GeForce GTX 1060 vs Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 4.6 TFLOPS

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1060

2016Core: 1607 MHzBoost: 1733 MHz
GTX family
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VS

Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 4.6 TFLOPS

2023Boost: 1500 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce GTX 1060 vs Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 4.6 TFLOPS Performance Spectrum

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.

GeForce GTX 1060 vs Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 4.6 TFLOPS: 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

  • +43.8% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Costs $1 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $250 MSRP).
  • Delivers 44.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 28.0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $250 MSRP).
  • 100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs Unknown).

Trade-offs

  • 2016 hardware with 6 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
  • 350% higher power demand at 180W vs 40W.

Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 4.6 TFLOPS

2023

Why buy it

  • GeForce GTX 1060 is already legacy-tier future-proofing, so Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 4.6 TFLOPS is the less risky modern option long term.
  • Draws 40W instead of 180W, a 140W reduction.
  • More future proof: Unknown architecture on 4nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (7,000 vs 10,064).
  • Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • Older hardware, Unknown of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in newer AAA releases.
  • 0.4% HIGHER MSRP
    $250 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 28.0 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($250 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce GTX 1060 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 43.8% in PassMark G3D (10,064 vs 7,000), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 4.6 TFLOPS is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 4nm process instead of 16nm and a newer 2023 generation instead of 2016. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce GTX 1060 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $1 cheaper on MSRP at $249 vs $250, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 44.3% (40.4 vs 28.0), so the value case lines up with the gaming result. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce GTX 1060 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p headroom, Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 4.6 TFLOPS has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 1060 vs Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 4.6 TFLOPS Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

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.

Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 4.6 TFLOPS

The Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 4.6 TFLOPS is manufactured by Qualcomm. It was released in October 26 2023. The boost clock speed is 1500 MHz. It has 1536 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 40W. Manufactured using 4 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 7,000 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 4.6 TFLOPS's 7,000 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 43.8%. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 1,536 (Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 4.6 TFLOPS). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 1500 MHz.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 4.6 TFLOPS
G3D Mark Score
10,064+44%
7,000
Process Node
16 nm
4 nm
Shading Units
2560+67%
1536
Boost Clock
1733 MHz+16%
1500 MHz

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 1060 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 4.6 TFLOPS leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 4.6 TFLOPS
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 Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 4.6 TFLOPS carries 0 MB. GeForce GTX 1060 gives you 100+% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 135 GB/s (Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 4.6 TFLOPS) — a 42.2% advantage for the GeForce GTX 1060. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 1060 and 128-bit on the Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 4.6 TFLOPS.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 4.6 TFLOPS
VRAM Capacity
6 GB
Shared System RAM
Memory Type
GDDR5
Shared
Memory Bandwidth
192 GB/s+42%
135 GB/s
Bus Width
192-bit+50%
128-bit
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12.1 (Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 4.6 TFLOPS). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs ES 3.2. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 3.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 4.6 TFLOPS
DirectX
12
12.1
Vulkan
1.3
1.3
OpenGL
4.5+41%
ES 3.2
Max Displays
4+33%
3
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060) vs Adreno VPU (Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 4.6 TFLOPS). Decoder: NVDEC (Pascal) vs Adreno VPU. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 4.6 TFLOPS).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 4.6 TFLOPS
Encoder
NVENC (Pascal)
Adreno VPU
Decoder
NVDEC (Pascal)
Adreno VPU
Codecs
H.264,H.265/HEVC
MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 4.6 TFLOPS's 40W — a 127.3% difference. The Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 4.6 TFLOPS is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 1W (Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 4.6 TFLOPS). Power connectors: 6-pin vs Integrated. Card length: 173mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 4.6 TFLOPS
TDP
180W
40W-78%
Recommended PSU
400W
1W-100%
Power Connector
6-pin
Integrated
Length
173mm
0mm
Height
111mm
0mm
Slots
2
0-100%
Perf/Watt
55.9
175.0+213%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 1060 came in at $249, while the Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 4.6 TFLOPS launched at $250. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 1060 was 0.4% cheaper ($1 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 28.0 (Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 4.6 TFLOPS) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 44.3% better value. The newer card here is Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 4.6 TFLOPS (2023 vs 2016).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 4.6 TFLOPS
MSRP
$249
$250
Performance per Dollar
40.4+44%
28.0
Codename
GP104
Release
May 27 2016
October 26 2023
Ranking
#137
#482

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