GeForce GTX 1060 vs Radeon R9 M290X

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 M290X 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 M290X: 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

✅147.6% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $151 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $400 MSRP).
✅Delivers 402.4% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 8.0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $400 MSRP).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 4 GB).
✅Radeon R9 M290X 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.
❌80% higher power demand at 180W vs 100W.

Radeon R9 M290X

2014

Why buy it

✅Draws 100W instead of 180W, a 80W reduction.

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.
❌2014 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌
60.6% HIGHER MSRP
$400 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 8.0 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($400 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 147.6% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 212.7% in PassMark G3D (10,064 vs 3,218), 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 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 $151 cheaper on MSRP at $249 vs $400, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 402.4% (40.4 vs 8.0), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce GTX 1060 vs Radeon R9 M290X 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 M290X

The Radeon R9 M290X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 9 2014. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 850 MHz to 900 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,218 points.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the Radeon R9 M290X's 3,218 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 212.7%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the Radeon R9 M290X uses GCN 1.0, both on 16 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 1,280 (Radeon R9 M290X). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 2.304 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 M290X). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 900 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon R9 M290X
G3D Mark Score	10,064+213%	3,218
Architecture	Pascal	GCN 1.0
Process Node	16 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	2560+100%	1280
Compute (TFLOPS)	8.873 TFLOPS+285%	2.304 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1733 MHz+93%	900 MHz
ROPs	64+100%	32
TMUs	160+100%	80
L1 Cache	960 KB+200%	320 KB
L2 Cache	2 MB+300%	0.5 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 1060 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon R9 M290X leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon R9 M290X
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 M290X 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 bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 1060 and 128-bit on the Radeon R9 M290X. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 0.5 MB (Radeon R9 M290X) — the GeForce GTX 1060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon R9 M290X
VRAM Capacity	6 GB+50%	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	192 GB/s	Unknown
Bus Width	192-bit+50%	128-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB+300%	0.5 MB

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the Radeon R9 M290X's 100W — a 57.1% difference. The Radeon R9 M290X is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 350W (Radeon R9 M290X). Power connectors: 6-pin vs Mobile.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon R9 M290X
TDP	180W	100W-44%
Recommended PSU	400W	350W-13%
Power Connector	6-pin	Mobile
Length	173mm	—
Height	111mm	—
Slots	2	—
Perf/Watt	55.9+74%	32.2

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Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 1060 came in at $249, while the Radeon R9 M290X launched at $400. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 1060 was 37.8% cheaper ($151 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 8.0 (Radeon R9 M290X) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 405% better value. The newer card here is GeForce GTX 1060 (2016 vs 2014).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon R9 M290X
MSRP	$249-38%	$400
Performance per Dollar	40.4+405%	8.0
Codename	GP104	Neptune
Release	May 27 2016	January 9 2014
Ranking	#137	#566

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