GeForce GTX 745 vs GeForce GTX 1060

CPU

GPU

GeForce GTX 745

2014Core: 1020 MHzBoost: 1085 MHz

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GeForce GTX 1060

2016Core: 1607 MHzBoost: 1733 MHz

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GeForce GTX 745 vs GeForce GTX 1060 Performance Spectrum

GeForce GTX 745

4 GB 55

2,126

0.0%

GeForce GTX 970XM FORCE

RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU

10,064

+373.4%

GeForce GTX 680

GeForce GTX 970XM FORCE

GeForce RTX 2050 Mobile

GeForce GTX TITAN Z

GeForce GTX 980 Ti

GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile

GeForce RTX 2080 Ti

GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile

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 745 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 745 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 745

2014

Why buy it

✅Costs $169 less on MSRP ($80 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
✅Draws 55W instead of 180W, a 125W reduction.
✅Measures 145mm instead of 173mm, a 28mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌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.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 26.6 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($80 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

Why buy it

✅352.9% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 52.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 26.6 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $80 MSRP).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 4 GB).
✅GeForce GTX 745 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.
❌227.3% higher power demand at 180W vs 55W.
❌19.3% longer card at 173mm vs 145mm.

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 352.9% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 373.4% in PassMark G3D (10,064 vs 2,126), 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 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 $169 more expensive on MSRP at $249 vs $80, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 52.1% (40.4 vs 26.6), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce GTX 745 vs GeForce GTX 1060 Technical Specifications

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

GeForce GTX 745

The GeForce GTX 745 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in February 18 2014. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 1020 MHz to 1085 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 55W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,126 points. Launch price was $119.

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.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 745 scores 2,126 versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 10,064 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 373.4%. The GeForce GTX 745 is built on Maxwell while the GeForce GTX 1060 uses Pascal, both on 28 nm vs 16 nm. Shader units: 512 (GeForce GTX 745) vs 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060). Raw compute: 1.111 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 745) vs 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060). Boost clocks: 1085 MHz vs 1733 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 745	GeForce GTX 1060
G3D Mark Score	2,126	10,064+373%
Architecture	Maxwell	Pascal
Process Node	28 nm	16 nm
Shading Units	512	2560+400%
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.111 TFLOPS	8.873 TFLOPS+699%
Boost Clock	1085 MHz	1733 MHz+60%
ROPs	16	64+300%
TMUs	32	160+400%
L1 Cache	256 KB	960 KB+275%
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 745	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

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 745 has 4 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 1060 carries 6 GB. GeForce GTX 1060 gives you 50% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 80 GB/s (GeForce GTX 745) vs 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060) — a 140% advantage for the GeForce GTX 1060. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the GeForce GTX 745 and 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 1060.

Feature	GeForce GTX 745	GeForce GTX 1060
VRAM Capacity	4 GB	6 GB+50%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	80 GB/s	192 GB/s+140%
Bus Width	128-bit	192-bit+50%
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_0) (GeForce GTX 745) vs 12 (GeForce GTX 1060). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 3 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 745	GeForce GTX 1060
DirectX	12 (11_0)	12
Vulkan	1.4+8%	1.3
OpenGL	4.6+2%	4.5
Max Displays	3	4+33%

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 4th Gen (GeForce GTX 745) vs NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP6 vs NVDEC (Pascal). Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 ASP (GeForce GTX 745) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060).

Feature	GeForce GTX 745	GeForce GTX 1060
Encoder	NVENC 4th Gen	NVENC (Pascal)
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP6	NVDEC (Pascal)
Codecs	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 ASP	H.264,H.265/HEVC

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 745 draws 55W versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 180W — a 106.4% difference. The GeForce GTX 745 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (GeForce GTX 745) vs 400W (GeForce GTX 1060). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 6-pin. Card length: 145mm vs 173mm, occupying 1 vs 2 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 745	GeForce GTX 1060
TDP	55W-69%	180W
Recommended PSU	300W-25%	400W
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	6-pin
Length	145mm	173mm
Height	69mm	111mm
Slots	1-50%	2
Temp (Load)	75°C	—
Perf/Watt	38.7	55.9+44%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 745 came in at $80, while the GeForce GTX 1060 launched at $249. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 745 was 67.9% cheaper ($169 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 26.6 (GeForce GTX 745) vs 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 51.9% better value. The newer card here is GeForce GTX 1060 (2016 vs 2014).

Feature	GeForce GTX 745	GeForce GTX 1060
MSRP	$80-68%	$249
Performance per Dollar	26.6	40.4+52%
Codename	GM107	GP104
Release	February 18 2014	May 27 2016
Ranking	#559	#137

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