GeForce GTX 1060 vs Radeon RX Vega M GL

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1060

2016Core: 1607 MHzBoost: 1733 MHz

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

Radeon RX Vega M GL

2018Core: 931 MHzBoost: 1011 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

  • +157.7% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Delivers 55.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 26.0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
  • 100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs Unknown).
  • Less risky long-term buy than Radeon RX Vega M GL: it remains the more sensible modern option while Radeon RX Vega M GL is already obsolete for modern gaming.

Trade-offs

  • Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
  • 176.9% higher power demand at 180W vs 65W.

Radeon RX Vega M GL

2018

Why buy it

  • Costs $99 less on MSRP ($150 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
  • Draws 65W instead of 180W, a 115W reduction.
  • More future proof: GCN 4.0 (2016−2020) on 14nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (3,906 vs 10,064).
  • Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • Very weak future-proofing: 2018-era hardware with Unknown of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 26.0 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce GTX 1060 better than Radeon RX Vega M GL?
Yes. GeForce GTX 1060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 10,064 vs 3,906 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce GTX 1060 is a 2016 card with no meaningful modern upscaling stack, while Radeon RX Vega M GL is a 2018 model from an older generation with FSR upscaling. 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?
GeForce GTX 1060 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 157.7% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 6 GB instead of Unknown, and the stronger feature stack with no meaningful modern upscaling stack instead of FSR upscaling. 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?
GeForce GTX 1060 is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce GTX 1060 is about 66.0% more expensive on MSRP at $249 MSRP versus $150 MSRP, and you are getting 157.7% higher G3D Mark. Radeon RX Vega M GL really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.
When does Radeon RX Vega M GL make more sense than GeForce GTX 1060?
Yes. Radeon RX Vega M GL is still an excellent gaming GPU in 2026: it is still fine for 1080p, but 1440p and especially 4K require more compromise. It makes more sense if your priority is newer architecture, lower power draw (65W vs 180W), and staying closer to $150 MSRP more than squeezing out the extra headroom of GeForce GTX 1060. The trade-off is that GeForce GTX 1060 currently gives you 157.7% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 55.2%.

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 Vega M GL
1080p
low117 FPS78 FPS
medium105 FPS66 FPS
high91 FPS54 FPS
ultra77 FPS35 FPS
1440p
low103 FPS69 FPS
medium87 FPS59 FPS
high76 FPS42 FPS
ultra67 FPS27 FPS
4K
low55 FPS24 FPS
medium49 FPS23 FPS
high41 FPS15 FPS
ultra37 FPS13 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX Vega M GL
1080p
low216 FPS139 FPS
medium181 FPS102 FPS
high148 FPS73 FPS
ultra113 FPS47 FPS
1440p
low134 FPS95 FPS
medium107 FPS66 FPS
high87 FPS49 FPS
ultra68 FPS34 FPS
4K
low62 FPS47 FPS
medium51 FPS34 FPS
high49 FPS27 FPS
ultra41 FPS17 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX Vega M GL
1080p
low453 FPS176 FPS
medium362 FPS141 FPS
high302 FPS117 FPS
ultra226 FPS88 FPS
1440p
low340 FPS132 FPS
medium272 FPS105 FPS
high226 FPS88 FPS
ultra170 FPS66 FPS
4K
low226 FPS88 FPS
medium181 FPS70 FPS
high151 FPS59 FPS
ultra113 FPS44 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX Vega M GL
1080p
low358 FPS138 FPS
medium302 FPS112 FPS
high260 FPS96 FPS
ultra226 FPS79 FPS
1440p
low299 FPS101 FPS
medium254 FPS83 FPS
high208 FPS71 FPS
ultra170 FPS57 FPS
4K
low170 FPS60 FPS
medium133 FPS46 FPS
high123 FPS36 FPS
ultra102 FPS26 FPS

Technical Specifications

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

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 Vega M GL

The Radeon RX Vega M GL is manufactured by AMD. It was released in February 1 2018. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 931 MHz to 1011 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 65W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,906 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the Radeon RX Vega M GL's 3,906 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 157.7%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the Radeon RX Vega M GL uses GCN 4.0, both on 16 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 1,280 (Radeon RX Vega M GL). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 2.588 TFLOPS (Radeon RX Vega M GL). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 1011 MHz.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX Vega M GL
G3D Mark Score
10,064+158%
3,906
Architecture
Pascal
GCN 4.0
Process Node
16 nm
14 nm
Shading Units
2560+100%
1280
Compute (TFLOPS)
8.873 TFLOPS+243%
2.588 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
1733 MHz+71%
1011 MHz
ROPs
64+100%
32
TMUs
160+100%
80
L1 Cache
960 KB+200%
320 KB
L2 Cache
2 MB+100%
1 MB

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

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX Vega M GL
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 M GL has 0 MB. The GeForce GTX 1060 offers 100+% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 179.2 GB/s (Radeon RX Vega M GL) — a 7.1% advantage for the GeForce GTX 1060. Bus width: 192-bit vs 1024-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 1 MB (Radeon RX Vega M GL) — the GeForce GTX 1060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX Vega M GL
VRAM Capacity
6 GB
Shared System RAM
Memory Type
GDDR5
HBM2
Memory Bandwidth
192 GB/s+7%
179.2 GB/s
Bus Width
192-bit
1024-bit+433%
L2 Cache
2 MB+100%
1 MB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12 (12_1) (Radeon RX Vega M GL). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 6.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX Vega M GL
DirectX
12
12 (12_1)
Vulkan
1.3+8%
1.2
OpenGL
4.5
4.6+2%
Max Displays
4
6+50%
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060) vs VCE 3.0 (Radeon RX Vega M GL). Decoder: NVDEC (Pascal) vs UVD 6.3. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060) vs H.264,H.265,VP9 (Radeon RX Vega M GL).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX Vega M GL
Encoder
NVENC (Pascal)
VCE 3.0
Decoder
NVDEC (Pascal)
UVD 6.3
Codecs
H.264,H.265/HEVC
H.264,H.265,VP9
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the Radeon RX Vega M GL's 65W — a 93.9% difference. The Radeon RX Vega M GL is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 1W (Radeon RX Vega M GL). Power connectors: 6-pin vs Integrated. Card length: 173mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX Vega M GL
TDP
180W
65W-64%
Recommended PSU
400W
1W-100%
Power Connector
6-pin
Integrated
Length
173mm
0mm
Height
111mm
0mm
Slots
2
0-100%
Temp (Load)
80
Perf/Watt
55.9
60.1+8%
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 1060 launched at $249 MSRP, while the Radeon RX Vega M GL launched at $150. The Radeon RX Vega M GL costs 39.8% less ($99 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 26.0 (Radeon RX Vega M GL) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 55.4% better value. The Radeon RX Vega M GL is the newer GPU (2018 vs 2016).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX Vega M GL
MSRP
$249
$150-40%
Performance per Dollar
40.4+55%
26.0
Codename
GP104
Polaris 22
Release
May 27 2016
February 1 2018
Ranking
#137
#500