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

✅Costs $750 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $999 MSRP).
✅Delivers 164.7% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 15.3 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $999 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (10,064 vs 15,252).
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 16 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌157.1% higher power demand at 180W vs 70W.

RTX 2000E Ada Generation

2024

Why buy it

✅+51.6% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅166.7% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (16 GB vs 6 GB).
✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Draws 70W instead of 180W, a 110W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌
301.2% HIGHER MSRP
$999 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 15.3 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($999 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

RTX 2000E Ada Generation

2024

Why buy it

✅Costs $750 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $999 MSRP).
✅Delivers 164.7% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 15.3 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $999 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅+51.6% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅166.7% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (16 GB vs 6 GB).
✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Draws 70W instead of 180W, a 110W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (10,064 vs 15,252).
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 16 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌157.1% higher power demand at 180W vs 70W.

Trade-offs

❌
301.2% HIGHER MSRP
$999 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 15.3 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($999 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is RTX 2000E Ada Generation better than GeForce GTX 1060?

Yes. RTX 2000E Ada Generation is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 15,252 vs 10,064 in G3D Mark. On top of that, RTX 2000E Ada Generation is a 2024 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while GeForce GTX 1060 is a 2016 model from an older generation with no meaningful modern upscaling stack. 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?

RTX 2000E Ada Generation is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2024 generation instead of 2016, 51.6% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 16 GB instead of 6 GB, and better upscaling support with DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack. 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?

RTX 2000E Ada Generation is the smarter buy by a wide margin. RTX 2000E Ada Generation is about 301.2% more expensive on MSRP at $999 MSRP versus $249 MSRP, and you are getting 51.6% higher G3D Mark. GeForce GTX 1060 really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.

Is GeForce GTX 1060 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

No, not for a fresh gaming build. GeForce GTX 1060 is 2016 hardware with 6 GB of VRAM, 10,064 in G3D Mark, and no meaningful modern upscaling stack. That is simply too far behind to be an easy modern recommendation.

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

RTX 2000E Ada Generation Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	RTX 2000E Ada Generation
1080p
low	117 FPS	199 FPS
medium	105 FPS	184 FPS
high	91 FPS	163 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	144 FPS
1440p
low	103 FPS	180 FPS
medium	87 FPS	155 FPS
high	76 FPS	130 FPS
ultra	67 FPS	119 FPS
4K
low	55 FPS	113 FPS
medium	49 FPS	99 FPS
high	41 FPS	75 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	68 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open RTX 2000E Ada Generation

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	RTX 2000E Ada Generation
1080p
low	216 FPS	342 FPS
medium	181 FPS	285 FPS
high	148 FPS	217 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	170 FPS
1440p
low	134 FPS	212 FPS
medium	107 FPS	181 FPS
high	87 FPS	150 FPS
ultra	68 FPS	120 FPS
4K
low	62 FPS	109 FPS
medium	51 FPS	90 FPS
high	49 FPS	77 FPS
ultra	41 FPS	59 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open RTX 2000E Ada Generation

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	RTX 2000E Ada Generation
1080p
low	453 FPS	686 FPS
medium	362 FPS	549 FPS
high	302 FPS	458 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	343 FPS
1440p
low	340 FPS	456 FPS
medium	272 FPS	385 FPS
high	226 FPS	326 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	257 FPS
4K
low	226 FPS	335 FPS
medium	181 FPS	274 FPS
high	151 FPS	211 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	163 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open RTX 2000E Ada Generation

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	RTX 2000E Ada Generation
1080p
low	358 FPS	617 FPS
medium	302 FPS	538 FPS
high	260 FPS	452 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	343 FPS
1440p
low	299 FPS	507 FPS
medium	254 FPS	412 FPS
high	208 FPS	343 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	257 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	311 FPS
medium	133 FPS	275 FPS
high	123 FPS	229 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	172 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open RTX 2000E Ada Generation

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1060 and RTX 2000E Ada Generation

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.

RTX 2000E Ada Generation

The RTX 2000E Ada Generation is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in February 12 2024. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 1620 MHz to 2130 MHz. It has 2816 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 70W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 22 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 15,252 points. Launch price was $649.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the RTX 2000E Ada Generation's 15,252 — the RTX 2000E Ada Generation leads by 51.6%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the RTX 2000E Ada Generation uses Ada Lovelace, both on 16 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 2,816 (RTX 2000E Ada Generation). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12 TFLOPS (RTX 2000E Ada Generation). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 2130 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	RTX 2000E Ada Generation
G3D Mark Score	10,064	15,252+52%
Architecture	Pascal	Ada Lovelace
Process Node	16 nm	5 nm
Shading Units	2560	2816+10%
Compute (TFLOPS)	8.873 TFLOPS	12 TFLOPS+35%
Boost Clock	1733 MHz	2130 MHz+23%
ROPs	64+33%	48
TMUs	160+82%	88
L1 Cache	0.94 MB	2.8 MB+198%
L2 Cache	2 MB	12 MB+500%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The RTX 2000E Ada Generation supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 1060 is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	RTX 2000E Ada Generation
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	DLSS 2 Super Resolution
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 1060 comes with 6 GB of VRAM, while the RTX 2000E Ada Generation has 16 GB. The RTX 2000E Ada Generation offers 166.7% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 224 GB/s (RTX 2000E Ada Generation) — a 16.7% advantage for the RTX 2000E Ada Generation. Bus width: 192-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12 MB (RTX 2000E Ada Generation) — the RTX 2000E Ada Generation has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	RTX 2000E Ada Generation
VRAM Capacity	6 GB	16 GB+167%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	192 GB/s	224 GB/s+17%
Bus Width	192-bit+50%	128-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB	12 MB+500%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12.2 (RTX 2000E Ada Generation). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	RTX 2000E Ada Generation
DirectX	12	12.2+2%
Vulkan	1.3	1.3
OpenGL	4.5	4.6+2%
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 8th Gen NVENC (RTX 2000E Ada Generation). Decoder: NVDEC (Pascal) vs 5th Gen NVDEC. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (RTX 2000E Ada Generation).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	RTX 2000E Ada Generation
Encoder	NVENC (Pascal)	8th Gen NVENC
Decoder	NVDEC (Pascal)	5th Gen NVDEC
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the RTX 2000E Ada Generation's 70W — a 88% difference. The RTX 2000E Ada Generation is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 650W (RTX 2000E Ada Generation). Power connectors: 6-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 173mm vs 167mm, occupying 2 vs 1 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	RTX 2000E Ada Generation
TDP	180W	70W-61%
Recommended PSU	400W-38%	650W
Power Connector	6-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	173mm	167mm
Height	111mm	68mm
Slots	2	1-50%
Temp (Load)	—	75°C
Perf/Watt	55.9	217.9+290%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 1060 launched at $249 MSRP, while the RTX 2000E Ada Generation launched at $999. The GeForce GTX 1060 costs 75.1% less ($750 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 15.3 (RTX 2000E Ada Generation) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 164.1% better value. The RTX 2000E Ada Generation is the newer GPU (2024 vs 2016).