GeForce GTX 1060 vs GeForce RTX 4090 D

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1060

2016Core: 1607 MHzBoost: 1733 MHz
VS
NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4090 D

2023Core: 2280 MHzBoost: 2520 MHz

GeForce GTX 1060 vs GeForce RTX 4090 D Performance Spectrum

About G3D Mark

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 4090 D 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 4090 D: 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 $1,350 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $1,599 MSRP).
  • Delivers 110.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 19.2 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $1,599 MSRP).
  • Draws 180W instead of 425W, a 245W reduction.
  • Measures 173mm instead of 304mm, a 131mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 4090 D across 50 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).
  • 2016 hardware with 6 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.

GeForce RTX 4090 D

2023

Why buy it

  • 151.8% more average FPS across 50 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).
  • Better long-term bet: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • 542.2% HIGHER MSRP
    $1,599 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 19.2 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($1,599 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
  • 136.1% higher power demand at 425W vs 180W.
  • 75.7% longer card at 304mm vs 173mm.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce RTX 4090 D is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 151.8% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 205.3% in PassMark G3D (30,725 vs 10,064), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 4090 D is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 24 GB vs 6 GB of VRAM, the newer feature stack, with DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution (2023) and DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023), while GeForce GTX 1060 is limited to no meaningful modern upscaling stack and no comparable frame-generation support, a 5nm process instead of 16nm, and 114 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 $1,350 cheaper on MSRP at $249 vs $1,599, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 110.3% (40.4 vs 19.2), 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 1440p and 4K headroom, GeForce RTX 4090 D has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 1060 vs GeForce RTX 4090 D Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

NVIDIA

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.

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4090 D

The GeForce RTX 4090 D is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in December 28 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 2280 MHz to 2520 MHz. It has 14592 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 425W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 114 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 30,725 points. Launch price was $1,599.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the GeForce RTX 4090 D's 30,725 — the GeForce RTX 4090 D leads by 205.3%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the GeForce RTX 4090 D uses Ada Lovelace, both on 16 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 14,592 (GeForce RTX 4090 D). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 73.54 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4090 D). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 2520 MHz.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060GeForce RTX 4090 D
G3D Mark Score
10,064
30,725+205%
Architecture
Pascal
Ada Lovelace
Process Node
16 nm
5 nm
Shading Units
2560
14592+470%
Compute (TFLOPS)
8.873 TFLOPS
73.54 TFLOPS+729%
Boost Clock
1733 MHz
2520 MHz+45%
ROPs
64
176+175%
TMUs
160
456+185%
L1 Cache
0.94 MB
14.3 MB+1421%
L2 Cache
2 MB
72 MB+3500%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The clearest feature edge for the GeForce RTX 4090 D is support for DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation. In games that support it, that can smooth out motion and lift perceived FPS. The GeForce GTX 1060 does not have comparable native support in the same tier.The GeForce RTX 4090 D supports the newer DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 1060 is capped at Upscaling support.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060GeForce RTX 4090 D
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 has 6 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 4090 D carries 24 GB. GeForce RTX 4090 D 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 1008 GB/s (GeForce RTX 4090 D) — a 425% advantage for the GeForce RTX 4090 D. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 1060 and 384-bit on the GeForce RTX 4090 D. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 72 MB (GeForce RTX 4090 D) — the GeForce RTX 4090 D has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060GeForce RTX 4090 D
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 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 4090 D). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

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

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

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the GeForce RTX 4090 D's 425W — a 81% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 850W (GeForce RTX 4090 D). Power connectors: 6-pin vs 16-pin. Card length: 173mm vs 304mm, occupying 2 vs 3 slots.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060GeForce RTX 4090 D
TDP
180W-58%
425W
Recommended PSU
400W-53%
850W
Power Connector
6-pin
16-pin
Length
173mm
304mm
Height
111mm
137mm
Slots
2-33%
3
Temp (Load)
78°C
Perf/Watt
55.9
72.3+29%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 1060 came in at $249, while the GeForce RTX 4090 D launched at $1599. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 1060 was 84.4% cheaper ($1350 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 19.2 (GeForce RTX 4090 D) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 110.4% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 4090 D (2023 vs 2016).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060GeForce RTX 4090 D
MSRP
$249-84%
$1599
Performance per Dollar
40.4+110%
19.2
Codename
GP104
AD102
Release
May 27 2016
December 28 2023
Ranking
#137
#14

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