GeForce RTX 2060 vs M1 8-Core GPU

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 2060

2019Core: 1365 MHzBoost: 1680 MHz
RTX family
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VS

M1 8-Core GPU

2020Core: 1278 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce RTX 2060 vs M1 8-Core GPU Performance Spectrum

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 RTX 2060 vs M1 8-Core GPU: 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 RTX 2060

2019

Why buy it

  • +182.3% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($349 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • 200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 2 GB).

Trade-offs

  • 433.3% higher power demand at 160W vs 30W.

M1 8-Core GPU

2020

Why buy it

  • Draws 30W instead of 160W, a 130W reduction.
  • More future proof: Unknown architecture on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (5,000 vs 14,114).
  • Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 40.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $349 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce RTX 2060 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 182.3% in PassMark G3D (14,114 vs 5,000), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 2060 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 6 GB vs 2 GB of VRAM, the newer upscaling stack, DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, and 30 vs 0 ray-tracing units. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce RTX 2060 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

GeForce RTX 2060 vs M1 8-Core GPU Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 2060

The GeForce RTX 2060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 7 2019. It features the Turing architecture. The core clock ranges from 1365 MHz to 1680 MHz. It has 1920 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 160W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. It features 30 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 14,114 points. Launch price was $349.

M1 8-Core GPU

The M1 8-Core GPU is manufactured by Apple. It was released in November 10 2020. The core clock speed is 1278 MHz. It has 8 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 30W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,000 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 2060 scores 14,114 versus the M1 8-Core GPU's 5,000 — the GeForce RTX 2060 leads by 182.3%. Shader units: 1,920 (GeForce RTX 2060) vs 8 (M1 8-Core GPU).

FeatureGeForce RTX 2060M1 8-Core GPU
G3D Mark Score
14,114+182%
5,000
Process Node
12 nm
5 nm
Shading Units
1920+23900%
8

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 2060 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The M1 8-Core GPU leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce RTX 2060M1 8-Core GPU
Upscaling Tech
DLSS 2 Super Resolution
Upscaling support
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
Standard
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 2060 has 6 GB of VRAM, while the M1 8-Core GPU carries 2 GB. GeForce RTX 2060 gives you 200% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 336 GB/s (GeForce RTX 2060) vs 68 GB/s (M1 8-Core GPU) — a 394.1% advantage for the GeForce RTX 2060. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 2060 and Unified on the M1 8-Core GPU.

FeatureGeForce RTX 2060M1 8-Core GPU
VRAM Capacity
6 GB+200%
2 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
Shared
Memory Bandwidth
336 GB/s+394%
68 GB/s
Bus Width
192-bit
Unified
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (12_2) (GeForce RTX 2060) vs N/A (M1 8-Core GPU). OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.1 (Rosetta 2). Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 2.

FeatureGeForce RTX 2060M1 8-Core GPU
DirectX
12 Ultimate (12_2)
N/A
OpenGL
4.6+12%
4.1 (Rosetta 2)
Max Displays
4+100%
2
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (Turing) (GeForce RTX 2060) vs Apple M1 Video Encoder (M1 8-Core GPU). Decoder: NVDEC (Turing) vs Apple M1 Video Decoder. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265,VP9,VP8,MPEG-2,VC-1 (GeForce RTX 2060) vs H.264,HEVC,ProRes,ProRes RAW (M1 8-Core GPU).

FeatureGeForce RTX 2060M1 8-Core GPU
Encoder
NVENC (Turing)
Apple M1 Video Encoder
Decoder
NVDEC (Turing)
Apple M1 Video Decoder
Codecs
H.264,H.265,VP9,VP8,MPEG-2,VC-1
H.264,HEVC,ProRes,ProRes RAW
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 2060 draws 160W versus the M1 8-Core GPU's 30W — a 136.8% difference. The M1 8-Core GPU is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce RTX 2060) vs 350W (M1 8-Core GPU). Power connectors: 8-pin vs PCIe-powered.

FeatureGeForce RTX 2060M1 8-Core GPU
TDP
160W
30W-81%
Recommended PSU
500W
350W-30%
Power Connector
8-pin
PCIe-powered
Length
229mm
Height
113mm
Slots
2
0-100%
Temp (Load)
72
Perf/Watt
88.2
166.7+89%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce RTX 2060 came in at $349, while the M1 8-Core GPU launched at $0. On MSRP, M1 8-Core GPU was 100+% cheaper ($349 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce RTX 2060) vs Infinity (M1 8-Core GPU) — the M1 8-Core GPU offers Infinity% better value. The newer card here is M1 8-Core GPU (2020 vs 2019).

FeatureGeForce RTX 2060M1 8-Core GPU
MSRP
$349
$0-100%
Performance per Dollar
40.4
Infinity
Codename
TU106
Release
January 7 2019
November 10 2020
Ranking
#168
#428

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