Page Index

GeForce GTX 1060 vs Quadro RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design

CPUCPUGPUGPU
NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1060

2016Core: 1607 MHzBoost: 1733 MHz

Popular choices:

•••••••••
VS
NVIDIA

Quadro RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design

2019Core: 600 MHzBoost: 1215 MHz

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - GPU

GeForce GTX 1060
6 GB 180
10,064
+24.0%
brand logoGeForce GTX 680
brand logoGeForce GTX 970XM FORCE
brand logoGeForce RTX 2050 Mobile
brand logoGeForce GTX TITAN Z
brand logoGeForce GTX 980 Ti
brand logoGeForce RTX 5060 Mobile
brand logoGeForce RTX 2080 Ti
brand logoGeForce RTX 4080 Mobile
Quadro RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design
6 GB 60
8,119
0.0%
brand logoGeForce MX550
brand logoGeForce GTX 670
brand logoGeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q
brand logoGeForce GTX 1650 (móvel)
brand logoGeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU
brand logoRTX 3000 Ada Generation Laptop GPU
brand logoGeForce RTX 5070 Laptop GPU
brand logoRTX 4000 Ada Generation

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

  • ✅11.7% 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).

Trade-offs

  • ❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
  • ❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
  • ❌200% higher power demand at 180W vs 60W.

Quadro RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design

2019

Why buy it

  • ✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • ✅More future proof: Turing (2018−2022) on 12nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
  • ✅Draws 60W instead of 180W, a 120W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • ❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1060 across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • ❌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 RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design?
Yes. GeForce GTX 1060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. GeForce GTX 1060 averages 11.7% more FPS across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 10,064 vs 8,119 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce GTX 1060 is a 2016 card with no meaningful modern upscaling stack, while Quadro RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design is a 2019 model from an older generation with DLSS Super Resolution. 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?
Quadro RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2019 generation instead of 2016, better upscaling support with DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, and a 12nm process instead of 16nm. That broader feature stack should age better as more games lean on modern upscaling and frame-generation support.
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 11.7% more estimated average FPS across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data and 24.0% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 100+%. Quadro RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design is the newer 2019 card, so it still has a real case if you care more about newer architecture, lower power draw (60W vs 180W), and future-proofing than about squeezing out the strongest gaming value today.
When does Quadro RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design make more sense than GeForce GTX 1060?
Yes. Quadro RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design 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 (60W 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 24.0% higher G3D Mark and 11.7% 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 RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design
1080p
low117 FPS83 FPS
medium105 FPS72 FPS
high91 FPS59 FPS
ultra77 FPS39 FPS
1440p
low103 FPS73 FPS
medium87 FPS64 FPS
high76 FPS47 FPS
ultra67 FPS30 FPS
4K
low55 FPS27 FPS
medium49 FPS26 FPS
high41 FPS17 FPS
ultra37 FPS15 FPS
Open GeForce GTX 1060Open Quadro RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce GTX 1060Quadro RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design
1080p
low216 FPS170 FPS
medium181 FPS135 FPS
high148 FPS110 FPS
ultra113 FPS94 FPS
1440p
low134 FPS131 FPS
medium107 FPS102 FPS
high87 FPS84 FPS
ultra68 FPS68 FPS
4K
low62 FPS76 FPS
medium51 FPS62 FPS
high49 FPS50 FPS
ultra41 FPS37 FPS
Open GeForce GTX 1060Open Quadro RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce GTX 1060Quadro RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design
1080p
low453 FPS365 FPS
medium362 FPS292 FPS
high302 FPS244 FPS
ultra226 FPS183 FPS
1440p
low340 FPS274 FPS
medium272 FPS219 FPS
high226 FPS183 FPS
ultra170 FPS137 FPS
4K
low226 FPS183 FPS
medium181 FPS146 FPS
high151 FPS122 FPS
ultra113 FPS91 FPS
Open GeForce GTX 1060Open Quadro RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce GTX 1060Quadro RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design
1080p
low358 FPS231 FPS
medium302 FPS195 FPS
high260 FPS159 FPS
ultra226 FPS134 FPS
1440p
low299 FPS180 FPS
medium254 FPS158 FPS
high208 FPS126 FPS
ultra170 FPS104 FPS
4K
low170 FPS107 FPS
medium133 FPS89 FPS
high123 FPS72 FPS
ultra102 FPS54 FPS
Open GeForce GTX 1060Open Quadro RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design
Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1060 and Quadro RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design

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 RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design

The Quadro RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 27 2019. It features the Turing architecture. The core clock ranges from 600 MHz to 1215 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 60W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. It features 36 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 8,119 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the Quadro RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design's 8,119 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 24%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the Quadro RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design uses Turing, both on 16 nm vs 12 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 2,304 (Quadro RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 5.599 TFLOPS (Quadro RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 1215 MHz.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Quadro RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design
G3D Mark Score
10,064+24%
8,119
Architecture
Pascal
Turing
Process Node
16 nm
12 nm
Shading Units
2560+11%
2304
Compute (TFLOPS)
8.873 TFLOPS+58%
5.599 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
1733 MHz+43%
1215 MHz
ROPs
64
64
TMUs
160+11%
144
L1 Cache
0.94 MB
2.3 MB+145%
L2 Cache
2 MB
4 MB+100%
✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The Quadro RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 1060 is capped at Upscaling support.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Quadro RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
DLSS 2 Super Resolution
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
NVIDIA Reflex
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

Both cards feature 6 GB of video memory. Bus width: 192-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 4 MB (Quadro RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design) — the Quadro RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Quadro RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design
VRAM Capacity
6 GB
6 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR6
Bus Width
192-bit
256-bit+33%
L2 Cache
2 MB
4 MB+100%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12 Ultimate (Quadro RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Quadro RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design
DirectX
12
12 Ultimate
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 7th Gen (Quadro RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design). Decoder: NVDEC (Pascal) vs NVDEC 4th Gen. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060) vs H.265,H.264 (Quadro RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Quadro RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design
Encoder
NVENC (Pascal)
NVENC 7th Gen
Decoder
NVDEC (Pascal)
NVDEC 4th Gen
Codecs
H.264,H.265/HEVC
H.265,H.264
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the Quadro RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design's 60W — a 100% difference. The Quadro RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 500W (Quadro RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design). Power connectors: 6-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 173mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Quadro RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design
TDP
180W
60W-67%
Recommended PSU
400W-20%
500W
Power Connector
6-pin
PCIe-powered
Length
173mm
0mm
Height
111mm
0mm
Slots
2
0-100%
Temp (Load)
—
Unknown
Perf/Watt
55.9
135.3+142%
💰

Value Analysis

The Quadro RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design is the newer GPU (2019 vs 2016).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Quadro RTX 3000 with Max-Q Design
MSRP
$249
—
Codename
GP104
TU106
Release
May 27 2016
May 27 2019
Ranking
#137
#313