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 $400 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $649 MSRP).
✅Draws 180W instead of 300W, a 120W reduction.
✅Measures 173mm instead of 267mm, a 94mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon RX 6800 XT across 48 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 16 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.

Radeon RX 6800 XT

2020

Why buy it

✅85.7% more average FPS across 48 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023).
✅166.7% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (16 GB vs 6 GB).
✅More future proof: RDNA 2.0 (2020−2025) on 7nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌
160.6% HIGHER MSRP
$649 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌66.7% higher power demand at 300W vs 180W.
❌54.3% longer card at 267mm vs 173mm.

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

Radeon RX 6800 XT

2020

Why buy it

✅Costs $400 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $649 MSRP).
✅Draws 180W instead of 300W, a 120W reduction.
✅Measures 173mm instead of 267mm, a 94mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Why buy it

✅85.7% more average FPS across 48 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023).
✅166.7% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (16 GB vs 6 GB).
✅More future proof: RDNA 2.0 (2020−2025) on 7nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon RX 6800 XT across 48 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 16 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.

Trade-offs

❌
160.6% HIGHER MSRP
$649 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌66.7% higher power demand at 300W vs 180W.
❌54.3% longer card at 267mm vs 173mm.

Quick Answers

So, is Radeon RX 6800 XT better than GeForce GTX 1060?

Yes. Radeon RX 6800 XT is clearly the better overall GPU here. Radeon RX 6800 XT averages 85.7% more FPS across 48 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 24,995 vs 10,064 in G3D Mark. On top of that, Radeon RX 6800 XT is a 2020 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 6800 XT is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2020 generation instead of 2016, 148.4% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 16 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 6800 XT is the smarter buy by a wide margin. Radeon RX 6800 XT is about 160.6% more expensive on MSRP at $649 MSRP versus $249 MSRP, and you are getting 85.7% more estimated average FPS across 48 tracked games in our benchmark data and 148.4% 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.

GeForce GTX 1060 Benchmark Check

Radeon RX 6800 XT Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon RX 6800 XT
1080p
low	117 FPS	221 FPS
medium	105 FPS	203 FPS
high	91 FPS	178 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	161 FPS
1440p
low	103 FPS	200 FPS
medium	87 FPS	167 FPS
high	76 FPS	138 FPS
ultra	67 FPS	129 FPS
4K
low	55 FPS	135 FPS
medium	49 FPS	114 FPS
high	41 FPS	90 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	83 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open Radeon RX 6800 XT

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon RX 6800 XT
1080p
low	216 FPS	565 FPS
medium	181 FPS	477 FPS
high	148 FPS	382 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	327 FPS
1440p
low	134 FPS	359 FPS
medium	107 FPS	296 FPS
high	87 FPS	246 FPS
ultra	68 FPS	201 FPS
4K
low	62 FPS	150 FPS
medium	51 FPS	132 FPS
high	49 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	41 FPS	89 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open Radeon RX 6800 XT

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon RX 6800 XT
1080p
low	453 FPS	924 FPS
medium	362 FPS	767 FPS
high	302 FPS	683 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	562 FPS
1440p
low	340 FPS	714 FPS
medium	272 FPS	587 FPS
high	226 FPS	510 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	422 FPS
4K
low	226 FPS	498 FPS
medium	181 FPS	412 FPS
high	151 FPS	353 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	281 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open Radeon RX 6800 XT

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon RX 6800 XT
1080p
low	358 FPS	663 FPS
medium	302 FPS	552 FPS
high	260 FPS	487 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	439 FPS
1440p
low	299 FPS	553 FPS
medium	254 FPS	466 FPS
high	208 FPS	407 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	359 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	355 FPS
medium	133 FPS	309 FPS
high	123 FPS	285 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	252 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open Radeon RX 6800 XT

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1060 and Radeon RX 6800 XT

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 RX 6800 XT

The Radeon RX 6800 XT is manufactured by AMD. It was released in October 28 2020. It features the RDNA 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1825 MHz to 2250 MHz. It has 4608 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 300W. Manufactured using 7 nm process technology. It features 72 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 24,995 points. Launch price was $649.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the Radeon RX 6800 XT's 24,995 — the Radeon RX 6800 XT leads by 148.4%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the Radeon RX 6800 XT uses RDNA 2.0, both on 16 nm vs 7 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 4,608 (Radeon RX 6800 XT). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 20.74 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 6800 XT). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 2250 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon RX 6800 XT
G3D Mark Score	10,064	24,995+148%
Architecture	Pascal	RDNA 2.0
Process Node	16 nm	7 nm
Shading Units	2560	4608+80%
Compute (TFLOPS)	8.873 TFLOPS	20.74 TFLOPS+134%
Boost Clock	1733 MHz	2250 MHz+30%
ROPs	64	128+100%
TMUs	160	288+80%
L1 Cache	0.94 MB	1 MB+6%
L2 Cache	2 MB	4 MB+100%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the Radeon RX 6800 XT 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 6800 XT relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon RX 6800 XT
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 6800 XT has 16 GB. The Radeon RX 6800 XT offers 166.7% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 512 GB/s (Radeon RX 6800 XT) — a 166.7% advantage for the Radeon RX 6800 XT. Bus width: 192-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 4 MB (Radeon RX 6800 XT) — the Radeon RX 6800 XT has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon RX 6800 XT
VRAM Capacity	6 GB	16 GB+167%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	192 GB/s	512 GB/s+167%
Bus Width	192-bit	256-bit+33%
L2 Cache	2 MB	4 MB+100%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12 Ultimate (12_2) (Radeon RX 6800 XT). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon RX 6800 XT
DirectX	12	12 Ultimate (12_2)
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 VCN 3.0 (Radeon RX 6800 XT). Decoder: NVDEC (Pascal) vs VCN 3.0. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060) vs H.264,H.265,VP9,AV1 (Radeon RX 6800 XT).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon RX 6800 XT
Encoder	NVENC (Pascal)	VCN 3.0
Decoder	NVDEC (Pascal)	VCN 3.0
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC	H.264,H.265,VP9,AV1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the Radeon RX 6800 XT's 300W — a 50% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 750W (Radeon RX 6800 XT). Power connectors: 6-pin vs 2x 8-pin. Card length: 173mm vs 267mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon RX 6800 XT
TDP	180W-40%	300W
Recommended PSU	400W-47%	750W
Power Connector	6-pin	2x 8-pin
Length	173mm	267mm
Height	111mm	120mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	—	75
Perf/Watt	55.9	83.3+49%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 1060 launched at $249 MSRP, while the Radeon RX 6800 XT launched at $649. The GeForce GTX 1060 costs 61.6% less ($400 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 38.5 (Radeon RX 6800 XT) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 4.9% better value. The Radeon RX 6800 XT is the newer GPU (2020 vs 2016).