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 GT 120 / 9500 GT 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 GT 120 / 9500 GT 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 GT 120 / 9500 GT

2017

Why buy it

✅Costs $164 less on MSRP ($85 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
✅Draws 120W instead of 180W, a 60W reduction.
✅Measures 168mm instead of 173mm, a 5mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

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.
❌2017 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 3.8 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($85 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

Why buy it

✅1446.3% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 957.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 3.8 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $85 MSRP).
✅1100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 512 MB).
✅GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT 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.
❌50% higher power demand at 180W vs 120W.

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 1446.3% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 2996.6% in PassMark G3D (10,064 vs 325), 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. 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 $164 more expensive on MSRP at $249 vs $85, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 957.1% (40.4 vs 3.8), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT vs GeForce GTX 1060 Technical Specifications

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

GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT

The GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT 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: 325 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.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT scores 325 versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 10,064 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 2996.6%. The GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT is built on Pascal while the GeForce GTX 1060 uses Pascal, both on a 16 nm process. Shader units: 1,280 (GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT) vs 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060). Raw compute: 4.375 TFLOPS (GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT) vs 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060). Boost clocks: 1709 MHz vs 1733 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT	GeForce GTX 1060
G3D Mark Score	325	10,064+2997%
Architecture	Pascal	Pascal
Process Node	16 nm	16 nm
Shading Units	1280	2560+100%
Compute (TFLOPS)	4.375 TFLOPS	8.873 TFLOPS+103%
Boost Clock	1709 MHz	1733 MHz+1%
ROPs	40	64+60%
TMUs	80	160+100%
L1 Cache	480 KB	960 KB+100%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB	2 MB+60%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT	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

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT 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 GT 120 / 9500 GT and 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 1060. L2 Cache: 1.25 MB (GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT) vs 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) — the GeForce GTX 1060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT	GeForce 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%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB	2 MB+60%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 10.0 (GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT) vs 12 (GeForce GTX 1060). Vulkan: N/A vs 1.3. OpenGL: 3.3 vs 4.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT	GeForce GTX 1060
DirectX	10.0	12+20%
Vulkan	N/A	1.3
OpenGL	3.3	4.5+36%
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: None (GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT) vs NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060). Decoder: PureVideo VP2 vs NVDEC (Pascal). Supported codecs: MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264 (GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060).

Feature	GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT	GeForce GTX 1060
Encoder	None	NVENC (Pascal)
Decoder	PureVideo VP2	NVDEC (Pascal)
Codecs	MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264	H.264,H.265/HEVC

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT draws 120W versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 180W — a 40% difference. The GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT) vs 400W (GeForce GTX 1060). Power connectors: None vs 6-pin. Card length: 168mm vs 173mm, occupying 1 vs 2 slots.

Feature	GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT	GeForce GTX 1060
TDP	120W-33%	180W
Recommended PSU	350W-13%	400W
Power Connector	None	6-pin
Length	168mm	173mm
Height	111mm	111mm
Slots	1-50%	2
Temp (Load)	75	—
Perf/Watt	2.7	55.9+1970%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT came in at $85, while the GeForce GTX 1060 launched at $249. On MSRP, GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT was 65.9% cheaper ($164 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 3.8 (GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT) vs 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 963.2% better value. The newer card here is GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT (2017 vs 2016).

Feature	GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT	GeForce GTX 1060
MSRP	$85-66%	$249
Performance per Dollar	3.8	40.4+963%
Codename	GP106	GP104
Release	December 26 2017	May 27 2016
Ranking	#289	#137

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