Radeon HD 8990 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. 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

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 93% 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 8990.

Insight	Radeon HD 8990	GeForce GTX 1060
Performance	❌Lower raw frame rates (-93%)	✅Leading raw performance (+93%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / 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	—	📏 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 $999), it costs 94% less, resulting in a 3113.8% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	Radeon HD 8990	GeForce GTX 1060
Cost Efficiency	❌Lower cost efficiency	✅Better overall value (+3113.8%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️Higher upfront cost ($999)	✅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.

Radeon HD 8990 Benchmark Check

GeForce GTX 1060 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Radeon HD 8990 and GeForce GTX 1060

Radeon HD 8990

The Radeon HD 8990 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 24 2013. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 950 MHz to 1000 MHz. It has 2048 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 375W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,214 points. Launch price was $999.

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 Radeon HD 8990 scores 5,214 versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 10,064 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 93%. The Radeon HD 8990 is built on GCN 1.0 while the GeForce GTX 1060 uses Pascal, both on 28 nm vs 16 nm. Shader units: 2,048 (Radeon HD 8990) vs 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060). Raw compute: 4.096 TFLOPS ×2 (Radeon HD 8990) vs 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060). Boost clocks: 1000 MHz vs 1733 MHz.

Feature	Radeon HD 8990	GeForce GTX 1060
G3D Mark Score	5,214	10,064+93%
Architecture	GCN 1.0	Pascal
Process Node	28 nm	16 nm
Shading Units	2048 ×2	2560+25%
Compute (TFLOPS)	4.096 TFLOPS ×2	8.873 TFLOPS+117%
Boost Clock	1000 MHz	1733 MHz+73%
ROPs	32 ×2	64+100%
TMUs	128 ×2	160+25%
L1 Cache	512 KB	960 KB+88%
L2 Cache	0.75 MB	2 MB+167%

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon HD 8990	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 8990 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: 288 GB/s x2 (Radeon HD 8990) vs 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060) — a 1401% advantage for the Radeon HD 8990. Bus width: 384-bit x2 vs 192-bit. L2 Cache: 0.75 MB (Radeon HD 8990) vs 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) — the GeForce GTX 1060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	Radeon HD 8990	GeForce GTX 1060
VRAM Capacity	3 GB	6 GB+100%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	288 GB/s x2+50%	192 GB/s
Bus Width	384-bit x2+100%	192-bit
L2 Cache	0.75 MB	2 MB+167%

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Power & Dimensions

The Radeon HD 8990 draws 375W versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 180W — a 70.3% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 750W (Radeon HD 8990) vs 400W (GeForce GTX 1060). Power connectors: 2x 8-pin vs 6-pin.

Feature	Radeon HD 8990	GeForce GTX 1060
TDP	375W	180W-52%
Recommended PSU	750W	400W-47%
Power Connector	2x 8-pin	6-pin
Length	—	173mm
Height	—	111mm
Slots	—	2
Perf/Watt	13.9	55.9+302%

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Value Analysis

The Radeon HD 8990 launched at $999 MSRP and currently averages $999, while the GeForce GTX 1060 launched at $249 and now averages $60. The GeForce GTX 1060 costs 94% less ($939 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 5.2 (Radeon HD 8990) vs 167.7 (GeForce GTX 1060) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 3125% better value. The GeForce GTX 1060 is the newer GPU (2016 vs 2013).