GeForce GTX 1060 vs Tesla K8

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1060

2016Core: 1607 MHzBoost: 1733 MHz

Popular choices:

VS
NVIDIA

Tesla K8

2014Core: 693 MHzBoost: 811 MHz

Popular choices:

Performance Spectrum - GPU

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.

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

  • +96.9% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Costs $751 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $1,000 MSRP).
  • Delivers 690.8% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 5.1 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $1,000 MSRP).
  • 50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 4 GB).
  • Less risky long-term buy than Tesla K8: it remains the more sensible modern option while Tesla K8 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.
  • 80% higher power demand at 180W vs 100W.

Tesla K8

2014

Why buy it

  • Draws 100W instead of 180W, a 80W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (5,111 vs 10,064).
  • Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • Very weak future-proofing: 2014-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
  • 301.6% HIGHER MSRP
    $1,000 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 5.1 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($1,000 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce GTX 1060 better than Tesla K8?
Yes. GeForce GTX 1060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 10,064 vs 5,111 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce GTX 1060 is a 2016 card with no meaningful modern upscaling stack, while Tesla K8 is a 2014 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 2014, 96.9% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 6 GB instead of 4 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 $751 cheaper on MSRP at $249 MSRP versus $1,000 MSRP, and you are getting 96.9% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 690.8%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.
Is Tesla K8 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?
Yes. Tesla K8 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 $1,000 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetGeForce GTX 1060Tesla K8
1080p
low117 FPS100 FPS
medium105 FPS86 FPS
high91 FPS68 FPS
ultra77 FPS40 FPS
1440p
low103 FPS87 FPS
medium87 FPS77 FPS
high76 FPS54 FPS
ultra67 FPS31 FPS
4K
low55 FPS28 FPS
medium49 FPS26 FPS
high41 FPS17 FPS
ultra37 FPS15 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce GTX 1060Tesla K8
1080p
low216 FPS103 FPS
medium181 FPS74 FPS
high148 FPS53 FPS
ultra113 FPS37 FPS
1440p
low134 FPS69 FPS
medium107 FPS46 FPS
high87 FPS35 FPS
ultra68 FPS26 FPS
4K
low62 FPS35 FPS
medium51 FPS25 FPS
high49 FPS19 FPS
ultra41 FPS14 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce GTX 1060Tesla K8
1080p
low453 FPS230 FPS
medium362 FPS184 FPS
high302 FPS153 FPS
ultra226 FPS115 FPS
1440p
low340 FPS172 FPS
medium272 FPS138 FPS
high226 FPS115 FPS
ultra170 FPS86 FPS
4K
low226 FPS115 FPS
medium181 FPS92 FPS
high151 FPS77 FPS
ultra113 FPS57 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce GTX 1060Tesla K8
1080p
low358 FPS162 FPS
medium302 FPS130 FPS
high260 FPS116 FPS
ultra226 FPS89 FPS
1440p
low299 FPS117 FPS
medium254 FPS96 FPS
high208 FPS86 FPS
ultra170 FPS61 FPS
4K
low170 FPS68 FPS
medium133 FPS53 FPS
high123 FPS44 FPS
ultra102 FPS29 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1060 and Tesla K8

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

Tesla K8

The Tesla K8 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 16 2014. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 693 MHz to 811 MHz. It has 1536 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,111 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the Tesla K8's 5,111 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 96.9%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the Tesla K8 uses Kepler, both on 16 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 1,536 (Tesla K8). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 2.491 TFLOPS (Tesla K8). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 811 MHz.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Tesla K8
G3D Mark Score
10,064+97%
5,111
Architecture
Pascal
Kepler
Process Node
16 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
2560+67%
1536
Compute (TFLOPS)
8.873 TFLOPS+256%
2.491 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
1733 MHz+114%
811 MHz
ROPs
64+100%
32
TMUs
160+25%
128
L1 Cache
960 KB+650%
128 KB
L2 Cache
2 MB+300%
0.5 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 K8 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Tesla K8
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 K8 has 4 GB. The GeForce GTX 1060 offers 50% 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 0.5 MB (Tesla K8) — the GeForce GTX 1060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Tesla K8
VRAM Capacity
6 GB+50%
4 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR6
Bus Width
192-bit+50%
128-bit
L2 Cache
2 MB+300%
0.5 MB
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the Tesla K8's 100W — a 57.1% difference. The Tesla K8 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 350W (Tesla K8). Power connectors: 6-pin vs PCIe-powered.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Tesla K8
TDP
180W
100W-44%
Recommended PSU
400W
350W-13%
Power Connector
6-pin
PCIe-powered
Length
173mm
Height
111mm
Slots
2
Perf/Watt
55.9+9%
51.1
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 1060 launched at $249 MSRP, while the Tesla K8 launched at $1000. The GeForce GTX 1060 costs 75.1% less ($751 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 5.1 (Tesla K8) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 692.2% better value. The GeForce GTX 1060 is the newer GPU (2016 vs 2014).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Tesla K8
MSRP
$249-75%
$1000
Performance per Dollar
40.4+692%
5.1
Codename
GP104
GK104
Release
May 27 2016
September 16 2014
Ranking
#137
#515