GeForce GTX 1060 vs Radeon R9 M280X

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 M280X 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 M280X: 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

✅512.2% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $1 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $250 MSRP).
✅Delivers 1141.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 3.3 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $250 MSRP).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 4 GB).
✅Radeon R9 M280X 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 M280X

2013

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 4 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2013 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌
0.4% HIGHER MSRP
$250 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 3.3 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($250 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 512.2% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 1136.4% in PassMark G3D (10,064 vs 814), 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 4 GB 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 $1 cheaper on MSRP at $249 vs $250, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 1141.3% (40.4 vs 3.3), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce GTX 1060 vs Radeon R9 M280X 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 M280X

The Radeon R9 M280X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in October 8 2013. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1000 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 814 points. Launch price was $299.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the Radeon R9 M280X's 814 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 1136.4%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the Radeon R9 M280X uses GCN 1.0, both on 16 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 2,048 (Radeon R9 M280X). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 4.096 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 M280X). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 1000 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon R9 M280X
G3D Mark Score	10,064+1136%	814
Architecture	Pascal	GCN 1.0
Process Node	16 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	2560+25%	2048
Compute (TFLOPS)	8.873 TFLOPS+117%	4.096 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1733 MHz+73%	1000 MHz
ROPs	64+100%	32
TMUs	160+25%	128
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 R9 M280X leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon R9 M280X
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 M280X carries 4 GB. GeForce GTX 1060 gives you 50% 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 80 GB/s (Radeon R9 M280X) — a 140% advantage for the GeForce GTX 1060. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 1060 and 128-bit on the Radeon R9 M280X. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 0.75 MB (Radeon R9 M280X) — the GeForce GTX 1060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon R9 M280X
VRAM Capacity	6 GB+50%	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	192 GB/s+140%	80 GB/s
Bus Width	192-bit+50%	128-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB+167%	0.75 MB

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the Radeon R9 M280X's 200W — a 10.5% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 350W (Radeon R9 M280X). Power connectors: 6-pin vs Mobile.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon R9 M280X
TDP	180W-10%	200W
Recommended PSU	400W	350W-13%
Power Connector	6-pin	Mobile
Length	173mm	—
Height	111mm	—
Slots	2	—
Perf/Watt	55.9+1263%	4.1

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 1060 came in at $249, while the Radeon R9 M280X launched at $250. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 1060 was 0.4% cheaper ($1 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 3.3 (Radeon R9 M280X) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 1124.2% better value. The newer card here is GeForce GTX 1060 (2016 vs 2013).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon R9 M280X
MSRP	$249	$250
Performance per Dollar	40.4+1124%	3.3
Codename	GP104	Tahiti
Release	May 27 2016	October 8 2013
Ranking	#137	#404

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