GeForce GTX 1060 3GB
L4
GeForce GTX 1060 3GB vs L4 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 GTX 1060 3GB vs L4 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.
Path of Exile 2
Counter-Strike 2
League of Legends
GeForce GTX 1060 3GB vs L4: 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 GTX 1060 3GB
2016Why buy it
- ✅Costs $2,146 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $2,345 MSRP).
- ✅Delivers 1039.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 49.3 vs 4.3 G3D/$ ($199 MSRP vs $2,345 MSRP).
Trade-offs
- ❌Less VRAM, with 3 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
- ❌2016 hardware with 3 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
- ❌66.7% higher power demand at 120W vs 72W.
- ❌47.9% longer card at 250mm vs 169mm.
L4
2023Why buy it
- ✅166.7% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 3 GB).
- ✅Better long-term bet: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
- ✅Draws 72W instead of 120W, a 48W reduction.
- ✅Measures 169mm instead of 250mm, a 81mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.
Trade-offs
- ❌1078.4% HIGHER MSRP$2,345 MSRPvs$199 MSRP
- ❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 4.3 vs 49.3 G3D/$ ($2,345 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
Quick Answers
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GeForce GTX 1060 3GB vs L4 Technical Specifications
Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.
GeForce GTX 1060 3GB
The GeForce GTX 1060 3GB is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 18 2016. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1506 MHz to 1708 MHz. It has 1152 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 120W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 9,815 points. Launch price was $199.
L4
The L4 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 21 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 795 MHz to 2040 MHz. It has 7424 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 72W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 60 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 10,153 points.
Graphics Performance
The GeForce GTX 1060 3GB scores 9,815 and the L4 reaches 10,153 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 3.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 1060 3GB is built on Pascal while the L4 uses Ada Lovelace, both on 16 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 1,152 (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB) vs 7,424 (L4). Raw compute: 3.935 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB) vs 30.29 TFLOPS (L4). Boost clocks: 1708 MHz vs 2040 MHz.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1060 3GB | L4 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 9,815 | 10,153+3% |
| Architecture | Pascal | Ada Lovelace |
| Process Node | 16 nm | 5 nm |
| Shading Units | 1152 | 7424+544% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 3.935 TFLOPS | 30.29 TFLOPS+670% |
| Boost Clock | 1708 MHz | 2040 MHz+19% |
| ROPs | 48 | 80+67% |
| TMUs | 72 | 240+233% |
| L1 Cache | 0.42 MB | 7.5 MB+1686% |
| L2 Cache | 1.5 MB | 48 MB+3100% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
The GeForce GTX 1060 3GB gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The L4 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1060 3GB | L4 |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | Upscaling support | Upscaling support |
| Frame Generation | Not Supported | Not Supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | NVIDIA Reflex | Standard |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The GeForce GTX 1060 3GB has 3 GB of VRAM, while the L4 carries 8 GB. L4 gives you 166.7% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 1060 3GB and 128-bit on the L4. L2 Cache: 1.5 MB (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB) vs 48 MB (L4) — the L4 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1060 3GB | L4 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 3 GB | 8 GB+167% |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR6 |
| Bus Width | 192-bit+50% | 128-bit |
| L2 Cache | 1.5 MB | 48 MB+3100% |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB) vs 12.2 (L4). Vulkan: 1.1 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 0.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1060 3GB | L4 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12.1 | 12.2 |
| Vulkan | 1.1 | 1.3+18% |
| OpenGL | 4.5 | 4.6+2% |
| Max Displays | 4 | 0 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: NVENC 4.0 (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB) vs 8th Gen NVENC (2x) (L4). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP6 vs 5th Gen NVDEC (4x). Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (L4).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1060 3GB | L4 |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | NVENC 4.0 | 8th Gen NVENC (2x) |
| Decoder | PureVideo HD VP6 | 5th Gen NVDEC (4x) |
| Codecs | MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC | MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce GTX 1060 3GB draws 120W versus the L4's 72W — a 50% difference. The L4 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB) vs 500W (L4). Power connectors: 6-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 250mm vs 169mm, occupying 2 vs 1 slots. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 75°C.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1060 3GB | L4 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 120W | 72W-40% |
| Recommended PSU | 400W-20% | 500W |
| Power Connector | 6-pin | PCIe-powered |
| Length | 250mm | 169mm |
| Height | 111mm | 69mm |
| Slots | 2 | 1-50% |
| Temp (Load) | 75°C | 75°C |
| Perf/Watt | 81.8 | 141.0+72% |
Value Analysis
At launch, the GeForce GTX 1060 3GB came in at $199, while the L4 launched at $2345. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 1060 3GB was 91.5% cheaper ($2146 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 49.3 (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB) vs 4.3 (L4) — the GeForce GTX 1060 3GB offers 1046.5% better value. The newer card here is L4 (2023 vs 2016).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1060 3GB | L4 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $199-92% | $2345 |
| Performance per Dollar | 49.3+1047% | 4.3 |
| Codename | GP106 | AD104 |
| Release | August 18 2016 | March 21 2023 |
| Ranking | #272 | #259 |
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