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

✅Costs $30,751 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $31,000 MSRP).
✅Delivers 3743.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 1.1 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $31,000 MSRP).
✅Draws 180W instead of 300W, a 120W reduction.
✅Measures 173mm instead of 267mm, a 94mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (10,064 vs 32,601).
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 48 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.

L40

2022

Why buy it

✅+223.9% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅700% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (48 GB vs 6 GB).
✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 4nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌
12349.8% HIGHER MSRP
$31,000 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 1.1 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($31,000 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
❌66.7% higher power demand at 300W vs 180W.
❌54.3% longer card at 267mm vs 173mm.

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

L40

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $30,751 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $31,000 MSRP).
✅Delivers 3743.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 1.1 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $31,000 MSRP).
✅Draws 180W instead of 300W, a 120W reduction.
✅Measures 173mm instead of 267mm, a 94mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Why buy it

✅+223.9% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅700% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (48 GB vs 6 GB).
✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 4nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (10,064 vs 32,601).
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 48 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.

Trade-offs

❌
12349.8% HIGHER MSRP
$31,000 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 1.1 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($31,000 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
❌66.7% higher power demand at 300W vs 180W.
❌54.3% longer card at 267mm vs 173mm.

Quick Answers

So, is L40 better than GeForce GTX 1060?

Yes. L40 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 32,601 vs 10,064 in G3D Mark. On top of that, L40 is a 2022 card with no meaningful modern upscaling stack, 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?

L40 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2022 generation instead of 2016, 223.9% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 48 GB instead of 6 GB, and 100.0% more ray-tracing hardware. 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?

L40 is the smarter buy by a wide margin. L40 is about 12349.8% more expensive on MSRP at $31,000 MSRP versus $249 MSRP, and you are getting 223.9% 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

L40 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	L40
1080p
low	117 FPS	281 FPS
medium	105 FPS	252 FPS
high	91 FPS	207 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	131 FPS
1440p
low	103 FPS	251 FPS
medium	87 FPS	211 FPS
high	76 FPS	152 FPS
ultra	67 FPS	95 FPS
4K
low	55 FPS	116 FPS
medium	49 FPS	97 FPS
high	41 FPS	66 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	57 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open L40

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	L40
1080p
low	216 FPS	525 FPS
medium	181 FPS	407 FPS
high	148 FPS	310 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	268 FPS
1440p
low	134 FPS	440 FPS
medium	107 FPS	351 FPS
high	87 FPS	273 FPS
ultra	68 FPS	215 FPS
4K
low	62 FPS	233 FPS
medium	51 FPS	183 FPS
high	49 FPS	162 FPS
ultra	41 FPS	134 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open L40

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	L40
1080p
low	453 FPS	999 FPS
medium	362 FPS	999 FPS
high	302 FPS	978 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	734 FPS
1440p
low	340 FPS	970 FPS
medium	272 FPS	880 FPS
high	226 FPS	734 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	550 FPS
4K
low	226 FPS	569 FPS
medium	181 FPS	493 FPS
high	151 FPS	437 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	367 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open L40

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	L40
1080p
low	358 FPS	492 FPS
medium	302 FPS	430 FPS
high	260 FPS	383 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	293 FPS
1440p
low	299 FPS	346 FPS
medium	254 FPS	311 FPS
high	208 FPS	273 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	208 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	229 FPS
medium	133 FPS	197 FPS
high	123 FPS	156 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	119 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open L40

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1060 and L40

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.

L40

The L40 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in October 13 2022. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 735 MHz to 2490 MHz. It has 18176 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 300W. Manufactured using 4 nm process technology. It features 142 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 32,601 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the L40's 32,601 — the L40 leads by 223.9%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the L40 uses Ada Lovelace, both on 16 nm vs 4 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 18,176 (L40). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 90.52 TFLOPS (L40). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 2490 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	L40
G3D Mark Score	10,064	32,601+224%
Architecture	Pascal	Ada Lovelace
Process Node	16 nm	4 nm
Shading Units	2560	18176+610%
Compute (TFLOPS)	8.873 TFLOPS	90.52 TFLOPS+920%
Boost Clock	1733 MHz	2490 MHz+44%
ROPs	64	192+200%
TMUs	160	568+255%
L1 Cache	0.94 MB	17.8 MB+1794%
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 L40 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	L40
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 L40 has 48 GB. The L40 offers 700% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 960 GB/s (L40) — a 400% advantage for the L40. Bus width: 192-bit vs 384-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 96 MB (L40) — the L40 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	L40
VRAM Capacity	6 GB	48 GB+700%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	192 GB/s	960 GB/s+400%
Bus Width	192-bit	384-bit+100%
L2 Cache	2 MB	96 MB+4700%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12.2 (L40). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	L40
DirectX	12	12.2+2%
Vulkan	1.3	1.3
OpenGL	4.5	4.6+2%
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060) vs NVENC 8th Gen (L40). Decoder: NVDEC (Pascal) vs NVDEC 5th Gen. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060) vs AV1,HEVC,H.264,VP9 (L40).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	L40
Encoder	NVENC (Pascal)	NVENC 8th Gen
Decoder	NVDEC (Pascal)	NVDEC 5th Gen
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC	AV1,HEVC,H.264,VP9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the L40's 300W — a 50% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 750W (L40). Power connectors: 6-pin vs 16-pin. Card length: 173mm vs 267mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	L40
TDP	180W-40%	300W
Recommended PSU	400W-47%	750W
Power Connector	6-pin	16-pin
Length	173mm	267mm
Height	111mm	111mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	—	80°C
Perf/Watt	55.9	108.7+94%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 1060 launched at $249 MSRP, while the L40 launched at $31000. The GeForce GTX 1060 costs 99.2% less ($30751 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 1.1 (L40) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 3572.7% better value. The L40 is the newer GPU (2022 vs 2016).