GeForce GTX 1060 vs Radeon RX 580

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1060

2016Core: 1607 MHzBoost: 1733 MHz
GTX family
·······
VS
AMD

Radeon RX 580

2017Core: 1257 MHzBoost: 1340 MHz
Similar parts
·······

GeForce GTX 1060 vs Radeon RX 580 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 RX 580 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 RX 580: 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

  • 16.2% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Measures 173mm instead of 241mm, a 68mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation (2023).
  • 2016 hardware with 6 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.

Radeon RX 580

2017

Why buy it

  • Costs $20 less on MSRP ($229 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
  • Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation (2023).
  • 33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 6 GB).
  • GeForce GTX 1060 is already legacy-tier future-proofing, so Radeon RX 580 is the less risky modern option long term.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • 2017 hardware with 8 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
  • 39.3% longer card at 241mm vs 173mm.

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 16.2% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 14.4% in PassMark G3D (10,064 vs 8,799), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
Radeon RX 580 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 8 GB vs 6 GB of VRAM, the newer feature stack, with FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) and FSR Frame Generation (2023), while GeForce GTX 1060 is limited to no meaningful modern upscaling stack and no comparable frame-generation support, a 14nm process instead of 16nm, and a newer 2017 generation instead of 2016. 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 $20 more expensive on MSRP at $249 vs $229, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 5.2% (40.4 vs 38.4), so the value case lines up with the gaming result. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce GTX 1060 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, Radeon RX 580 has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 1060 vs Radeon RX 580 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

NVIDIA

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.

AMD

Radeon RX 580

The Radeon RX 580 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 18 2017. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1257 MHz to 1340 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 185W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 8,799 points. Launch price was $229.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the Radeon RX 580's 8,799 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 14.4%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the Radeon RX 580 uses GCN 4.0, both on 16 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 2,304 (Radeon RX 580). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 6.175 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 580). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 1340 MHz.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX 580
G3D Mark Score
10,064+14%
8,799
Architecture
Pascal
GCN 4.0
Process Node
16 nm
14 nm
Shading Units
2560+11%
2304
Compute (TFLOPS)
8.873 TFLOPS+44%
6.175 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
1733 MHz+29%
1340 MHz
ROPs
64+100%
32
TMUs
160+11%
144
L1 Cache
960 KB+67%
576 KB
L2 Cache
2 MB
2 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The clearest feature edge for the Radeon RX 580 is support for FSR Frame Generation. In games that support it, that can smooth out motion and lift perceived FPS. The GeForce GTX 1060 does not have comparable native support in the same tier.The GeForce GTX 1060 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon RX 580 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX 580
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation
Not Supported
FSR Frame Generation
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 RX 580 carries 8 GB. Radeon RX 580 gives you 33.3% 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 256 GB/s (Radeon RX 580) — a 33.3% advantage for the Radeon RX 580. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 1060 and 256-bit on the Radeon RX 580.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX 580
VRAM Capacity
6 GB
8 GB+33%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
192 GB/s
256 GB/s+33%
Bus Width
192-bit
256-bit+33%
L2 Cache
2 MB
2 MB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12 (Radeon RX 580). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX 580
DirectX
12
12
Vulkan
1.3
1.3
OpenGL
4.5
4.6+2%
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060) vs VCE 3.0 (Radeon RX 580). Decoder: NVDEC (Pascal) vs UVD 6.3. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP9 (Radeon RX 580).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX 580
Encoder
NVENC (Pascal)
VCE 3.0
Decoder
NVDEC (Pascal)
UVD 6.3
Codecs
H.264,H.265/HEVC
H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP9
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the Radeon RX 580's 185W — a 2.7% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 500W (Radeon RX 580). Power connectors: 6-pin vs 8-pin. Card length: 173mm vs 241mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX 580
TDP
180W-3%
185W
Recommended PSU
400W-20%
500W
Power Connector
6-pin
8-pin
Length
173mm
241mm
Height
111mm
Slots
2
2
Temp (Load)
75°C
Perf/Watt
55.9+17%
47.6
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 1060 came in at $249, while the Radeon RX 580 launched at $229. On MSRP, Radeon RX 580 was 8% cheaper ($20 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 38.4 (Radeon RX 580) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 5.2% better value. The newer card here is Radeon RX 580 (2017 vs 2016).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX 580
MSRP
$249
$229-8%
Performance per Dollar
40.4+5%
38.4
Codename
GP104
Polaris 20
Release
May 27 2016
April 18 2017
Ranking
#137
#301

Affiliate Disclosure

ChipVERSUS is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through our links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support our work in providing comprehensive PC building guides and tools.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.