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

✅Costs $5,450 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $5,699 MSRP).
✅Delivers 1850.7% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 2.1 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $5,699 MSRP).
✅Draws 180W instead of 250W, a 70W reduction.
✅Measures 173mm instead of 267mm, a 94mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (10,064 vs 11,808).
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 24 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.

Tesla P40

2016

Why buy it

✅+17.3% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (24 GB vs 6 GB).
✅More future proof: Pascal (2016−2021) on 16nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 24 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌
2188.8% HIGHER MSRP
$5,699 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 2.1 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($5,699 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
❌38.9% higher power demand at 250W vs 180W.
❌54.3% longer card at 267mm vs 173mm.

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

Tesla P40

2016

Why buy it

✅Costs $5,450 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $5,699 MSRP).
✅Delivers 1850.7% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 2.1 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $5,699 MSRP).
✅Draws 180W instead of 250W, a 70W reduction.
✅Measures 173mm instead of 267mm, a 94mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Why buy it

✅+17.3% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (24 GB vs 6 GB).
✅More future proof: Pascal (2016−2021) on 16nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (10,064 vs 11,808).
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 24 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.

Trade-offs

❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 24 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌
2188.8% HIGHER MSRP
$5,699 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 2.1 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($5,699 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
❌38.9% higher power demand at 250W vs 180W.
❌54.3% longer card at 267mm vs 173mm.

Quick Answers

So, is Tesla P40 better than GeForce GTX 1060?

Yes. Tesla P40 is the better GPU overall here. You are getting 17.3% higher PassMark G3D performance and 24 GB vs 6 GB of VRAM.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce GTX 1060 is the safer long-term GPU choice because it gives you the stronger overall hardware and feature outlook for modern games.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?

Tesla P40 is the smarter buy by a wide margin. Tesla P40 is about 2188.8% more expensive on MSRP at $5,699 MSRP versus $249 MSRP, and you are getting 17.3% higher G3D Mark. GeForce GTX 1060 really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.

When does GeForce GTX 1060 make more sense than Tesla P40?

Yes. GeForce GTX 1060 is still an excellent gaming GPU in 2026: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It makes more sense if your priority is lower power draw (180W vs 250W), future-proofing, and staying closer to $249 MSRP more than squeezing out the extra headroom of Tesla P40. The trade-off is that Tesla P40 currently gives you 17.3% higher G3D Mark. GeForce GTX 1060 still holds the G3D-per-dollar lead, so the performance win comes with a real value premium.

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 P40 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	Tesla P40
1080p
low	117 FPS	243 FPS
medium	105 FPS	230 FPS
high	91 FPS	197 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	161 FPS
1440p
low	103 FPS	224 FPS
medium	87 FPS	189 FPS
high	76 FPS	151 FPS
ultra	67 FPS	124 FPS
4K
low	55 FPS	120 FPS
medium	49 FPS	99 FPS
high	41 FPS	75 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	67 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open Tesla P40

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	Tesla P40
1080p
low	216 FPS	326 FPS
medium	181 FPS	281 FPS
high	148 FPS	215 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	171 FPS
1440p
low	134 FPS	213 FPS
medium	107 FPS	179 FPS
high	87 FPS	146 FPS
ultra	68 FPS	115 FPS
4K
low	62 FPS	103 FPS
medium	51 FPS	84 FPS
high	49 FPS	70 FPS
ultra	41 FPS	54 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open Tesla P40

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	Tesla P40
1080p
low	453 FPS	531 FPS
medium	362 FPS	425 FPS
high	302 FPS	354 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	266 FPS
1440p
low	340 FPS	399 FPS
medium	272 FPS	319 FPS
high	226 FPS	266 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	199 FPS
4K
low	226 FPS	266 FPS
medium	181 FPS	213 FPS
high	151 FPS	177 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	133 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open Tesla P40

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	Tesla P40
1080p
low	358 FPS	473 FPS
medium	302 FPS	420 FPS
high	260 FPS	354 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	266 FPS
1440p
low	299 FPS	374 FPS
medium	254 FPS	319 FPS
high	208 FPS	266 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	199 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	240 FPS
medium	133 FPS	213 FPS
high	123 FPS	177 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	133 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open Tesla P40

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1060 and Tesla P40

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 P40

The Tesla P40 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 13 2016. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1303 MHz to 1531 MHz. It has 3840 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 250W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 11,808 points. Launch price was $5,699.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the Tesla P40's 11,808 — the Tesla P40 leads by 17.3%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the Tesla P40 uses Pascal, both on a 16 nm process. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 3,840 (Tesla P40). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 11.76 TFLOPS (Tesla P40). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 1531 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Tesla P40
G3D Mark Score	10,064	11,808+17%
Architecture	Pascal	Pascal
Process Node	16 nm	16 nm
Shading Units	2560	3840+50%
Compute (TFLOPS)	8.873 TFLOPS	11.76 TFLOPS+33%
Boost Clock	1733 MHz+13%	1531 MHz
ROPs	64	96+50%
TMUs	160	240+50%
L1 Cache	0.94 MB	1.4 MB+49%
L2 Cache	2 MB	3 MB+50%

✨

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 P40 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Tesla P40
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 P40 has 24 GB. The Tesla P40 offers 300% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 192-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 3 MB (Tesla P40) — the Tesla P40 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Tesla P40
VRAM Capacity	6 GB	24 GB+300%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Bus Width	192-bit	256-bit+33%
L2 Cache	2 MB	3 MB+50%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12.1 (Tesla P40). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.1. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 0.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Tesla P40
DirectX	12	12.1
Vulkan	1.3+18%	1.1
OpenGL	4.5	4.5
Max Displays	4	0

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060) vs NVENC 4.0 (2x) (Tesla P40). Decoder: NVDEC (Pascal) vs PureVideo HD VP6. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (Tesla P40).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Tesla P40
Encoder	NVENC (Pascal)	NVENC 4.0 (2x)
Decoder	NVDEC (Pascal)	PureVideo HD VP6
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the Tesla P40's 250W — a 32.6% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 500W (Tesla P40). Power connectors: 6-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 173mm vs 267mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	Tesla P40
TDP	180W-28%	250W
Recommended PSU	400W-20%	500W
Power Connector	6-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	173mm	267mm
Height	111mm	112mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	—	85°C
Perf/Watt	55.9+18%	47.2

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 1060 launched at $249 MSRP, while the Tesla P40 launched at $5699. The GeForce GTX 1060 costs 95.6% less ($5450 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 2.1 (Tesla P40) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 1823.8% better value.