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

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design across 40 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 16 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation (2025).
❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌125% higher power demand at 180W vs 80W.

Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design

2019

Why buy it

✅21.2% more average FPS across 40 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation (2025).
✅166.7% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (16 GB vs 6 GB).
✅More future proof: Turing (2018−2022) on 12nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Draws 80W instead of 180W, a 100W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 40.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design

2019

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Why buy it

✅21.2% more average FPS across 40 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation (2025).
✅166.7% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (16 GB vs 6 GB).
✅More future proof: Turing (2018−2022) on 12nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Draws 80W instead of 180W, a 100W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design across 40 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 16 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation (2025).
❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌125% higher power demand at 180W vs 80W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 40.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design better than GeForce GTX 1060?

Yes. Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design is clearly the better overall GPU here. Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design averages 21.2% more FPS across 40 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 12,675 vs 10,064 in G3D Mark. On top of that, Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design is a 2019 card with DLSS 4 + Multi Frame Gen, while GeForce GTX 1060 is a 2016 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?

Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2019 generation instead of 2016, 25.9% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 16 GB instead of 6 GB, and better upscaling support with DLSS 4 Super Resolution (2025) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack and better frame-generation support with DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation (2025) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack. 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?

Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design is the smarter buy by a wide margin. Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design is priced in an unclear MSRP range at an unclear MSRP versus $249 MSRP, and you are getting 21.2% more estimated average FPS across 40 tracked games in our benchmark data and 25.9% higher G3D Mark. GeForce GTX 1060 really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.

Is GeForce GTX 1060 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

No, not for a fresh gaming build. GeForce GTX 1060 is 2016 hardware with 6 GB of VRAM, 10,064 in G3D Mark, and no meaningful modern upscaling stack. That is simply too far behind to be an easy modern recommendation.

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 RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design
1080p
low	117 FPS	163 FPS
medium	105 FPS	145 FPS
high	91 FPS	121 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	88 FPS
1440p
low	103 FPS	143 FPS
medium	87 FPS	122 FPS
high	76 FPS	88 FPS
ultra	67 FPS	63 FPS
4K
low	55 FPS	68 FPS
medium	49 FPS	59 FPS
high	41 FPS	41 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	36 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design
1080p
low	216 FPS	193 FPS
medium	181 FPS	158 FPS
high	148 FPS	133 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	114 FPS
1440p
low	134 FPS	143 FPS
medium	107 FPS	114 FPS
high	87 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	68 FPS	82 FPS
4K
low	62 FPS	79 FPS
medium	51 FPS	64 FPS
high	49 FPS	56 FPS
ultra	41 FPS	42 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design
1080p
low	453 FPS	570 FPS
medium	362 FPS	456 FPS
high	302 FPS	380 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	285 FPS
1440p
low	340 FPS	428 FPS
medium	272 FPS	342 FPS
high	226 FPS	285 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	214 FPS
4K
low	226 FPS	285 FPS
medium	181 FPS	228 FPS
high	151 FPS	190 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	143 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design
1080p
low	358 FPS	247 FPS
medium	302 FPS	214 FPS
high	260 FPS	173 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	147 FPS
1440p
low	299 FPS	189 FPS
medium	254 FPS	167 FPS
high	208 FPS	132 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	109 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	112 FPS
medium	133 FPS	94 FPS
high	123 FPS	76 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	58 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1060 and Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design

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 RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design

The Quadro RTX 5000 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 1350 MHz. It has 3072 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 80W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. It features 48 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 12,675 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design's 12,675 — the Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design leads by 25.9%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design uses Turing, both on 16 nm vs 12 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 3,072 (Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 8.294 TFLOPS (Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 1350 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design
G3D Mark Score	10,064	12,675+26%
Architecture	Pascal	Turing
Process Node	16 nm	12 nm
Shading Units	2560	3072+20%
Compute (TFLOPS)	8.873 TFLOPS+7%	8.294 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1733 MHz+28%	1350 MHz
ROPs	64	64
TMUs	160	192+20%
L1 Cache	0.94 MB	3 MB+219%
L2 Cache	2 MB	4 MB+100%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design is support for DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation. This allows it to generate entire frames using AI/Algorithms, essentially doubling the frame rate in CPU-bound scenarios or heavy ray-tracing titles. The GeForce GTX 1060 lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.The Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design supports the newer DLSS 4 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 1060 is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	DLSS 4 Super Resolution
Frame Generation	Not Supported	DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation
Ray Reconstruction	No	Yes (DLSS 4)
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 1060 comes with 6 GB of VRAM, while the Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design has 16 GB. The Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design offers 166.7% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 192-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 4 MB (Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design) — the Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design
VRAM Capacity	6 GB	16 GB+167%
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 12.2 (Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design
DirectX	12	12.2+2%
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 7th Gen NVENC (Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design). Decoder: NVDEC (Pascal) vs 5th Gen NVDEC. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (Decode) (Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design
Encoder	NVENC (Pascal)	7th Gen NVENC
Decoder	NVDEC (Pascal)	5th Gen NVDEC
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (Decode)

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design's 80W — a 76.9% difference. The Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 500W (Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design). Power connectors: 6-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 173mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design
TDP	180W	80W-56%
Recommended PSU	400W-20%	500W
Power Connector	6-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	173mm	0mm
Height	111mm	0mm
Slots	2	0-100%
Temp (Load)	—	80°C
Perf/Watt	55.9	158.4+183%