GeForce GTX 970M 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.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. The GeForce GTX 970M is positioned at rank #27 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Great cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar GeForce GTX 970M

#17

Radeon RX 550X (móvel)

MSRP: $35|Avg: $35

152%

#19

GeForce GTX 1070 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $150

138%

#20

GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $100

138%

#24

GeForce GTX 1050 (Mobile)

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50

125%

#25

Radeon RX 6300

MSRP: $60|Avg: $40

124%

#27

GeForce GTX 970M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#35

GeForce GTX 960M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50

95%

#37

UHD Graphics 730 (Rocket Lake)

MSRP: $50|Avg: $50

93%

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

The GeForce GTX 1060 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 76.4% higher G3D Mark score and 100% more VRAM (6 GB vs 3 GB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the GeForce GTX 970M.

Insight	GeForce GTX 970M	GeForce GTX 1060
Performance	❌Lower raw frame rates (-76.4%)	✅Leading raw performance (+76.4%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / Maxwell 2.0 (2014−2019))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2016 / Pascal (2016−2021))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	❌ Less VRAM capacity	✅ More VRAM (+100%)
Efficiency	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt	⚡ Higher Power Consumption
Case Fit	📏 Compact / SFF Friendly	📏 Compact / SFF Friendly

💎 Value Proposition

While current pricing data is unavailable, the GeForce GTX 1060 remains the clear technical winner. Check real-time availability to determine if the performance gap justifies the market price.

Performance Check

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 7800X3D 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 970M Benchmark Check

GeForce GTX 1060 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 970M and GeForce GTX 1060

GeForce GTX 970M

The GeForce GTX 970M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in October 7 2014. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 924 MHz to 1038 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 81W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,705 points. Launch price was $2,560.89.

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 970M scores 5,705 versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 10,064 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 76.4%. The GeForce GTX 970M is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the GeForce GTX 1060 uses Pascal, both on 28 nm vs 16 nm. Shader units: 1,280 (GeForce GTX 970M) vs 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060). Raw compute: 2.657 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 970M) vs 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060). Boost clocks: 1038 MHz vs 1733 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970M	GeForce GTX 1060
G3D Mark Score	5,705	10,064+76%
Architecture	Maxwell 2.0	Pascal
Process Node	28 nm	16 nm
Shading Units	1280	2560+100%
Compute (TFLOPS)	2.657 TFLOPS	8.873 TFLOPS+234%
Boost Clock	1038 MHz	1733 MHz+67%
ROPs	48	64+33%
TMUs	80	160+100%
L1 Cache	480 KB	960 KB+100%
L2 Cache	1.5 MB	2 MB+33%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 970M	GeForce GTX 1060
Upscaling Tech	FSR 2.1 (Compatible)	FSR 2.1 (Compatible)
Frame Generation	FSR 3 (Compatible)	FSR 3 (Compatible)
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	Standard	Standard

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 970M comes with 3 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 1060 has 6 GB. The GeForce GTX 1060 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 120 GB/s (GeForce GTX 970M) vs 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060) — a 60% advantage for the GeForce GTX 1060. Bus width: 192-bit vs 192-bit. L2 Cache: 1.5 MB (GeForce GTX 970M) vs 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) — the GeForce GTX 1060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970M	GeForce GTX 1060
VRAM Capacity	3 GB	6 GB+100%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	120 GB/s	192 GB/s+60%
Bus Width	192-bit	192-bit
L2 Cache	1.5 MB	2 MB+33%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12_1 (GeForce GTX 970M) vs 12 (GeForce GTX 1060). Maximum simultaneous displays: 0 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970M	GeForce GTX 1060
DirectX	12_1	12
Max Displays	0	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 5th Gen (GeForce GTX 970M) vs NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060). Decoder: NVDEC 2nd Gen vs NVDEC (Pascal).

Feature	GeForce GTX 970M	GeForce GTX 1060
Encoder	NVENC 5th Gen	NVENC (Pascal)
Decoder	NVDEC 2nd Gen	NVDEC (Pascal)
Codecs	—	H.264,H.265/HEVC

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 970M draws 81W versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 180W — a 75.9% difference. The GeForce GTX 970M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 970M) vs 400W (GeForce GTX 1060). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 6-pin. Card length: 1mm vs 173mm, occupying 0 vs 2 slots.