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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, raw graphics performance, VRAM, feature set, power efficiency, pricing context, and long-term value so you can see which GPU actually makes more sense.

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

Why buy it

✅Costs $130 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $379 MSRP).
✅Delivers 13.4% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 35.6 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $379 MSRP).
✅Measures 173mm instead of 267mm, a 94mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1070 across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌20% higher power demand at 180W vs 150W.

GeForce GTX 1070

2016

Why buy it

✅4.3% more average FPS across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 6 GB).
✅Less risky long-term buy than GeForce GTX 1060: it remains the more sensible modern option while GeForce GTX 1060 is already legacy-tier future-proofing.
✅Draws 150W instead of 180W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 8 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌
52.2% HIGHER MSRP
$379 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 35.6 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($379 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
❌54.3% longer card at 267mm vs 173mm.

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

GeForce GTX 1070

2016

Why buy it

✅Costs $130 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $379 MSRP).
✅Delivers 13.4% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 35.6 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $379 MSRP).
✅Measures 173mm instead of 267mm, a 94mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Why buy it

✅4.3% more average FPS across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 6 GB).
✅Less risky long-term buy than GeForce GTX 1060: it remains the more sensible modern option while GeForce GTX 1060 is already legacy-tier future-proofing.
✅Draws 150W instead of 180W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1070 across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌20% higher power demand at 180W vs 150W.

Trade-offs

❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 8 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌
52.2% HIGHER MSRP
$379 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 35.6 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($379 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
❌54.3% longer card at 267mm vs 173mm.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce GTX 1070 better than GeForce GTX 1060?

Yes. GeForce GTX 1070 is the better GPU overall here. You are getting 4.3% more average FPS across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data, 34.2% higher PassMark G3D performance, and 8 GB vs 6 GB of VRAM.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce GTX 1070 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 34.2% more raw performance headroom and more VRAM at 8 GB instead of 6 GB. That leaves it with more room for heavier textures, tougher ray tracing loads, and higher-end 1440p or 4K gaming over the next few years.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?

GeForce GTX 1070 is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce GTX 1070 is about 52.2% more expensive on MSRP at $379 MSRP versus $249 MSRP, and you are getting 4.3% more estimated average FPS across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data and 34.2% higher G3D Mark. GeForce GTX 1060 really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.

Is GeForce GTX 1060 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

No, not for a fresh gaming build. GeForce GTX 1060 is 2016 hardware with 6 GB of VRAM, 10,064 in G3D Mark, and no meaningful modern upscaling stack. That is simply too far behind to be an easy modern recommendation.

Games Benchmarks

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 9800X3D 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.

GeForce GTX 1060 Benchmark Check

GeForce GTX 1070 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce GTX 1070
1080p
low	117 FPS	143 FPS
medium	105 FPS	128 FPS
high	91 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	93 FPS
1440p
low	103 FPS	123 FPS
medium	87 FPS	103 FPS
high	76 FPS	89 FPS
ultra	67 FPS	78 FPS
4K
low	55 FPS	65 FPS
medium	49 FPS	57 FPS
high	41 FPS	39 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	33 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open GeForce GTX 1070

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce GTX 1070
1080p
low	216 FPS	210 FPS
medium	181 FPS	176 FPS
high	148 FPS	145 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	110 FPS
1440p
low	134 FPS	132 FPS
medium	107 FPS	106 FPS
high	87 FPS	86 FPS
ultra	68 FPS	67 FPS
4K
low	62 FPS	61 FPS
medium	51 FPS	51 FPS
high	49 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	41 FPS	41 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open GeForce GTX 1070

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce GTX 1070
1080p
low	453 FPS	608 FPS
medium	362 FPS	486 FPS
high	302 FPS	405 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	304 FPS
1440p
low	340 FPS	456 FPS
medium	272 FPS	365 FPS
high	226 FPS	304 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	228 FPS
4K
low	226 FPS	304 FPS
medium	181 FPS	243 FPS
high	151 FPS	203 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	152 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open GeForce GTX 1070

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce GTX 1070
1080p
low	358 FPS	395 FPS
medium	302 FPS	332 FPS
high	260 FPS	278 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	237 FPS
1440p
low	299 FPS	328 FPS
medium	254 FPS	275 FPS
high	208 FPS	217 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	178 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	177 FPS
medium	133 FPS	139 FPS
high	123 FPS	127 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	104 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open GeForce GTX 1070

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1060 and GeForce GTX 1070

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 1070

The GeForce GTX 1070 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in June 10 2016. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1506 MHz to 1683 MHz. It has 1920 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 13,507 points. Launch price was $379.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the GeForce GTX 1070's 13,507 — the GeForce GTX 1070 leads by 34.2%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the GeForce GTX 1070 uses Pascal, both on a 16 nm process. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 1,920 (GeForce GTX 1070). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 6.463 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1070). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 1683 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce GTX 1070
G3D Mark Score	10,064	13,507+34%
Architecture	Pascal	Pascal
Process Node	16 nm	16 nm
Shading Units	2560+33%	1920
Compute (TFLOPS)	8.873 TFLOPS+37%	6.463 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1733 MHz+3%	1683 MHz
ROPs	64	64
TMUs	160+33%	120
L1 Cache	960 KB+33%	720 KB
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce GTX 1070
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 comes with 6 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 1070 has 8 GB. The GeForce GTX 1070 offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 256 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1070) — a 33.3% advantage for the GeForce GTX 1070. Bus width: 192-bit vs 256-bit.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce GTX 1070
VRAM Capacity	6 GB	8 GB+33%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	192 GB/s	256 GB/s+33%
Bus Width	192-bit	256-bit+33%
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12.1 (GeForce GTX 1070). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce GTX 1070
DirectX	12	12.1
Vulkan	1.3	1.4+8%
OpenGL	4.5	4.6+2%
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060) vs NVENC 6th gen (GeForce GTX 1070). Decoder: NVDEC (Pascal) vs NVDEC 3rd gen. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP8,VP9,MPEG-2,VC-1 (GeForce GTX 1070).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce GTX 1070
Encoder	NVENC (Pascal)	NVENC 6th gen
Decoder	NVDEC (Pascal)	NVDEC 3rd gen
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC	H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP8,VP9,MPEG-2,VC-1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the GeForce GTX 1070's 150W — a 18.2% difference. The GeForce GTX 1070 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 500W (GeForce GTX 1070). Power connectors: 6-pin vs 8-pin. Card length: 173mm vs 267mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce GTX 1070
TDP	180W	150W-17%
Recommended PSU	400W-20%	500W
Power Connector	6-pin	8-pin
Length	173mm	267mm
Height	111mm	112mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	—	75°C
Perf/Watt	55.9	90.0+61%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 1060 launched at $249 MSRP, while the GeForce GTX 1070 launched at $379. The GeForce GTX 1060 costs 34.3% less ($130 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 35.6 (GeForce GTX 1070) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 13.5% better value.