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

✅+50.7% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Costs $542 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $791 MSRP).
✅Delivers 378.7% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 8.4 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $791 MSRP).
✅Measures 173mm instead of 241mm, a 68mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 8 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.
❌80% higher power demand at 180W vs 100W.

Quadro M4000

2015

Why buy it

✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 6 GB).
✅Draws 100W instead of 180W, a 80W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (6,679 vs 10,064).
❌Poor future-proofing: 2015-era hardware with 8 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌
217.7% HIGHER MSRP
$791 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 8.4 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($791 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
❌39.3% longer card at 241mm vs 173mm.

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

Quadro M4000

2015

Why buy it

✅+50.7% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Costs $542 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $791 MSRP).
✅Delivers 378.7% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 8.4 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $791 MSRP).
✅Measures 173mm instead of 241mm, a 68mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Why buy it

✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 6 GB).
✅Draws 100W instead of 180W, a 80W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 8 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.
❌80% higher power demand at 180W vs 100W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (6,679 vs 10,064).
❌Poor future-proofing: 2015-era hardware with 8 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌
217.7% HIGHER MSRP
$791 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 8.4 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($791 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
❌39.3% longer card at 241mm vs 173mm.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce GTX 1060 better than Quadro M4000?

Yes. GeForce GTX 1060 is the better GPU overall here. You are getting 50.7% higher PassMark G3D performance. It also comes from 2016 instead of 2015, which helps its case as the more complete modern gaming card.

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 2015, 50.7% more raw performance headroom, and a 16nm process instead of 28nm. That extra performance headroom should help it hold higher settings and newer game demands for longer.

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 $542 cheaper on MSRP at $249 MSRP versus $791 MSRP, and you are getting 50.7% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 378.7%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.

Is Quadro M4000 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. Quadro M4000 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 $791 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.

GeForce GTX 1060 Benchmark Check

Quadro M4000 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	Quadro M4000
1080p
low	117 FPS	134 FPS
medium	105 FPS	112 FPS
high	91 FPS	91 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	55 FPS
1440p
low	103 FPS	113 FPS
medium	87 FPS	93 FPS
high	76 FPS	68 FPS
ultra	67 FPS	40 FPS
4K
low	55 FPS	39 FPS
medium	49 FPS	35 FPS
high	41 FPS	22 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	18 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open Quadro M4000

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	Quadro M4000
1080p
low	216 FPS	170 FPS
medium	181 FPS	144 FPS
high	148 FPS	117 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	82 FPS
1440p
low	134 FPS	114 FPS
medium	107 FPS	91 FPS
high	87 FPS	72 FPS
ultra	68 FPS	52 FPS
4K
low	62 FPS	50 FPS
medium	51 FPS	42 FPS
high	49 FPS	38 FPS
ultra	41 FPS	30 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open Quadro M4000

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	Quadro M4000
1080p
low	453 FPS	301 FPS
medium	362 FPS	240 FPS
high	302 FPS	200 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	150 FPS
1440p
low	340 FPS	225 FPS
medium	272 FPS	180 FPS
high	226 FPS	150 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	113 FPS
4K
low	226 FPS	150 FPS
medium	181 FPS	120 FPS
high	151 FPS	100 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	75 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open Quadro M4000

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	Quadro M4000
1080p
low	358 FPS	253 FPS
medium	302 FPS	219 FPS
high	260 FPS	185 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	147 FPS
1440p
low	299 FPS	191 FPS
medium	254 FPS	168 FPS
high	208 FPS	137 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	106 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	107 FPS
medium	133 FPS	85 FPS
high	123 FPS	70 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	54 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open Quadro M4000

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1060 and Quadro M4000

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.

Quadro M4000

The Quadro M4000 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 18 2015. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 975 MHz to 1013 MHz. It has 1,280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 6,679 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the Quadro M4000's 6,679 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 50.7%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the Quadro M4000 uses Maxwell 2.0, both on 16 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 1 (Quadro M4000). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 2.496 TFLOPS (Quadro M4000). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 1013 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Quadro M4000
G3D Mark Score	10,064+51%	6,679
Architecture	Pascal	Maxwell 2.0
Process Node	16 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	2560+100%	1,280
Compute (TFLOPS)	8.873 TFLOPS+255%	2.496 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1733 MHz+71%	1013 MHz
ROPs	64	64
TMUs	160+100%	80
L1 Cache	960 KB+100%	480 KB
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 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 M4000 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Quadro M4000
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 M4000 has 8 GB. The Quadro M4000 offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 211 GB/s (Quadro M4000) — a 9.9% advantage for the Quadro M4000. Bus width: 192-bit vs 256-bit.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Quadro M4000
VRAM Capacity	6 GB	8 GB+33%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	192 GB/s	211 GB/s+10%
Bus Width	192-bit	256-bit+33%
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12 (12_1) (Quadro M4000). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Quadro M4000
DirectX	12	12 (12_1)
Vulkan	1.3	1.4+8%
OpenGL	4.5	4.6+2%
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 5th Gen NVENC (Maxwell) (Quadro M4000). Decoder: NVDEC (Pascal) vs 1st Gen NVDEC. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 (Quadro M4000).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Quadro M4000
Encoder	NVENC (Pascal)	5th Gen NVENC (Maxwell)
Decoder	NVDEC (Pascal)	1st Gen NVDEC
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the Quadro M4000's 100W — a 57.1% difference. The Quadro M4000 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 350W (Quadro M4000). Power connectors: 6-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 173mm vs 241mm, occupying 2 vs 1 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Quadro M4000
TDP	180W	100W-44%
Recommended PSU	400W	350W-13%
Power Connector	6-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	173mm	241mm
Height	111mm	111mm
Slots	2	1-50%
Temp (Load)	—	82°C
Perf/Watt	55.9	66.8+19%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 1060 launched at $249 MSRP, while the Quadro M4000 launched at $791. The GeForce GTX 1060 costs 68.5% less ($542 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 8.4 (Quadro M4000) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 381% better value. The GeForce GTX 1060 is the newer GPU (2016 vs 2015).