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 $150 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $399 MSRP).
✅Delivers 23.8% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 32.6 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $399 MSRP).
✅Draws 180W instead of 210W, a 30W reduction.
✅Measures 173mm instead of 280mm, a 107mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon RX Vega 56 across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.

Radeon RX Vega 56

2017

Why buy it

✅9.4% more average FPS across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 6 GB).
✅Less risky long-term buy than GeForce GTX 1060: it remains the more sensible modern option while GeForce GTX 1060 is already legacy-tier future-proofing.

Trade-offs

❌Poor future-proofing: 2017-era hardware with 8 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌
60.2% HIGHER MSRP
$399 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 32.6 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($399 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
❌16.7% higher power demand at 210W vs 180W.
❌61.8% longer card at 280mm vs 173mm.

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

Radeon RX Vega 56

2017

Why buy it

✅Costs $150 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $399 MSRP).
✅Delivers 23.8% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 32.6 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $399 MSRP).
✅Draws 180W instead of 210W, a 30W reduction.
✅Measures 173mm instead of 280mm, a 107mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Why buy it

✅9.4% more average FPS across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 6 GB).
✅Less risky long-term buy than GeForce GTX 1060: it remains the more sensible modern option while GeForce GTX 1060 is already legacy-tier future-proofing.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon RX Vega 56 across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.

Trade-offs

❌Poor future-proofing: 2017-era hardware with 8 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌
60.2% HIGHER MSRP
$399 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 32.6 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($399 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
❌16.7% higher power demand at 210W vs 180W.
❌61.8% longer card at 280mm vs 173mm.

Quick Answers

So, is Radeon RX Vega 56 better than GeForce GTX 1060?

Yes. Radeon RX Vega 56 is the better GPU overall here. You are getting 9.4% more average FPS across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data, 29.4% higher PassMark G3D performance, and 8 GB vs 6 GB of VRAM. It also comes from 2017 instead of 2016, which helps its case as the more complete modern gaming card.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Radeon RX Vega 56 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2017 generation instead of 2016, 29.4% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 8 GB instead of 6 GB, and better upscaling support with FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) 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 Vega 56 is the smarter buy by a wide margin. Radeon RX Vega 56 is about 60.2% more expensive on MSRP at $399 MSRP versus $249 MSRP, and you are getting 9.4% more estimated average FPS across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data and 29.4% 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 Vega 56 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon RX Vega 56
1080p
low	117 FPS	126 FPS
medium	105 FPS	108 FPS
high	91 FPS	93 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	64 FPS
1440p
low	103 FPS	102 FPS
medium	87 FPS	85 FPS
high	76 FPS	66 FPS
ultra	67 FPS	46 FPS
4K
low	55 FPS	45 FPS
medium	49 FPS	39 FPS
high	41 FPS	28 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	24 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open Radeon RX Vega 56

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon RX Vega 56
1080p
low	216 FPS	286 FPS
medium	181 FPS	245 FPS
high	148 FPS	185 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	154 FPS
1440p
low	134 FPS	194 FPS
medium	107 FPS	168 FPS
high	87 FPS	136 FPS
ultra	68 FPS	109 FPS
4K
low	62 FPS	103 FPS
medium	51 FPS	87 FPS
high	49 FPS	72 FPS
ultra	41 FPS	56 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open Radeon RX Vega 56

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon RX Vega 56
1080p
low	453 FPS	586 FPS
medium	362 FPS	469 FPS
high	302 FPS	391 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	293 FPS
1440p
low	340 FPS	440 FPS
medium	272 FPS	352 FPS
high	226 FPS	293 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	220 FPS
4K
low	226 FPS	293 FPS
medium	181 FPS	234 FPS
high	151 FPS	195 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	147 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open Radeon RX Vega 56

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon RX Vega 56
1080p
low	358 FPS	271 FPS
medium	302 FPS	236 FPS
high	260 FPS	201 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	162 FPS
1440p
low	299 FPS	206 FPS
medium	254 FPS	184 FPS
high	208 FPS	157 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	126 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	123 FPS
medium	133 FPS	108 FPS
high	123 FPS	84 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	68 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open Radeon RX Vega 56

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1060 and Radeon RX Vega 56

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 Vega 56

The Radeon RX Vega 56 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in August 14 2017. It features the GCN 5.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1156 MHz to 1471 MHz. It has 3584 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 210W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 13,026 points. Launch price was $399.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the Radeon RX Vega 56's 13,026 — the Radeon RX Vega 56 leads by 29.4%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the Radeon RX Vega 56 uses GCN 5.0, both on 16 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 3,584 (Radeon RX Vega 56). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 10.54 TFLOPS (Radeon RX Vega 56). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 1471 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon RX Vega 56
G3D Mark Score	10,064	13,026+29%
Architecture	Pascal	GCN 5.0
Process Node	16 nm	14 nm
Shading Units	2560	3584+40%
Compute (TFLOPS)	8.873 TFLOPS	10.54 TFLOPS+19%
Boost Clock	1733 MHz+18%	1471 MHz
ROPs	64	64
TMUs	160	224+40%
L1 Cache	960 KB+7%	896 KB
L2 Cache	2 MB	4 MB+100%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

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 Vega 56 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon RX Vega 56
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
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 Vega 56 has 8 GB. The Radeon RX Vega 56 offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 410 GB/s (Radeon RX Vega 56) — a 113.5% advantage for the Radeon RX Vega 56. Bus width: 192-bit vs 2048-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 4 MB (Radeon RX Vega 56) — the Radeon RX Vega 56 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon RX Vega 56
VRAM Capacity	6 GB	8 GB+33%
Memory Type	GDDR5	HBM2
Memory Bandwidth	192 GB/s	410 GB/s+114%
Bus Width	192-bit	2048-bit+967%
L2 Cache	2 MB	4 MB+100%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12 (12_1) (Radeon RX Vega 56). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon RX Vega 56
DirectX	12	12 (12_1)
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 4.0 (Radeon RX Vega 56). Decoder: NVDEC (Pascal) vs UVD 7.0. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060) vs H.264,H.265,VP9 (Radeon RX Vega 56).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon RX Vega 56
Encoder	NVENC (Pascal)	VCE 4.0
Decoder	NVDEC (Pascal)	UVD 7.0
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC	H.264,H.265,VP9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the Radeon RX Vega 56's 210W — a 15.4% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 650W (Radeon RX Vega 56). Power connectors: 6-pin vs 2x 8-pin. Card length: 173mm vs 280mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon RX Vega 56
TDP	180W-14%	210W
Recommended PSU	400W-38%	650W
Power Connector	6-pin	2x 8-pin
Length	173mm	280mm
Height	111mm	111mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	—	75
Perf/Watt	55.9	62.0+11%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 1060 launched at $249 MSRP, while the Radeon RX Vega 56 launched at $399. The GeForce GTX 1060 costs 37.6% less ($150 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 32.6 (Radeon RX Vega 56) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 23.9% better value. The Radeon RX Vega 56 is the newer GPU (2017 vs 2016).