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

✅Costs $9,750 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $9,999 MSRP).
✅Delivers 1928.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 2.0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $9,999 MSRP).
✅Draws 180W instead of 260W, a 80W reduction.
✅Measures 173mm instead of 267mm, a 94mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Quadro RTX 8000 across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 48 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.

Quadro RTX 8000

2018

Why buy it

✅99.7% more average FPS across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅700% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (48 GB vs 6 GB).
✅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.

Trade-offs

❌Limited future-proofing: older hardware, 48 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in upcoming AAA games.
❌
3915.7% HIGHER MSRP
$9,999 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 2.0 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($9,999 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
❌44.4% higher power demand at 260W vs 180W.
❌54.3% longer card at 267mm vs 173mm.

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

Quadro RTX 8000

2018

Why buy it

✅Costs $9,750 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $9,999 MSRP).
✅Delivers 1928.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 2.0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $9,999 MSRP).
✅Draws 180W instead of 260W, a 80W reduction.
✅Measures 173mm instead of 267mm, a 94mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Why buy it

✅99.7% more average FPS across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅700% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (48 GB vs 6 GB).
✅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.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Quadro RTX 8000 across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 48 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.

Trade-offs

❌Limited future-proofing: older hardware, 48 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in upcoming AAA games.
❌
3915.7% HIGHER MSRP
$9,999 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 2.0 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($9,999 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
❌44.4% higher power demand at 260W vs 180W.
❌54.3% longer card at 267mm vs 173mm.

Quick Answers

So, is Quadro RTX 8000 better than GeForce GTX 1060?

Yes. Quadro RTX 8000 is clearly the better overall GPU here. Quadro RTX 8000 averages 99.7% more FPS across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 19,927 vs 10,064 in G3D Mark. On top of that, Quadro RTX 8000 is a 2018 card with no meaningful modern upscaling stack, 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 8000 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2018 generation instead of 2016, 98.0% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 48 GB instead of 6 GB, and 100.0% more ray-tracing hardware. 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 8000 is the smarter buy by a wide margin. Quadro RTX 8000 is about 3915.7% more expensive on MSRP at $9,999 MSRP versus $249 MSRP, and you are getting 99.7% more estimated average FPS across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data and 98.0% 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 8000 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	Quadro RTX 8000
1080p
low	117 FPS	205 FPS
medium	105 FPS	190 FPS
high	91 FPS	166 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	151 FPS
1440p
low	103 FPS	187 FPS
medium	87 FPS	158 FPS
high	76 FPS	130 FPS
ultra	67 FPS	121 FPS
4K
low	55 FPS	119 FPS
medium	49 FPS	100 FPS
high	41 FPS	77 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	70 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open Quadro RTX 8000

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	Quadro RTX 8000
1080p
low	216 FPS	499 FPS
medium	181 FPS	442 FPS
high	148 FPS	343 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	289 FPS
1440p
low	134 FPS	325 FPS
medium	107 FPS	274 FPS
high	87 FPS	223 FPS
ultra	68 FPS	183 FPS
4K
low	62 FPS	153 FPS
medium	51 FPS	135 FPS
high	49 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	41 FPS	90 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open Quadro RTX 8000

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	Quadro RTX 8000
1080p
low	453 FPS	897 FPS
medium	362 FPS	717 FPS
high	302 FPS	598 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	448 FPS
1440p
low	340 FPS	673 FPS
medium	272 FPS	538 FPS
high	226 FPS	448 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	336 FPS
4K
low	226 FPS	448 FPS
medium	181 FPS	359 FPS
high	151 FPS	299 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	224 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open Quadro RTX 8000

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	Quadro RTX 8000
1080p
low	358 FPS	673 FPS
medium	302 FPS	605 FPS
high	260 FPS	515 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	448 FPS
1440p
low	299 FPS	544 FPS
medium	254 FPS	487 FPS
high	208 FPS	418 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	336 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	355 FPS
medium	133 FPS	323 FPS
high	123 FPS	297 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	224 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open Quadro RTX 8000

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1060 and Quadro RTX 8000

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 8000

The Quadro RTX 8000 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 13 2018. It features the Turing architecture. The core clock ranges from 1395 MHz to 1770 MHz. It has 4608 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 260W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. It features 72 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 19,927 points. Launch price was $9,999.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the Quadro RTX 8000's 19,927 — the Quadro RTX 8000 leads by 98%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the Quadro RTX 8000 uses Turing, both on 16 nm vs 12 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 4,608 (Quadro RTX 8000). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 16.31 TFLOPS (Quadro RTX 8000). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 1770 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Quadro RTX 8000
G3D Mark Score	10,064	19,927+98%
Architecture	Pascal	Turing
Process Node	16 nm	12 nm
Shading Units	2560	4608+80%
Compute (TFLOPS)	8.873 TFLOPS	16.31 TFLOPS+84%
Boost Clock	1733 MHz	1770 MHz+2%
ROPs	64	96+50%
TMUs	160	288+80%
L1 Cache	0.94 MB	4.5 MB+379%
L2 Cache	2 MB	6 MB+200%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Quadro RTX 8000
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 1060 comes with 6 GB of VRAM, while the Quadro RTX 8000 has 48 GB. The Quadro RTX 8000 offers 700% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 768 GB/s (Quadro RTX 8000) — a 300% advantage for the Quadro RTX 8000. Bus width: 192-bit vs 384-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 6 MB (Quadro RTX 8000) — the Quadro RTX 8000 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Quadro RTX 8000
VRAM Capacity	6 GB	48 GB+700%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	192 GB/s	768 GB/s+300%
Bus Width	192-bit	384-bit+100%
L2 Cache	2 MB	6 MB+200%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12.2 (Quadro RTX 8000). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Quadro RTX 8000
DirectX	12	12.2+2%
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 7.0 (Quadro RTX 8000). Decoder: NVDEC (Pascal) vs PureVideo HD VP10. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9 (Quadro RTX 8000).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Quadro RTX 8000
Encoder	NVENC (Pascal)	NVENC 7.0
Decoder	NVDEC (Pascal)	PureVideo HD VP10
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the Quadro RTX 8000's 260W — a 36.4% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 650W (Quadro RTX 8000). Power connectors: 6-pin vs 1x 8-pin + 1x 6-pin. Card length: 173mm vs 267mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Quadro RTX 8000
TDP	180W-31%	260W
Recommended PSU	400W-38%	650W
Power Connector	6-pin	1x 8-pin + 1x 6-pin
Length	173mm	267mm
Height	111mm	111mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	—	80°C
Perf/Watt	55.9	76.6+37%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 1060 launched at $249 MSRP, while the Quadro RTX 8000 launched at $9999. The GeForce GTX 1060 costs 97.5% less ($9750 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 2.0 (Quadro RTX 8000) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 1920% better value. The Quadro RTX 8000 is the newer GPU (2018 vs 2016).