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 $1,350 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $1,599 MSRP).
✅Delivers 69.6% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 23.8 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $1,599 MSRP).
✅Draws 180W instead of 450W, a 270W reduction.
✅Measures 173mm instead of 304mm, a 131mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 4090 across 32 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 24 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 4090

2022

Why buy it

✅158.7% more average FPS across 32 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
✅300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (24 GB vs 6 GB).
✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌
542.2% HIGHER MSRP
$1,599 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 23.8 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($1,599 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
❌150% higher power demand at 450W vs 180W.
❌75.7% longer card at 304mm vs 173mm.

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

GeForce RTX 4090

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $1,350 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $1,599 MSRP).
✅Delivers 69.6% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 23.8 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $1,599 MSRP).
✅Draws 180W instead of 450W, a 270W reduction.
✅Measures 173mm instead of 304mm, a 131mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Why buy it

✅158.7% more average FPS across 32 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
✅300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (24 GB vs 6 GB).
✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 4090 across 32 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 24 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

❌
542.2% HIGHER MSRP
$1,599 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 23.8 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($1,599 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
❌150% higher power demand at 450W vs 180W.
❌75.7% longer card at 304mm vs 173mm.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 4090 better than GeForce GTX 1060?

Yes. GeForce RTX 4090 is clearly the better overall GPU here. GeForce RTX 4090 averages 158.7% more FPS across 32 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 38,112 vs 10,064 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 4090 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 4090 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2022 generation instead of 2016, 278.7% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 24 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 4090 is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce RTX 4090 is about 542.2% more expensive on MSRP at $1,599 MSRP versus $249 MSRP, and you are getting 158.7% more estimated average FPS across 32 tracked games in our benchmark data and 278.7% 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 4090 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 4090
1080p
low	117 FPS	283 FPS
medium	105 FPS	262 FPS
high	91 FPS	224 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	196 FPS
1440p
low	103 FPS	261 FPS
medium	87 FPS	217 FPS
high	76 FPS	173 FPS
ultra	67 FPS	156 FPS
4K
low	55 FPS	180 FPS
medium	49 FPS	149 FPS
high	41 FPS	114 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	102 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open GeForce RTX 4090

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 4090
1080p
low	216 FPS	910 FPS
medium	181 FPS	726 FPS
high	148 FPS	567 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	478 FPS
1440p
low	134 FPS	728 FPS
medium	107 FPS	607 FPS
high	87 FPS	494 FPS
ultra	68 FPS	397 FPS
4K
low	62 FPS	396 FPS
medium	51 FPS	335 FPS
high	49 FPS	309 FPS
ultra	41 FPS	265 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open GeForce RTX 4090

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 4090
1080p
low	453 FPS	944 FPS
medium	362 FPS	772 FPS
high	302 FPS	699 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	604 FPS
1440p
low	340 FPS	731 FPS
medium	272 FPS	598 FPS
high	226 FPS	529 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	452 FPS
4K
low	226 FPS	506 FPS
medium	181 FPS	419 FPS
high	151 FPS	377 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	317 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open GeForce RTX 4090

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 4090
1080p
low	358 FPS	999 FPS
medium	302 FPS	971 FPS
high	260 FPS	855 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	764 FPS
1440p
low	299 FPS	830 FPS
medium	254 FPS	728 FPS
high	208 FPS	641 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	561 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	606 FPS
medium	133 FPS	538 FPS
high	123 FPS	480 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	420 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open GeForce RTX 4090

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1060 and GeForce RTX 4090

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 4090

The GeForce RTX 4090 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 20 2022. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 2235 MHz to 2520 MHz. It has 16384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 450W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 128 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 38,112 points. Launch price was $1,599.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the GeForce RTX 4090's 38,112 — the GeForce RTX 4090 leads by 278.7%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the GeForce RTX 4090 uses Ada Lovelace, both on 16 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 16,384 (GeForce RTX 4090). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 82.58 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4090). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 2520 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 4090
G3D Mark Score	10,064	38,112+279%
Architecture	Pascal	Ada Lovelace
Process Node	16 nm	5 nm
Shading Units	2560	16384+540%
Compute (TFLOPS)	8.873 TFLOPS	82.58 TFLOPS+831%
Boost Clock	1733 MHz	2520 MHz+45%
ROPs	64	176+175%
TMUs	160	512+220%
L1 Cache	0.94 MB	16 MB+1602%
L2 Cache	2 MB	72 MB+3500%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the GeForce RTX 4090 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 4090 supports the newer DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 1060 is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 4090
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 4090 has 24 GB. The GeForce RTX 4090 offers 300% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 1008 GB/s (GeForce RTX 4090) — a 425% advantage for the GeForce RTX 4090. Bus width: 192-bit vs 384-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 72 MB (GeForce RTX 4090) — the GeForce RTX 4090 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 4090
VRAM Capacity	6 GB	24 GB+300%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6X
Memory Bandwidth	192 GB/s	1008 GB/s+425%
Bus Width	192-bit	384-bit+100%
L2 Cache	2 MB	72 MB+3500%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12.2 (GeForce RTX 4090). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 4090
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 8th Gen NVENC (2x) (GeForce RTX 4090). Decoder: NVDEC (Pascal) vs 5th Gen NVDEC. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (GeForce RTX 4090).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 4090
Encoder	NVENC (Pascal)	8th Gen NVENC (2x)
Decoder	NVDEC (Pascal)	5th Gen NVDEC
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the GeForce RTX 4090's 450W — a 85.7% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 1000W (GeForce RTX 4090). Power connectors: 6-pin vs 16-pin (12VHPWR). Card length: 173mm vs 304mm, occupying 2 vs 3 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 4090
TDP	180W-60%	450W
Recommended PSU	400W-60%	1000W
Power Connector	6-pin	16-pin (12VHPWR)
Length	173mm	304mm
Height	111mm	137mm
Slots	2-33%	3
Temp (Load)	—	80°C
Perf/Watt	55.9	84.7+52%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 1060 launched at $249 MSRP, while the GeForce RTX 4090 launched at $1599. The GeForce GTX 1060 costs 84.4% less ($1350 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 23.8 (GeForce RTX 4090) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 69.7% better value. The GeForce RTX 4090 is the newer GPU (2022 vs 2016).