GeForce GTX 1060 vs RTX A3000 Mobile

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

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (10,064 vs 12,720).
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌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 A3000 Mobile

2021

Why buy it

✅+26.4% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 6 GB).
✅More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Draws 70W instead of 180W, a 110W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 40.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

RTX A3000 Mobile

2021

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Why buy it

✅+26.4% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 6 GB).
✅More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Draws 70W instead of 180W, a 110W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (10,064 vs 12,720).
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌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

❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 40.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is RTX A3000 Mobile better than GeForce GTX 1060?

Yes. RTX A3000 Mobile is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 12,720 vs 10,064 in G3D Mark. On top of that, RTX A3000 Mobile is a 2021 card with no meaningful modern upscaling stack, 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 A3000 Mobile is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2021 generation instead of 2016, 26.4% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 8 GB instead of 6 GB, and 100.0% more ray-tracing hardware. 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 A3000 Mobile is the smarter buy by a wide margin. RTX A3000 Mobile is priced in an unclear MSRP range at an unclear MSRP versus $249 MSRP, and you are getting 26.4% 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 A3000 Mobile Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	RTX A3000 Mobile
1080p
low	117 FPS	110 FPS
medium	105 FPS	93 FPS
high	91 FPS	78 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	52 FPS
1440p
low	103 FPS	94 FPS
medium	87 FPS	79 FPS
high	76 FPS	59 FPS
ultra	67 FPS	39 FPS
4K
low	55 FPS	39 FPS
medium	49 FPS	35 FPS
high	41 FPS	22 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	18 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open RTX A3000 Mobile

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	RTX A3000 Mobile
1080p
low	216 FPS	188 FPS
medium	181 FPS	149 FPS
high	148 FPS	118 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	95 FPS
1440p
low	134 FPS	129 FPS
medium	107 FPS	104 FPS
high	87 FPS	85 FPS
ultra	68 FPS	67 FPS
4K
low	62 FPS	70 FPS
medium	51 FPS	56 FPS
high	49 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	41 FPS	35 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open RTX A3000 Mobile

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	RTX A3000 Mobile
1080p
low	453 FPS	572 FPS
medium	362 FPS	458 FPS
high	302 FPS	382 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	286 FPS
1440p
low	340 FPS	429 FPS
medium	272 FPS	343 FPS
high	226 FPS	286 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	215 FPS
4K
low	226 FPS	286 FPS
medium	181 FPS	229 FPS
high	151 FPS	191 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	143 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open RTX A3000 Mobile

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	RTX A3000 Mobile
1080p
low	358 FPS	276 FPS
medium	302 FPS	241 FPS
high	260 FPS	196 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	166 FPS
1440p
low	299 FPS	213 FPS
medium	254 FPS	190 FPS
high	208 FPS	155 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	128 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	129 FPS
medium	133 FPS	110 FPS
high	123 FPS	88 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	70 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open RTX A3000 Mobile

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1060 and RTX A3000 Mobile

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 A3000 Mobile

The RTX A3000 Mobile is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in April 12 2021. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 600 MHz to 1230 MHz. It has 4096 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 70W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 32 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 12,720 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the RTX A3000 Mobile's 12,720 — the RTX A3000 Mobile leads by 26.4%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the RTX A3000 Mobile uses Ampere, both on 16 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 4,096 (RTX A3000 Mobile). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 10.08 TFLOPS (RTX A3000 Mobile). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 1230 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	RTX A3000 Mobile
G3D Mark Score	10,064	12,720+26%
Architecture	Pascal	Ampere
Process Node	16 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	2560	4096+60%
Compute (TFLOPS)	8.873 TFLOPS	10.08 TFLOPS+14%
Boost Clock	1733 MHz+41%	1230 MHz
ROPs	64	64
TMUs	160+25%	128
L1 Cache	0.94 MB	4 MB+326%
L2 Cache	2 MB	4 MB+100%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	RTX A3000 Mobile
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 comes with 6 GB of VRAM, while the RTX A3000 Mobile has 8 GB. The RTX A3000 Mobile offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 192-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 4 MB (RTX A3000 Mobile) — the RTX A3000 Mobile has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	RTX A3000 Mobile
VRAM Capacity	6 GB	8 GB+33%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Bus Width	192-bit+50%	128-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB	4 MB+100%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12.2 (RTX A3000 Mobile). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	RTX A3000 Mobile
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 7th Gen NVENC (RTX A3000 Mobile). 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 A3000 Mobile).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	RTX A3000 Mobile
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 A3000 Mobile's 70W — a 88% difference. The RTX A3000 Mobile is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 500W (RTX A3000 Mobile). Power connectors: 6-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 173mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	RTX A3000 Mobile
TDP	180W	70W-61%
Recommended PSU	400W-20%	500W
Power Connector	6-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	173mm	0mm
Height	111mm	0mm
Slots	2	0-100%
Temp (Load)	—	80°C
Perf/Watt	55.9	181.7+225%