GeForce GTX 870M vs GeForce GTX 1060

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 870M 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 870M 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 870M

2014

Why buy it

✅Draws 100W instead of 180W, a 80W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2014 hardware with 6 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 0 vs 40.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

Why buy it

✅164.6% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅GeForce GTX 870M 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.
❌80% higher power demand at 180W vs 100W.

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 164.6% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 184.6% in PassMark G3D (10,064 vs 3,536), 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: a 16nm process instead of 28nm and a newer 2016 generation instead of 2014. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce GTX 1060 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

GeForce GTX 870M vs GeForce GTX 1060 Technical Specifications

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

GeForce GTX 870M

The GeForce GTX 870M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 12 2014. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 941 MHz to 967 MHz. It has 1344 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,536 points.

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 870M scores 3,536 versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 10,064 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 184.6%. The GeForce GTX 870M is built on Kepler while the GeForce GTX 1060 uses Pascal, both on 28 nm vs 16 nm. Shader units: 1,344 (GeForce GTX 870M) vs 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060). Raw compute: 2.599 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 870M) vs 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060). Boost clocks: 967 MHz vs 1733 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 870M	GeForce GTX 1060
G3D Mark Score	3,536	10,064+185%
Architecture	Kepler	Pascal
Process Node	28 nm	16 nm
Shading Units	1344	2560+90%
Compute (TFLOPS)	2.599 TFLOPS	8.873 TFLOPS+241%
Boost Clock	967 MHz	1733 MHz+79%
ROPs	24	64+167%
TMUs	112	160+43%
L1 Cache	112 KB	960 KB+757%
L2 Cache	0.38 MB	2 MB+426%

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 870M	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)

Both cards ship with 6 GB of GDDR5. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the GeForce GTX 870M and 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 1060. L2 Cache: 0.38 MB (GeForce GTX 870M) vs 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) — the GeForce GTX 1060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 870M	GeForce GTX 1060
VRAM Capacity	6 GB	6 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	192 GB/s
Bus Width	128-bit	192-bit+50%
L2 Cache	0.38 MB	2 MB+426%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_0) (GeForce GTX 870M) vs 12 (GeForce GTX 1060). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 870M	GeForce GTX 1060
DirectX	12 (11_0)	12
Vulkan	1.2	1.3+8%
OpenGL	4.6+2%	4.5
Max Displays	4	4

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Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: 1st Gen NVENC (Kepler) (GeForce GTX 870M) vs NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP5 vs NVDEC (Pascal). Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (GeForce GTX 870M) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060).

Feature	GeForce GTX 870M	GeForce GTX 1060
Encoder	1st Gen NVENC (Kepler)	NVENC (Pascal)
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP5	NVDEC (Pascal)
Codecs	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2	H.264,H.265/HEVC

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 870M draws 100W versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 180W — a 57.1% difference. The GeForce GTX 870M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 870M) vs 400W (GeForce GTX 1060). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 6-pin.

Feature	GeForce GTX 870M	GeForce GTX 1060
TDP	100W-44%	180W
Recommended PSU	350W-13%	400W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	6-pin
Length	—	173mm
Height	—	111mm
Slots	0-100%	2
Temp (Load)	85°C	—
Perf/Watt	35.4	55.9+58%

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Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce GTX 1060 (2016 vs 2014).

Feature	GeForce GTX 870M	GeForce GTX 1060
MSRP	—	$249
Codename	GK104	GP104
Release	March 12 2014	May 27 2016
Ranking	#538	#137

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