GeForce 845M vs GeForce GTX 1060

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 845M 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 845M 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 845M

2015

Why buy it

✅Draws 33W instead of 180W, a 147W 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.
❌2015 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 40.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

Why buy it

✅488.9% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅1100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 512 MB).
✅GeForce 845M 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.
❌445.5% higher power demand at 180W vs 33W.

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 488.9% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 576.8% in PassMark G3D (10,064 vs 1,487), 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 28nm, and a newer 2016 generation instead of 2015. 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 today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

GeForce 845M vs GeForce GTX 1060 Technical Specifications

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

GeForce 845M

The GeForce 845M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 26 2015. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 1071 MHz to 1176 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 33W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,487 points.

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.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce 845M scores 1,487 versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 10,064 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 576.8%. The GeForce 845M is built on Maxwell while the GeForce GTX 1060 uses Pascal, both on 28 nm vs 16 nm. Shader units: 384 (GeForce 845M) vs 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060). Raw compute: 0.9032 TFLOPS (GeForce 845M) vs 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060). Boost clocks: 1176 MHz vs 1733 MHz.

Feature	GeForce 845M	GeForce GTX 1060
G3D Mark Score	1,487	10,064+577%
Architecture	Maxwell	Pascal
Process Node	28 nm	16 nm
Shading Units	384	2560+567%
Compute (TFLOPS)	0.9032 TFLOPS	8.873 TFLOPS+882%
Boost Clock	1176 MHz	1733 MHz+47%
ROPs	16	64+300%
TMUs	32	160+400%
L1 Cache	192 KB	960 KB+400%
L2 Cache	1 MB	2 MB+100%

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce 845M	GeForce GTX 1060
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce 845M 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 128-bit on the GeForce 845M and 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 1060. L2 Cache: 1 MB (GeForce 845M) vs 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) — the GeForce GTX 1060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce 845M	GeForce GTX 1060
VRAM Capacity	0.5 GB	6 GB+1100%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	192 GB/s
Bus Width	128-bit	192-bit+50%
L2 Cache	1 MB	2 MB+100%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_0) (GeForce 845M) vs 12 (GeForce GTX 1060). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 3 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce 845M	GeForce GTX 1060
DirectX	12 (11_0)	12
Vulkan	1.3	1.3
OpenGL	4.6+2%	4.5
Max Displays	3	4+33%

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: 4th Gen NVENC (Maxwell) (GeForce 845M) vs NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP6 vs NVDEC (Pascal). Supported codecs: H.264,HEVC (GeForce 845M) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060).

Feature	GeForce 845M	GeForce GTX 1060
Encoder	4th Gen NVENC (Maxwell)	NVENC (Pascal)
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP6	NVDEC (Pascal)
Codecs	H.264,HEVC	H.264,H.265/HEVC

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce 845M draws 33W versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 180W — a 138% difference. The GeForce 845M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 845M) vs 400W (GeForce GTX 1060). Power connectors: Legacy vs 6-pin.

Feature	GeForce 845M	GeForce GTX 1060
TDP	33W-82%	180W
Recommended PSU	350W-13%	400W
Power Connector	Legacy	6-pin
Length	—	173mm
Height	—	111mm
Slots	0-100%	2
Temp (Load)	85°C	—
Perf/Watt	45.1	55.9+24%

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Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce GTX 1060 (2016 vs 2015).

Feature	GeForce 845M	GeForce GTX 1060
MSRP	—	$249
Codename	GM108	GP104
Release	August 26 2015	May 27 2016
Ranking	#768	#137

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