Arc 7-Core iGPU vs GeForce GTX 1060 5GB

Intel

Arc 7-Core iGPU

2023Boost: 2200 MHz
VS
NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1060 5GB

2017Core: 1506 MHzBoost: 1709 MHz
GTX family
·······

Arc 7-Core iGPU vs GeForce GTX 1060 5GB Performance Spectrum

About G3D Mark

G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.

Arc 7-Core iGPU vs GeForce GTX 1060 5GB: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

Arc 7-Core iGPU

2023

Why buy it

  • Costs $50 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
  • Delivers 27.5% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 47.0 vs 36.8 G3D/$ ($199 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
  • GeForce GTX 1060 5GB is already legacy-tier future-proofing, so Arc 7-Core iGPU is the less risky modern option long term.
  • Draws 15W instead of 120W, a 105W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 5 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • Older hardware, Unknown of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in newer AAA releases.

GeForce GTX 1060 5GB

2017

Why buy it

  • 100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (5 GB vs Unknown).

Trade-offs

  • 2017 hardware with 5 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
  • 25.1% HIGHER MSRP
    $249 MSRPvs$199 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 36.8 vs 47.0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
  • 700% higher power demand at 120W vs 15W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Arc 7-Core iGPU is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 1.9% in PassMark G3D (9,349 vs 9,175), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
Arc 7-Core iGPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 5nm process instead of 16nm and a newer 2023 generation instead of 2017. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
Arc 7-Core iGPU makes the most sense to buy today. It is $50 cheaper on MSRP at $199 vs $249, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 27.5% (47.0 vs 36.8), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

Arc 7-Core iGPU vs GeForce GTX 1060 5GB Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Intel

Arc 7-Core iGPU

The Arc 7-Core iGPU is manufactured by Intel. It was released in December 14 2023. It features the Xe LPG architecture. The boost clock speed is 2200 MHz. It has 7 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 15W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 9,349 points.

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1060 5GB

The GeForce GTX 1060 5GB is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in December 26 2017. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1506 MHz to 1709 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 120W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 9,175 points.

Graphics Performance

The Arc 7-Core iGPU scores 9,349 and the GeForce GTX 1060 5GB reaches 9,175 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Arc 7-Core iGPU is built on Xe LPG while the GeForce GTX 1060 5GB uses Pascal, both on 5 nm vs 16 nm. Shader units: 7 (Arc 7-Core iGPU) vs 1,280 (GeForce GTX 1060 5GB). Boost clocks: 2200 MHz vs 1709 MHz.

FeatureArc 7-Core iGPUGeForce GTX 1060 5GB
G3D Mark Score
9,349+2%
9,175
Architecture
Xe LPG
Pascal
Process Node
5 nm
16 nm
Shading Units
7
1280+18186%
Boost Clock
2200 MHz+29%
1709 MHz
L1 Cache
1.3 MB+177%
0.47 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 1060 5GB gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Arc 7-Core iGPU leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureArc 7-Core iGPUGeForce GTX 1060 5GB
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
Upscaling support
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
Standard
NVIDIA Reflex
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Arc 7-Core iGPU has 0 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 1060 5GB carries 5 GB. GeForce GTX 1060 5GB gives you 100+% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is System on the Arc 7-Core iGPU and 160-bit on the GeForce GTX 1060 5GB.

FeatureArc 7-Core iGPUGeForce GTX 1060 5GB
VRAM Capacity
Shared
5 GB
Memory Type
Shared
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
System
160 GB/s
Bus Width
System
160-bit
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (Arc 7-Core iGPU) vs 12 (12_1) (GeForce GTX 1060 5GB). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureArc 7-Core iGPUGeForce GTX 1060 5GB
DirectX
12 Ultimate
12 (12_1)
Vulkan
1.3
1.3
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: QuickSync (Arc 7-Core iGPU) vs NVENC (6th Gen) (GeForce GTX 1060 5GB). Decoder: QuickSync vs NVDEC (3rd Gen). Supported codecs: H.264,H.265,AV1,VP9,MPEG-2 (Arc 7-Core iGPU) vs H.264,H.265,VP9 (GeForce GTX 1060 5GB).

FeatureArc 7-Core iGPUGeForce GTX 1060 5GB
Encoder
QuickSync
NVENC (6th Gen)
Decoder
QuickSync
NVDEC (3rd Gen)
Codecs
H.264,H.265,AV1,VP9,MPEG-2
H.264,H.265,VP9
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Arc 7-Core iGPU draws 15W versus the GeForce GTX 1060 5GB's 120W — a 155.6% difference. The Arc 7-Core iGPU is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (Arc 7-Core iGPU) vs 400W (GeForce GTX 1060 5GB). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 6-pin. Card length: 0mm vs 250mm, occupying 0 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 95 vs 75.

FeatureArc 7-Core iGPUGeForce GTX 1060 5GB
TDP
15W-88%
120W
Recommended PSU
500W
400W-20%
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
6-pin
Length
0mm
250mm
Height
0mm
111mm
Slots
0-100%
2
Temp (Load)
95
75-21%
Perf/Watt
623.3+715%
76.5
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Arc 7-Core iGPU came in at $199, while the GeForce GTX 1060 5GB launched at $249. On MSRP, Arc 7-Core iGPU was 20.1% cheaper ($50 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 47.0 (Arc 7-Core iGPU) vs 36.8 (GeForce GTX 1060 5GB) — the Arc 7-Core iGPU offers 27.7% better value. The newer card here is Arc 7-Core iGPU (2023 vs 2017).

FeatureArc 7-Core iGPUGeForce GTX 1060 5GB
MSRP
$199-20%
$249
Performance per Dollar
47.0+28%
36.8
Codename
Meteor Lake iGPU
GP106
Release
December 14 2023
December 26 2017
Ranking
#375
#289

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