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 945A 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 945A 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 945A

2015

Why buy it

✅Costs $149 less on MSRP ($100 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
✅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 18.5 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($100 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

Why buy it

✅412.0% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 118.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 18.5 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $100 MSRP).
✅1100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 512 MB).
✅GeForce 945A 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 412.0% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 443.4% in PassMark G3D (10,064 vs 1,852), 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 to buy today. It is $149 more expensive on MSRP at $249 vs $100, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 118.2% (40.4 vs 18.5), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce 945A vs GeForce GTX 1060 Technical Specifications

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

GeForce 945A

The GeForce 945A is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 13 2015. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 1006 MHz to 1189 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 33W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,852 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 945A scores 1,852 versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 10,064 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 443.4%. The GeForce 945A is built on Maxwell while the GeForce GTX 1060 uses Pascal, both on 28 nm vs 16 nm. Shader units: 384 (GeForce 945A) vs 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060). Raw compute: 0.9132 TFLOPS (GeForce 945A) vs 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060). Boost clocks: 1189 MHz vs 1733 MHz.

Feature	GeForce 945A	GeForce GTX 1060
G3D Mark Score	1,852	10,064+443%
Architecture	Maxwell	Pascal
Process Node	28 nm	16 nm
Shading Units	384	2560+567%
Compute (TFLOPS)	0.9132 TFLOPS	8.873 TFLOPS+872%
Boost Clock	1189 MHz	1733 MHz+46%
ROPs	8	64+700%
TMUs	24	160+567%
L1 Cache	192 KB	960 KB+400%
L2 Cache	1 MB	2 MB+100%

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce 945A	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 945A 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 945A and 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 1060. L2 Cache: 1 MB (GeForce 945A) vs 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) — the GeForce GTX 1060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce 945A	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%

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Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_0) (GeForce 945A) vs 12 (GeForce GTX 1060). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce 945A	GeForce GTX 1060
DirectX	12 (11_0)	12
Vulkan	1.3	1.3
OpenGL	4.6+2%	4.5
Max Displays	2	4+100%

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Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: 4th Gen NVENC (Maxwell) (GeForce 945A) vs NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP6 vs NVDEC (Pascal). Supported codecs: H.264,HEVC (GeForce 945A) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060).

Feature	GeForce 945A	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

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce 945A draws 33W versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 180W — a 138% difference. The GeForce 945A is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 945A) vs 400W (GeForce GTX 1060). Power connectors: Legacy vs 6-pin.

Feature	GeForce 945A	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)	80°C	—
Perf/Watt	56.1	55.9

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Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce 945A came in at $100, while the GeForce GTX 1060 launched at $249. On MSRP, GeForce 945A was 59.8% cheaper ($149 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 18.5 (GeForce 945A) vs 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 118.4% better value. The newer card here is GeForce GTX 1060 (2016 vs 2015).

Feature	GeForce 945A	GeForce GTX 1060
MSRP	$100-60%	$249
Performance per Dollar	18.5	40.4+118%
Codename	GM108	GP104
Release	March 13 2015	May 27 2016
Ranking	#705	#137

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