GeForce GTX 1060 vs Radeon RX 6600

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1060

2016Core: 1607 MHzBoost: 1733 MHz

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

Radeon RX 6600

2021Core: 1626 MHzBoost: 2491 MHz

Popular choices:

Performance Spectrum - GPU

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.

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

  • Costs $80 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
  • Measures 173mm instead of 190mm, a 17mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (10,064 vs 15,089).
  • Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023).
  • Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 40.4 vs 45.9 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

Radeon RX 6600

2021

Why buy it

  • +49.9% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Delivers 13.5% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 45.9 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
  • Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023).
  • 33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 6 GB).
  • More future proof: RDNA 2.0 (2020−2025) on 7nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Radeon RX 6600 better than GeForce GTX 1060?
Yes. Radeon RX 6600 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 15,089 vs 10,064 in G3D Mark. On top of that, Radeon RX 6600 is a 2021 card with FSR 3 + AFMF, while GeForce GTX 1060 is a 2016 model from an older generation with no meaningful modern upscaling stack. 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?
Radeon RX 6600 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2021 generation instead of 2016, 49.9% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 8 GB instead of 6 GB, and better upscaling support with FSR 3 (2023) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack and better frame-generation support with FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack. 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?
Radeon RX 6600 is the smarter buy by a wide margin. Radeon RX 6600 is about 32.1% more expensive on MSRP at $329 MSRP versus $249 MSRP, and you are getting 49.9% higher G3D Mark. GeForce GTX 1060 really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.
Is GeForce GTX 1060 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?
No, not for a fresh gaming build. GeForce GTX 1060 is 2016 hardware with 6 GB of VRAM, 10,064 in G3D Mark, and no meaningful modern upscaling stack. 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX 6600
1080p
low117 FPS207 FPS
medium105 FPS187 FPS
high91 FPS165 FPS
ultra77 FPS126 FPS
1440p
low103 FPS175 FPS
medium87 FPS142 FPS
high76 FPS125 FPS
ultra67 FPS102 FPS
4K
low55 FPS90 FPS
medium49 FPS76 FPS
high41 FPS62 FPS
ultra37 FPS54 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX 6600
1080p
low216 FPS338 FPS
medium181 FPS279 FPS
high148 FPS221 FPS
ultra113 FPS169 FPS
1440p
low134 FPS212 FPS
medium107 FPS172 FPS
high87 FPS137 FPS
ultra68 FPS109 FPS
4K
low62 FPS103 FPS
medium51 FPS83 FPS
high49 FPS70 FPS
ultra41 FPS53 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX 6600
1080p
low453 FPS679 FPS
medium362 FPS543 FPS
high302 FPS453 FPS
ultra226 FPS340 FPS
1440p
low340 FPS509 FPS
medium272 FPS407 FPS
high226 FPS340 FPS
ultra170 FPS255 FPS
4K
low226 FPS340 FPS
medium181 FPS272 FPS
high151 FPS226 FPS
ultra113 FPS170 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX 6600
1080p
low358 FPS575 FPS
medium302 FPS506 FPS
high260 FPS407 FPS
ultra226 FPS334 FPS
1440p
low299 FPS431 FPS
medium254 FPS372 FPS
high208 FPS274 FPS
ultra170 FPS221 FPS
4K
low170 FPS254 FPS
medium133 FPS225 FPS
high123 FPS198 FPS
ultra102 FPS150 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1060 and Radeon RX 6600

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 6600

The Radeon RX 6600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in October 13 2021. It features the RDNA 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1626 MHz to 2491 MHz. It has 1792 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 132W. Manufactured using 7 nm process technology. It features 28 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 15,089 points. Launch price was $329.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the Radeon RX 6600's 15,089 — the Radeon RX 6600 leads by 49.9%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the Radeon RX 6600 uses RDNA 2.0, both on 16 nm vs 7 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 1,792 (Radeon RX 6600). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 8.928 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 6600). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 2491 MHz.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX 6600
G3D Mark Score
10,064
15,089+50%
Architecture
Pascal
RDNA 2.0
Process Node
16 nm
7 nm
Shading Units
2560+43%
1792
Compute (TFLOPS)
8.873 TFLOPS
8.928 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
1733 MHz
2491 MHz+44%
ROPs
64
64
TMUs
160+43%
112
L1 Cache
960 KB+88%
512 KB
L2 Cache
2 MB
2 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the Radeon RX 6600 is support for FSR Frame Generation + AFMF. This allows it to generate entire frames using AI/Algorithms, essentially doubling the frame rate in CPU-bound scenarios or heavy ray-tracing titles. The GeForce GTX 1060 lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.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 RX 6600 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX 6600
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
FSR 3
Frame Generation
Not Supported
FSR Frame Generation + AFMF
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
AMD Anti-Lag
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 1060 comes with 6 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon RX 6600 has 8 GB. The Radeon RX 6600 offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 224 GB/s (Radeon RX 6600) — a 16.7% advantage for the Radeon RX 6600. Bus width: 192-bit vs 128-bit.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX 6600
VRAM Capacity
6 GB
8 GB+33%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth
192 GB/s
224 GB/s+17%
Bus Width
192-bit+50%
128-bit
L2 Cache
2 MB
2 MB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12 Ultimate (Radeon RX 6600). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX 6600
DirectX
12
12 Ultimate
Vulkan
1.3
1.4+8%
OpenGL
4.5
4.6+2%
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060) vs VCE (Radeon RX 6600). Decoder: NVDEC (Pascal) vs UVD. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1 (Radeon RX 6600).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX 6600
Encoder
NVENC (Pascal)
VCE
Decoder
NVDEC (Pascal)
UVD
Codecs
H.264,H.265/HEVC
H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the Radeon RX 6600's 132W — a 30.8% difference. The Radeon RX 6600 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 450W (Radeon RX 6600). Power connectors: 6-pin vs 1x 8-pin. Card length: 173mm vs 190mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX 6600
TDP
180W
132W-27%
Recommended PSU
400W-11%
450W
Power Connector
6-pin
1x 8-pin
Length
173mm
190mm
Height
111mm
110mm
Slots
2
2
Temp (Load)
70°C
Perf/Watt
55.9
114.3+104%
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 1060 launched at $249 MSRP, while the Radeon RX 6600 launched at $329. The GeForce GTX 1060 costs 24.3% less ($80 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 45.9 (Radeon RX 6600) — the Radeon RX 6600 offers 13.6% better value. The Radeon RX 6600 is the newer GPU (2021 vs 2016).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX 6600
MSRP
$249-24%
$329
Performance per Dollar
40.4
45.9+14%
Codename
GP104
Navi 23
Release
May 27 2016
October 13 2021
Ranking
#137
#150