GeForce GTX 1060 vs Radeon 540

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 Radeon 540 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

GeForce GTX 1060 vs Radeon 540: 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

✅551.3% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 175.6% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 14.7 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $99 MSRP).
✅1100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 512 MB).
✅Radeon 540 is already obsolete for modern gaming, so GeForce GTX 1060 is the less risky modern option long term.

Trade-offs

❌2016 hardware with 6 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
❌260% higher power demand at 180W vs 50W.

Radeon 540

2017

Why buy it

✅Costs $150 less on MSRP ($99 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
✅Draws 50W instead of 180W, a 130W reduction.
✅More future proof: GCN 4.0 (2016−2020) on 14nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2017 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 14.7 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($99 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce GTX 1060 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 551.3% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 593.1% in PassMark G3D (10,064 vs 1,452), so the answer here is pretty clean.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce GTX 1060 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 6 GB vs 512 MB of VRAM. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce GTX 1060 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $150 more expensive on MSRP at $249 vs $99, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 175.6% (40.4 vs 14.7), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce GTX 1060 vs Radeon 540 Technical Specifications

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

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.

Radeon 540

The Radeon 540 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 20 2017. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1183 MHz to 1124 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,452 points. Launch price was $79.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the Radeon 540's 1,452 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 593.1%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the Radeon 540 uses GCN 4.0, both on 16 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 384 (Radeon 540). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 0.9085 TFLOPS (Radeon 540). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 1124 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon 540
G3D Mark Score	10,064+593%	1,452
Architecture	Pascal	GCN 4.0
Process Node	16 nm	14 nm
Shading Units	2560+567%	384
Compute (TFLOPS)	8.873 TFLOPS+877%	0.9085 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1733 MHz+54%	1124 MHz
ROPs	64+300%	16
TMUs	160+567%	24
L1 Cache	960 KB+900%	96 KB
L2 Cache	2 MB+300%	0.5 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 1060 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon 540 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon 540
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 1060 has 6 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon 540 carries 512 MB. GeForce GTX 1060 gives you 1100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 1060 and 64-bit on the Radeon 540. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 0.5 MB (Radeon 540) — the GeForce GTX 1060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon 540
VRAM Capacity	6 GB+1100%	0.5 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	192-bit+200%	64-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB+300%	0.5 MB

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the Radeon 540's 50W — a 113% difference. The Radeon 540 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 350W (Radeon 540). Power connectors: 6-pin vs None.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon 540
TDP	180W	50W-72%
Recommended PSU	400W	350W-13%
Power Connector	6-pin	None
Length	173mm	—
Height	111mm	—
Slots	2	—
Perf/Watt	55.9+93%	29.0

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 1060 came in at $249, while the Radeon 540 launched at $99. On MSRP, Radeon 540 was 60.2% cheaper ($150 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 14.7 (Radeon 540) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 174.8% better value. The newer card here is Radeon 540 (2017 vs 2016).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon 540
MSRP	$249	$99-60%
Performance per Dollar	40.4+175%	14.7
Codename	GP104	Lexa
Release	May 27 2016	April 20 2017
Ranking	#137	#773

Search GeForce GTX 1060 on Amazon

Search Radeon 540 on Amazon

Affiliate Disclosure

ChipVERSUS is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through our links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support our work in providing comprehensive PC building guides and tools.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.