GeForce GTX 1060 vs Radeon HD 7290

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 HD 7290 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 HD 7290: 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

✅3508.0% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 621.7% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 5.6 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $20 MSRP).
✅1100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 512 MB).
✅Radeon HD 7290 is already obsolete for modern gaming, so GeForce GTX 1060 is the less risky modern option long term.
✅Draws 180W instead of 375W, a 195W reduction.

Trade-offs

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

Radeon HD 7290

2013

Why buy it

✅Costs $229 less on MSRP ($20 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

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.
❌2013 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 5.6 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($20 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
❌108.3% higher power demand at 375W 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 3508.0% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 8885.7% in PassMark G3D (10,064 vs 112), 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, a 16nm process instead of 28nm, and a newer 2016 generation instead of 2013. 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 $229 more expensive on MSRP at $249 vs $20, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 621.7% (40.4 vs 5.6), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce GTX 1060 vs Radeon HD 7290 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 HD 7290

The Radeon HD 7290 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 24 2013. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 950 MHz to 1000 MHz. It has 2048 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 375W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 112 points. Launch price was $999.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the Radeon HD 7290's 112 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 8885.7%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the Radeon HD 7290 uses GCN 1.0, both on 16 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 2,048 (Radeon HD 7290). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 4.096 TFLOPS ×2 (Radeon HD 7290). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 1000 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon HD 7290
G3D Mark Score	10,064+8886%	112
Architecture	Pascal	GCN 1.0
Process Node	16 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	2560+25%	2048 ×2
Compute (TFLOPS)	8.873 TFLOPS+117%	4.096 TFLOPS ×2
Boost Clock	1733 MHz+73%	1000 MHz
ROPs	64+100%	32 ×2
TMUs	160+25%	128 ×2
L1 Cache	960 KB+88%	512 KB
L2 Cache	2 MB+167%	0.75 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 1060 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon HD 7290 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon HD 7290
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 HD 7290 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 128-bit on the Radeon HD 7290. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 0.75 MB (Radeon HD 7290) — the GeForce GTX 1060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon HD 7290
VRAM Capacity	6 GB+1100%	0.5 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	192 GB/s	Unknown
Bus Width	192-bit+50%	128-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB+167%	0.75 MB

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the Radeon HD 7290's 375W — a 70.3% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 350W (Radeon HD 7290). Power connectors: 6-pin vs 1x 6-pin.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon HD 7290
TDP	180W-52%	375W
Recommended PSU	400W	350W-13%
Power Connector	6-pin	1x 6-pin
Length	173mm	—
Height	111mm	—
Slots	2	—
Perf/Watt	55.9+18533%	0.3

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Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 1060 came in at $249, while the Radeon HD 7290 launched at $20. On MSRP, Radeon HD 7290 was 92% cheaper ($229 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 5.6 (Radeon HD 7290) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 621.4% better value. The newer card here is GeForce GTX 1060 (2016 vs 2013).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon HD 7290
MSRP	$249	$20-92%
Performance per Dollar	40.4+621%	5.6
Codename	GP104	Malta
Release	May 27 2016	April 24 2013
Ranking	#137	#412

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