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 $1,750 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $1,999 MSRP).
✅Delivers 107.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 19.4 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $1,999 MSRP).
✅Draws 180W instead of 575W, a 395W reduction.
✅Measures 173mm instead of 304mm, a 131mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 5090 across 42 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 32 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation (2025).
❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.

GeForce RTX 5090

2025

Why buy it

✅160.6% more average FPS across 42 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation (2025).
✅433.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (32 GB vs 6 GB).
✅More future proof: Blackwell 2.0 (2025−2026) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌
702.8% HIGHER MSRP
$1,999 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 19.4 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($1,999 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
❌219.4% higher power demand at 575W vs 180W.
❌75.7% longer card at 304mm vs 173mm.

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

GeForce RTX 5090

2025

Why buy it

✅Costs $1,750 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $1,999 MSRP).
✅Delivers 107.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 19.4 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $1,999 MSRP).
✅Draws 180W instead of 575W, a 395W reduction.
✅Measures 173mm instead of 304mm, a 131mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Why buy it

✅160.6% more average FPS across 42 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation (2025).
✅433.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (32 GB vs 6 GB).
✅More future proof: Blackwell 2.0 (2025−2026) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 5090 across 42 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 32 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation (2025).
❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.

Trade-offs

❌
702.8% HIGHER MSRP
$1,999 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 19.4 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($1,999 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
❌219.4% higher power demand at 575W vs 180W.
❌75.7% longer card at 304mm vs 173mm.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 5090 better than GeForce GTX 1060?

Yes. GeForce RTX 5090 is clearly the better overall GPU here. GeForce RTX 5090 averages 160.6% more FPS across 42 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 38,867 vs 10,064 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 5090 is a 2025 card with DLSS 4 + Multi Frame Gen, 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 5090 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2025 generation instead of 2016, 286.2% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 32 GB instead of 6 GB, and better upscaling support with DLSS 4 Super Resolution (2025) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack and better frame-generation support with DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation (2025) 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 5090 is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce RTX 5090 is about 702.8% more expensive on MSRP at $1,999 MSRP versus $249 MSRP, and you are getting 160.6% more estimated average FPS across 42 tracked games in our benchmark data and 286.2% 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 5090 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 5090
1080p
low	117 FPS	276 FPS
medium	105 FPS	257 FPS
high	91 FPS	219 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	192 FPS
1440p
low	103 FPS	260 FPS
medium	87 FPS	217 FPS
high	76 FPS	172 FPS
ultra	67 FPS	155 FPS
4K
low	55 FPS	179 FPS
medium	49 FPS	149 FPS
high	41 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	100 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open GeForce RTX 5090

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 5090
1080p
low	216 FPS	880 FPS
medium	181 FPS	713 FPS
high	148 FPS	561 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	474 FPS
1440p
low	134 FPS	697 FPS
medium	107 FPS	591 FPS
high	87 FPS	483 FPS
ultra	68 FPS	383 FPS
4K
low	62 FPS	383 FPS
medium	51 FPS	328 FPS
high	49 FPS	305 FPS
ultra	41 FPS	263 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open GeForce RTX 5090

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 5090
1080p
low	453 FPS	944 FPS
medium	362 FPS	772 FPS
high	302 FPS	698 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	316 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open GeForce RTX 5090

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 5090
1080p
low	358 FPS	999 FPS
medium	302 FPS	999 FPS
high	260 FPS	907 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	811 FPS
1440p
low	299 FPS	885 FPS
medium	254 FPS	778 FPS
high	208 FPS	685 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	592 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	639 FPS
medium	133 FPS	568 FPS
high	123 FPS	507 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	437 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open GeForce RTX 5090

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1060 and GeForce RTX 5090

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 5090

The GeForce RTX 5090 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 30 2025. It features the Blackwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 2017 MHz to 2407 MHz. It has 21760 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 575W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 170 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 38,867 points. Launch price was $1,999.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the GeForce RTX 5090's 38,867 — the GeForce RTX 5090 leads by 286.2%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the GeForce RTX 5090 uses Blackwell 2.0, both on 16 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 21,760 (GeForce RTX 5090). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 104.8 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 5090). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 2407 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 5090
G3D Mark Score	10,064	38,867+286%
Architecture	Pascal	Blackwell 2.0
Process Node	16 nm	5 nm
Shading Units	2560	21760+750%
Compute (TFLOPS)	8.873 TFLOPS	104.8 TFLOPS+1081%
Boost Clock	1733 MHz	2407 MHz+39%
ROPs	64	176+175%
TMUs	160	680+325%
L1 Cache	0.94 MB	21.3 MB+2166%
L2 Cache	2 MB	96 MB+4700%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the GeForce RTX 5090 is support for DLSS 4 Multi 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 5090 supports the newer DLSS 4 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 1060 is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 5090
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	DLSS 4 Super Resolution
Frame Generation	Not Supported	DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation
Ray Reconstruction	No	Yes (DLSS 4)
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 1060 comes with 6 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 5090 has 32 GB. The GeForce RTX 5090 offers 433.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 1792 GB/s (GeForce RTX 5090) — a 833.3% advantage for the GeForce RTX 5090. Bus width: 192-bit vs 512-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 96 MB (GeForce RTX 5090) — the GeForce RTX 5090 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 5090
VRAM Capacity	6 GB	32 GB+433%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR7
Memory Bandwidth	192 GB/s	1792 GB/s+833%
Bus Width	192-bit	512-bit+167%
L2 Cache	2 MB	96 MB+4700%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12.2 (GeForce RTX 5090). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 5090
DirectX	12	12.2+2%
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 9th Gen NVENC (2x) (GeForce RTX 5090). Decoder: NVDEC (Pascal) vs 6th Gen NVDEC. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (GeForce RTX 5090).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 5090
Encoder	NVENC (Pascal)	9th Gen NVENC (2x)
Decoder	NVDEC (Pascal)	6th 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 5090's 575W — a 104.6% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 1000W (GeForce RTX 5090). Power connectors: 6-pin vs 16-pin (12VHPWR). Card length: 173mm vs 304mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 5090
TDP	180W-69%	575W
Recommended PSU	400W-60%	1000W
Power Connector	6-pin	16-pin (12VHPWR)
Length	173mm	304mm
Height	111mm	137mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	—	85°C
Perf/Watt	55.9	67.6+21%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 1060 launched at $249 MSRP, while the GeForce RTX 5090 launched at $1999. The GeForce GTX 1060 costs 87.5% less ($1750 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 19.4 (GeForce RTX 5090) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 108.2% better value. The GeForce RTX 5090 is the newer GPU (2025 vs 2016).