Radeon HD 8950 vs GeForce GTX 1060
Radeon HD 8950
Popular choices:
GeForce GTX 1060
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Performance Spectrum - GPU
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. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The GeForce GTX 1060 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 255.9% 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 Radeon HD 8950.
| Insight | Radeon HD 8950 | GeForce GTX 1060 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-255.9%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+255.9%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2016 / Pascal (2016−2021)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+100%) |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | Standard Size (267mm) | 📏 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 $60 (vs $499), it costs 88% less, resulting in a 2859.7% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon HD 8950 | GeForce GTX 1060 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌Lower cost efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+2859.7%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($499) | ✅More affordable ($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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Radeon HD 8950 and GeForce GTX 1060
Radeon HD 8950
The Radeon HD 8950 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 31 2012. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1250 MHz. It has 1792 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,828 points. Launch price was $449.
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 8950 scores 2,828 versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 10,064 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 255.9%. The Radeon HD 8950 is built on GCN 1.0 while the GeForce GTX 1060 uses Pascal, both on 28 nm vs 16 nm. Shader units: 1,792 (Radeon HD 8950) vs 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060). Raw compute: 2.867 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 8950) vs 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060). Boost clocks: 1250 MHz vs 1733 MHz.
| Feature | Radeon HD 8950 | GeForce GTX 1060 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 2,828 | 10,064+256% |
| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | Pascal |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 16 nm |
| Shading Units | 1792 | 2560+43% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 2.867 TFLOPS | 8.873 TFLOPS+209% |
| Boost Clock | 1250 MHz | 1733 MHz+39% |
| ROPs | 32 | 64+100% |
| TMUs | 112 | 160+43% |
| L1 Cache | 448 KB | 960 KB+114% |
| L2 Cache | 0.75 MB | 2 MB+167% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 8950 | 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 8950 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. Bus width: 256-bit vs 192-bit. L2 Cache: 0.75 MB (Radeon HD 8950) vs 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) — the GeForce GTX 1060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon HD 8950 | GeForce GTX 1060 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 3 GB | 6 GB+100% |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | 192 GB/s |
| Bus Width | 256-bit+33% | 192-bit |
| L2 Cache | 0.75 MB | 2 MB+167% |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12_0 (Radeon HD 8950) vs 12 (GeForce GTX 1060). Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.
| Feature | Radeon HD 8950 | GeForce GTX 1060 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12_0 | 12 |
| Max Displays | 4 | 4 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: VCE 1.0 (Radeon HD 8950) vs NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060). Decoder: UVD 3.1 vs NVDEC (Pascal).
| Feature | Radeon HD 8950 | GeForce GTX 1060 |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | VCE 1.0 | NVENC (Pascal) |
| Decoder | UVD 3.1 | NVDEC (Pascal) |
| Codecs | — | H.264,H.265/HEVC |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 8950 draws 200W versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 180W — a 10.5% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (Radeon HD 8950) vs 400W (GeForce GTX 1060). Power connectors: 6-pin + 8-pin vs 6-pin. Card length: 267mm vs 173mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots.
| Feature | Radeon HD 8950 | GeForce GTX 1060 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 200W | 180W-10% |
| Recommended PSU | 500W | 400W-20% |
| Power Connector | 6-pin + 8-pin | 6-pin |
| Length | 267mm | 173mm |
| Height | — | 111mm |
| Slots | 2 | 2 |
| Perf/Watt | 14.1 | 55.9+296% |
Value Analysis
The Radeon HD 8950 launched at $499 MSRP and currently averages $499, while the GeForce GTX 1060 launched at $249 and now averages $60. The GeForce GTX 1060 costs 88% less ($439 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 5.7 (Radeon HD 8950) vs 167.7 (GeForce GTX 1060) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 2842.1% better value. The GeForce GTX 1060 is the newer GPU (2016 vs 2012).
| Feature | Radeon HD 8950 | GeForce GTX 1060 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $499 | $249-50% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $499 | $60-88% |
| Performance per Dollar | 5.7 | 167.7+2842% |
| Codename | Tahiti | GP104 |
| Release | January 31 2012 | May 27 2016 |
| Ranking | #454 | #137 |
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