GeForce GTX 1060 vs Tesla M2090

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1060

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

Tesla M2090

2011Core: 651 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce GTX 1060 vs Tesla M2090 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 M2090: 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

  • +618.9% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Costs $2,251 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $2,500 MSRP).
  • Delivers 7117.4% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 0.6 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $2,500 MSRP).
  • 1100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 512 MB).
  • Tesla M2090 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 M2090

2011

Why buy it

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

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (1,400 vs 10,064).
  • Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2011 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 904% HIGHER MSRP
    $2,500 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0.6 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($2,500 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 618.9% in PassMark G3D (10,064 vs 1,400), 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 512 MB of VRAM, a 16nm process instead of 40nm, and a newer 2016 generation instead of 2011. 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 $2,251 cheaper on MSRP at $249 vs $2,500, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 7117.4% (40.4 vs 0.6), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce GTX 1060 vs Tesla M2090 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 M2090

The Tesla M2090 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in July 25 2011. It features the Fermi 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 651 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 250W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,400 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the Tesla M2090's 1,400 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 618.9%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the Tesla M2090 uses Fermi 2.0, both on 16 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 512 (Tesla M2090). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 1.332 TFLOPS (Tesla M2090).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Tesla M2090
G3D Mark Score
10,064+619%
1,400
Architecture
Pascal
Fermi 2.0
Process Node
16 nm
40 nm
Shading Units
2560+400%
512
Compute (TFLOPS)
8.873 TFLOPS+566%
1.332 TFLOPS
ROPs
64+33%
48
TMUs
160+150%
64
L1 Cache
0.94 MB
1 MB+6%
L2 Cache
2 MB+167%
0.75 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 1060 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Tesla M2090 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Tesla M2090
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 M2090 carries 512 MB. GeForce GTX 1060 gives you 1100% 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 Tesla M2090. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 0.75 MB (Tesla M2090) — the GeForce GTX 1060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Tesla M2090
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
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12 (FL 11_0) (Tesla M2090). OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 0.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Tesla M2090
DirectX
12
12 (FL 11_0)
OpenGL
4.5
4.6+2%
Max Displays
4
0
🎬

Media & Encoding

Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060) vs CUDA,OpenCL (Tesla M2090).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Tesla M2090
Encoder
NVENC (Pascal)
Decoder
NVDEC (Pascal)
Codecs
H.264,H.265/HEVC
CUDA,OpenCL
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the Tesla M2090's 250W — a 32.6% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 350W (Tesla M2090). Power connectors: 6-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 173mm vs 248mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Tesla M2090
TDP
180W-28%
250W
Recommended PSU
400W
350W-13%
Power Connector
6-pin
PCIe-powered
Length
173mm
248mm
Height
111mm
111mm
Slots
2
2
Perf/Watt
55.9+898%
5.6
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 1060 came in at $249, while the Tesla M2090 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 0.6 (Tesla M2090) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 6633.3% better value. The newer card here is GeForce GTX 1060 (2016 vs 2011).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060Tesla M2090
MSRP
$249-90%
$2500
Performance per Dollar
40.4+6633%
0.6
Codename
GP104
GF110
Release
May 27 2016
July 25 2011
Ranking
#137
#530

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