Radeon HD 2900 XT vs GeForce GTX 1060

Radeon HD 2900 XT

2013Core: 725 MHz

GeForce GTX 1060

2016Core: 1607 MHzBoost: 1733 MHz

Performance Spectrum - GPU

Radeon HD 2900 XT

660

0.0%

Mobility Radeon HD 3850

Mobility Radeon HD 5650

10,064

+1424.8%

GeForce GTX 680

GeForce GTX 970XM FORCE

GeForce RTX 2050 Mobile

GeForce GTX TITAN Z

GeForce GTX 980 Ti

GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile

GeForce RTX 2080 Ti

GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile

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.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. The Radeon HD 2900 XT is positioned at rank #666 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Lower 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 Radeon HD 2900 XT

#656

Radeon RX 550X (móvel)

MSRP: $35|Avg: $35

6580%

#658

GeForce GTX 1070 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $150

5965%

#659

GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $100

5949%

#663

GeForce GTX 1050 (Mobile)

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50

5410%

#664

Radeon RX 6300

MSRP: $60|Avg: $40

5373%

#666

Radeon HD 2900 XT

MSRP: $399|Avg: $20

100%

#667

Mobility Radeon 4100

MSRP: $49|Avg: $49

100%

#668

GeForce 9700M GT

MSRP: $200|Avg: $40

99%

#669

GeForce 9300 SE

MSRP: $50|Avg: $10

99%

#670

Mobility Radeon X2500

MSRP: $50|Avg: $15

99%

#671

Radeon HD 7520G + 8750M Dual

MSRP: $250|Avg: $57

92%

#672

GeForce 9800M GTX

MSRP: $300|Avg: $30

92%

#673

Mobility Radeon HD 4300 Serisi

MSRP: $49|Avg: $10

90%

#674

GeForce 505

MSRP: $99|Avg: $15

88%

#675

GeForce 9200M GE

MSRP: $100|Avg: $15

87%

#676

Mobility Radeon. HD 5470

MSRP: $150|Avg: $25

87%

#677

Radeon HD 2600 XT

MSRP: $199|Avg: $40

86%

#678

GeForce 7500 LE

MSRP: $60|Avg: $15

86%

#679

GeForce 9650M GT

MSRP: $100|Avg: $25

83%

#680

GeForce 9650M GS

MSRP: $199|Avg: $20

82%

#681

GeForce 8400 SE

MSRP: $50|Avg: $10

82%

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 1424.8% higher G3D Mark score and 500% more VRAM (6 GB vs 1 GB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon HD 2900 XT.

Insight	Radeon HD 2900 XT	GeForce GTX 1060
Performance	❌Lower raw frame rates (-1424.8%)	✅Leading raw performance (+1424.8%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / TeraScale 2 (2009−2015))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2016 / Pascal (2016−2021))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	❌ Less VRAM capacity	✅ More VRAM (+500%)
Efficiency	⚡ Higher Power Consumption	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt
Case Fit	📏 Compact / SFF Friendly	📏 Compact / SFF Friendly

💎 Value Proposition

The GeForce GTX 1060 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the GeForce GTX 1060 holds the technical lead. Priced at $20 (vs $60), it costs 67% less, resulting in a 408.3% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	Radeon HD 2900 XT	GeForce GTX 1060
Cost Efficiency	❌Lower cost efficiency	✅Better overall value (+408.3%)
Upfront Cost	✅More affordable ($20)	⚠️Higher upfront cost ($60)

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.

Radeon HD 2900 XT Benchmark Check

GeForce GTX 1060 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Radeon HD 2900 XT and GeForce GTX 1060

Radeon HD 2900 XT

The Radeon HD 2900 XT is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 7 2013. It features the TeraScale 2 architecture. The core clock speed is 725 MHz. It has 480 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 25W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 660 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.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the Radeon HD 2900 XT scores 660 versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 10,064 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 1424.8%. The Radeon HD 2900 XT is built on TeraScale 2 while the GeForce GTX 1060 uses Pascal, both on 40 nm vs 16 nm. Shader units: 480 (Radeon HD 2900 XT) vs 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060). Raw compute: 0.696 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 2900 XT) vs 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060).

Feature	Radeon HD 2900 XT	GeForce GTX 1060
G3D Mark Score	660	10,064+1425%
Architecture	TeraScale 2	Pascal
Process Node	40 nm	16 nm
Shading Units	480	2560+433%
Compute (TFLOPS)	0.696 TFLOPS	8.873 TFLOPS+1175%
ROPs	8	64+700%
TMUs	24	160+567%
L1 Cache	48 KB	960 KB+1900%
L2 Cache	0.25 MB	2 MB+700%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon HD 2900 XT	GeForce GTX 1060
Upscaling Tech	FSR 1.0 (Software)	FSR 2.1 (Compatible)
Frame Generation	Not Supported	FSR 3 (Compatible)
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	AMD Anti-Lag	Standard

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon HD 2900 XT comes with 1 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 1060 has 6 GB. The GeForce GTX 1060 offers 500% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 192-bit. L2 Cache: 0.25 MB (Radeon HD 2900 XT) vs 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) — the GeForce GTX 1060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	Radeon HD 2900 XT	GeForce GTX 1060
VRAM Capacity	1 GB	6 GB+500%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	192 GB/s
Bus Width	128-bit	192-bit+50%
L2 Cache	0.25 MB	2 MB+700%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 10.0 (Radeon HD 2900 XT) vs 12 (GeForce GTX 1060). Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 4.

Feature	Radeon HD 2900 XT	GeForce GTX 1060
DirectX	10.0	12+20%
Max Displays	2	4+100%

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: UVD+ (Radeon HD 2900 XT) vs NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060). Decoder: UVD+ vs NVDEC (Pascal). Supported codecs: H.264 (Radeon HD 2900 XT) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060).

Feature	Radeon HD 2900 XT	GeForce GTX 1060
Encoder	UVD+	NVENC (Pascal)
Decoder	UVD+	NVDEC (Pascal)
Codecs	H.264	H.264,H.265/HEVC

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon HD 2900 XT draws 25W versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 180W — a 151.2% difference. The Radeon HD 2900 XT is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon HD 2900 XT) vs 400W (GeForce GTX 1060). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 6-pin. Card length: 241mm vs 173mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots.

Feature	Radeon HD 2900 XT	GeForce GTX 1060
TDP	25W-86%	180W
Recommended PSU	350W-13%	400W
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	6-pin
Length	241mm	173mm
Height	—	111mm
Slots	2	2
Perf/Watt	26.4	55.9+112%

💰

Value Analysis

The Radeon HD 2900 XT launched at $399 MSRP and currently averages $20, while the GeForce GTX 1060 launched at $249 and now averages $60. The Radeon HD 2900 XT costs 66.7% less ($40 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 33.0 (Radeon HD 2900 XT) vs 167.7 (GeForce GTX 1060) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 408.2% better value. The GeForce GTX 1060 is the newer GPU (2016 vs 2013).