GeForce GTX 1060 vs Quadro P4200 Max-Q

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1060

2016Core: 1607 MHzBoost: 1733 MHz

Popular choices:

VS
NVIDIA

Quadro P4200 Max-Q

2018Core: 1215 MHzBoost: 1480 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

  • 37.8% more average FPS across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • 50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 4 GB).

Trade-offs

  • 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 P4200 Max-Q

2018

Why buy it

  • Less risky long-term buy than GeForce GTX 1060: it remains the more sensible modern option while GeForce GTX 1060 is already legacy-tier future-proofing.
  • Draws 100W instead of 180W, a 80W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1060 across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • Limited future-proofing: older hardware, 4 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in upcoming AAA games.
  • 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 P4200 Max-Q?
Yes. GeForce GTX 1060 is the better GPU overall here. You are getting 37.8% more average FPS across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data, 29% higher PassMark G3D performance, and 6 GB vs 4 GB of VRAM. It also comes from 2016 instead of 2018, which helps its case as the more complete modern gaming card.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Quadro P4200 Max-Q is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2018 generation instead of 2016. That makes it the safer long-run choice for modern games.
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 37.8% more estimated average FPS across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data and 29.0% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 100+%. Quadro P4200 Max-Q is the newer 2018 card, so it still has a real case if you care more about newer architecture, lower power draw (100W vs 180W), and future-proofing than about squeezing out the strongest gaming value today.
When does Quadro P4200 Max-Q make more sense than GeForce GTX 1060?
Yes. Quadro P4200 Max-Q is still an excellent gaming GPU in 2026: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It makes more sense if your priority is newer architecture, lower power draw (100W vs 180W), future-proofing, and staying closer to an unclear MSRP more than squeezing out the extra headroom of GeForce GTX 1060. The trade-off is that GeForce GTX 1060 currently gives you 29.0% higher G3D Mark and 37.8% more estimated average FPS across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 100+%.

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 P4200 Max-Q
1080p
low117 FPS93 FPS
medium105 FPS81 FPS
high91 FPS69 FPS
ultra77 FPS46 FPS
1440p
low103 FPS78 FPS
medium87 FPS69 FPS
high76 FPS52 FPS
ultra67 FPS35 FPS
4K
low55 FPS28 FPS
medium49 FPS26 FPS
high41 FPS18 FPS
ultra37 FPS15 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce GTX 1060Quadro P4200 Max-Q
1080p
low216 FPS221 FPS
medium181 FPS187 FPS
high148 FPS144 FPS
ultra113 FPS117 FPS
1440p
low134 FPS161 FPS
medium107 FPS135 FPS
high87 FPS109 FPS
ultra68 FPS86 FPS
4K
low62 FPS94 FPS
medium51 FPS78 FPS
high49 FPS65 FPS
ultra41 FPS50 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce GTX 1060Quadro P4200 Max-Q
1080p
low453 FPS351 FPS
medium362 FPS281 FPS
high302 FPS234 FPS
ultra226 FPS176 FPS
1440p
low340 FPS263 FPS
medium272 FPS211 FPS
high226 FPS176 FPS
ultra170 FPS132 FPS
4K
low226 FPS176 FPS
medium181 FPS140 FPS
high151 FPS117 FPS
ultra113 FPS88 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce GTX 1060Quadro P4200 Max-Q
1080p
low358 FPS178 FPS
medium302 FPS145 FPS
high260 FPS123 FPS
ultra226 FPS104 FPS
1440p
low299 FPS127 FPS
medium254 FPS104 FPS
high208 FPS89 FPS
ultra170 FPS75 FPS
4K
low170 FPS71 FPS
medium133 FPS58 FPS
high123 FPS45 FPS
ultra102 FPS36 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1060 and Quadro P4200 Max-Q

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 P4200 Max-Q

The Quadro P4200 Max-Q is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in February 21 2018. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1215 MHz to 1480 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 7,800 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the Quadro P4200 Max-Q's 7,800 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 29%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the Quadro P4200 Max-Q uses Pascal, both on a 16 nm process. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 2,304 (Quadro P4200 Max-Q). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 6.82 TFLOPS (Quadro P4200 Max-Q). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 1480 MHz.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Quadro P4200 Max-Q
G3D Mark Score
10,064+29%
7,800
Architecture
Pascal
Pascal
Process Node
16 nm
16 nm
Shading Units
2560+11%
2304
Compute (TFLOPS)
8.873 TFLOPS+30%
6.82 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
1733 MHz+17%
1480 MHz
ROPs
64
64
TMUs
160+11%
144
L1 Cache
960 KB+11%
864 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 P4200 Max-Q relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Quadro P4200 Max-Q
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 P4200 Max-Q has 4 GB. The GeForce GTX 1060 offers 50% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 192-bit vs 256-bit.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Quadro P4200 Max-Q
VRAM Capacity
6 GB+50%
4 GB
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 12.1 (Quadro P4200 Max-Q). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Quadro P4200 Max-Q
DirectX
12
12.1
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 6.0 (Quadro P4200 Max-Q). Decoder: NVDEC (Pascal) vs PureVideo HD VP8. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9 (Quadro P4200 Max-Q).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Quadro P4200 Max-Q
Encoder
NVENC (Pascal)
NVENC 6.0
Decoder
NVDEC (Pascal)
PureVideo HD VP8
Codecs
H.264,H.265/HEVC
MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the Quadro P4200 Max-Q's 100W — a 57.1% difference. The Quadro P4200 Max-Q is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 350W (Quadro P4200 Max-Q). Power connectors: 6-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 173mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Quadro P4200 Max-Q
TDP
180W
100W-44%
Recommended PSU
400W
350W-13%
Power Connector
6-pin
PCIe-powered
Length
173mm
0mm
Height
111mm
0mm
Slots
2
0-100%
Perf/Watt
55.9
78.0+40%
💰

Value Analysis

The Quadro P4200 Max-Q is the newer GPU (2018 vs 2016).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Quadro P4200 Max-Q
MSRP
$249
Codename
GP104
GP104
Release
May 27 2016
February 21 2018
Ranking
#137
#234