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FireStream 9170 vs GeForce GTX 1060

CPUCPUGPUGPU

FireStream 9170

2010Core: 825 MHz
Similar parts
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Buy on Amazon
VS
NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1060

2016Core: 1607 MHzBoost: 1733 MHz
GTX family
·······
Buy on Amazon

FireStream 9170 vs GeForce GTX 1060 Performance Spectrum

FireStream 9170
0.5 GB 225
647
0.0%
brand logoMobility Radeon HD 565v
brand logoRadeon HD 3850 AGP
brand logoRadeon R5 M420
brand logoRadeon R5 420
brand logoRadeon RX 6300
brand logoRadeon RX 7600M
brand logoRadeon RX 7600M XT
brand logoRadeon RX 6700 XT
GeForce GTX 1060
6 GB 180
10,064
+1455.5%
brand logoGeForce GTX 680
brand logoGeForce GTX 970XM FORCE
brand logoGeForce RTX 2050 Mobile
brand logoGeForce GTX TITAN Z
brand logoGeForce GTX 980 Ti
brand logoGeForce RTX 5060 Mobile
brand logoGeForce RTX 2080 Ti
brand logoGeForce RTX 4080 Mobile

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.

FireStream 9170 vs GeForce GTX 1060: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

FireStream 9170

2010

Why buy it

  • ✅Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Trade-offs

  • ❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (647 vs 10,064).
  • ❌Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • ❌2010 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • ❌
    702.8% HIGHER MSRP
    $1,999 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
  • ❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0.3 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($1,999 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

Why buy it

  • ✅+1455.5% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • ✅Costs $1,750 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $1,999 MSRP).
  • ✅Delivers 12387.6% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 0.3 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $1,999 MSRP).
  • ✅1100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 512 MB).
  • ✅FireStream 9170 is already obsolete for modern gaming, so GeForce GTX 1060 is the less risky modern option long term.

Trade-offs

  • ❌2016 hardware with 6 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce GTX 1060 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 1455.5% in PassMark G3D (10,064 vs 647), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce GTX 1060 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 6 GB vs 512 MB of VRAM, a 16nm process instead of 40nm, and a newer 2016 generation instead of 2010. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce GTX 1060 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $1,750 cheaper on MSRP at $249 vs $1,999, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 12387.6% (40.4 vs 0.3), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

FireStream 9170 vs GeForce GTX 1060 Technical Specifications

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

AMD

FireStream 9170

The FireStream 9170 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in June 23 2010. It features the TeraScale 2 architecture. The core clock speed is 825 MHz. It has 1600 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 225W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 647 points.

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1060

The GeForce GTX 1060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 27 2016. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1607 MHz to 1733 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 180W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 10,064 points. Launch price was $599.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the FireStream 9170 scores 647 versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 10,064 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 1455.5%. The FireStream 9170 is built on TeraScale 2 while the GeForce GTX 1060 uses Pascal, both on 40 nm vs 16 nm. Shader units: 1,600 (FireStream 9170) vs 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060). Raw compute: 2.64 TFLOPS (FireStream 9170) vs 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060).

FeatureFireStream 9170GeForce GTX 1060
G3D Mark Score
647
10,064+1455%
Architecture
TeraScale 2
Pascal
Process Node
40 nm
16 nm
Shading Units
1600
2560+60%
Compute (TFLOPS)
2.64 TFLOPS
8.873 TFLOPS+236%
ROPs
32
64+100%
TMUs
80
160+100%
L1 Cache
160 KB
960 KB+500%
L2 Cache
0.5 MB
2 MB+300%
✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 1060 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The FireStream 9170 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureFireStream 9170GeForce GTX 1060
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 FireStream 9170 has 512 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 1060 carries 6 GB. GeForce GTX 1060 gives you 1100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 64-bit on the FireStream 9170 and 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 1060. L2 Cache: 0.5 MB (FireStream 9170) vs 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) — the GeForce GTX 1060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureFireStream 9170GeForce GTX 1060
VRAM Capacity
0.5 GB
6 GB+1100%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
64-bit
192-bit+200%
L2 Cache
0.5 MB
2 MB+300%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 10.1 (FireStream 9170) vs 12 (GeForce GTX 1060). OpenGL: 3.3 vs 4.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 4.

FeatureFireStream 9170GeForce GTX 1060
DirectX
10.1
12+19%
OpenGL
3.3
4.5+36%
Max Displays
2
4+100%
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: None (FireStream 9170) vs NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060). Decoder: UVD+ vs NVDEC (Pascal). Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (FireStream 9170) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060).

FeatureFireStream 9170GeForce GTX 1060
Encoder
None
NVENC (Pascal)
Decoder
UVD+
NVDEC (Pascal)
Codecs
H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2
H.264,H.265/HEVC
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The FireStream 9170 draws 225W versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 180W — a 22.2% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (FireStream 9170) vs 400W (GeForce GTX 1060). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 6-pin. Card length: 241mm vs 173mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots.

FeatureFireStream 9170GeForce GTX 1060
TDP
225W
180W-20%
Recommended PSU
350W-13%
400W
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
6-pin
Length
241mm
173mm
Height
111mm
111mm
Slots
2
2
Temp (Load)
85°C
—
Perf/Watt
2.9
55.9+1828%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the FireStream 9170 came in at $1999, while the GeForce GTX 1060 launched at $249. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 1060 was 87.5% cheaper ($1750 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 0.3 (FireStream 9170) vs 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 13366.7% better value. The newer card here is GeForce GTX 1060 (2016 vs 2010).

FeatureFireStream 9170GeForce GTX 1060
MSRP
$1999
$249-88%
Performance per Dollar
0.3
40.4+13367%
Codename
Cypress
GP104
Release
June 23 2010
May 27 2016
Ranking
#631
#137
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