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 3090 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 3090: 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

✅Costs $1,250 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $1,499 MSRP).
✅Delivers 127.8% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 17.7 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $1,499 MSRP).
✅Draws 180W instead of 350W, a 170W reduction.
✅Measures 173mm instead of 312mm, a 139mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3090 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 24 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌2016 hardware with 6 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.

GeForce RTX 3090

2020

Why buy it

✅121.7% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (24 GB vs 6 GB).
✅Better long-term bet: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌
502% HIGHER MSRP
$1,499 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 17.7 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($1,499 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
❌94.4% higher power demand at 350W vs 180W.
❌80.3% longer card at 312mm vs 173mm.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce RTX 3090 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 121.7% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 164.2% in PassMark G3D (26,594 vs 10,064), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

GeForce RTX 3090 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 24 GB vs 6 GB of VRAM, the newer upscaling stack, DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, a 8nm process instead of 16nm, and 82 vs 0 ray-tracing units. 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 $1,250 cheaper on MSRP at $249 vs $1,499, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 127.8% (40.4 vs 17.7), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce GTX 1060 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and strong 1440p headroom, GeForce RTX 3090 has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 1060 vs GeForce RTX 3090 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 3090

The GeForce RTX 3090 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 1 2020. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1395 MHz to 1695 MHz. It has 10496 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 350W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 82 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 26,594 points. Launch price was $1,499.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the GeForce RTX 3090's 26,594 — the GeForce RTX 3090 leads by 164.2%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the GeForce RTX 3090 uses Ampere, both on 16 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 10,496 (GeForce RTX 3090). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 35.58 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3090). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 1695 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3090
G3D Mark Score	10,064	26,594+164%
Architecture	Pascal	Ampere
Process Node	16 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	2560	10496+310%
Compute (TFLOPS)	8.873 TFLOPS	35.58 TFLOPS+301%
Boost Clock	1733 MHz+2%	1695 MHz
ROPs	64	112+75%
TMUs	160	328+105%
L1 Cache	0.94 MB	10.3 MB+996%
L2 Cache	2 MB	6 MB+200%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3090 supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 1060 is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3090
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 3090 carries 24 GB. GeForce RTX 3090 gives you 300% 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 936 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3090) — a 387.5% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3090. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 1060 and 384-bit on the GeForce RTX 3090. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 6 MB (GeForce RTX 3090) — the GeForce RTX 3090 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3090
VRAM Capacity	6 GB	24 GB+300%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6X
Memory Bandwidth	192 GB/s	936 GB/s+388%
Bus Width	192-bit	384-bit+100%
L2 Cache	2 MB	6 MB+200%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3090). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3090
DirectX	12	12 Ultimate
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 7th gen (GeForce RTX 3090). Decoder: NVDEC (Pascal) vs NVDEC 5th gen. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1 (GeForce RTX 3090).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3090
Encoder	NVENC (Pascal)	NVENC 7th gen
Decoder	NVDEC (Pascal)	NVDEC 5th gen
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC	H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the GeForce RTX 3090's 350W — a 64.2% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 750W (GeForce RTX 3090). Power connectors: 6-pin vs 2x 8-pin. Card length: 173mm vs 312mm, occupying 2 vs 3 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3090
TDP	180W-49%	350W
Recommended PSU	400W-47%	750W
Power Connector	6-pin	2x 8-pin
Length	173mm	312mm
Height	111mm	140mm
Slots	2-33%	3
Temp (Load)	—	85°C
Perf/Watt	55.9	76.0+36%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 1060 came in at $249, while the GeForce RTX 3090 launched at $1499. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 1060 was 83.4% cheaper ($1250 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 17.7 (GeForce RTX 3090) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 128.2% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3090 (2020 vs 2016).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3090
MSRP	$249-83%	$1499
Performance per Dollar	40.4+128%	17.7
Codename	GP104	GA102
Release	May 27 2016	September 1 2020
Ranking	#137	#37

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