GeForce GTX 1060 vs RADEON 9600 XT

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 9600 XT 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 9600 XT: 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

✅10724.0% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 22880.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 0.2 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
✅2300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 256 MB).
✅Draws 180W instead of 300W, a 120W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌2016 hardware with 6 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.

RADEON 9600 XT

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $50 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
✅Better long-term bet: RDNA 3.0 (2022−2026) on 5nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
✅More future proof: RDNA 3.0 (2022−2026) on 5nm 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 256 MB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0.2 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($199 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
❌66.7% higher power demand at 300W vs 180W.

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 10724.0% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 28654.3% in PassMark G3D (10,064 vs 35), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

RADEON 9600 XT is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: the newer upscaling stack, FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, a 5nm process instead of 16nm, 84 vs 0 ray-tracing units, and a newer 2022 generation instead of 2016. That gives it the more rounded hardware package for newer games.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce GTX 1060 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $50 more expensive on MSRP at $249 vs $199, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 22880.3% (40.4 vs 0.2), 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 and some 1440p headroom, RADEON 9600 XT has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 1060 vs RADEON 9600 XT 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 9600 XT

The RADEON 9600 XT is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 3 2022. It features the RDNA 3.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1387 MHz to 2394 MHz. It has 5376 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 300W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 84 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 35 points. Launch price was $899.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the RADEON 9600 XT's 35 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 28654.3%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the RADEON 9600 XT uses RDNA 3.0, both on 16 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 5,376 (RADEON 9600 XT). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 51.48 TFLOPS (RADEON 9600 XT). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 2394 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	RADEON 9600 XT
G3D Mark Score	10,064+28654%	35
Architecture	Pascal	RDNA 3.0
Process Node	16 nm	5 nm
Shading Units	2560	5376+110%
Compute (TFLOPS)	8.873 TFLOPS	51.48 TFLOPS+480%
Boost Clock	1733 MHz	2394 MHz+38%
ROPs	64	192+200%
TMUs	160	336+110%
L1 Cache	0.94 MB	3 MB+219%
L2 Cache	2 MB	6 MB+200%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 1060 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The RADEON 9600 XT leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	RADEON 9600 XT
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 9600 XT carries 256 MB. GeForce GTX 1060 gives you 2300% 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 9600 XT. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 6 MB (RADEON 9600 XT) — the RADEON 9600 XT has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	RADEON 9600 XT
VRAM Capacity	6 GB+2300%	0.25 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	192-bit+200%	64-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB	6 MB+200%

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the RADEON 9600 XT's 300W — a 50% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 350W (RADEON 9600 XT). Power connectors: 6-pin vs Legacy.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	RADEON 9600 XT
TDP	180W-40%	300W
Recommended PSU	400W	350W-13%
Power Connector	6-pin	Legacy
Length	173mm	—
Height	111mm	—
Slots	2	—
Perf/Watt	55.9+55800%	0.1

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 1060 came in at $249, while the RADEON 9600 XT launched at $199. On MSRP, RADEON 9600 XT was 20.1% cheaper ($50 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 0.2 (RADEON 9600 XT) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 20100% better value. The newer card here is RADEON 9600 XT (2022 vs 2016).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	RADEON 9600 XT
MSRP	$249	$199-20%
Performance per Dollar	40.4+20100%	0.2
Codename	GP104	Navi 31
Release	May 27 2016	November 3 2022
Ranking	#137	#21

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