GeForce GTX 1060 vs GeForce4 MX 420

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1060

2016Core: 1607 MHzBoost: 1733 MHz
GTX family
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VS
NVIDIA

GeForce4 MX 420

2020Core: 1395 MHzBoost: 1575 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce GTX 1060 vs GeForce4 MX 420 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 GeForce4 MX 420 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 GeForce4 MX 420: 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

  • 10724.0% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Delivers 79927% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 0.1 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $99 MSRP).
  • 9423.8% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 65 MB).

Trade-offs

  • 2016 hardware with 6 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
  • 620% higher power demand at 180W vs 25W.

GeForce4 MX 420

2020

Why buy it

  • Costs $150 less on MSRP ($99 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
  • GeForce GTX 1060 is already legacy-tier future-proofing, so GeForce4 MX 420 is the less risky modern option long term.
  • Draws 25W instead of 180W, a 155W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 65 MB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2020 hardware with 65 MB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0.1 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($99 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce GTX 1060 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 10724.0% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 201180% in PassMark G3D (10,064 vs 5), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce4 MX 420 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 12nm process instead of 16nm and a newer 2020 generation instead of 2016. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce GTX 1060 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $150 more expensive on MSRP at $249 vs $99, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 79927% (40.4 vs 0.1), so the value case lines up with the gaming result. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce GTX 1060 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce4 MX 420 has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 1060 vs GeForce4 MX 420 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

GeForce4 MX 420

The GeForce4 MX 420 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 1 2020. It features the Turing architecture. The core clock ranges from 1395 MHz to 1575 MHz. It has 896 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 25W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the GeForce4 MX 420's 5 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 201180%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the GeForce4 MX 420 uses Turing, both on 16 nm vs 12 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 896 (GeForce4 MX 420). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 3.226 TFLOPS (GeForce4 MX 420). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 1575 MHz.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060GeForce4 MX 420
G3D Mark Score
10,064+201180%
5
Architecture
Pascal
Turing
Process Node
16 nm
12 nm
Shading Units
2560+186%
896
Compute (TFLOPS)
8.873 TFLOPS+175%
3.226 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
1733 MHz+10%
1575 MHz
ROPs
64+100%
32
TMUs
160+150%
64

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060GeForce4 MX 420
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
Upscaling support
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
NVIDIA Reflex
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 1060 has 6 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce4 MX 420 carries 65 MB. GeForce GTX 1060 gives you 9423.8% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 1060 and 64-bit on the GeForce4 MX 420.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060GeForce4 MX 420
VRAM Capacity
6 GB+9424%
0.063 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
192-bit+200%
64-bit
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 7.0 (GeForce4 MX 420). OpenGL: 4.5 vs 1.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 2.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060GeForce4 MX 420
DirectX
12+71%
7.0
OpenGL
4.5+200%
1.5
Max Displays
4+100%
2
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060) vs None (GeForce4 MX 420). Decoder: NVDEC (Pascal) vs MPEG-2 Decoder. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060) vs MPEG-2 (GeForce4 MX 420).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060GeForce4 MX 420
Encoder
NVENC (Pascal)
None
Decoder
NVDEC (Pascal)
MPEG-2 Decoder
Codecs
H.264,H.265/HEVC
MPEG-2
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the GeForce4 MX 420's 25W — a 151.2% difference. The GeForce4 MX 420 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 350W (GeForce4 MX 420). Power connectors: 6-pin vs PCIe-powered.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060GeForce4 MX 420
TDP
180W
25W-86%
Recommended PSU
400W
350W-13%
Power Connector
6-pin
PCIe-powered
Length
173mm
Height
111mm
100mm
Slots
2
1-50%
Temp (Load)
60°C
Perf/Watt
55.9+27850%
0.2
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 1060 came in at $249, while the GeForce4 MX 420 launched at $99. On MSRP, GeForce4 MX 420 was 60.2% cheaper ($150 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 0.1 (GeForce4 MX 420) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 40300% better value. The newer card here is GeForce4 MX 420 (2020 vs 2016).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060GeForce4 MX 420
MSRP
$249
$99-60%
Performance per Dollar
40.4+40300%
0.1
Codename
GP104
N17S-G5 / GP107-670-A1
Release
May 27 2016
August 1 2020
Ranking
#137
#523

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