GeForce GTX 1060 vs GeForce GTX 1070 SLI

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1060

2016Core: 1607 MHzBoost: 1733 MHz
GTX family
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VS
NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1070 SLI

2016Core: 1506 MHzBoost: 1683 MHz
GTX family
·······

GeForce GTX 1060 vs GeForce GTX 1070 SLI 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 vs GeForce GTX 1070 SLI 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 1070 SLI: 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

  • 29.9% more average FPS across 50 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.
  • 2016 hardware with 6 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory 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).
  • GeForce GTX 1060 is already legacy-tier future-proofing, so GeForce GTX 1070 SLI is the less risky modern option long term.

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.
  • 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

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce GTX 1060 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 29.9% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward GeForce GTX 1070 SLI instead at 17,790 vs 10,064, so for this question the real-game FPS result matters more than the synthetic split.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce GTX 1070 SLI is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 8 GB vs 6 GB of VRAM. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce GTX 1060 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $509 cheaper on MSRP at $249 vs $758, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 72.2% (40.4 vs 23.5), so the value case lines up with the gaming result. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce GTX 1060 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and lighter 1440p headroom, GeForce GTX 1070 SLI has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 1060 vs GeForce GTX 1070 SLI Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

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.

NVIDIA

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.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060GeForce 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)

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060GeForce 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 has 6 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 1070 SLI carries 8 GB. GeForce GTX 1070 SLI gives you 33.3% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. 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. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 1060 and 256-bit on the GeForce GTX 1070 SLI.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060GeForce 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.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060GeForce 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).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060GeForce 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.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060GeForce 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

At launch, the GeForce GTX 1060 came in at $249, while the GeForce GTX 1070 SLI launched at $758. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 1060 was 67.2% cheaper ($509 less). 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.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060GeForce GTX 1070 SLI
MSRP
$249-67%
$758
Performance per Dollar
40.4+72%
23.5
Codename
GP104
Pascal GP104 SLI
Release
May 27 2016
August 16 2016
Ranking
#137
#142

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