GeForce GTX 1060 vs Radeon VE

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1060

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

Radeon VE

2019Core: 1400 MHzBoost: 1750 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce GTX 1060 vs Radeon VE 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 VE 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 VE: 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

  • 10724.0% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • 1100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 512 MB).
  • Draws 180W instead of 295W, a 115W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • 2016 hardware with 6 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.

Radeon VE

2019

Why buy it

  • GeForce GTX 1060 is already legacy-tier future-proofing, so Radeon VE is the less risky modern option long term.
  • Measures 165mm instead of 173mm, a 8mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.
  • More future proof: GCN 5.1 (2018−2022) on 7nm 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 512 MB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • Older hardware, 512 MB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in newer AAA releases.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 40.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
  • 63.9% higher power demand at 295W vs 180W.

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 10724.0% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 503100% in PassMark G3D (10,064 vs 2), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
Radeon VE is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: the newer upscaling stack, FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, a 7nm process instead of 16nm, and a newer 2019 generation instead of 2016. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce GTX 1060 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce GTX 1060 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, Radeon VE has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 1060 vs Radeon VE 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 VE

The Radeon VE is manufactured by AMD. It was released in February 7 2019. It features the GCN 5.1 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1400 MHz to 1750 MHz. It has 3840 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 295W. Manufactured using 7 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2 points. Launch price was $699.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the Radeon VE's 2 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 503100%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the Radeon VE uses GCN 5.1, both on 16 nm vs 7 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 3,840 (Radeon VE). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 13.44 TFLOPS (Radeon VE). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 1750 MHz.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon VE
G3D Mark Score
10,064+503100%
2
Architecture
Pascal
GCN 5.1
Process Node
16 nm
7 nm
Shading Units
2560
3840+50%
Compute (TFLOPS)
8.873 TFLOPS
13.44 TFLOPS+51%
Boost Clock
1733 MHz
1750 MHz
ROPs
64
64
TMUs
160
240+50%
L1 Cache
960 KB
960 KB
L2 Cache
2 MB
4 MB+100%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

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

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon VE
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 VE carries 512 MB. GeForce GTX 1060 gives you 1100% 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 VE. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 4 MB (Radeon VE) — the Radeon VE has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon VE
VRAM Capacity
6 GB+1100%
0.5 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
192-bit+200%
64-bit
L2 Cache
2 MB
4 MB+100%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 7_0 (Radeon VE). Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 2.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon VE
DirectX
12+71%
7_0
Max Displays
4+100%
2
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the Radeon VE's 295W — a 48.4% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 350W (Radeon VE). Power connectors: 6-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 173mm vs 165mm, occupying 2 vs 1 slots.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon VE
TDP
180W-39%
295W
Recommended PSU
400W
350W-13%
Power Connector
6-pin
PCIe-powered
Length
173mm
165mm
Height
111mm
Slots
2
1-50%
Perf/Watt
55.9
0.0
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 1060 came in at $249, while the Radeon VE launched at $0. On MSRP, Radeon VE was 100+% cheaper ($249 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs Infinity (Radeon VE) — the Radeon VE offers Infinity% better value. The newer card here is Radeon VE (2019 vs 2016).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Radeon VE
MSRP
$249
$0-100%
Performance per Dollar
40.4
Infinity
Codename
GP104
Vega 20
Release
May 27 2016
February 7 2019
Ranking
#137
#125

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