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.

GeForce GTX 970M 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 970M 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 970M

2014

Why buy it

✅Draws 81W instead of 180W, a 99W reduction.
✅Measures 1mm instead of 173mm, a 172mm 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 3 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2014 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 0 vs 40.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

Why buy it

✅81.0% 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).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 3 GB).
✅GeForce GTX 970M 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.
❌122.2% higher power demand at 180W vs 81W.
❌17200% longer card at 173mm vs 1mm.

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 81.0% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 76.4% in PassMark G3D (10,064 vs 5,705), 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 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 today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

GeForce GTX 970M vs GeForce GTX 1060 Technical Specifications

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

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.

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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%

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 970M	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 970M 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: 120 GB/s (GeForce GTX 970M) vs 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060) — a 60% advantage for the GeForce GTX 1060. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 970M and 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 1060. 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%

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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

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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

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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.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970M	GeForce GTX 1060
TDP	81W-55%	180W
Recommended PSU	350W-13%	400W
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	6-pin
Length	1mm	173mm
Height	—	111mm
Slots	0-100%	2
Perf/Watt	70.4+26%	55.9

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Value Analysis

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

Feature	GeForce GTX 970M	GeForce GTX 1060
MSRP	—	$249
Codename	GM204	GP104
Release	October 7 2014	May 27 2016
Ranking	#408	#137

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