GeForce GTX 1060 vs Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1060

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

Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870

2018Core: 931 MHzBoost: 1011 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce GTX 1060 vs Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870 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 Vega M GL / 870 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 Vega M GL / 870: 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

  • 152.8% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Delivers 54.6% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 26.1 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
  • 100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs Unknown).
  • Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870 is already obsolete for modern gaming, so GeForce GTX 1060 is the less risky modern option long term.

Trade-offs

  • 2016 hardware with 6 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
  • 176.9% higher power demand at 180W vs 65W.

Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870

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: Vega (2017−2020) on 14nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2018 hardware with Unknown of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 26.1 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

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 152.8% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 156.6% in PassMark G3D (10,064 vs 3,922), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce GTX 1060 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 6 GB vs Unknown of VRAM. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce GTX 1060 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $99 more expensive on MSRP at $249 vs $150, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 54.6% (40.4 vs 26.1), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce GTX 1060 vs Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870 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 Vega M GL / 870

The Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 7 2018. It features the Vega 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: 3,922 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870's 3,922 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 156.6%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870 uses Vega, both on 16 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 1,280 (Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 1011 MHz.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870
G3D Mark Score
10,064+157%
3,922
Architecture
Pascal
Vega
Process Node
16 nm
14 nm
Shading Units
2560+100%
1280
Boost Clock
1733 MHz+71%
1011 MHz

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 1060 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870
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 has 6 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870 carries 0 MB. GeForce GTX 1060 gives you 100+% 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 179.2 GB/s (Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870) — a 7.1% advantage for the GeForce GTX 1060. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 1060 and 1024-bit on the Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870
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%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12 (12_1) (Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870). 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 / 870
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 / 870). 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 / 870).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870
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 / 870's 65W — a 93.9% difference. The Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 1W (Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870). Power connectors: 6-pin vs Integrated. Card length: 173mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870
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
60.3+8%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 1060 came in at $249, while the Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870 launched at $150. On MSRP, Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870 was 39.8% cheaper ($99 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 26.1 (Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 54.8% better value. The newer card here is Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870 (2018 vs 2016).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870
MSRP
$249
$150-40%
Performance per Dollar
40.4+55%
26.1
Codename
GP104
Vega Kaby Lake-G
Release
May 27 2016
January 7 2018
Ranking
#137
#427

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