Chipversus Index
Jump to Section

GeForce GTX 1060 vs Iris Xe Graphics MAX

CPUCPUGPUGPU
NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1060

2016Core: 1607 MHzBoost: 1733 MHz
Buy on Amazon
VS
Intel

Iris Xe Graphics MAX

2020Boost: 1650 MHz
Buy on Amazon

GeForce GTX 1060 vs Iris Xe Graphics MAX Performance Spectrum

GeForce GTX 1060
6 GB 180
10,064
+410.3%
brand logoGeForce GTX 680
brand logoGeForce GTX 970XM FORCE
brand logoGeForce RTX 2050 Mobile
brand logoGeForce GTX TITAN Z
brand logoGeForce GTX 980 Ti
brand logoGeForce RTX 5060 Mobile
brand logoGeForce RTX 2080 Ti
brand logoGeForce RTX 4080 Mobile
Iris Xe Graphics MAX
Shared System RAM 25
1,972
0.0%
brand logoArc A530M
brand logoArc A770M
brand logoArc B580

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 Iris Xe Graphics MAX: 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

  • ✅+410.3% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • ✅Delivers 12.7% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 35.9 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $55 MSRP).
  • ✅100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs Unknown).
  • ✅Iris Xe Graphics MAX is already obsolete for modern gaming, so GeForce GTX 1060 is the less risky modern option long term.

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.

Iris Xe Graphics MAX

2020

Why buy it

  • ✅Costs $194 less on MSRP ($55 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
  • ✅Draws 25W instead of 180W, a 155W reduction.
  • ✅More future proof: Generation 12.1 (2020−2021) on 10nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • ❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (1,972 vs 10,064).
  • ❌Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • ❌2020 hardware with Unknown 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 35.9 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($55 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

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 410.3% in PassMark G3D (10,064 vs 1,972), 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 Unknown of VRAM. 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 $194 more expensive on MSRP at $249 vs $55, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 12.7% (40.4 vs 35.9), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce GTX 1060 vs Iris Xe Graphics MAX 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.

Intel

Iris Xe Graphics MAX

The Iris Xe Graphics MAX is manufactured by Intel. It was released in October 31 2020. It features the Generation 12.1 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1650 MHz. It has 768 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 25W. Manufactured using 10 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,972 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the Iris Xe Graphics MAX's 1,972 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 410.3%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the Iris Xe Graphics MAX uses Generation 12.1, both on 16 nm vs 10 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 768 (Iris Xe Graphics MAX). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 2.534 TFLOPS (Iris Xe Graphics MAX). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 1650 MHz.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Iris Xe Graphics MAX
G3D Mark Score
10,064+410%
1,972
Architecture
Pascal
Generation 12.1
Process Node
16 nm
10 nm
Shading Units
2560+233%
768
Compute (TFLOPS)
8.873 TFLOPS+250%
2.534 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
1733 MHz+5%
1650 MHz
ROPs
64+167%
24
TMUs
160+233%
48
✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

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

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Iris Xe Graphics MAX
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 Iris Xe Graphics MAX carries 0 MB. GeForce GTX 1060 gives you 100+% 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 System on the Iris Xe Graphics MAX.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Iris Xe Graphics MAX
VRAM Capacity
6 GB
Shared System RAM
Memory Type
GDDR5
Shared
Memory Bandwidth
192 GB/s
System
Bus Width
192-bit
System
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12.1 (Iris Xe Graphics MAX). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.0. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Iris Xe Graphics MAX
DirectX
12
12.1
Vulkan
1.3+30%
1.0
OpenGL
4.5
4.6+2%
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060) vs QuickSync (Iris Xe Graphics MAX). Decoder: NVDEC (Pascal) vs QuickSync. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060) vs H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Iris Xe Graphics MAX).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Iris Xe Graphics MAX
Encoder
NVENC (Pascal)
QuickSync
Decoder
NVDEC (Pascal)
QuickSync
Codecs
H.264,H.265/HEVC
H.264,HEVC,AV1
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the Iris Xe Graphics MAX's 25W — a 151.2% difference. The Iris Xe Graphics MAX is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 1W (Iris Xe Graphics MAX). Power connectors: 6-pin vs Integrated.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Iris Xe Graphics MAX
TDP
180W
25W-86%
Recommended PSU
400W
1W-100%
Power Connector
6-pin
Integrated
Length
173mm
—
Height
111mm
—
Slots
2
—
Temp (Load)
—
85°C
Perf/Watt
55.9
78.9+41%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 1060 came in at $249, while the Iris Xe Graphics MAX launched at $55. On MSRP, Iris Xe Graphics MAX was 77.9% cheaper ($194 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 35.9 (Iris Xe Graphics MAX) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 12.5% better value. The newer card here is Iris Xe Graphics MAX (2020 vs 2016).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Iris Xe Graphics MAX
MSRP
$249
$55-78%
Performance per Dollar
40.4+13%
35.9
Codename
GP104
DG1
Release
May 27 2016
October 31 2020
Ranking
#137
#685
Search GeForce GTX 1060 on AmazonSearch Iris Xe Graphics MAX on Amazon

Affiliate Disclosure

ChipVERSUS is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through our links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support our work in providing comprehensive PC building guides and tools.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.