GeForce GTX 1060
Maxwell GPU Surface Book
GeForce GTX 1060 vs Maxwell GPU Surface Book 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 Maxwell GPU Surface Book 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.
Path of Exile 2
Counter-Strike 2
League of Legends
GeForce GTX 1060 vs Maxwell GPU Surface Book: 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
2016Why buy it
- ✅+204% higher PassMark G3D performance.
- ✅Delivers 83.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 22.1 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
- ✅200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 2 GB).
- ✅Maxwell GPU Surface Book 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.
- ❌500% higher power demand at 180W vs 30W.
Maxwell GPU Surface Book
2015Why buy it
- ✅Costs $99 less on MSRP ($150 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
- ✅Draws 30W instead of 180W, a 150W reduction.
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (3,311 vs 10,064).
- ❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
- ❌2015 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
- ❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 22.1 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
Quick Answers
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GeForce GTX 1060 vs Maxwell GPU Surface Book Technical Specifications
Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.
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.
Maxwell GPU Surface Book
The Maxwell GPU Surface Book is manufactured by an unknown manufacturer. It was released in October 1 2015. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 954 MHz to 993 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 30W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,311 points.
Graphics Performance
In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the Maxwell GPU Surface Book's 3,311 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 204%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the Maxwell GPU Surface Book uses Maxwell, both on 16 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 384 (Maxwell GPU Surface Book). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 993 MHz.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1060 | Maxwell GPU Surface Book |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 10,064+204% | 3,311 |
| Architecture | Pascal | Maxwell |
| Process Node | 16 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 2560+567% | 384 |
| Boost Clock | 1733 MHz+75% | 993 MHz |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
The GeForce GTX 1060 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Maxwell GPU Surface Book leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1060 | Maxwell GPU Surface Book |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Maxwell GPU Surface Book carries 2 GB. GeForce GTX 1060 gives you 200% 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 128-bit on the Maxwell GPU Surface Book.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1060 | Maxwell GPU Surface Book |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 6 GB+200% | 2 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 192 GB/s | Unknown |
| Bus Width | 192-bit+50% | 128-bit |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12 (11_0) (Maxwell GPU Surface Book). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.1. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 3.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1060 | Maxwell GPU Surface Book |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 | 12 (11_0) |
| Vulkan | 1.3+18% | 1.1 |
| OpenGL | 4.5 | 4.6+2% |
| Max Displays | 4+33% | 3 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060) vs None (Maxwell GPU Surface Book). Decoder: NVDEC (Pascal) vs PureVideo VP6. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (Maxwell GPU Surface Book).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1060 | Maxwell GPU Surface Book |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | NVENC (Pascal) | None |
| Decoder | NVDEC (Pascal) | PureVideo VP6 |
| Codecs | H.264,H.265/HEVC | H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the Maxwell GPU Surface Book's 30W — a 142.9% difference. The Maxwell GPU Surface Book is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 350W (Maxwell GPU Surface Book). Power connectors: 6-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 173mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1060 | Maxwell GPU Surface Book |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 180W | 30W-83% |
| Recommended PSU | 400W | 350W-13% |
| Power Connector | 6-pin | PCIe-powered |
| Length | 173mm | 0mm |
| Height | 111mm | 0mm |
| Slots | 2 | 0-100% |
| Temp (Load) | — | 85 |
| Perf/Watt | 55.9 | 110.4+97% |
Value Analysis
At launch, the GeForce GTX 1060 came in at $249, while the Maxwell GPU Surface Book launched at $150. On MSRP, Maxwell GPU Surface Book was 39.8% cheaper ($99 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 22.1 (Maxwell GPU Surface Book) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 82.8% better value. The newer card here is GeForce GTX 1060 (2016 vs 2015).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1060 | Maxwell GPU Surface Book |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $249 | $150-40% |
| Performance per Dollar | 40.4+83% | 22.1 |
| Codename | GP104 | Surface Book |
| Release | May 27 2016 | October 1 2015 |
| Ranking | #137 | #779 |
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