GeForce GTX 1060 vs Radeon RX 7900M

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1060

2016Core: 1607 MHzBoost: 1733 MHz

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

Radeon RX 7900M

2023Core: 1825 MHzBoost: 2090 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

  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than Radeon RX 7900M across 38 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 7900M

2023

Why buy it

  • 104.6% more average FPS across 38 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 3.0 on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 40.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Radeon RX 7900M better than GeForce GTX 1060?
Yes. Radeon RX 7900M is clearly the better overall GPU here. Radeon RX 7900M averages 104.6% more FPS across 38 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 22,385 vs 10,064 in G3D Mark. On top of that, Radeon RX 7900M is a 2023 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 7900M is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2023 generation instead of 2016, 122.4% 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 7900M is the smarter buy by a wide margin. Radeon RX 7900M is priced in an unclear MSRP range at an unclear MSRP versus $249 MSRP, and you are getting 104.6% more estimated average FPS across 38 tracked games in our benchmark data and 122.4% 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX 7900M
1080p
low117 FPS223 FPS
medium105 FPS207 FPS
high91 FPS182 FPS
ultra77 FPS166 FPS
1440p
low103 FPS202 FPS
medium87 FPS171 FPS
high76 FPS141 FPS
ultra67 FPS133 FPS
4K
low55 FPS137 FPS
medium49 FPS115 FPS
high41 FPS92 FPS
ultra37 FPS86 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX 7900M
1080p
low216 FPS576 FPS
medium181 FPS480 FPS
high148 FPS368 FPS
ultra113 FPS314 FPS
1440p
low134 FPS393 FPS
medium107 FPS326 FPS
high87 FPS257 FPS
ultra68 FPS209 FPS
4K
low62 FPS194 FPS
medium51 FPS164 FPS
high49 FPS140 FPS
ultra41 FPS113 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX 7900M
1080p
low453 FPS938 FPS
medium362 FPS769 FPS
high302 FPS672 FPS
ultra226 FPS504 FPS
1440p
low340 FPS709 FPS
medium272 FPS583 FPS
high226 FPS504 FPS
ultra170 FPS378 FPS
4K
low226 FPS495 FPS
medium181 FPS403 FPS
high151 FPS336 FPS
ultra113 FPS252 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX 7900M
1080p
low358 FPS765 FPS
medium302 FPS653 FPS
high260 FPS588 FPS
ultra226 FPS504 FPS
1440p
low299 FPS640 FPS
medium254 FPS549 FPS
high208 FPS480 FPS
ultra170 FPS378 FPS
4K
low170 FPS435 FPS
medium133 FPS379 FPS
high123 FPS336 FPS
ultra102 FPS252 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1060 and Radeon RX 7900M

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 7900M

The Radeon RX 7900M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in October 19 2023. It features the RDNA 3.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1825 MHz to 2090 MHz. It has 4608 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 180W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 72 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 22,385 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the Radeon RX 7900M's 22,385 — the Radeon RX 7900M leads by 122.4%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the Radeon RX 7900M uses RDNA 3.0, both on 16 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 4,608 (Radeon RX 7900M). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 38.52 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 7900M). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 2090 MHz.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX 7900M
G3D Mark Score
10,064
22,385+122%
Architecture
Pascal
RDNA 3.0
Process Node
16 nm
5 nm
Shading Units
2560
4608+80%
Compute (TFLOPS)
8.873 TFLOPS
38.52 TFLOPS+334%
Boost Clock
1733 MHz
2090 MHz+21%
ROPs
64
192+200%
TMUs
160
288+80%
L1 Cache
0.94 MB
3 MB+219%
L2 Cache
2 MB
6 MB+200%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the Radeon RX 7900M 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 7900M relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX 7900M
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 7900M has 16 GB. The Radeon RX 7900M offers 166.7% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 576 GB/s (Radeon RX 7900M) — a 200% advantage for the Radeon RX 7900M. Bus width: 192-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 6 MB (Radeon RX 7900M) — the Radeon RX 7900M has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX 7900M
VRAM Capacity
6 GB
16 GB+167%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth
192 GB/s
576 GB/s+200%
Bus Width
192-bit
256-bit+33%
L2 Cache
2 MB
6 MB+200%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12.2 (Radeon RX 7900M). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 1.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX 7900M
DirectX
12
12.2+2%
Vulkan
1.3
1.3
OpenGL
4.5
4.6+2%
Max Displays
4+300%
1
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060) vs VCN 4.0 (Radeon RX 7900M). Decoder: NVDEC (Pascal) vs VCN 4.0. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (Radeon RX 7900M).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX 7900M
Encoder
NVENC (Pascal)
VCN 4.0
Decoder
NVDEC (Pascal)
VCN 4.0
Codecs
H.264,H.265/HEVC
MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the Radeon RX 7900M's 180W — a 0% difference. The Radeon RX 7900M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 330W (Radeon RX 7900M). Power connectors: 6-pin vs Mobile. Card length: 173mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX 7900M
TDP
180W
180W
Recommended PSU
400W
330W-18%
Power Connector
6-pin
Mobile
Length
173mm
0mm
Height
111mm
0mm
Slots
2
0-100%
Temp (Load)
85°C
Perf/Watt
55.9
124.4+123%
💰

Value Analysis

The Radeon RX 7900M is the newer GPU (2023 vs 2016).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX 7900M
MSRP
$249
Codename
GP104
Navi 31
Release
May 27 2016
October 19 2023
Ranking
#137
#62