GeForce GTX 1060 vs Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1060

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

Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB

2025Boost: 2530 MHz
RX family
······

GeForce GTX 1060 vs Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB 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 9060 XT 16GB 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 9060 XT 16GB: 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

  • 27.6% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Costs $100 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $349 MSRP).
  • Measures 173mm instead of 240mm, a 67mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (10,064 vs 20,024).
  • 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 2.1 (2025).
  • 2016 hardware with 6 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 40.4 vs 57.4 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $349 MSRP).

Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB

2025

Why buy it

  • +99% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Delivers 42% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 57.4 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($349 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
  • Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation + AFMF 2.1 (2025).
  • 166.7% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (16 GB vs 6 GB).
  • Better long-term bet: RDNA 4 (2025) on 4nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • 38.7% longer card at 240mm 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 27.6% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB instead at 20,024 vs 10,064, so for this question the real-game FPS result matters more than the synthetic split.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 16 GB vs 6 GB of VRAM, the newer feature stack, with FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) and FSR Frame Generation + AFMF 2.1 (2025), while GeForce GTX 1060 is limited to no meaningful modern upscaling stack and no comparable frame-generation support, a 4nm process instead of 16nm, and a newer 2025 generation instead of 2016. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB makes the most sense to buy today. It is $100 more expensive on MSRP at $349 vs $249, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 42% (57.4 vs 40.4), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. GeForce GTX 1060 still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

GeForce GTX 1060 vs Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB 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 9060 XT 16GB

The Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 2 2025. It features the RDNA 4 architecture. The boost clock speed is 2530 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 4 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 20,024 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB's 20,024 — the Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB leads by 99%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB uses RDNA 4, both on 16 nm vs 4 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 2,048 (Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 2530 MHz.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB
G3D Mark Score
10,064
20,024+99%
Architecture
Pascal
RDNA 4
Process Node
16 nm
4 nm
Shading Units
2560+25%
2048
Boost Clock
1733 MHz
2530 MHz+46%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The clearest feature edge for the Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB is support for FSR Frame Generation + AFMF 2.1. 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 9060 XT 16GB leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation
Not Supported
FSR Frame Generation + AFMF 2.1
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 9060 XT 16GB carries 16 GB. Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB gives you 166.7% 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 320 GB/s (Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB) — a 66.7% advantage for the Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 1060 and 128-bit on the Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB
VRAM Capacity
6 GB
16 GB+167%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth
192 GB/s
320 GB/s+67%
Bus Width
192-bit+50%
128-bit
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12.2 (Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB
DirectX
12
12.2+2%
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 VCN 5.0 (Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB). Decoder: NVDEC (Pascal) vs VCN 5.0. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB
Encoder
NVENC (Pascal)
VCN 5.0
Decoder
NVDEC (Pascal)
VCN 5.0
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 9060 XT 16GB's 75W — a 82.4% difference. The Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 550W (Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB). Power connectors: 6-pin vs 8-pin. Card length: 173mm vs 240mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB
TDP
180W
75W-58%
Recommended PSU
400W-27%
550W
Power Connector
6-pin
8-pin
Length
173mm
240mm
Height
111mm
111mm
Slots
2
2
Temp (Load)
75°C
Perf/Watt
55.9
267.0+378%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 1060 came in at $249, while the Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB launched at $349. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 1060 was 28.7% cheaper ($100 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 57.4 (Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB) — the Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB offers 42.1% better value. The newer card here is Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB (2025 vs 2016).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB
MSRP
$249-29%
$349
Performance per Dollar
40.4
57.4+42%
Codename
GP104
Release
May 27 2016
January 2 2025
Ranking
#137
#45

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