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

✅23.8% more average FPS across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (10,064 vs 28,280).
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 24 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.
❌89.5% higher power demand at 180W vs 95W.

GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile

2025

Why buy it

✅+181% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation (2025).
✅300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (24 GB vs 6 GB).
✅More future proof: Blackwell (2024−2025) on 4nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Draws 95W instead of 180W, a 85W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1060 across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 40.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile

2025

Why buy it

✅23.8% more average FPS across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Why buy it

✅+181% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation (2025).
✅300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (24 GB vs 6 GB).
✅More future proof: Blackwell (2024−2025) on 4nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Draws 95W instead of 180W, a 85W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (10,064 vs 28,280).
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 24 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.
❌89.5% higher power demand at 180W vs 95W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1060 across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 40.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

Quick Answers

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

Yes. GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile is clearly the better overall GPU here. GeForce GTX 1060 averages 23.8% more FPS across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 28,280 vs 10,064 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile 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 Mobile is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2025 generation instead of 2016, 181.0% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 24 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 Mobile is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile is priced in an unclear MSRP range at an unclear MSRP versus $249 MSRP, and you are getting lower estimated average FPS across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data and 181.0% 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 Mobile Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile
1080p
low	117 FPS	149 FPS
medium	105 FPS	133 FPS
high	91 FPS	107 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	76 FPS
1440p
low	103 FPS	136 FPS
medium	87 FPS	115 FPS
high	76 FPS	81 FPS
ultra	67 FPS	57 FPS
4K
low	55 FPS	60 FPS
medium	49 FPS	53 FPS
high	41 FPS	35 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	31 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile
1080p
low	216 FPS	167 FPS
medium	181 FPS	125 FPS
high	148 FPS	86 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	60 FPS
1440p
low	134 FPS	110 FPS
medium	107 FPS	71 FPS
high	87 FPS	51 FPS
ultra	68 FPS	39 FPS
4K
low	62 FPS	54 FPS
medium	51 FPS	37 FPS
high	49 FPS	30 FPS
ultra	41 FPS	22 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile
1080p
low	453 FPS	670 FPS
medium	362 FPS	533 FPS
high	302 FPS	458 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	398 FPS
1440p
low	340 FPS	478 FPS
medium	272 FPS	390 FPS
high	226 FPS	330 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	276 FPS
4K
low	226 FPS	307 FPS
medium	181 FPS	250 FPS
high	151 FPS	191 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	141 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile
1080p
low	358 FPS	214 FPS
medium	302 FPS	183 FPS
high	260 FPS	148 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	123 FPS
1440p
low	299 FPS	170 FPS
medium	254 FPS	147 FPS
high	208 FPS	114 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	94 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	92 FPS
medium	133 FPS	73 FPS
high	123 FPS	59 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	48 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

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

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 Mobile

The GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 2 2025. It features the Blackwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 990 MHz to 1515 MHz. It has 10496 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 95W. Manufactured using 4 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 28,280 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile's 28,280 — the GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile leads by 181%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile uses Blackwell 2.0, both on 16 nm vs 4 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 10,496 (GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 1515 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile
G3D Mark Score	10,064	28,280+181%
Architecture	Pascal	Blackwell 2.0
Process Node	16 nm	4 nm
Shading Units	2560	10496+310%
Boost Clock	1733 MHz+14%	1515 MHz

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

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

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile
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 Mobile has 24 GB. The GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile offers 300% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 896 GB/s (GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile) — a 366.7% advantage for the GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile. Bus width: 192-bit vs 256-bit.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile
VRAM Capacity	6 GB	24 GB+300%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	192 GB/s	896 GB/s+367%
Bus Width	192-bit	256-bit+33%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12 Ultimate (12_2) (GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile). 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 Mobile
DirectX	12	12 Ultimate (12_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 NVENC (Blackwell) (GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile). Decoder: NVDEC (Pascal) vs NVDEC (Blackwell). Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060) vs H.264,H.265,AV1,VP9 (GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile
Encoder	NVENC (Pascal)	NVENC (Blackwell)
Decoder	NVDEC (Pascal)	NVDEC (Blackwell)
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC	H.264,H.265,AV1,VP9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile's 95W — a 61.8% difference. The GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 650W (GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile). Power connectors: 6-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 173mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile
TDP	180W	95W-47%
Recommended PSU	400W-38%	650W
Power Connector	6-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	173mm	0mm
Height	111mm	0mm
Slots	2	0-100%
Temp (Load)	—	85
Perf/Watt	55.9	297.7+433%