GeForce GTX 1060 (móvel) vs Radeon R9 290
GeForce GTX 1060 (móvel)
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Radeon R9 290
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Performance Spectrum - GPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. The GeForce GTX 1060 (móvel) is positioned at rank #33 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Great cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar GeForce GTX 1060 (móvel)
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon R9 290 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.3% higher G3D Mark score. This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the GeForce GTX 1060 (móvel).
| Insight | GeForce GTX 1060 (móvel) | Radeon R9 290 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.3%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+0.3%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2016 / Pascal (2016−2021)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / GCN 2.0 (2013−2017)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+0%) |
| Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption |
| Case Fit | — | Standard Size (275mm) |
💎 Value Proposition
While current pricing data is unavailable, the Radeon R9 290 remains the clear technical winner. Check real-time availability to determine if the performance gap justifies the market price.
Performance Check
Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 7800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.
Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1060 (móvel) and Radeon R9 290
GeForce GTX 1060 (móvel)
The GeForce GTX 1060 (móvel) is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 15 2016. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1506 MHz to 1708 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 80W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 8,160 points. Launch price was $237.11.
Radeon R9 290
The Radeon R9 290 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 5 2013. It features the GCN 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 947 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 275W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 8,184 points. Launch price was $399.
Graphics Performance
The GeForce GTX 1060 (móvel) scores 8,160 and the Radeon R9 290 reaches 8,184 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.3% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 1060 (móvel) is built on Pascal while the Radeon R9 290 uses GCN 2.0, both on 16 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 1,280 (GeForce GTX 1060 (móvel)) vs 2,560 (Radeon R9 290). Raw compute: 4.275 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060 (móvel)) vs 4.849 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 290).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1060 (móvel) | Radeon R9 290 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 8,160 | 8,184 |
| Architecture | Pascal | GCN 2.0 |
| Process Node | 16 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 1280 | 2560+100% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 4.275 TFLOPS | 4.849 TFLOPS+13% |
| ROPs | 48 | 64+33% |
| TMUs | 80 | 160+100% |
| L1 Cache | 480 KB | 640 KB+33% |
| L2 Cache | 1.5 MB+50% | 1 MB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1060 (móvel) | Radeon R9 290 |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 2.1 (Compatible) | FSR 1.0 (Software) |
| Frame Generation | FSR 3 (Compatible) | Not Supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | Standard | AMD Anti-Lag |
Video Memory (VRAM)
Both cards feature 4 GB of GDDR5. Memory bandwidth: 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060 (móvel)) vs 320 GB/s (Radeon R9 290) — a 66.7% advantage for the Radeon R9 290. Bus width: 192-bit vs 512-bit. L2 Cache: 1.5 MB (GeForce GTX 1060 (móvel)) vs 1 MB (Radeon R9 290) — the GeForce GTX 1060 (móvel) has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1060 (móvel) | Radeon R9 290 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 4 GB | 4 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 192 GB/s | 320 GB/s+67% |
| Bus Width | 192-bit | 512-bit+167% |
| L2 Cache | 1.5 MB+50% | 1 MB |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 1060 (móvel)) vs 12.0 (Radeon R9 290). Vulkan: 1.1 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 6.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1060 (móvel) | Radeon R9 290 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12.1 | 12.0 |
| Vulkan | 1.1 | 1.2+9% |
| OpenGL | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| Max Displays | 4 | 6+50% |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: NVENC 6.0 (GeForce GTX 1060 (móvel)) vs VCE 2.0 (Radeon R9 290). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP8 vs UVD 4.2. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9 (GeForce GTX 1060 (móvel)) vs MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1 (Radeon R9 290).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1060 (móvel) | Radeon R9 290 |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | NVENC 6.0 | VCE 2.0 |
| Decoder | PureVideo HD VP8 | UVD 4.2 |
| Codecs | MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9 | MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1 |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce GTX 1060 (móvel) draws 80W versus the Radeon R9 290's 275W — a 109.9% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 (móvel) is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce GTX 1060 (móvel)) vs 750W (Radeon R9 290). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 6-pin + 8-pin. Card length: 0mm vs 275mm, occupying 0 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 85°C vs 95°C.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1060 (móvel) | Radeon R9 290 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 80W-71% | 275W |
| Recommended PSU | 500W-33% | 750W |
| Power Connector | PCIe-powered | 6-pin + 8-pin |
| Length | 0mm | 275mm |
| Height | 0mm | 109mm |
| Slots | 0-100% | 2 |
| Temp (Load) | 85°C-11% | 95°C |
| Perf/Watt | 102.0+242% | 29.8 |
Value Analysis
The GeForce GTX 1060 (móvel) is the newer GPU (2016 vs 2013).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1060 (móvel) | Radeon R9 290 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | — | $399 |
| Avg Price (30d) | — | $50 |
| Codename | GP106 | Hawaii |
| Release | August 15 2016 | November 5 2013 |
| Ranking | #343 | #316 |
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