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 970 vs GeForce GTX 1060 3GB 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 970 vs GeForce GTX 1060 3GB: 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 970

2014

Why buy it

✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 3 GB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1060 3GB across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2014 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
❌
65.3% HIGHER MSRP
$329 MSRPvs$199 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 29.3 vs 49.3 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌25% higher power demand at 150W vs 120W.

GeForce GTX 1060 3GB

2016

Why buy it

✅1.2% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $130 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Delivers 68.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 49.3 vs 29.3 G3D/$ ($199 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Draws 120W instead of 150W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 3 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2016 hardware with 3 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce GTX 1060 3GB is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 1.2% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 1.8% in PassMark G3D (9,815 vs 9,640), so the answer here is pretty clean.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce GTX 970 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 4 GB vs 3 GB of VRAM. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce GTX 1060 3GB makes the most sense to buy today. It is $130 cheaper on MSRP at $199 vs $329, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 68.3% (49.3 vs 29.3), so the value case lines up with the gaming result. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce GTX 1060 3GB is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce GTX 970 has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 970 vs GeForce GTX 1060 3GB Technical Specifications

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

GeForce GTX 970

The GeForce GTX 970 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 19 2014. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1050 MHz to 1178 MHz. It has 1664 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 9,640 points. Launch price was $329.

GeForce GTX 1060 3GB

The GeForce GTX 1060 3GB is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 18 2016. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1506 MHz to 1708 MHz. It has 1152 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 120W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 9,815 points. Launch price was $199.

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Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 970 scores 9,640 and the GeForce GTX 1060 3GB reaches 9,815 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.8% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 970 is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the GeForce GTX 1060 3GB uses Pascal, both on 28 nm vs 16 nm. Shader units: 1,664 (GeForce GTX 970) vs 1,152 (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB). Raw compute: 3.92 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 970) vs 3.935 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB). Boost clocks: 1178 MHz vs 1708 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970	GeForce GTX 1060 3GB
G3D Mark Score	9,640	9,815+2%
Architecture	Maxwell 2.0	Pascal
Process Node	28 nm	16 nm
Shading Units	1664+44%	1152
Compute (TFLOPS)	3.92 TFLOPS	3.935 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1178 MHz	1708 MHz+45%
ROPs	56+17%	48
TMUs	104+44%	72
L1 Cache	624 KB+44%	432 KB
L2 Cache	2 MB+33%	1.5 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 970	GeForce GTX 1060 3GB
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 970 has 4 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 1060 3GB carries 3 GB. GeForce GTX 970 gives you 33.3% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 224 GB/s (GeForce GTX 970) vs 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB) — a 16.7% advantage for the GeForce GTX 970. Memory bus width is 256-bit on the GeForce GTX 970 and 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 1060 3GB. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 970) vs 1.5 MB (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB) — the GeForce GTX 970 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970	GeForce GTX 1060 3GB
VRAM Capacity	4 GB+33%	3 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	224 GB/s+17%	192 GB/s
Bus Width	256-bit+33%	192-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB+33%	1.5 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (FL 12_1) (GeForce GTX 970) vs 12.1 (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.1. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970	GeForce GTX 1060 3GB
DirectX	12 (FL 12_1)	12.1
Vulkan	1.3+18%	1.1
OpenGL	4.6+2%	4.5
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 2nd gen (GeForce GTX 970) vs NVENC 4.0 (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB). Decoder: PureVideo VP6 vs PureVideo HD VP6. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 970) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB).

Feature	GeForce GTX 970	GeForce GTX 1060 3GB
Encoder	NVENC 2nd gen	NVENC 4.0
Decoder	PureVideo VP6	PureVideo HD VP6
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 970 draws 150W versus the GeForce GTX 1060 3GB's 120W — a 22.2% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 3GB is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce GTX 970) vs 400W (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs 6-pin. Card length: 267mm vs 250mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 75°C.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970	GeForce GTX 1060 3GB
TDP	150W	120W-20%
Recommended PSU	500W	400W-20%
Power Connector	2x 6-pin	6-pin
Length	267mm	250mm
Height	111mm	111mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	80°C	75°C-6%
Perf/Watt	64.3	81.8+27%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 970 came in at $329, while the GeForce GTX 1060 3GB launched at $199. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 1060 3GB was 39.5% cheaper ($130 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 29.3 (GeForce GTX 970) vs 49.3 (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB) — the GeForce GTX 1060 3GB offers 68.3% better value. The newer card here is GeForce GTX 1060 3GB (2016 vs 2014).

Feature	GeForce GTX 970	GeForce GTX 1060 3GB
MSRP	$329	$199-40%
Performance per Dollar	29.3	49.3+68%
Codename	GM204	GP106
Release	September 19 2014	August 18 2016
Ranking	#269	#272

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