GeForce GTX 1060 vs Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C

CPU

GPU

GeForce GTX 1060

2016Core: 1607 MHzBoost: 1733 MHz

Popular choices:

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Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C

2020Boost: 2100 MHz

Popular choices:

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Performance Spectrum - GPU

GeForce GTX 1060

6 GB 180

10,064

+613.8%

GeForce GTX 680

GeForce GTX 970XM FORCE

GeForce RTX 2050 Mobile

GeForce GTX TITAN Z

GeForce GTX 980 Ti

GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile

GeForce RTX 2080 Ti

GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile

Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C

Shared System RAM 15

1,410

0.0%

Radeon HD 7730M

Radeon HD 8570

Radeon R7 430

Radeon HD 8670D + HD 6670 Dual

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

✅334.5% more average FPS across 32 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 183.8% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 14.2 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $99 MSRP).
✅100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs Unknown).
✅Less risky long-term buy than Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C: it remains the more sensible modern option while Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C 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.
❌1100% higher power demand at 180W vs 15W.
❌17200% longer card at 173mm vs 1mm.

Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C

2020

Why buy it

✅Costs $150 less on MSRP ($99 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
✅Draws 15W instead of 180W, a 165W reduction.
✅Measures 1mm instead of 173mm, a 172mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1060 across 32 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2020-era hardware with Unknown of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 14.2 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($99 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C

2020

Why buy it

✅334.5% more average FPS across 32 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 183.8% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 14.2 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $99 MSRP).
✅100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs Unknown).
✅Less risky long-term buy than Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C: it remains the more sensible modern option while Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C is already obsolete for modern gaming.

Why buy it

✅Costs $150 less on MSRP ($99 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
✅Draws 15W instead of 180W, a 165W reduction.
✅Measures 1mm instead of 173mm, a 172mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌1100% higher power demand at 180W vs 15W.
❌17200% longer card at 173mm vs 1mm.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1060 across 32 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2020-era hardware with Unknown of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 14.2 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($99 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce GTX 1060 better than Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C?

Yes. GeForce GTX 1060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. GeForce GTX 1060 averages 334.5% more FPS across 32 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 10,064 vs 1,410 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce GTX 1060 is a 2016 card with no meaningful modern upscaling stack, while Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C is a 2020 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 613.8% 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 151.5% more expensive on MSRP at $249 MSRP versus $99 MSRP, and you are getting 334.5% more estimated average FPS across 32 tracked games in our benchmark data and 613.8% higher G3D Mark. Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.

When does Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C make more sense than GeForce GTX 1060?

Yes. Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C 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 (15W vs 180W), and staying closer to $99 MSRP more than squeezing out the extra headroom of GeForce GTX 1060. The trade-off is that GeForce GTX 1060 currently gives you 613.8% higher G3D Mark and 334.5% more estimated average FPS across 32 tracked games in our benchmark data. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 183.8%.

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 Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C
1080p
low	117 FPS	63 FPS
medium	105 FPS	51 FPS
high	91 FPS	42 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	32 FPS
1440p
low	103 FPS	48 FPS
medium	87 FPS	38 FPS
high	76 FPS	32 FPS
ultra	67 FPS	24 FPS
4K
low	55 FPS	27 FPS
medium	49 FPS	25 FPS
high	41 FPS	17 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	15 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C
1080p
low	216 FPS	63 FPS
medium	181 FPS	51 FPS
high	148 FPS	42 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	32 FPS
1440p
low	134 FPS	48 FPS
medium	107 FPS	38 FPS
high	87 FPS	32 FPS
ultra	68 FPS	24 FPS
4K
low	62 FPS	32 FPS
medium	51 FPS	24 FPS
high	49 FPS	19 FPS
ultra	41 FPS	14 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C
1080p
low	453 FPS	63 FPS
medium	362 FPS	51 FPS
high	302 FPS	42 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	32 FPS
1440p
low	340 FPS	48 FPS
medium	272 FPS	38 FPS
high	226 FPS	32 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	24 FPS
4K
low	226 FPS	32 FPS
medium	181 FPS	25 FPS
high	151 FPS	21 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	16 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C
1080p
low	358 FPS	63 FPS
medium	302 FPS	51 FPS
high	260 FPS	42 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	32 FPS
1440p
low	299 FPS	48 FPS
medium	254 FPS	38 FPS
high	208 FPS	32 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	24 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	32 FPS
medium	133 FPS	25 FPS
high	123 FPS	21 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	16 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1060 and Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C

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 Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C

The Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 7 2020. It features the Vega architecture. The boost clock speed is 2100 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 15W. Manufactured using 7 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,410 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C's 1,410 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 613.8%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C uses Vega, both on 16 nm vs 7 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 512 (Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 2100 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C
G3D Mark Score	10,064+614%	1,410
Architecture	Pascal	Vega
Process Node	16 nm	7 nm
Shading Units	2560+400%	512
Boost Clock	1733 MHz	2100 MHz+21%

✨

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 Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C
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 Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C has 0 MB. The GeForce GTX 1060 offers 100+% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 192-bit vs System.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C
VRAM Capacity	6 GB	Shared System RAM
Memory Type	GDDR5	Shared
Memory Bandwidth	192 GB/s	System
Bus Width	192-bit	System

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12_1 (Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C). Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 0.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C
DirectX	12	12_1
Max Displays	4	0

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060) vs VCN 1.0 (Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C). Decoder: NVDEC (Pascal) vs VCN 1.0.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C
Encoder	NVENC (Pascal)	VCN 1.0
Decoder	NVDEC (Pascal)	VCN 1.0
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC	—

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C's 15W — a 169.2% difference. The Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 1W (Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C). Power connectors: 6-pin vs Integrated. Card length: 173mm vs 1mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C
TDP	180W	15W-92%
Recommended PSU	400W	1W-100%
Power Connector	6-pin	Integrated
Length	173mm	1mm
Height	111mm	—
Slots	2	0-100%
Perf/Watt	55.9	94.0+68%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 1060 launched at $249 MSRP, while the Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C launched at $99. The Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C costs 60.2% less ($150 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 14.2 (Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 184.5% better value. The Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C is the newer GPU (2020 vs 2016).