GeForce GTX 1060 vs Radeon Sky 500

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 Sky 500 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 Sky 500: 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

✅117.9% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $251 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $500 MSRP).
✅Delivers 327.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 9.4 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $500 MSRP).
✅200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 2 GB).
✅Radeon Sky 500 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.
❌20% higher power demand at 180W vs 150W.

Radeon Sky 500

2013

Why buy it

✅Draws 150W instead of 180W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2013 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌
100.8% HIGHER MSRP
$500 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 9.4 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($500 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 117.9% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 113.1% in PassMark G3D (10,064 vs 4,723), 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 2 GB of VRAM, a 16nm process instead of 28nm, and a newer 2016 generation instead of 2013. 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 $251 cheaper on MSRP at $249 vs $500, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 327.9% (40.4 vs 9.4), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce GTX 1060 vs Radeon Sky 500 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

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 Sky 500

The Radeon Sky 500 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in March 27 2013. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 950 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,723 points.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the Radeon Sky 500's 4,723 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 113.1%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the Radeon Sky 500 uses GCN 1.0, both on 16 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 1,280 (Radeon Sky 500). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 2.432 TFLOPS (Radeon Sky 500).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon Sky 500
G3D Mark Score	10,064+113%	4,723
Architecture	Pascal	GCN 1.0
Process Node	16 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	2560+100%	1280
Compute (TFLOPS)	8.873 TFLOPS+265%	2.432 TFLOPS
ROPs	64+100%	32
TMUs	160+100%	80
L1 Cache	960 KB+200%	320 KB
L2 Cache	2 MB+300%	0.5 MB

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 1060 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon Sky 500 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon Sky 500
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

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 1060 has 6 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon Sky 500 carries 2 GB. GeForce GTX 1060 gives you 200% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 1060 and 64-bit on the Radeon Sky 500. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 0.5 MB (Radeon Sky 500) — the GeForce GTX 1060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon Sky 500
VRAM Capacity	6 GB+200%	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	192-bit+200%	64-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB+300%	0.5 MB

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the Radeon Sky 500's 150W — a 18.2% difference. The Radeon Sky 500 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 350W (Radeon Sky 500). Power connectors: 6-pin vs PCIe-powered.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon Sky 500
TDP	180W	150W-17%
Recommended PSU	400W	350W-13%
Power Connector	6-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	173mm	—
Height	111mm	—
Slots	2	—
Perf/Watt	55.9+77%	31.5

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Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 1060 came in at $249, while the Radeon Sky 500 launched at $500. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 1060 was 50.2% cheaper ($251 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 9.4 (Radeon Sky 500) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 329.8% better value. The newer card here is GeForce GTX 1060 (2016 vs 2013).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon Sky 500
MSRP	$249-50%	$500
Performance per Dollar	40.4+330%	9.4
Codename	GP104	Pitcairn
Release	May 27 2016	March 27 2013
Ranking	#137	#455

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