GeForce GTX 1060 vs RTXA5000-8Q

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1060

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

RTXA5000-8Q

2021Core: 1170 MHzBoost: 1695 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce GTX 1060 vs RTXA5000-8Q 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 RTXA5000-8Q: 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

  • +104.7% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Costs $2,251 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $2,500 MSRP).
  • Delivers 1955.4% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 2.0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $2,500 MSRP).
  • 200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 2 GB).
  • Draws 180W instead of 230W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

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

RTXA5000-8Q

2021

Why buy it

  • Better long-term bet: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
  • More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (4,916 vs 10,064).
  • Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 904% HIGHER MSRP
    $2,500 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 2.0 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($2,500 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
  • 27.8% higher power demand at 230W vs 180W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce GTX 1060 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 104.7% in PassMark G3D (10,064 vs 4,916), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
RTXA5000-8Q is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 8nm process instead of 16nm, 64 vs 0 ray-tracing units, and a newer 2021 generation instead of 2016. That gives it the more rounded hardware package for newer games.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce GTX 1060 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $2,251 cheaper on MSRP at $249 vs $2,500, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 1955.4% (40.4 vs 2.0), so the value case lines up with the gaming result. 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, RTXA5000-8Q has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 1060 vs RTXA5000-8Q 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

RTXA5000-8Q

The RTXA5000-8Q is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in April 12 2021. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1170 MHz to 1695 MHz. It has 8192 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 230W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 64 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,916 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the RTXA5000-8Q's 4,916 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 104.7%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the RTXA5000-8Q uses Ampere, both on 16 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 8,192 (RTXA5000-8Q). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 27.77 TFLOPS (RTXA5000-8Q). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 1695 MHz.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060RTXA5000-8Q
G3D Mark Score
10,064+105%
4,916
Architecture
Pascal
Ampere
Process Node
16 nm
8 nm
Shading Units
2560
8192+220%
Compute (TFLOPS)
8.873 TFLOPS
27.77 TFLOPS+213%
Boost Clock
1733 MHz+2%
1695 MHz
ROPs
64
96+50%
TMUs
160
256+60%
L1 Cache
0.94 MB
8 MB+751%
L2 Cache
2 MB
6 MB+200%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060RTXA5000-8Q
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 RTXA5000-8Q carries 2 GB. GeForce GTX 1060 gives you 200% 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 RTXA5000-8Q. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 6 MB (RTXA5000-8Q) — the RTXA5000-8Q has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060RTXA5000-8Q
VRAM Capacity
6 GB+200%
2 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
192-bit+200%
64-bit
L2 Cache
2 MB
6 MB+200%
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the RTXA5000-8Q's 230W — a 24.4% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 350W (RTXA5000-8Q). Power connectors: 6-pin vs PCIe-powered.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060RTXA5000-8Q
TDP
180W-22%
230W
Recommended PSU
400W
350W-13%
Power Connector
6-pin
PCIe-powered
Length
173mm
Height
111mm
Slots
2
Perf/Watt
55.9+161%
21.4
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 1060 came in at $249, while the RTXA5000-8Q launched at $2500. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 1060 was 90% cheaper ($2251 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 2.0 (RTXA5000-8Q) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 1920% better value. The newer card here is RTXA5000-8Q (2021 vs 2016).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060RTXA5000-8Q
MSRP
$249-90%
$2500
Performance per Dollar
40.4+1920%
2.0
Codename
GP104
GA102
Release
May 27 2016
April 12 2021
Ranking
#137
#53

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