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 vs GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB 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 GTX 1060 vs GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB: 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

2016

Why buy it

✅14.3% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Measures 173mm instead of 250mm, a 77mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2016 hardware with 6 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
❌50% higher power demand at 180W vs 120W.

GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB

2016

Why buy it

✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 6 GB).
✅Draws 120W instead of 180W, a 60W reduction.
✅More future proof: Pascal (2016−2021) on 16nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2016 hardware with 8 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
❌44.5% longer card at 250mm vs 173mm.

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 14.3% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 0% in PassMark G3D (10,064 vs 10,063), 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 because it comes out ahead on the available hardware-headroom signals for this matchup.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce GTX 1060 makes the most sense to buy today. MSRP sits at $249 vs $249, and G3D-per-dollar is basically tied at 40.4 vs 40.4, so the recommendation falls back to the simpler overall buying case for GeForce GTX 1060.

GeForce GTX 1060 vs GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB Technical Specifications

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

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.

GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB

The GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in July 19 2016. 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: 10,063 points. Launch price was $299.

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Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 and the GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB reaches 10,063 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB uses Pascal, both on a 16 nm process. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 1,280 (GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 4.375 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 1709 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB
G3D Mark Score	10,064	10,063
Architecture	Pascal	Pascal
Process Node	16 nm	16 nm
Shading Units	2560+100%	1280
Compute (TFLOPS)	8.873 TFLOPS+103%	4.375 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1733 MHz+1%	1709 MHz
ROPs	64+33%	48
TMUs	160+100%	80
L1 Cache	960 KB+100%	480 KB
L2 Cache	2 MB+33%	1.5 MB

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB
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 GTX 1060 has 6 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB carries 8 GB. GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB gives you 33.3% 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 and 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 1.5 MB (GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB) — the GeForce GTX 1060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB
VRAM Capacity	6 GB	8 GB+33%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	192 GB/s	192 GB/s
Bus Width	192-bit	192-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB+33%	1.5 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12 (FL 12_1) (GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB
DirectX	12	12 (FL 12_1)
Vulkan	1.3	1.3
OpenGL	4.5	4.6+2%
Max Displays	4	4

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Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060) vs NVENC 4th gen (GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB). Decoder: NVDEC (Pascal) vs PureVideo VP7. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB
Encoder	NVENC (Pascal)	NVENC 4th gen
Decoder	NVDEC (Pascal)	PureVideo VP7
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC	H.264,H.265/HEVC

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB's 120W — a 40% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 400W (GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB). Power connectors: 6-pin vs 6-pin. Card length: 173mm vs 250mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB
TDP	180W	120W-33%
Recommended PSU	400W	400W
Power Connector	6-pin	6-pin
Length	173mm	250mm
Height	111mm	111mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	—	70°C
Perf/Watt	55.9	83.9+50%

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Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 1060 came in at $249, while the GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB launched at $249. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB) — the GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB offers 0% better value.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB
MSRP	$249	$249
Performance per Dollar	40.4	40.4
Codename	GP104	GP106
Release	May 27 2016	July 19 2016
Ranking	#137	#255

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