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 Quadro M5500 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.

GeForce GTX 1060 vs Quadro M5500: 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

2016

Why buy it

✅21.3% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $551 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $800 MSRP).
✅Delivers 308.5% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 9.9 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $800 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2016 hardware with 6 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
❌20% higher power demand at 180W vs 150W.

Quadro M5500

2016

Why buy it

✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 6 GB).
✅Draws 150W instead of 180W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2016 hardware with 8 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
❌
221.3% HIGHER MSRP
$800 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 9.9 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($800 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce GTX 1060 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 21.3% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 27.2% in PassMark G3D (10,064 vs 7,915), so the answer here is pretty clean.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce GTX 1060 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 16nm process instead of 28nm. That still leaves it as the safer long-term option on hardware alone.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce GTX 1060 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $551 cheaper on MSRP at $249 vs $800, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 308.5% (40.4 vs 9.9), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce GTX 1060 vs Quadro M5500 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.

Quadro M5500

The Quadro M5500 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in April 8 2016. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1140 MHz to 1165 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 7,915 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the Quadro M5500's 7,915 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 27.2%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the Quadro M5500 uses Maxwell 2.0, both on 16 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 2,048 (Quadro M5500). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 4.772 TFLOPS (Quadro M5500). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 1165 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Quadro M5500
G3D Mark Score	10,064+27%	7,915
Architecture	Pascal	Maxwell 2.0
Process Node	16 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	2560+25%	2048
Compute (TFLOPS)	8.873 TFLOPS+86%	4.772 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1733 MHz+49%	1165 MHz
ROPs	64	64
TMUs	160+25%	128
L1 Cache	960 KB+25%	768 KB
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 1060 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Quadro M5500 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Quadro M5500
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 Quadro M5500 carries 8 GB. Quadro M5500 gives you 33.3% 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 256-bit on the Quadro M5500.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Quadro M5500
VRAM Capacity	6 GB	8 GB+33%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
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 M5500). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Quadro M5500
DirectX	12	12 (12_1)
Vulkan	1.3+8%	1.2
OpenGL	4.5	4.6+2%
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060) vs NVENC (Maxwell) (Quadro M5500). Decoder: NVDEC (Pascal) vs NVDEC (Maxwell). Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060) vs H.264,H.265,VP9,MPEG-2,VC-1 (Quadro M5500).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Quadro M5500
Encoder	NVENC (Pascal)	NVENC (Maxwell)
Decoder	NVDEC (Pascal)	NVDEC (Maxwell)
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC	H.264,H.265,VP9,MPEG-2,VC-1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the Quadro M5500's 150W — a 18.2% difference. The Quadro M5500 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 350W (Quadro M5500). Power connectors: 6-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 173mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Quadro M5500
TDP	180W	150W-17%
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+6%	52.8

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 1060 came in at $249, while the Quadro M5500 launched at $800. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 1060 was 68.9% cheaper ($551 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 9.9 (Quadro M5500) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 308.1% better value.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Quadro M5500
MSRP	$249-69%	$800
Performance per Dollar	40.4+308%	9.9
Codename	GP104	GM204
Release	May 27 2016	April 8 2016
Ranking	#137	#321

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