GeForce GTX 1060 vs Tesla K20c

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

✅+127.1% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Costs $2,950 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $3,199 MSRP).
✅Delivers 2817.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 1.4 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $3,199 MSRP).
✅200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 2 GB).
✅Less risky long-term buy than Tesla K20c: it remains the more sensible modern option while Tesla K20c 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.

Tesla K20c

2012

Why buy it

✅Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (4,432 vs 10,064).
❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2012-era hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌
1184.7% HIGHER MSRP
$3,199 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 1.4 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($3,199 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

Tesla K20c

2012

Why buy it

✅+127.1% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Costs $2,950 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $3,199 MSRP).
✅Delivers 2817.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 1.4 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $3,199 MSRP).
✅200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 2 GB).
✅Less risky long-term buy than Tesla K20c: it remains the more sensible modern option while Tesla K20c is already obsolete for modern gaming.

Why buy it

✅Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Trade-offs

❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (4,432 vs 10,064).
❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2012-era hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌
1184.7% HIGHER MSRP
$3,199 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 1.4 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($3,199 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce GTX 1060 better than Tesla K20c?

Yes. GeForce GTX 1060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 10,064 vs 4,432 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce GTX 1060 is a 2016 card with no meaningful modern upscaling stack, while Tesla K20c is a 2012 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?

GeForce GTX 1060 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2016 generation instead of 2012, 127.1% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 6 GB instead of 2 GB, and a 16nm process instead of 28nm. 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 today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce GTX 1060 is about $2,950 cheaper on MSRP at $249 MSRP versus $3,199 MSRP, and you are getting 127.1% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 2817.3%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.

Is Tesla K20c still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. Tesla K20c is still a strong modern gaming GPU: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It remains a good buy when you can get it meaningfully cheaper than the alternative around $3,199 MSRP, even if GeForce GTX 1060 is still the cleaner recommendation on overall value today.

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

Tesla K20c Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	Tesla K20c
1080p
low	117 FPS	102 FPS
medium	105 FPS	83 FPS
high	91 FPS	66 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	39 FPS
1440p
low	103 FPS	85 FPS
medium	87 FPS	71 FPS
high	76 FPS	50 FPS
ultra	67 FPS	29 FPS
4K
low	55 FPS	28 FPS
medium	49 FPS	26 FPS
high	41 FPS	17 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	15 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open Tesla K20c

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	Tesla K20c
1080p
low	216 FPS	88 FPS
medium	181 FPS	62 FPS
high	148 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	32 FPS
1440p
low	134 FPS	49 FPS
medium	107 FPS	32 FPS
high	87 FPS	24 FPS
ultra	68 FPS	17 FPS
4K
low	62 FPS	18 FPS
medium	51 FPS	12 FPS
high	49 FPS	9 FPS
ultra	41 FPS	7 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open Tesla K20c

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	Tesla K20c
1080p
low	453 FPS	199 FPS
medium	362 FPS	160 FPS
high	302 FPS	133 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	100 FPS
1440p
low	340 FPS	150 FPS
medium	272 FPS	120 FPS
high	226 FPS	100 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	75 FPS
4K
low	226 FPS	100 FPS
medium	181 FPS	80 FPS
high	151 FPS	66 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	50 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open Tesla K20c

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	Tesla K20c
1080p
low	358 FPS	182 FPS
medium	302 FPS	146 FPS
high	260 FPS	124 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	94 FPS
1440p
low	299 FPS	127 FPS
medium	254 FPS	104 FPS
high	208 FPS	89 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	66 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	74 FPS
medium	133 FPS	57 FPS
high	123 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	31 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open Tesla K20c

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1060 and Tesla K20c

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.

Tesla K20c

The Tesla K20c is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in November 12 2012. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock speed is 706 MHz. It has 2496 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 225W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,432 points. Launch price was $3,199.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the Tesla K20c's 4,432 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 127.1%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the Tesla K20c uses Kepler, both on 16 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 2,496 (Tesla K20c). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 3.524 TFLOPS (Tesla K20c).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Tesla K20c
G3D Mark Score	10,064+127%	4,432
Architecture	Pascal	Kepler
Process Node	16 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	2560+3%	2496
Compute (TFLOPS)	8.873 TFLOPS+152%	3.524 TFLOPS
ROPs	64+60%	40
TMUs	160	208+30%
L1 Cache	960 KB+362%	208 KB
L2 Cache	2 MB+60%	1.25 MB

✨

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 Tesla K20c relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Tesla K20c
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	Standard

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 1060 comes with 6 GB of VRAM, while the Tesla K20c has 2 GB. The GeForce GTX 1060 offers 200% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 192-bit vs 64-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 1.25 MB (Tesla K20c) — the GeForce GTX 1060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Tesla K20c
VRAM Capacity	6 GB+200%	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	192-bit+200%	64-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB+60%	1.25 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 11_0 (Tesla K20c). Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 0.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Tesla K20c
DirectX	12+9%	11_0
Max Displays	4	0

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the Tesla K20c's 225W — a 22.2% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 350W (Tesla K20c). Power connectors: 6-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 173mm vs 267mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Tesla K20c
TDP	180W-20%	225W
Recommended PSU	400W	350W-13%
Power Connector	6-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	173mm	267mm
Height	111mm	—
Slots	2	2
Perf/Watt	55.9+184%	19.7

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 1060 launched at $249 MSRP, while the Tesla K20c launched at $3199. The GeForce GTX 1060 costs 92.2% less ($2950 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 1.4 (Tesla K20c) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 2785.7% better value. The GeForce GTX 1060 is the newer GPU (2016 vs 2012).