GeForce GTX 1060 vs Tesla M2070-Q

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1060

2016Core: 1607 MHzBoost: 1733 MHz

Popular choices:

VS
NVIDIA

Tesla M2070-Q

2011Core: 574 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

  • +670.6% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Costs $5,240 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $5,489 MSRP).
  • Delivers 16887.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 0.2 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $5,489 MSRP).
  • 1100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 512 MB).
  • Less risky long-term buy than Tesla M2070-Q: it remains the more sensible modern option while Tesla M2070-Q 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 M2070-Q

2011

Why buy it

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

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (1,306 vs 10,064).
  • Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • Very weak future-proofing: 2011-era hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
  • 2104.4% HIGHER MSRP
    $5,489 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0.2 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($5,489 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce GTX 1060 better than Tesla M2070-Q?
Yes. GeForce GTX 1060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 10,064 vs 1,306 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce GTX 1060 is a 2016 card with no meaningful modern upscaling stack, while Tesla M2070-Q is a 2011 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 2011, 670.6% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 6 GB instead of 512 MB, and a 16nm process instead of 40nm. 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 $5,240 cheaper on MSRP at $249 MSRP versus $5,489 MSRP, and you are getting 670.6% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 16887.2%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.
Is Tesla M2070-Q still worth buying for gaming in 2026?
Yes. Tesla M2070-Q 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 $5,489 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 M2070-Q
1080p
low117 FPS59 FPS
medium105 FPS47 FPS
high91 FPS39 FPS
ultra77 FPS29 FPS
1440p
low103 FPS44 FPS
medium87 FPS35 FPS
high76 FPS29 FPS
ultra67 FPS21 FPS
4K
low55 FPS24 FPS
medium49 FPS22 FPS
high41 FPS14 FPS
ultra37 FPS12 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce GTX 1060Tesla M2070-Q
1080p
low216 FPS59 FPS
medium181 FPS47 FPS
high148 FPS39 FPS
ultra113 FPS29 FPS
1440p
low134 FPS44 FPS
medium107 FPS35 FPS
high87 FPS29 FPS
ultra68 FPS22 FPS
4K
low62 FPS29 FPS
medium51 FPS24 FPS
high49 FPS20 FPS
ultra41 FPS15 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce GTX 1060Tesla M2070-Q
1080p
low453 FPS59 FPS
medium362 FPS47 FPS
high302 FPS39 FPS
ultra226 FPS29 FPS
1440p
low340 FPS44 FPS
medium272 FPS35 FPS
high226 FPS29 FPS
ultra170 FPS22 FPS
4K
low226 FPS29 FPS
medium181 FPS24 FPS
high151 FPS20 FPS
ultra113 FPS15 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce GTX 1060Tesla M2070-Q
1080p
low358 FPS59 FPS
medium302 FPS47 FPS
high260 FPS39 FPS
ultra226 FPS29 FPS
1440p
low299 FPS44 FPS
medium254 FPS35 FPS
high208 FPS29 FPS
ultra170 FPS22 FPS
4K
low170 FPS29 FPS
medium133 FPS24 FPS
high123 FPS20 FPS
ultra102 FPS15 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1060 and Tesla M2070-Q

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 M2070-Q

The Tesla M2070-Q is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in July 25 2011. It features the Fermi architecture. The core clock speed is 574 MHz. It has 448 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 225W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,306 points. Launch price was $5,489.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the Tesla M2070-Q's 1,306 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 670.6%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the Tesla M2070-Q uses Fermi, both on 16 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 448 (Tesla M2070-Q). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 1.028 TFLOPS (Tesla M2070-Q).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Tesla M2070-Q
G3D Mark Score
10,064+671%
1,306
Architecture
Pascal
Fermi
Process Node
16 nm
40 nm
Shading Units
2560+471%
448
Compute (TFLOPS)
8.873 TFLOPS+763%
1.028 TFLOPS
ROPs
64+33%
48
TMUs
160+186%
56
L1 Cache
960 KB+7%
896 KB
L2 Cache
2 MB+167%
0.75 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 M2070-Q relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Tesla M2070-Q
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 M2070-Q has 512 MB. The GeForce GTX 1060 offers 1100% 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 0.75 MB (Tesla M2070-Q) — the GeForce GTX 1060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Tesla M2070-Q
VRAM Capacity
6 GB+1100%
0.5 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
192-bit+200%
64-bit
L2 Cache
2 MB+167%
0.75 MB
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the Tesla M2070-Q's 225W — a 22.2% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 350W (Tesla M2070-Q). Power connectors: 6-pin vs PCIe-powered.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Tesla M2070-Q
TDP
180W-20%
225W
Recommended PSU
400W
350W-13%
Power Connector
6-pin
PCIe-powered
Length
173mm
Height
111mm
Slots
2
Perf/Watt
55.9+864%
5.8
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 1060 launched at $249 MSRP, while the Tesla M2070-Q launched at $5489. The GeForce GTX 1060 costs 95.5% less ($5240 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 0.2 (Tesla M2070-Q) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 20100% better value. The GeForce GTX 1060 is the newer GPU (2016 vs 2011).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Tesla M2070-Q
MSRP
$249-95%
$5489
Performance per Dollar
40.4+20100%
0.2
Codename
GP104
GF100
Release
May 27 2016
July 25 2011
Ranking
#137
#798