GeForce 7800 GTX vs GeForce GTX 1060

NVIDIA

GeForce 7800 GTX

2008Core: 500 MHz
Similar parts
·······
VS
NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1060

2016Core: 1607 MHzBoost: 1733 MHz
GTX family
·······

GeForce 7800 GTX vs GeForce GTX 1060 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.

GeForce 7800 GTX vs GeForce GTX 1060 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

GeForce 7800 GTX 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.

GeForce 7800 GTX

2008

Why buy it

  • Draws 150W instead of 180W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2008 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 140.6% HIGHER MSRP
    $599 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0.4 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($599 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

Why buy it

  • 1728.4% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Costs $350 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
  • Delivers 8933.7% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 0.4 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
  • 1100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 512 MB).
  • GeForce 7800 GTX 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.
  • 20% higher power demand at 180W vs 150W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce GTX 1060 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 1728.4% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 3655.2% in PassMark G3D (10,064 vs 268), so the answer here is pretty clean.
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 65nm, and a newer 2016 generation instead of 2008. 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 $350 cheaper on MSRP at $249 vs $599, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 8933.7% (40.4 vs 0.4), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce 7800 GTX vs GeForce GTX 1060 Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce 7800 GTX

The GeForce 7800 GTX is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in July 15 2008. It features the G9x architecture. The core clock speed is 500 MHz. It has 224 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 65 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 268 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 GeForce 7800 GTX scores 268 versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 10,064 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 3655.2%. The GeForce 7800 GTX is built on G9x while the GeForce GTX 1060 uses Pascal, both on 65 nm vs 16 nm. Shader units: 224 (GeForce 7800 GTX) vs 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060).

FeatureGeForce 7800 GTXGeForce GTX 1060
G3D Mark Score
268
10,064+3655%
Architecture
G9x
Pascal
Process Node
65 nm
16 nm
Shading Units
224
2560+1043%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureGeForce 7800 GTXGeForce GTX 1060
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
Upscaling support
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
NVIDIA Reflex
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce 7800 GTX 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 GeForce 7800 GTX and 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 1060.

FeatureGeForce 7800 GTXGeForce GTX 1060
VRAM Capacity
0.5 GB
6 GB+1100%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
Unknown
192 GB/s
Bus Width
64-bit
192-bit+200%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 9.0c (GeForce 7800 GTX) vs 12 (GeForce GTX 1060). Vulkan: None vs 1.3. OpenGL: 2.1 vs 4.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce 7800 GTXGeForce GTX 1060
DirectX
9.0c
12+33%
Vulkan
None
1.3
OpenGL
2.1
4.5+114%
Max Displays
2
4+100%
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: No (GeForce 7800 GTX) vs NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060). Decoder: PureVideo vs NVDEC (Pascal). Supported codecs: MPEG-2 (GeForce 7800 GTX) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060).

FeatureGeForce 7800 GTXGeForce GTX 1060
Encoder
No
NVENC (Pascal)
Decoder
PureVideo
NVDEC (Pascal)
Codecs
MPEG-2
H.264,H.265/HEVC
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce 7800 GTX draws 150W versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 180W — a 18.2% difference. The GeForce 7800 GTX is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 7800 GTX) vs 400W (GeForce GTX 1060). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 6-pin. Card length: 228mm vs 173mm, occupying 1 vs 2 slots.

FeatureGeForce 7800 GTXGeForce GTX 1060
TDP
150W-17%
180W
Recommended PSU
350W-13%
400W
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
6-pin
Length
228mm
173mm
Height
111mm
111mm
Slots
1-50%
2
Temp (Load)
85°C
Perf/Watt
1.8
55.9+3006%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce 7800 GTX came in at $599, while the GeForce GTX 1060 launched at $249. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 1060 was 58.4% cheaper ($350 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 0.4 (GeForce 7800 GTX) vs 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 10000% better value. The newer card here is GeForce GTX 1060 (2016 vs 2008).

FeatureGeForce 7800 GTXGeForce GTX 1060
MSRP
$599
$249-58%
Performance per Dollar
0.4
40.4+10000%
Codename
NB9E-GTX
GP104
Release
July 15 2008
May 27 2016
Ranking
#825
#137

Affiliate Disclosure

ChipVERSUS is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through our links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support our work in providing comprehensive PC building guides and tools.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.