS Super Resolution or Frame Generation. The GeForce RTX 5060 also levels up AI performance compared to the RTX 4060, with 614 TOPS available thanks to the addition of FP4 support. Granted, the 8GB of VRAM does limit the size of models you can work with, but it's a big step up nonetheless. Also, with the latest video encoding and decoding hardware, the RTX 5060 is still every bit the creator-focused card as other models in the GeForce RTX 50 Series.

The INNO3D GeForce RTX 5060 TWIN X2 OC reviewed here is a compact two-slot model with a modest 2527 MHz overclocked Boost Clock compared to the 2497 MHz of NVIDIA's reference spec. As with all RTX Blackwell GPUs, there's definite OC headroom on the RTX 5060 to push performance slightly higher for those wanting extra frames.

Kosta's Test System

Physical Design and Cooling

INNO3D's TWIN X2 design is one that we've been impressed with in recent years, as it offers a clean look in a compact two-slot form factor that is quiet and efficient to run. That's the case with the new INNO3D GeForce RTX 5060 TWIN X2 OC. However, the build differs slightly from the INNO3D GeForce RTX 5060 Ti TWIN X2. You still have the same twin 88mm 'scythe' fans optimized for airflow and cooling, and a similar two-tone industrial black and grey design.

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Where things differ comes with the underlying cooling, which has been slightly reduced to accommodate the 145W power rating. More power equals more heat, so when it comes to a card like the GeForce RTX 5060, less is required to keep the GPU temperature in the 60 degrees Celsius range. And with that, the INNO3D GeForce RTX 5060 TWIN X2 OC features two nickel-plated composite heatpipes instead of the four found in the INNO3D GeForce RTX 5060 Ti TWIN X2. Also missing is the copper and aluminum base for the GPU and memory, where instead, you've got a smooth surface for transferring heat to the fins.

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For a more affordable mainstream GPU, the INNO3D GeForce RTX 5060 TWIN X2's build quality is still excellent. It has a robust outer shell, quiet fans, and a metal backplate. The lightweight build and compact dimensions make it SFF-Ready and primed for compact gaming PCs where space is an issue. The cooling and thermal performance were consistent throughout all of our testing, benchmarks, and stress tests, running the GPU on loop for hours. We also found that overclocking the GPU and memory by an additional +200 MHz increased temperatures slightly, with fan speeds and overall noise levels remaining unchanged.

The Games and Tests

PC gaming not only covers a wide range of genres and styles, from indie games with simple 2D graphics to massive 3D worlds lit by cutting-edge real-time ray tracing technology. With that, the needs and requirements of each gamer vary. High refresh rates and latency reduction become more important than flashy visuals or playing at the highest resolution possible for those who live and breathe fast-paced competitive games. For those who want to live in a cinematic world and become a key player in an expansive narrative, ray-tracing, and high-fidelity visuals are a stepping stone toward immersion.

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Our chosen benchmarks cover various games, engines, APIs, and technologies. For the GeForce RTX 5060, all tests are run at 1080p and 1440p and include results for performance-boosting Super Resolution technologies like NVIDIA DLSS 4 - including Frame Generation and the new Multi Frame Generation. In many ways, DLSS numbers are more important in 2025 than native rendering - a title with ray tracing isn't meant to be played without Super Resolution. Also, DLSS technologies like Ray Reconstruction and the new RTX Mega Geometry dramatically improve visual fidelity and detail compared to native rendering. However, our benchmark results are still sorted using 'raw performance' or native rendering.

Here's the breakdown of games, settings, and what's being tested.

Games and Settings Benchmarked

Path Tracing Games and Settings Benchmarked

Gaming Performance Analysis - 1080p and 1440p

Average Gaming Performance - 1080p Results

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Even though more affordable 1440p displays are hitting the market, 1080p is still the most popular resolution for PC gaming by a wide margin (per the latest Steam Hardware Survey results). It's the sweet spot for being able to hit 60+ or even 100+ FPS, and for the INNO3D GeForce RTX 5060 TWIN X2, that means a smooth and responsive 246 FPS in Counter-Strike 2 and 203 FPS in DOOM Eternal with ray-tracing enabled. Even titles that fall short of 100+, like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 hitting 91 FPS and Horizon Forbidden West hitting 86 FPS, DLSS 4's new Super Resolution can push performance to 100+ FPS while improving image quality compared to native rendering with TAA enabled.

The INNO3D GeForce RTX 5060 TWIN X2 excels at 1080p, outperforming the GeForce RTX 3060 by 51% and the RTX 4060 by 28%. The average performance across all games in our benchmark suite is 7% faster than the previous generation's GeForce RTX 4060 Ti, and only 6% slower than the Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB GPU. Comparing the GeForce RTX 5060 ($299) to the Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB ($349) is interesting because AMD has caught up quite a bit regarding ray-tracing. Case in point, Cyberpunk 2077 with the RT Ultra settings runs the same on both GPUs; however, the RTX 5060 has the edge thanks to DLSS 4 and its updated Ray Reconstruction technology.

The one title where the Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB leaves the INNO3D GeForce RTX 5060 TWIN X2 in its wake is Call of Duty, where the mainstream RDNA 4 GPU is a whopping 41% faster. This is an anomaly, as the difference between the two cards, as 1080p is often within 10%, or on par. The only titles in our benchmark suite where the RTX 5060 pulls ahead are Counter-Strike 2 and Sony's PlayStation 5 port, Returnal. Also, the performance difference between the GeForce RTX 5060 and the GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB at this resolution is not as big as you'd think, with the RTX 5060 Ti 16GB coming in 12% faster on average. This is a much smaller gap than we saw with the RTX 3060 moving to the RTX 3060 Ti or the RTX 4060 moving to the RTX 4060 Ti. A result that highlights the INNO3D GeForce RTX 5060 TWIN X2, an excellent 1080p gaming GPU, and a worthy successor to the GeForce RTX 4060.

Average Gaming Performance - 1440p Results

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Moving to 1440p, the INNO3D GeForce RTX 5060 TWIN X2's overall performance drops by 33%, which is expected. Enabling DLSS Super Resolution delivers fantastic results at 1440p, which sees that 33% figure drop to 14%. DLSS performance data is becoming increasingly important when looking at 1440p gaming, as the Quality preset or setting can be considered free performance that often improves image fidelity and stability. For 1440p gaming, the INNO3D GeForce RTX 5060 TWIN X2 is 45% faster than the GeForce RTX 3060, 27% faster than the RTX 4060, and 4% faster than the RTX 4060 Ti.

Even though the GeForce RTX 3060 in our lab is an OC model with 12GB of VRAM, the 8GB limitation does come into play in a couple of titles. The Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB's lead over the INNO3D GeForce RTX 5060 TWIN X2 increases to 11%. Also, the GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB's lead increases to 21%, indicating that the GPU is better suited for gaming at this resolution. Undoubtedly, if the RTX 5060 shipped with 12GB or the same 16GB configuration, the RTX 5060 Ti 16GB's lead would drop.

Gaming with the INNO3D GeForce RTX 5060 TWIN X2 at 1440p is still enjoyable, with a great experience available in a wide range of titles; however, as a mainstream GPU, you more often than not have to tinker with in-game settings to improve performance and responsiveness. Interestingly, the RTX advantage for ray-tracing performance also disappears at this resolution, with the Radeon RX 9060 XT closing the gap and even outperforming the INNO3D GeForce RTX 5060 TWIN X2 in several games with ray-tracing enabled.

Benchmarks - 3DMark Synthetic Tests

3DMark offers a suite of synthetic benchmarks built to test GPUs in various scenarios. 3DMark Steel Nomad is a cutting-edge DirectX 12 benchmark with newer, modern rendering techniques designed to push GPUs to their limit. The 'Light' version tests at 1440p, while the main Steel Nomad benchmark tests pure native 4K rendering. Port Royal is a benchmark focusing exclusively on real-time ray tracing for lighting effects like reflections, shadows, and more.

As a modern synthetic benchmark for DirectX 12 and the wave of Unreal Engine 5-style games coming out, pushing visual fidelity forward, 3DMark's new Steel Nomad and Steel Nomad Light tests are great for setting a new baseline for the next couple of years, or longer, of PC gaming. The INNO3D GeForce RTX 5060 TWIN X2's 1440p-based Steel Nomad Light score is 56% higher than the GeForce RTX 3060 and 33% higher than the RTX 4060. Interestingly, it's also 4% higher than the Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB's Steel Nomad Light score. However, the RDNA 4 GPU pulls ahead in the 4K test to deliver a score that is 15% higher than the GeForce RTX 5060.

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The synthetic ray-tracing focused Port Royal test has been around for a couple of GPU generations, and it's been a test that has traditionally seen the GeForce RTX 50 Series deliver and Radeon GPUs falter. That's not the case here as the Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB GPU provides a score that is 10% higher than the INNO3D GeForce RTX 5060 TWIN X2, which can be seen in titles with minimal to heavy ray-tracing. It's a big win for AMD, highlighting how it has closed the gap significantly with its new RDNA 4 generation of graphics cards. That said, the RTX 5060's score is 41% higher than the RTX 4060's, so you are getting much better ray-tracing performance with the mainstream RTX Blackwell GPU.

Benchmarks - 1080p Gaming

Benchmarks - 1440p Gaming

DLSS 4, Frame Generation, and the new Multi-Frame Generation

DLSS 4 and Multi Frame Generation are impressive bits of technology, thanks mainly to the overall improvements to performance and latency on the Frame Generation side and the new 'Transformer' model for Super Resolution and Ray Reconstruction. We used the DLSS 'Balanced' mode preset for these benchmarks, often delivering native-like image quality, to test the GeForce RTX 5060's capabilities as a 1440p gaming GPU.

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DLSS 4, which includes Super Resolution, Ray Reconstruction (for ray-tracing), and the new RTX Blackwell-exclusive Multi Frame Generation, is fascinating and impressive technology because it opens the door to a new level of performance, image fidelity, and responsiveness in over 100 games. For this review, we decided to test DLSS 4 and Multi Frame Generation at 1440p to see if we could get the performance you traditionally could only find on a high-end GPU. Looking at Cyberpunk 2077 with ray-tracing set to Ultra, the 28 FPS turns into 88 FPS or even 154 FPS while maintaining fantastic image quality.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard is another excellent example because DLSS 4 with the Balanced preset bypasses the VRAM limitation of rendering the game natively. This means 41 FPS becomes 71 FPS and then 105 FPS or 178 FPS with Multi Frame Generation. With responsive controls, the game feels much better and looks dramatically smoother with DLSS 4, but it's also one of those things you need to experience to get it properly. Multi Frame Generation isn't a fix for poor performance; it's additive and requires an input frame rate of at least 50 FPS, with 60-70 FPS being the sweet spot. It also works best in single-player titles where ultra-low-latency isn't the be-all end-all. That said, we can see the technology becoming a mainstay in the years ahead, with AMD set to introduce AI-powered Frame Generation and Ray Reconstruction for its RDNA 4 GPUs in the second half of this year.

Path Tracing Performance - 1080p

Path Tracing, or Full Ray Tracing, arrived with the GeForce RTX 40 Series and DLSS 3 and is leveling up with the GeForce RTX 50 Series and DLSS 4. It's only possible thanks to AI technologies like DLSS Super Resolution, Ray Reconstruction, and RTX Neural Shader technology like RTX Mega Geometry. It's designed specifically for these technologies, and we're only including native or rasterized performance to highlight just how intensive it is on a GPU like the GeForce RTX 5060. In fact, outside of the massive increase in performance, these games also look notably worse without DLSS 4.

Path Tracing performance on the INNO3D GeForce RTX 5060 TWIN X2 is what we'd call entry-level and not something you'd rush out and buy the GPU for. With the correct settings and DLSS 4, the GPU can deliver stunning path-traced visuals at 1080p, offering a glimpse at the future of real-time graphics. However, even though you're looking at 100+ FPS in titles like Alan Wake 2 and Cyberpunk 2077, it's still a step down, image fidelity-wise, when compared to the more immersive and impressive 1440p Path Tracing you can get from the GeForce RTX 5070 or RTX 5070 Ti. Cards that are substantially more expensive, so that being said to note that Path Tracing or Full Ray Tracing is still the realm of higher-end GPUs.

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Half-Life 2 RTX, the impressive RTX Remix mod and remake, is available to play in demo form. It's undoubtedly one of the most visually advanced games with Path Tracing, neural rendering, and full support for DLSS 4. It's the sort of game that can bring any GPU to its knees, and for the INNO3D GeForce RTX 5060 TWIN X2, we had to lower the detail to 'Medium' to get a smooth 100+ FPS with DLSS 4 at 1080p.

Temperature and Power Efficiency

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With a GPU temperature that stays locked to 62 degrees Celsius, the INNO3D GeForce RTX 5060 TWIN X2 runs relatively cool while remaining quiet. Drawing around 130W on average for 1080p gaming, it's also remarkably efficient, drawing less power than the Radeon RX 9060 XT. It's not quite as efficient as the 115W GeForce RTX 4060, but the trade-off is worth it when you're getting, on average, 28% faster performance.

Final Thoughts

Controversy and the 8GB debate will probably surround the GeForce RTX 5060 for a while, perhaps its entire lifespan. However, as the mainstream and most affordable GeForce RTX 50 Series GPU on the market, it's still a fantastic upgrade for 1080p gamers with older GPUs like the GeForce RTX 3060, RTX 2060, or older. The faster GDDR7 memory and beefed-up specs make it a worthy successor to the GeForce RTX 4060, albeit one we wanted to ship with 12GB or even 16GB of VRAM. And as long as the street price stays close to $299, there's no reason to overlook it if you're in the market for an affordable graphics card.

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Well, that's not entirely true. There is one reason: AMD's Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB GPU, which costs a bit more but includes more VRAM to make it double-digits faster, on average, for 1440p gaming. Of course, NVIDIA also offers the GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB GPU, which is the next model up. The company's GeForce RTX 50 Series now covers six models compared to RDNA 4's three, so the price increases are more manageable. In that sense, the INNO3D GeForce RTX 5060 TWIN X2 is excellent for 1080p gaming, and a decent (if hampered) 1440p performer, and another RTX Blackwell release that benefits from the full suite of DLSS 4 technologies.

Although FSR 4 has gained ground, DLSS 4 is still the gold standard and available in many more games. It's a key feature of the GeForce RTX 5060, and even at 1080p, it's worth enabling to boost performance and image quality with the new transformer model for Super Resolution. This review also shows that Multi Frame Generation can increase performance, fidelity, and smoothness to deliver impressive results at 1440p. The GeForce RTX 5060 is NVIDIA's best-performing mainstream GPU in a couple of generations, relative to what's come before, and in INNO3D GeForce RTX 5060 TWIN X2 form, you've got a compact and SFF-Ready option ready to power even the smallest gaming rig.