GeForce GTX 1060 vs RTX A2000

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1060

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

RTX A2000

2021Core: 562 MHzBoost: 1200 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce GTX 1060 vs RTX A2000 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 RTX A2000 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 RTX A2000: 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

  • Costs $201 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $450 MSRP).
  • Delivers 35.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 29.9 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $450 MSRP).

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than RTX A2000 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2016 hardware with 6 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
  • 157.1% higher power demand at 180W vs 70W.

RTX A2000

2021

Why buy it

  • 1.8% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • 33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 6 GB).
  • Better long-term bet: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
  • Draws 70W instead of 180W, a 110W reduction.
  • Measures 167mm instead of 173mm, a 6mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

  • 80.7% HIGHER MSRP
    $450 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 29.9 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($450 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
RTX A2000 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 1.8% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 33.8% in PassMark G3D (13,464 vs 10,064), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
RTX A2000 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 8 GB vs 6 GB of VRAM, a 8nm process instead of 16nm, 26 vs 0 ray-tracing units, and a newer 2021 generation instead of 2016. 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 $201 cheaper on MSRP at $249 vs $450, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 35.1% (40.4 vs 29.9), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce GTX 1060 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and lighter 1440p headroom, RTX A2000 has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 1060 vs RTX A2000 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.

NVIDIA

RTX A2000

The RTX A2000 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 10 2021. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 562 MHz to 1200 MHz. It has 3328 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 70W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 26 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 13,464 points. Launch price was $449.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the RTX A2000's 13,464 — the RTX A2000 leads by 33.8%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the RTX A2000 uses Ampere, both on 16 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 3,328 (RTX A2000). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 7.987 TFLOPS (RTX A2000). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 1200 MHz.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060RTX A2000
G3D Mark Score
10,064
13,464+34%
Architecture
Pascal
Ampere
Process Node
16 nm
8 nm
Shading Units
2560
3328+30%
Compute (TFLOPS)
8.873 TFLOPS+11%
7.987 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
1733 MHz+44%
1200 MHz
ROPs
64+33%
48
TMUs
160+54%
104
L1 Cache
0.94 MB
3.3 MB+251%
L2 Cache
2 MB
3 MB+50%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060RTX A2000
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
Upscaling support
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
NVIDIA Reflex
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 1060 has 6 GB of VRAM, while the RTX A2000 carries 8 GB. RTX A2000 gives you 33.3% 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 128-bit on the RTX A2000. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 3 MB (RTX A2000) — the RTX A2000 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060RTX A2000
VRAM Capacity
6 GB
8 GB+33%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR6
Bus Width
192-bit+50%
128-bit
L2 Cache
2 MB
3 MB+50%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12.2 (RTX A2000). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 6.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060RTX A2000
DirectX
12
12.2+2%
Vulkan
1.3
1.3
OpenGL
4.5
4.6+2%
Max Displays
4
6+50%
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 7th Gen NVENC (RTX A2000). 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 (Decode) (RTX A2000).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060RTX A2000
Encoder
NVENC (Pascal)
7th Gen NVENC
Decoder
NVDEC (Pascal)
5th Gen NVDEC
Codecs
H.264,H.265/HEVC
MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (Decode)
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the RTX A2000's 70W — a 88% difference. The RTX A2000 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 500W (RTX A2000). Power connectors: 6-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 173mm vs 167mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060RTX A2000
TDP
180W
70W-61%
Recommended PSU
400W-20%
500W
Power Connector
6-pin
PCIe-powered
Length
173mm
167mm
Height
111mm
68mm
Slots
2
2
Temp (Load)
75°C
Perf/Watt
55.9
192.3+244%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 1060 came in at $249, while the RTX A2000 launched at $450. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 1060 was 44.7% cheaper ($201 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 29.9 (RTX A2000) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 35.1% better value. The newer card here is RTX A2000 (2021 vs 2016).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060RTX A2000
MSRP
$249-45%
$450
Performance per Dollar
40.4+35%
29.9
Codename
GP104
GA106
Release
May 27 2016
August 10 2021
Ranking
#137
#186

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