GeForce GTX 1060 vs Quadro 3000M

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1060

2016Core: 1607 MHzBoost: 1733 MHz

Popular choices:

VS
NVIDIA

Quadro 3000M

2011Core: 450 MHz

Popular choices:

Performance Spectrum - 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

  • +905.4% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • 200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 2 GB).
  • Less risky long-term buy than Quadro 3000M: it remains the more sensible modern option while Quadro 3000M is already obsolete for modern gaming.

Trade-offs

  • Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
  • 140% higher power demand at 180W vs 75W.

Quadro 3000M

2011

Why buy it

  • Draws 75W instead of 180W, a 105W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (1,001 vs 10,064).
  • Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • Very weak future-proofing: 2011-era hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 40.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce GTX 1060 better than Quadro 3000M?
Yes. GeForce GTX 1060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 10,064 vs 1,001 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce GTX 1060 is a 2016 card with no meaningful modern upscaling stack, while Quadro 3000M is a 2011 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?
GeForce GTX 1060 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2016 generation instead of 2011, 905.4% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 6 GB instead of 2 GB, and a 16nm process instead of 40nm. 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?
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 priced in an unclear MSRP range at $249 MSRP versus an unclear MSRP, and you are getting 905.4% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 100+%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.
Is Quadro 3000M still worth buying for gaming in 2026?
Yes. Quadro 3000M is still a strong modern gaming GPU: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It remains a good buy when you can get it meaningfully cheaper than the alternative around an unclear MSRP, even if GeForce GTX 1060 is still the cleaner recommendation on overall value today.

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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetGeForce GTX 1060Quadro 3000M
1080p
low117 FPS41 FPS
medium105 FPS33 FPS
high91 FPS20 FPS
ultra77 FPS13 FPS
1440p
low103 FPS23 FPS
medium87 FPS17 FPS
high76 FPS9 FPS
ultra67 FPS6 FPS
4K
low55 FPS9 FPS
medium49 FPS8 FPS
high41 FPS5 FPS
ultra37 FPS4 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce GTX 1060Quadro 3000M
1080p
low216 FPS45 FPS
medium181 FPS36 FPS
high148 FPS30 FPS
ultra113 FPS23 FPS
1440p
low134 FPS34 FPS
medium107 FPS23 FPS
high87 FPS15 FPS
ultra68 FPS11 FPS
4K
low62 FPS15 FPS
medium51 FPS9 FPS
high49 FPS7 FPS
ultra41 FPS5 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce GTX 1060Quadro 3000M
1080p
low453 FPS45 FPS
medium362 FPS36 FPS
high302 FPS30 FPS
ultra226 FPS23 FPS
1440p
low340 FPS34 FPS
medium272 FPS27 FPS
high226 FPS23 FPS
ultra170 FPS17 FPS
4K
low226 FPS23 FPS
medium181 FPS18 FPS
high151 FPS15 FPS
ultra113 FPS11 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce GTX 1060Quadro 3000M
1080p
low358 FPS45 FPS
medium302 FPS36 FPS
high260 FPS30 FPS
ultra226 FPS23 FPS
1440p
low299 FPS14 FPS
medium254 FPS11 FPS
high208 FPS10 FPS
ultra170 FPS8 FPS
4K
low170 FPS10 FPS
medium133 FPS7 FPS
high123 FPS6 FPS
ultra102 FPS4 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1060 and Quadro 3000M

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

Quadro 3000M

The Quadro 3000M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in February 22 2011. It features the Fermi architecture. The core clock speed is 450 MHz. It has 240 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,001 points. Launch price was $398.96.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the Quadro 3000M's 1,001 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 905.4%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the Quadro 3000M uses Fermi, both on 16 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 240 (Quadro 3000M). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 0.432 TFLOPS (Quadro 3000M).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Quadro 3000M
G3D Mark Score
10,064+905%
1,001
Architecture
Pascal
Fermi
Process Node
16 nm
40 nm
Shading Units
2560+967%
240
Compute (TFLOPS)
8.873 TFLOPS+1954%
0.432 TFLOPS
ROPs
64+100%
32
TMUs
160+300%
40
L1 Cache
960 KB+200%
320 KB
L2 Cache
2 MB+300%
0.5 MB

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 Quadro 3000M relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Quadro 3000M
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 Quadro 3000M has 2 GB. The GeForce GTX 1060 offers 200% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 192-bit vs 64-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 0.5 MB (Quadro 3000M) — the GeForce GTX 1060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Quadro 3000M
VRAM Capacity
6 GB+200%
2 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
192-bit+200%
64-bit
L2 Cache
2 MB+300%
0.5 MB
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the Quadro 3000M's 75W — a 82.4% difference. The Quadro 3000M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 350W (Quadro 3000M). Power connectors: 6-pin vs PCIe-powered.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Quadro 3000M
TDP
180W
75W-58%
Recommended PSU
400W
350W-13%
Power Connector
6-pin
PCIe-powered
Length
173mm
Height
111mm
Slots
2
Perf/Watt
55.9+320%
13.3
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 1060 is the newer GPU (2016 vs 2011).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Quadro 3000M
MSRP
$249
Codename
GP104
GF104
Release
May 27 2016
February 22 2011
Ranking
#137
#888