Why it matters: As AMD puts final touches on the RX 5600 XT, it's entirely possible that the upcoming GPU punches above its weight class, and that would certainly get Nvidia's attention. Lower prices on RTX 2060 models could be one way Nvidia attempts to steal some thunder from AMD. While we wait for AMD to properly attack Nvidia at the high-end, consumers can continue to expect better pricing at the more mainstream $300 price point.

In what seems like a preemptive salvo aimed at AMD and its newly announced RX 5600 XT, graphics card maker EVGA announced two new additions to its RTX line of cards. Dubbed the GeForce RTX 2060 KO and GeForce RTX 2060 KO Ultra, the cards seem destined to battle AMD's latest, despite them having its crosshairs set on the GTX 1660 Ti with the RX 5600 XT.

Besides pricing, there is nothing new about the RTX 2060 KO. It's the same TU106 silicon found in other RTX 2060 and 2070 models, although the RTX 2060 KO is running at a reference 1680 MHz. The card will come equipped with 6GB of GDDR6 with a 14,000 MHz effective memory clock. However being able to get one of these at $279 is tempting indeed -- the RTX 2060 KO launching at the same price point as the RX 5600 XT is no coincidence.

Alternatively, the RTX 2060 KO Ultra sports a mild overclock at 1755 MHz for its slightly more premium price of $299. The RTX 2060 KO also has the same 6GB of GDDR6 running at 14,000 MHz effective over a 192-bit memory bus.

It should be noted that both cards are technically being offered with an instant $20 rebate; the RTX 2060 KO has a list price of $299.99, while the RTX 2060 KO Ultra is listed at $319.99. However, given the competitive landscape, it wouldn't be surprising to see these cards settle into that price indefinitely.

Both models sport otherwise identical board specifications: connection options include HDMI 2.0b, DisplayPort 1.4 and Dual-Link DVI. Both boards also boast dual-fan coolers with what appear to be aluminum heatsinks. Each board will be fed via one 8-pin PCIe power connector. According to EVGA's website, the RTX 2060 KO Ultra is available now, while the RTX 2060 KO will be shipping January 13.