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 520M 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 520M 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 520M

2013

Why buy it

✅Costs $189 less on MSRP ($60 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
✅Draws 50W instead of 180W, a 130W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 1 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2013 hardware with 1 GB 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 4.7 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($60 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

Why buy it

✅2417.2% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 753.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 4.7 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $60 MSRP).
✅500% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 1 GB).
✅GeForce GT 520M 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.
❌260% higher power demand at 180W vs 50W.

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 2417.2% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 3443.7% in PassMark G3D (10,064 vs 284), 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 1 GB of VRAM, a 16nm process instead of 28nm, and a newer 2016 generation instead of 2013. 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 $189 more expensive on MSRP at $249 vs $60, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 753.9% (40.4 vs 4.7), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce GT 520M vs GeForce GTX 1060 Technical Specifications

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

GeForce GT 520M

The GeForce GT 520M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 9 2013. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 941 MHz to 967 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 284 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 GT 520M scores 284 versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 10,064 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 3443.7%. The GeForce GT 520M is built on Kepler while the GeForce GTX 1060 uses Pascal, both on 28 nm vs 16 nm. Shader units: 384 (GeForce GT 520M) vs 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060). Raw compute: 0.7427 TFLOPS (GeForce GT 520M) vs 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060). Boost clocks: 967 MHz vs 1733 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GT 520M	GeForce GTX 1060
G3D Mark Score	284	10,064+3444%
Architecture	Kepler	Pascal
Process Node	28 nm	16 nm
Shading Units	384	2560+567%
Compute (TFLOPS)	0.7427 TFLOPS	8.873 TFLOPS+1095%
Boost Clock	967 MHz	1733 MHz+79%
ROPs	16	64+300%
TMUs	32	160+400%
L1 Cache	32 KB	960 KB+2900%
L2 Cache	0.25 MB	2 MB+700%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GT 520M	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 520M has 1 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 1060 carries 6 GB. GeForce GTX 1060 gives you 500% 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 GT 520M and 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 1060. L2 Cache: 0.25 MB (GeForce GT 520M) vs 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) — the GeForce GTX 1060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GT 520M	GeForce GTX 1060
VRAM Capacity	1 GB	6 GB+500%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	192 GB/s
Bus Width	128-bit	192-bit+50%
L2 Cache	0.25 MB	2 MB+700%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 11.0 (GeForce GT 520M) vs 12 (GeForce GTX 1060). Vulkan: None vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.0 vs 4.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 1 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GT 520M	GeForce GTX 1060
DirectX	11.0	12+9%
Vulkan	None	1.3
OpenGL	4.0	4.5+13%
Max Displays	1	4+300%

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: No (GeForce GT 520M) vs NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP4 vs NVDEC (Pascal). Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1,MPEG-4 ASP (GeForce GT 520M) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060).

Feature	GeForce GT 520M	GeForce GTX 1060
Encoder	No	NVENC (Pascal)
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP4	NVDEC (Pascal)
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1,MPEG-4 ASP	H.264,H.265/HEVC

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GT 520M draws 50W versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 180W — a 113% difference. The GeForce GT 520M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GT 520M) vs 400W (GeForce GTX 1060). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 6-pin. Card length: 0mm vs 173mm, occupying 0 vs 2 slots.

Feature	GeForce GT 520M	GeForce GTX 1060
TDP	50W-72%	180W
Recommended PSU	350W-13%	400W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	6-pin
Length	0mm	173mm
Height	0mm	111mm
Slots	0-100%	2
Temp (Load)	70°C	—
Perf/Watt	5.7	55.9+881%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GT 520M came in at $60, while the GeForce GTX 1060 launched at $249. On MSRP, GeForce GT 520M was 75.9% cheaper ($189 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 4.7 (GeForce GT 520M) vs 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 759.6% better value. The newer card here is GeForce GTX 1060 (2016 vs 2013).

Feature	GeForce GT 520M	GeForce GTX 1060
MSRP	$60-76%	$249
Performance per Dollar	4.7	40.4+760%
Codename	GK107	GP104
Release	January 9 2013	May 27 2016
Ranking	#792	#137

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