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 1650 with Max-Q Design 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 1650 with Max-Q Design: 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

✅86.4% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 4 GB).

Trade-offs

❌2016 hardware with 6 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
❌260% higher power demand at 180W vs 50W.

GeForce GTX 1650 with Max-Q Design

2020

Why buy it

✅GeForce GTX 1060 is already legacy-tier future-proofing, so GeForce GTX 1650 with Max-Q Design is the less risky modern option long term.
✅Draws 50W instead of 180W, a 130W reduction.
✅More future proof: Turing (2018−2022) on 12nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Older hardware, 4 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in newer AAA releases.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 40.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

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 86.4% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 59.5% in PassMark G3D (10,064 vs 6,309), so the answer here is pretty clean.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce GTX 1650 with Max-Q Design is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 12nm process instead of 16nm and a newer 2020 generation instead of 2016. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce GTX 1060 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce GTX 1060 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce GTX 1650 with Max-Q Design has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 1060 vs GeForce GTX 1650 with Max-Q Design 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 1650 with Max-Q Design

The GeForce GTX 1650 with Max-Q Design is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in April 2 2020. It features the Turing architecture. The core clock ranges from 1035 MHz to 1200 MHz. It has 1024 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 6,309 points.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the GeForce GTX 1650 with Max-Q Design's 6,309 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 59.5%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the GeForce GTX 1650 with Max-Q Design uses Turing, both on 16 nm vs 12 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 1,024 (GeForce GTX 1650 with Max-Q Design). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 2.458 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1650 with Max-Q Design). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 1200 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce GTX 1650 with Max-Q Design
G3D Mark Score	10,064+60%	6,309
Architecture	Pascal	Turing
Process Node	16 nm	12 nm
Shading Units	2560+150%	1024
Compute (TFLOPS)	8.873 TFLOPS+261%	2.458 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1733 MHz+44%	1200 MHz
ROPs	64+100%	32
TMUs	160+150%	64
L1 Cache	0.94 MB	1 MB+6%
L2 Cache	2 MB+100%	1 MB

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce GTX 1650 with Max-Q Design
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 1060 has 6 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 1650 with Max-Q Design carries 4 GB. GeForce GTX 1060 gives you 50% 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 112 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1650 with Max-Q Design) — a 71.4% advantage for the GeForce GTX 1060. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 1060 and 128-bit on the GeForce GTX 1650 with Max-Q Design. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 1 MB (GeForce GTX 1650 with Max-Q Design) — the GeForce GTX 1060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce GTX 1650 with Max-Q Design
VRAM Capacity	6 GB+50%	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	192 GB/s+71%	112 GB/s
Bus Width	192-bit+50%	128-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB+100%	1 MB

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Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12 (12_1) (GeForce GTX 1650 with Max-Q Design). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce GTX 1650 with Max-Q Design
DirectX	12	12 (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 (Turing) (GeForce GTX 1650 with Max-Q Design). Decoder: NVDEC (Pascal) vs NVDEC (4th Gen). Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060) vs H.264,H.265 (HEVC),VP9,H.265 10-bit (GeForce GTX 1650 with Max-Q Design).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce GTX 1650 with Max-Q Design
Encoder	NVENC (Pascal)	NVENC (Turing)
Decoder	NVDEC (Pascal)	NVDEC (4th Gen)
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC	H.264,H.265 (HEVC),VP9,H.265 10-bit

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the GeForce GTX 1650 with Max-Q Design's 50W — a 113% difference. The GeForce GTX 1650 with Max-Q Design is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 350W (GeForce GTX 1650 with Max-Q Design). Power connectors: 6-pin vs PCIe-powered.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce GTX 1650 with Max-Q Design
TDP	180W	50W-72%
Recommended PSU	400W	350W-13%
Power Connector	6-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	173mm	—
Height	111mm	—
Slots	2	0-100%
Temp (Load)	—	75°C
Perf/Watt	55.9	126.2+126%

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Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce GTX 1650 with Max-Q Design (2020 vs 2016).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce GTX 1650 with Max-Q Design
MSRP	$249	—
Codename	GP104	TU117
Release	May 27 2016	April 2 2020
Ranking	#137	#371

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