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 660 vs GeForce GTX 1060 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

GeForce GTX 660 vs GeForce GTX 1060: 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 660

2012

Why buy it

✅Costs $20 less on MSRP ($229 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
✅Draws 140W instead of 180W, a 40W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 3 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2012 hardware with 3 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 17.6 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($229 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
❌39.3% longer card at 241mm vs 173mm.

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

Why buy it

✅263.7% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 129.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 17.6 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $229 MSRP).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 3 GB).
✅GeForce GTX 660 is already obsolete for modern gaming, so GeForce GTX 1060 is the less risky modern option long term.
✅Measures 173mm instead of 241mm, a 68mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌2016 hardware with 6 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
❌28.6% higher power demand at 180W vs 140W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce GTX 1060 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 263.7% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 149.1% in PassMark G3D (10,064 vs 4,040), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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 3 GB of VRAM, a 16nm process instead of 28nm, and a newer 2016 generation instead of 2012. 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 $20 more expensive on MSRP at $249 vs $229, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 129.1% (40.4 vs 17.6), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce GTX 660 vs GeForce GTX 1060 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

GeForce GTX 660

The GeForce GTX 660 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 6 2012. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 980 MHz to 1033 MHz. It has 960 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 140W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,040 points. Launch price was $229.

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.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 660 scores 4,040 versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 10,064 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 149.1%. The GeForce GTX 660 is built on Kepler while the GeForce GTX 1060 uses Pascal, both on 28 nm vs 16 nm. Shader units: 960 (GeForce GTX 660) vs 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060). Raw compute: 1.981 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 660) vs 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060). Boost clocks: 1033 MHz vs 1733 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 660	GeForce GTX 1060
G3D Mark Score	4,040	10,064+149%
Architecture	Kepler	Pascal
Process Node	28 nm	16 nm
Shading Units	960	2560+167%
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.981 TFLOPS	8.873 TFLOPS+348%
Boost Clock	1033 MHz	1733 MHz+68%
ROPs	24	64+167%
TMUs	80	160+100%
L1 Cache	80 KB	960 KB+1100%
L2 Cache	0.38 MB	2 MB+426%

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 660	GeForce GTX 1060
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 660 has 3 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 1060 carries 6 GB. GeForce GTX 1060 gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 144.2 GB/s (GeForce GTX 660) vs 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060) — a 33.1% advantage for the GeForce GTX 1060. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 660 and 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 1060. L2 Cache: 0.38 MB (GeForce GTX 660) vs 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) — the GeForce GTX 1060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 660	GeForce GTX 1060
VRAM Capacity	3 GB	6 GB+100%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	144.2 GB/s	192 GB/s+33%
Bus Width	192-bit	192-bit
L2 Cache	0.38 MB	2 MB+426%

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Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 660) vs 12 (GeForce GTX 1060). Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 660	GeForce GTX 1060
DirectX	12	12
Max Displays	4	4

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Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 1st Gen (GeForce GTX 660) vs NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060). Decoder: NVDEC 1st Gen vs NVDEC (Pascal). Supported codecs: H.264 (GeForce GTX 660) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060).

Feature	GeForce GTX 660	GeForce GTX 1060
Encoder	NVENC 1st Gen	NVENC (Pascal)
Decoder	NVDEC 1st Gen	NVDEC (Pascal)
Codecs	H.264	H.264,H.265/HEVC

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 660 draws 140W versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 180W — a 25% difference. The GeForce GTX 660 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 450W (GeForce GTX 660) vs 400W (GeForce GTX 1060). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 6-pin. Card length: 241mm vs 173mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 660	GeForce GTX 1060
TDP	140W-22%	180W
Recommended PSU	450W	400W-11%
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	6-pin
Length	241mm	173mm
Height	—	111mm
Slots	2	2
Perf/Watt	28.9	55.9+93%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 660 came in at $229, while the GeForce GTX 1060 launched at $249. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 660 was 8% cheaper ($20 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 17.6 (GeForce GTX 660) vs 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 129.5% better value. The newer card here is GeForce GTX 1060 (2016 vs 2012).

Feature	GeForce GTX 660	GeForce GTX 1060
MSRP	$229-8%	$249
Performance per Dollar	17.6	40.4+130%
Codename	GK106	GP104
Release	September 6 2012	May 27 2016
Ranking	#490	#137

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