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 RTX 2050 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 RTX 2050: 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

✅6.5% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 4 GB).
✅Draws 180W instead of 215W, a 35W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌2016 hardware with 6 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
❌
66% HIGHER MSRP
$249 MSRPvs$150 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 40.4 vs 51.4 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 2050

2018

Why buy it

✅Costs $99 less on MSRP ($150 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
✅Delivers 27.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.4 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅GeForce GTX 1060 is already legacy-tier future-proofing, so GeForce RTX 2050 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.
❌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.
❌19.4% higher power demand at 215W 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 6.5% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 30.5% in PassMark G3D (10,064 vs 7,714), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

GeForce RTX 2050 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: the newer upscaling stack, DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, a 12nm process instead of 16nm, 46 vs 0 ray-tracing units, and a newer 2018 generation instead of 2016. That gives it the more rounded hardware package for newer games.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce RTX 2050 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $99 cheaper on MSRP at $150 vs $249, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 27.2% (51.4 vs 40.4), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. GeForce GTX 1060 still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

GeForce GTX 1060 vs GeForce RTX 2050 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 RTX 2050

The GeForce RTX 2050 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 20 2018. It features the Turing architecture. The core clock ranges from 1515 MHz to 1710 MHz. It has 2944 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 215W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. It features 46 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 7,714 points. Launch price was $699.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the GeForce RTX 2050's 7,714 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 30.5%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the GeForce RTX 2050 uses Turing, both on 16 nm vs 12 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 2,944 (GeForce RTX 2050). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 10.07 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 2050). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 1710 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 2050
G3D Mark Score	10,064+30%	7,714
Architecture	Pascal	Turing
Process Node	16 nm	12 nm
Shading Units	2560	2944+15%
Compute (TFLOPS)	8.873 TFLOPS	10.07 TFLOPS+13%
Boost Clock	1733 MHz+1%	1710 MHz
ROPs	64	64
TMUs	160	184+15%
L1 Cache	0.94 MB	2.9 MB+209%
L2 Cache	2 MB	4 MB+100%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 2050 supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 1060 is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 2050
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	DLSS 2 Super Resolution
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 RTX 2050 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 RTX 2050) — a 71.4% advantage for the GeForce GTX 1060. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 1060 and 64-bit on the GeForce RTX 2050. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 4 MB (GeForce RTX 2050) — the GeForce RTX 2050 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 2050
VRAM Capacity	6 GB+50%	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	192 GB/s+71%	112 GB/s
Bus Width	192-bit+200%	64-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB	4 MB+100%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12.2 (GeForce RTX 2050). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 2050
DirectX	12	12.2+2%
Vulkan	1.3	1.3
OpenGL	4.5	4.6+2%
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060) vs NVENC 8.0 (GeForce RTX 2050). Decoder: NVDEC (Pascal) vs PureVideo HD VP11. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (Decode) (GeForce RTX 2050).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 2050
Encoder	NVENC (Pascal)	NVENC 8.0
Decoder	NVDEC (Pascal)	PureVideo HD VP11
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (Decode)

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the GeForce RTX 2050's 215W — a 17.7% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 300W (GeForce RTX 2050). Power connectors: 6-pin vs 6-pin. Card length: 173mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 2050
TDP	180W-16%	215W
Recommended PSU	400W	300W-25%
Power Connector	6-pin	6-pin
Length	173mm	0mm
Height	111mm	0mm
Slots	2	0-100%
Perf/Watt	55.9+56%	35.9

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 1060 came in at $249, while the GeForce RTX 2050 launched at $150. On MSRP, GeForce RTX 2050 was 39.8% cheaper ($99 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 51.4 (GeForce RTX 2050) — the GeForce RTX 2050 offers 27.2% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 2050 (2018 vs 2016).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 2050
MSRP	$249	$150-40%
Performance per Dollar	40.4	51.4+27%
Codename	GP104	TU104
Release	May 27 2016	September 20 2018
Ranking	#137	#94

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