GeForce GTX 1060 vs Radeon R9 280

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 R9 280 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 R9 280: 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

✅81.0% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $30 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $279 MSRP).
✅Delivers 103.8% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 19.8 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $279 MSRP).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 3 GB).
✅Radeon R9 280 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.

Radeon R9 280

2014

Why buy it

✅Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 3 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2014 hardware with 3 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌
12% HIGHER MSRP
$279 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 19.8 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($279 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 81.0% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 81.9% in PassMark G3D (10,064 vs 5,532), 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 3 GB of VRAM, a 16nm process instead of 28nm, and a newer 2016 generation instead of 2014. 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 $30 cheaper on MSRP at $249 vs $279, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 103.8% (40.4 vs 19.8), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce GTX 1060 vs Radeon R9 280 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 R9 280

The Radeon R9 280 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in March 4 2014. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 933 MHz. It has 1792 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,532 points. Launch price was $279.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the Radeon R9 280's 5,532 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 81.9%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the Radeon R9 280 uses GCN 1.0, both on 16 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 1,792 (Radeon R9 280). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 3.344 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 280). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 933 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon R9 280
G3D Mark Score	10,064+82%	5,532
Architecture	Pascal	GCN 1.0
Process Node	16 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	2560+43%	1792
Compute (TFLOPS)	8.873 TFLOPS+165%	3.344 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1733 MHz+86%	933 MHz
ROPs	64+100%	32
TMUs	160+43%	112
L1 Cache	960 KB+114%	448 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 R9 280 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon R9 280
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 has 6 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 280 carries 3 GB. GeForce GTX 1060 gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 240 GB/s (Radeon R9 280) — a 25% advantage for the Radeon R9 280. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 1060 and 384-bit on the Radeon R9 280. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 0.75 MB (Radeon R9 280) — the GeForce GTX 1060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon R9 280
VRAM Capacity	6 GB+100%	3 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	192 GB/s	240 GB/s+25%
Bus Width	192-bit	384-bit+100%
L2 Cache	2 MB+167%	0.75 MB

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the Radeon R9 280's 200W — a 10.5% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 500W (Radeon R9 280). Power connectors: 6-pin vs 6-pin + 8-pin.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon R9 280
TDP	180W-10%	200W
Recommended PSU	400W-20%	500W
Power Connector	6-pin	6-pin + 8-pin
Length	173mm	—
Height	111mm	—
Slots	2	—
Perf/Watt	55.9+102%	27.7

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 1060 came in at $249, while the Radeon R9 280 launched at $279. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 1060 was 10.8% cheaper ($30 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 19.8 (Radeon R9 280) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 104% better value. The newer card here is GeForce GTX 1060 (2016 vs 2014).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon R9 280
MSRP	$249-11%	$279
Performance per Dollar	40.4+104%	19.8
Codename	GP104	Tahiti
Release	May 27 2016	March 4 2014
Ranking	#137	#415

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