GeForce GTX 1060
Radeon R7 512 Cores (Kaveri Desktop)
GeForce GTX 1060 vs Radeon R7 512 Cores (Kaveri Desktop) 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 Radeon R7 512 Cores (Kaveri Desktop) 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.
Path of Exile 2
Counter-Strike 2
League of Legends
Valorant
Among Us
Apex Legends
ARC Raiders
Baldur's Gate 3
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
GeForce GTX 1060 vs Radeon R7 512 Cores (Kaveri Desktop): 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
2016Why buy it
- ✅356.7% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
- ✅Delivers 437.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 7.5 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $173 MSRP).
- ✅1100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 512 MB).
- ✅Radeon R7 512 Cores (Kaveri Desktop) 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.
- ❌500% higher power demand at 180W vs 30W.
Radeon R7 512 Cores (Kaveri Desktop)
2014Why buy it
- ✅Costs $76 less on MSRP ($173 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
- ✅Draws 30W instead of 180W, a 150W reduction.
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
- ❌Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
- ❌2014 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
- ❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 7.5 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($173 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
Quick Answers
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GeForce GTX 1060 vs Radeon R7 512 Cores (Kaveri Desktop) 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 R7 512 Cores (Kaveri Desktop)
The Radeon R7 512 Cores (Kaveri Desktop) is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 14 2014. It features the GCN architecture. The core clock speed is 720 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 30W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,300 points.
Graphics Performance
In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the Radeon R7 512 Cores (Kaveri Desktop)'s 1,300 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 674.2%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the Radeon R7 512 Cores (Kaveri Desktop) uses GCN, both on 16 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 512 (Radeon R7 512 Cores (Kaveri Desktop)).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1060 | Radeon R7 512 Cores (Kaveri Desktop) |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 10,064+674% | 1,300 |
| Architecture | Pascal | GCN |
| Process Node | 16 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 2560+400% | 512 |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
The GeForce GTX 1060 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon R7 512 Cores (Kaveri Desktop) leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1060 | Radeon R7 512 Cores (Kaveri Desktop) |
|---|---|---|
| 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 R7 512 Cores (Kaveri Desktop) 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 R7 512 Cores (Kaveri Desktop).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1060 | Radeon R7 512 Cores (Kaveri Desktop) |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12 (Radeon R7 512 Cores (Kaveri Desktop)). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.1. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 3.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1060 | Radeon R7 512 Cores (Kaveri Desktop) |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 | 12 |
| Vulkan | 1.3+18% | 1.1 |
| OpenGL | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| Max Displays | 4+33% | 3 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060) vs VCE 2.0 (Radeon R7 512 Cores (Kaveri Desktop)). Decoder: NVDEC (Pascal) vs UVD 4.2. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (Radeon R7 512 Cores (Kaveri Desktop)).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1060 | Radeon R7 512 Cores (Kaveri Desktop) |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | NVENC (Pascal) | VCE 2.0 |
| Decoder | NVDEC (Pascal) | UVD 4.2 |
| Codecs | H.264,H.265/HEVC | H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the Radeon R7 512 Cores (Kaveri Desktop)'s 30W — a 142.9% difference. The Radeon R7 512 Cores (Kaveri Desktop) is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 350W (Radeon R7 512 Cores (Kaveri Desktop)). Power connectors: 6-pin vs None.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1060 | Radeon R7 512 Cores (Kaveri Desktop) |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 180W | 30W-83% |
| Recommended PSU | 400W | 350W-13% |
| Power Connector | 6-pin | None |
| Length | 173mm | — |
| Height | 111mm | — |
| Slots | 2 | — |
| Temp (Load) | — | 80°C |
| Perf/Watt | 55.9+29% | 43.3 |
Value Analysis
At launch, the GeForce GTX 1060 came in at $249, while the Radeon R7 512 Cores (Kaveri Desktop) launched at $173. On MSRP, Radeon R7 512 Cores (Kaveri Desktop) was 30.5% cheaper ($76 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 7.5 (Radeon R7 512 Cores (Kaveri Desktop)) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 438.7% better value. The newer card here is GeForce GTX 1060 (2016 vs 2014).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1060 | Radeon R7 512 Cores (Kaveri Desktop) |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $249 | $173-31% |
| Performance per Dollar | 40.4+439% | 7.5 |
| Codename | GP104 | Kaveri Spectre |
| Release | May 27 2016 | January 14 2014 |
| Ranking | #137 | #830 |
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