GeForce GTX 1060 vs L2

CPU

GPU

GeForce GTX 1060

2016Core: 1607 MHzBoost: 1733 MHz

Popular choices:

•••••••••

L2

2023Core: 1440 MHzBoost: 2520 MHz

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - GPU

GeForce GTX 1060

6 GB 180

10,064

+84.1%

GeForce GTX 680

GeForce GTX 970XM FORCE

GeForce RTX 2050 Mobile

GeForce GTX TITAN Z

GeForce GTX 980 Ti

GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile

GeForce RTX 2080 Ti

GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile

4 GB 275

5,467

0.0%

GeForce RTX 2070 Super Mobile

RTX 4000 Ada Generation Laptop GPU

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.

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

✅+84.1% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Costs $1,751 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $2,000 MSRP).
✅Delivers 1378.6% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 2.7 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $2,000 MSRP).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 4 GB).
✅Draws 180W instead of 275W, a 95W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.

L2

2023

Why buy it

✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Measures 168mm instead of 173mm, a 5mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.
✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (5,467 vs 10,064).
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌
703.2% HIGHER MSRP
$2,000 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 2.7 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($2,000 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
❌52.8% higher power demand at 275W vs 180W.

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

L2

2023

Why buy it

✅+84.1% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Costs $1,751 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $2,000 MSRP).
✅Delivers 1378.6% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 2.7 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $2,000 MSRP).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 4 GB).
✅Draws 180W instead of 275W, a 95W reduction.

Why buy it

✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Measures 168mm instead of 173mm, a 5mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.
✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (5,467 vs 10,064).
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌
703.2% HIGHER MSRP
$2,000 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 2.7 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($2,000 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
❌52.8% higher power demand at 275W vs 180W.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce GTX 1060 better than L2?

Yes. GeForce GTX 1060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 10,064 vs 5,467 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce GTX 1060 is a 2016 card with no meaningful modern upscaling stack, while L2 is a 2023 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?

L2 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2023 generation instead of 2016, 100.0% more ray-tracing hardware, and a 5nm process instead of 16nm. That makes it the safer long-run choice for modern games.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?

GeForce GTX 1060 is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce GTX 1060 is about $1,751 cheaper on MSRP at $249 MSRP versus $2,000 MSRP, and you are getting 84.1% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 1378.6%. L2 is the newer 2023 card, so it still has a real case if you care more about newer architecture and future-proofing than about squeezing out the strongest gaming value today.

When does L2 make more sense than GeForce GTX 1060?

Yes. L2 is still an excellent gaming GPU in 2026: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It makes more sense if your priority is newer architecture, future-proofing, and staying closer to $2,000 MSRP more than squeezing out the extra headroom of GeForce GTX 1060. The trade-off is that GeForce GTX 1060 currently gives you 84.1% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 1378.6%.

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

L2 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	L2
1080p
low	117 FPS	202 FPS
medium	105 FPS	190 FPS
high	91 FPS	160 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	119 FPS
1440p
low	103 FPS	180 FPS
medium	87 FPS	148 FPS
high	76 FPS	123 FPS
ultra	67 FPS	92 FPS
4K
low	55 FPS	88 FPS
medium	49 FPS	76 FPS
high	41 FPS	58 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	51 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open L2

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	L2
1080p
low	216 FPS	246 FPS
medium	181 FPS	197 FPS
high	148 FPS	164 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	123 FPS
1440p
low	134 FPS	185 FPS
medium	107 FPS	148 FPS
high	87 FPS	123 FPS
ultra	68 FPS	92 FPS
4K
low	62 FPS	123 FPS
medium	51 FPS	98 FPS
high	49 FPS	82 FPS
ultra	41 FPS	62 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open L2

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	L2
1080p
low	453 FPS	246 FPS
medium	362 FPS	197 FPS
high	302 FPS	164 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	123 FPS
1440p
low	340 FPS	185 FPS
medium	272 FPS	148 FPS
high	226 FPS	123 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	92 FPS
4K
low	226 FPS	123 FPS
medium	181 FPS	98 FPS
high	151 FPS	82 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	62 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open L2

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	L2
1080p
low	358 FPS	246 FPS
medium	302 FPS	197 FPS
high	260 FPS	164 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	123 FPS
1440p
low	299 FPS	185 FPS
medium	254 FPS	148 FPS
high	208 FPS	123 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	92 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	123 FPS
medium	133 FPS	98 FPS
high	123 FPS	82 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	62 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open L2

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1060 and L2

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.

L2

The L2 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in November 16 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 1440 MHz to 2520 MHz. It has 11776 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 275W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 92 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,467 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the L2's 5,467 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 84.1%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the L2 uses Ada Lovelace, both on 16 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 11,776 (L2). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 59.35 TFLOPS (L2). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 2520 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	L2
G3D Mark Score	10,064+84%	5,467
Architecture	Pascal	Ada Lovelace
Process Node	16 nm	5 nm
Shading Units	2560	11776+360%
Compute (TFLOPS)	8.873 TFLOPS	59.35 TFLOPS+569%
Boost Clock	1733 MHz	2520 MHz+45%
ROPs	64	128+100%
TMUs	160	368+130%
L1 Cache	0.94 MB	11.5 MB+1123%
L2 Cache	2 MB	96 MB+4700%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 1060 gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The L2 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	L2
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 comes with 6 GB of VRAM, while the L2 has 4 GB. The GeForce GTX 1060 offers 50% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 192-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 96 MB (L2) — the L2 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	L2
VRAM Capacity	6 GB+50%	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Bus Width	192-bit+50%	128-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB	96 MB+4700%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12_2 (L2). Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 0.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	L2
DirectX	12	12_2
Max Displays	4	0

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060) vs NVENC 8th Gen (L2). Decoder: NVDEC (Pascal) vs NVDEC 5th Gen. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060) vs H.264,H.265,AV1 (L2).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	L2
Encoder	NVENC (Pascal)	NVENC 8th Gen
Decoder	NVDEC (Pascal)	NVDEC 5th Gen
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC	H.264,H.265,AV1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the L2's 275W — a 41.8% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 350W (L2). Power connectors: 6-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 173mm vs 168mm, occupying 2 vs 1 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	L2
TDP	180W-35%	275W
Recommended PSU	400W	350W-13%
Power Connector	6-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	173mm	168mm
Height	111mm	69mm
Slots	2	1-50%
Perf/Watt	55.9+181%	19.9

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 1060 launched at $249 MSRP, while the L2 launched at $2000. The GeForce GTX 1060 costs 87.5% less ($1751 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 2.7 (L2) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 1396.3% better value. The L2 is the newer GPU (2023 vs 2016).