GeForce GTX 1060 vs GRID K120Q

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1060

2016Core: 1607 MHzBoost: 1733 MHz
GTX family
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VS

GRID K120Q

2013Core: 745 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce GTX 1060 vs GRID K120Q 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 GRID K120Q: 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

  • +3334.8% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Delivers 1624.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 2.3 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $125 MSRP).
  • 1100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 512 MB).
  • GRID K120Q is already obsolete for modern gaming, so GeForce GTX 1060 is the less risky modern option long term.
  • Draws 180W instead of 225W, a 45W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • 2016 hardware with 6 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.

GRID K120Q

2013

Why buy it

  • Costs $124 less on MSRP ($125 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (293 vs 10,064).
  • Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2013 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 2.3 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($125 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
  • 25% higher power demand at 225W vs 180W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce GTX 1060 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 3334.8% in PassMark G3D (10,064 vs 293), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce GTX 1060 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 6 GB vs 512 MB of VRAM, a 16nm process instead of 28nm, and a newer 2016 generation instead of 2013. 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 $124 more expensive on MSRP at $249 vs $125, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 1624.3% (40.4 vs 2.3), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce GTX 1060 vs GRID K120Q 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

GRID K120Q

The GRID K120Q is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in June 28 2013. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock speed is 745 MHz. It has 1536 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 225W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 293 points. Launch price was $937.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the GRID K120Q's 293 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 3334.8%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the GRID K120Q uses Kepler, both on 16 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 1,536 (GRID K120Q). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 2.289 TFLOPS (GRID K120Q).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060GRID K120Q
G3D Mark Score
10,064+3335%
293
Architecture
Pascal
Kepler
Process Node
16 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
2560+67%
1536
Compute (TFLOPS)
8.873 TFLOPS+288%
2.289 TFLOPS
ROPs
64+100%
32
TMUs
160+25%
128
L1 Cache
960 KB+650%
128 KB
L2 Cache
2 MB+300%
0.5 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 1060 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The GRID K120Q leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060GRID K120Q
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
Upscaling support
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
Standard
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 1060 has 6 GB of VRAM, while the GRID K120Q carries 512 MB. GeForce GTX 1060 gives you 1100% 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 GRID K120Q. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 0.5 MB (GRID K120Q) — the GeForce GTX 1060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060GRID K120Q
VRAM Capacity
6 GB+1100%
0.5 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
192-bit+200%
64-bit
L2 Cache
2 MB+300%
0.5 MB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12 (11_0) (GRID K120Q). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 0.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060GRID K120Q
DirectX
12
12 (11_0)
Vulkan
1.3+8%
1.2
OpenGL
4.5
4.6+2%
Max Displays
4
0
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060) vs NVENC 1 (GRID K120Q). Decoder: NVDEC (Pascal) vs NVDEC 1. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060) vs H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (GRID K120Q).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060GRID K120Q
Encoder
NVENC (Pascal)
NVENC 1
Decoder
NVDEC (Pascal)
NVDEC 1
Codecs
H.264,H.265/HEVC
H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the GRID K120Q's 225W — a 22.2% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 350W (GRID K120Q). Power connectors: 6-pin vs PCIe-powered.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060GRID K120Q
TDP
180W-20%
225W
Recommended PSU
400W
350W-13%
Power Connector
6-pin
PCIe-powered
Length
173mm
Height
111mm
Slots
2
0-100%
Perf/Watt
55.9+4200%
1.3
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 1060 came in at $249, while the GRID K120Q launched at $125. On MSRP, GRID K120Q was 49.8% cheaper ($124 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 2.3 (GRID K120Q) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 1656.5% better value. The newer card here is GeForce GTX 1060 (2016 vs 2013).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060GRID K120Q
MSRP
$249
$125-50%
Performance per Dollar
40.4+1657%
2.3
Codename
GP104
GK104
Release
May 27 2016
June 28 2013
Ranking
#137
#589

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