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

✅Costs $950 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $1,199 MSRP).
✅Delivers 40.7% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 28.7 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $1,199 MSRP).
✅Draws 180W instead of 320W, a 140W reduction.
✅Measures 173mm instead of 310mm, a 137mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (10,064 vs 34,445).
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 16 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.

GeForce RTX 4080

2022

Why buy it

✅+242.3% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
✅166.7% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (16 GB vs 6 GB).
✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌
381.5% HIGHER MSRP
$1,199 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 28.7 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($1,199 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
❌77.8% higher power demand at 320W vs 180W.
❌79.2% longer card at 310mm vs 173mm.

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

GeForce RTX 4080

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $950 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $1,199 MSRP).
✅Delivers 40.7% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 28.7 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $1,199 MSRP).
✅Draws 180W instead of 320W, a 140W reduction.
✅Measures 173mm instead of 310mm, a 137mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Why buy it

✅+242.3% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
✅166.7% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (16 GB vs 6 GB).
✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (10,064 vs 34,445).
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 16 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.

Trade-offs

❌
381.5% HIGHER MSRP
$1,199 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 28.7 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($1,199 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
❌77.8% higher power demand at 320W vs 180W.
❌79.2% longer card at 310mm vs 173mm.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 4080 better than GeForce GTX 1060?

Yes. GeForce RTX 4080 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 34,445 vs 10,064 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 4080 is a 2022 card with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation, while GeForce GTX 1060 is a 2016 model from an older generation with no meaningful modern upscaling stack. So this is not really a tight same-tier comparison. It is more a modern card against an older, weaker alternative.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce RTX 4080 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2022 generation instead of 2016, 242.3% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 16 GB instead of 6 GB, and better upscaling support with DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution (2023) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack and better frame-generation support with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack. 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 RTX 4080 is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce RTX 4080 is about 381.5% more expensive on MSRP at $1,199 MSRP versus $249 MSRP, and you are getting 242.3% 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 RTX 4080 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 4080
1080p
low	117 FPS	276 FPS
medium	105 FPS	265 FPS
high	91 FPS	229 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	189 FPS
1440p
low	103 FPS	252 FPS
medium	87 FPS	214 FPS
high	76 FPS	175 FPS
ultra	67 FPS	148 FPS
4K
low	55 FPS	147 FPS
medium	49 FPS	123 FPS
high	41 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	92 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open GeForce RTX 4080

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 4080
1080p
low	216 FPS	818 FPS
medium	181 FPS	665 FPS
high	148 FPS	525 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	461 FPS
1440p
low	134 FPS	617 FPS
medium	107 FPS	512 FPS
high	87 FPS	420 FPS
ultra	68 FPS	344 FPS
4K
low	62 FPS	335 FPS
medium	51 FPS	287 FPS
high	49 FPS	259 FPS
ultra	41 FPS	221 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open GeForce RTX 4080

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 4080
1080p
low	453 FPS	999 FPS
medium	362 FPS	999 FPS
high	302 FPS	999 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	775 FPS
1440p
low	340 FPS	988 FPS
medium	272 FPS	902 FPS
high	226 FPS	775 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	581 FPS
4K
low	226 FPS	580 FPS
medium	181 FPS	504 FPS
high	151 FPS	455 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	388 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open GeForce RTX 4080

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 4080
1080p
low	358 FPS	999 FPS
medium	302 FPS	963 FPS
high	260 FPS	830 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	737 FPS
1440p
low	299 FPS	793 FPS
medium	254 FPS	690 FPS
high	208 FPS	585 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	510 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	567 FPS
medium	133 FPS	502 FPS
high	123 FPS	435 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	382 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open GeForce RTX 4080

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1060 and GeForce RTX 4080

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 4080

The GeForce RTX 4080 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 20 2022. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 2205 MHz to 2505 MHz. It has 9728 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 320W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 76 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 34,445 points. Launch price was $1,199.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the GeForce RTX 4080's 34,445 — the GeForce RTX 4080 leads by 242.3%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the GeForce RTX 4080 uses Ada Lovelace, both on 16 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 9,728 (GeForce RTX 4080). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 48.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4080). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 2505 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 4080
G3D Mark Score	10,064	34,445+242%
Architecture	Pascal	Ada Lovelace
Process Node	16 nm	5 nm
Shading Units	2560	9728+280%
Compute (TFLOPS)	8.873 TFLOPS	48.74 TFLOPS+449%
Boost Clock	1733 MHz	2505 MHz+45%
ROPs	64	112+75%
TMUs	160	304+90%
L1 Cache	0.94 MB	9.5 MB+911%
L2 Cache	2 MB	64 MB+3100%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the GeForce RTX 4080 is support for DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation. This allows it to generate entire frames using AI/Algorithms, essentially doubling the frame rate in CPU-bound scenarios or heavy ray-tracing titles. The GeForce GTX 1060 lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.The GeForce RTX 4080 supports the newer DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 1060 is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 4080
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution
Frame Generation	Not Supported	DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation
Ray Reconstruction	No	Yes (DLSS 3.5)
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 1060 comes with 6 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 4080 has 16 GB. The GeForce RTX 4080 offers 166.7% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 736 GB/s (GeForce RTX 4080) — a 283.3% advantage for the GeForce RTX 4080. Bus width: 192-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 64 MB (GeForce RTX 4080) — the GeForce RTX 4080 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 4080
VRAM Capacity	6 GB	16 GB+167%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6X
Memory Bandwidth	192 GB/s	736 GB/s+283%
Bus Width	192-bit	256-bit+33%
L2 Cache	2 MB	64 MB+3100%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 4080). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 4080
DirectX	12	12 Ultimate
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 8th gen (GeForce RTX 4080). Decoder: NVDEC (Pascal) vs NVDEC 5th gen. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1,VP9 (GeForce RTX 4080).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 4080
Encoder	NVENC (Pascal)	NVENC 8th gen
Decoder	NVDEC (Pascal)	NVDEC 5th gen
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC	H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1,VP9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the GeForce RTX 4080's 320W — a 56% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 750W (GeForce RTX 4080). Power connectors: 6-pin vs 16-pin. Card length: 173mm vs 310mm, occupying 2 vs 3 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 4080
TDP	180W-44%	320W
Recommended PSU	400W-47%	750W
Power Connector	6-pin	16-pin
Length	173mm	310mm
Height	111mm	140mm
Slots	2-33%	3
Temp (Load)	—	70°C
Perf/Watt	55.9	107.6+92%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 1060 launched at $249 MSRP, while the GeForce RTX 4080 launched at $1199. The GeForce GTX 1060 costs 79.2% less ($950 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 28.7 (GeForce RTX 4080) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 40.8% better value. The GeForce RTX 4080 is the newer GPU (2022 vs 2016).