GeForce GTX 1060 vs Radeon R9 260

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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, raw graphics performance, VRAM, feature set, power efficiency, pricing context, and long-term value so you can see which GPU actually makes more sense.

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

Why buy it

✅+230.2% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 84.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 21.9 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $139 MSRP).
✅200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 2 GB).
✅Less risky long-term buy than Radeon R9 260: it remains the more sensible modern option while Radeon R9 260 is already obsolete for modern gaming.
✅Draws 180W instead of 275W, a 95W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.

Radeon R9 260

2013

Why buy it

✅Costs $110 less on MSRP ($139 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (3,048 vs 10,064).
❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2013-era hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 21.9 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($139 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
❌52.8% higher power demand at 275W vs 180W.

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

Radeon R9 260

2013

Why buy it

✅+230.2% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 84.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 21.9 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $139 MSRP).
✅200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 2 GB).
✅Less risky long-term buy than Radeon R9 260: it remains the more sensible modern option while Radeon R9 260 is already obsolete for modern gaming.
✅Draws 180W instead of 275W, a 95W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Costs $110 less on MSRP ($139 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (3,048 vs 10,064).
❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2013-era hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 21.9 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($139 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
❌52.8% higher power demand at 275W vs 180W.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce GTX 1060 better than Radeon R9 260?

Yes. GeForce GTX 1060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 10,064 vs 3,048 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce GTX 1060 is a 2016 card with no meaningful modern upscaling stack, while Radeon R9 260 is a 2013 model from an older generation with FSR upscaling. So this is not really a tight same-tier comparison. It is more a modern card against an older, weaker alternative.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce GTX 1060 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2016 generation instead of 2013, 230.2% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 6 GB instead of 2 GB, and the stronger feature stack with no meaningful modern upscaling stack instead of FSR upscaling. That leaves it with more room for heavier textures, tougher ray tracing loads, and higher-end 1440p or 4K gaming over the next few years.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?

GeForce GTX 1060 is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce GTX 1060 is about 79.1% more expensive on MSRP at $249 MSRP versus $139 MSRP, and you are getting 230.2% higher G3D Mark. Radeon R9 260 really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.

Is Radeon R9 260 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

No, not for a fresh gaming build. Radeon R9 260 is 2013 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM, 3,048 in G3D Mark, and FSR upscaling. That is simply too far behind to be an easy modern recommendation.

Games Benchmarks

Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 9800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.

Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.

GeForce GTX 1060 Benchmark Check

Radeon R9 260 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon R9 260
1080p
low	117 FPS	82 FPS
medium	105 FPS	67 FPS
high	91 FPS	54 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	35 FPS
1440p
low	103 FPS	68 FPS
medium	87 FPS	57 FPS
high	76 FPS	41 FPS
ultra	67 FPS	26 FPS
4K
low	55 FPS	25 FPS
medium	49 FPS	24 FPS
high	41 FPS	16 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	13 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open Radeon R9 260

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon R9 260
1080p
low	216 FPS	137 FPS
medium	181 FPS	110 FPS
high	148 FPS	91 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	69 FPS
1440p
low	134 FPS	103 FPS
medium	107 FPS	82 FPS
high	87 FPS	69 FPS
ultra	68 FPS	51 FPS
4K
low	62 FPS	58 FPS
medium	51 FPS	46 FPS
high	49 FPS	43 FPS
ultra	41 FPS	34 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open Radeon R9 260

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon R9 260
1080p
low	453 FPS	137 FPS
medium	362 FPS	110 FPS
high	302 FPS	91 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	69 FPS
1440p
low	340 FPS	103 FPS
medium	272 FPS	82 FPS
high	226 FPS	69 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	51 FPS
4K
low	226 FPS	69 FPS
medium	181 FPS	55 FPS
high	151 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	34 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open Radeon R9 260

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon R9 260
1080p
low	358 FPS	137 FPS
medium	302 FPS	110 FPS
high	260 FPS	91 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	69 FPS
1440p
low	299 FPS	103 FPS
medium	254 FPS	82 FPS
high	208 FPS	69 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	51 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	69 FPS
medium	133 FPS	55 FPS
high	123 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	33 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open Radeon R9 260

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1060 and Radeon R9 260

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 R9 260

The Radeon R9 260 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 5 2013. It features the GCN 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 947 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 275W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,048 points. Launch price was $399.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the Radeon R9 260's 3,048 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 230.2%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the Radeon R9 260 uses GCN 2.0, both on 16 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 2,560 (Radeon R9 260). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 4.849 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 260).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon R9 260
G3D Mark Score	10,064+230%	3,048
Architecture	Pascal	GCN 2.0
Process Node	16 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	2560	2560
Compute (TFLOPS)	8.873 TFLOPS+83%	4.849 TFLOPS
ROPs	64	64
TMUs	160	160
L1 Cache	960 KB+50%	640 KB
L2 Cache	2 MB+100%	1 MB

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 1060 gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Radeon R9 260 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon R9 260
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

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 1060 comes with 6 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 260 has 2 GB. The GeForce GTX 1060 offers 200% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 192-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 1 MB (Radeon R9 260) — the GeForce GTX 1060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon R9 260
VRAM Capacity	6 GB+200%	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	192 GB/s	Unknown
Bus Width	192-bit+50%	128-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB+100%	1 MB

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the Radeon R9 260's 275W — a 41.8% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 450W (Radeon R9 260). Power connectors: 6-pin vs 1x 6-pin.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon R9 260
TDP	180W-35%	275W
Recommended PSU	400W-11%	450W
Power Connector	6-pin	1x 6-pin
Length	173mm	—
Height	111mm	—
Slots	2	—
Perf/Watt	55.9+404%	11.1

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 1060 launched at $249 MSRP, while the Radeon R9 260 launched at $139. The Radeon R9 260 costs 44.2% less ($110 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 21.9 (Radeon R9 260) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 84.5% better value. The GeForce GTX 1060 is the newer GPU (2016 vs 2013).