GeForce GTX 1060 vs Tesla K80

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1060

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

Tesla K80

2014Core: 562 MHzBoost: 824 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce GTX 1060 vs Tesla K80 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 Tesla K80: 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

  • +87.7% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Costs $4,751 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $5,000 MSRP).
  • Delivers 3668.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 1.1 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $5,000 MSRP).
  • 50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 4 GB).
  • Tesla K80 is already obsolete for modern gaming, so GeForce GTX 1060 is the less risky modern option long term.

Trade-offs

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

Tesla K80

2014

Why buy it

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

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (5,363 vs 10,064).
  • Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2014 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 1908% HIGHER MSRP
    $5,000 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 1.1 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($5,000 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

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 87.7% in PassMark G3D (10,064 vs 5,363), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce GTX 1060 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 6 GB vs 4 GB of VRAM, a 16nm process instead of 28nm, and a newer 2016 generation instead of 2014. 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 $4,751 cheaper on MSRP at $249 vs $5,000, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 3668.2% (40.4 vs 1.1), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce GTX 1060 vs Tesla K80 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

Tesla K80

The Tesla K80 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in November 17 2014. It features the Kepler 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 562 MHz to 824 MHz. It has 2496 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 300W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,363 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the Tesla K80's 5,363 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 87.7%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the Tesla K80 uses Kepler 2.0, both on 16 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 2,496 (Tesla K80). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 4.113 TFLOPS ×2 (Tesla K80). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 824 MHz.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Tesla K80
G3D Mark Score
10,064+88%
5,363
Architecture
Pascal
Kepler 2.0
Process Node
16 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
2560+3%
2496 ×2
Compute (TFLOPS)
8.873 TFLOPS+116%
4.113 TFLOPS ×2
Boost Clock
1733 MHz+110%
824 MHz
ROPs
64+33%
48 ×2
TMUs
160
208 ×2+30%
L1 Cache
960 KB+362%
208 KB
L2 Cache
2 MB+33%
1.5 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 1060 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Tesla K80 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Tesla K80
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 has 6 GB of VRAM, while the Tesla K80 carries 4 GB. GeForce GTX 1060 gives you 50% 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 Tesla K80. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 1.5 MB (Tesla K80) — the GeForce GTX 1060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Tesla K80
VRAM Capacity
6 GB+50%
4 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR6
Bus Width
192-bit+50%
128-bit
L2 Cache
2 MB+33%
1.5 MB
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the Tesla K80's 300W — a 50% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 350W (Tesla K80). Power connectors: 6-pin vs PCIe-powered.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Tesla K80
TDP
180W-40%
300W
Recommended PSU
400W
350W-13%
Power Connector
6-pin
PCIe-powered
Length
173mm
Height
111mm
Slots
2
Perf/Watt
55.9+212%
17.9
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 1060 came in at $249, while the Tesla K80 launched at $5000. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 1060 was 95% cheaper ($4751 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 1.1 (Tesla K80) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 3572.7% better value. The newer card here is GeForce GTX 1060 (2016 vs 2014).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Tesla K80
MSRP
$249-95%
$5000
Performance per Dollar
40.4+3573%
1.1
Codename
GP104
GK210
Release
May 27 2016
November 17 2014
Ranking
#137
#419

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