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

✅33.5% more average FPS across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $509 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $758 MSRP).
✅Delivers 72.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 23.5 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $758 MSRP).
✅Draws 180W instead of 300W, a 120W reduction.
✅Measures 173mm instead of 267mm, a 94mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (10,064 vs 17,790).
❌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.

GeForce GTX 1070 SLI

2016

Why buy it

✅+76.8% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅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.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1060 across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 8 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌
204.4% HIGHER MSRP
$758 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 23.5 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($758 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
❌66.7% higher power demand at 300W vs 180W.

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

GeForce GTX 1070 SLI

2016

Why buy it

✅33.5% more average FPS across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $509 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $758 MSRP).
✅Delivers 72.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 23.5 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $758 MSRP).
✅Draws 180W instead of 300W, a 120W reduction.
✅Measures 173mm instead of 267mm, a 94mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Why buy it

✅+76.8% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅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.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (10,064 vs 17,790).
❌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.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1060 across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 8 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌
204.4% HIGHER MSRP
$758 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 23.5 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($758 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
❌66.7% higher power demand at 300W vs 180W.

Quick Answers

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

Yes. GeForce GTX 1070 SLI is the better GPU overall here. You are getting 76.8% 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 SLI is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 76.8% 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 SLI is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce GTX 1070 SLI is about 204.4% more expensive on MSRP at $758 MSRP versus $249 MSRP, and you are getting lower estimated average FPS across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data and 76.8% 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 SLI Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce GTX 1070 SLI
1080p
low	117 FPS	122 FPS
medium	105 FPS	106 FPS
high	91 FPS	91 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	77 FPS
1440p
low	103 FPS	112 FPS
medium	87 FPS	91 FPS
high	76 FPS	75 FPS
ultra	67 FPS	64 FPS
4K
low	55 FPS	60 FPS
medium	49 FPS	53 FPS
high	41 FPS	36 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	31 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open GeForce GTX 1070 SLI

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce GTX 1070 SLI
1080p
low	216 FPS	122 FPS
medium	181 FPS	93 FPS
high	148 FPS	71 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	45 FPS
1440p
low	134 FPS	67 FPS
medium	107 FPS	44 FPS
high	87 FPS	32 FPS
ultra	68 FPS	23 FPS
4K
low	62 FPS	23 FPS
medium	51 FPS	16 FPS
high	49 FPS	13 FPS
ultra	41 FPS	11 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open GeForce GTX 1070 SLI

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce GTX 1070 SLI
1080p
low	453 FPS	658 FPS
medium	362 FPS	536 FPS
high	302 FPS	464 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	400 FPS
1440p
low	340 FPS	473 FPS
medium	272 FPS	392 FPS
high	226 FPS	333 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	280 FPS
4K
low	226 FPS	309 FPS
medium	181 FPS	256 FPS
high	151 FPS	203 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	155 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open GeForce GTX 1070 SLI

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce GTX 1070 SLI
1080p
low	358 FPS	392 FPS
medium	302 FPS	333 FPS
high	260 FPS	274 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	230 FPS
1440p
low	299 FPS	324 FPS
medium	254 FPS	275 FPS
high	208 FPS	208 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	170 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	164 FPS
medium	133 FPS	132 FPS
high	123 FPS	116 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	95 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open GeForce GTX 1070 SLI

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

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

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 SLI

The GeForce GTX 1070 SLI is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 16 2016. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1506 MHz to 1683 MHz. It has 3840 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 300W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 17,790 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the GeForce GTX 1070 SLI's 17,790 — the GeForce GTX 1070 SLI leads by 76.8%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the GeForce GTX 1070 SLI uses Pascal, both on a 16 nm process. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 3,840 (GeForce GTX 1070 SLI). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 1683 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce GTX 1070 SLI
G3D Mark Score	10,064	17,790+77%
Architecture	Pascal	Pascal
Process Node	16 nm	16 nm
Shading Units	2560	3840+50%
Boost Clock	1733 MHz+3%	1683 MHz

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce GTX 1070 SLI
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 SLI has 8 GB. The GeForce GTX 1070 SLI 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 SLI) — a 33.3% advantage for the GeForce GTX 1070 SLI. Bus width: 192-bit vs 256-bit.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce GTX 1070 SLI
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%

🖥️

Display & API Support

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

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce GTX 1070 SLI
DirectX	12	12.1
Vulkan	1.3	1.3
OpenGL	4.5	4.5
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060) vs NVENC 5.0 (2x) (GeForce GTX 1070 SLI). Decoder: NVDEC (Pascal) vs PureVideo HD VP7 (2x). Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (GeForce GTX 1070 SLI).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce GTX 1070 SLI
Encoder	NVENC (Pascal)	NVENC 5.0 (2x)
Decoder	NVDEC (Pascal)	PureVideo HD VP7 (2x)
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the GeForce GTX 1070 SLI's 300W — a 50% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 750W (GeForce GTX 1070 SLI). Power connectors: 6-pin vs 2x 8-pin. Card length: 173mm vs 267mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce GTX 1070 SLI
TDP	180W-40%	300W
Recommended PSU	400W-47%	750W
Power Connector	6-pin	2x 8-pin
Length	173mm	267mm
Height	111mm	112mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	—	80°C
Perf/Watt	55.9	59.3+6%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 1060 launched at $249 MSRP, while the GeForce GTX 1070 SLI launched at $758. The GeForce GTX 1060 costs 67.2% less ($509 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 23.5 (GeForce GTX 1070 SLI) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 71.9% better value.