Radeon R9 270X
VS
GeForce GTX 1060

Radeon R9 270X vs GeForce GTX 1060

AMD

Radeon R9 270X

2013Boost: 1050 MHz
VS
NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1060

2016Core: 1607 MHzBoost: 1733 MHz

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.

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 106.5% higher G3D Mark score and 50% more VRAM (6 GB vs 4 GB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon R9 270X.

InsightRadeon R9 270XGeForce GTX 1060
Performance
Lower raw frame rates (-106.5%)
Leading raw performance (+106.5%)
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 (+50%)
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 $40 (vs $60), it costs 33% less, resulting in a 37.7% higher cost efficiency score.

InsightRadeon R9 270XGeForce GTX 1060
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Better overall value (+37.7%)
Upfront Cost
More affordable ($40)
⚠️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.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Radeon R9 270X and GeForce GTX 1060

AMD

Radeon R9 270X

The Radeon R9 270X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in October 8 2013. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1050 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 180W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,874 points. Launch price was $199.

NVIDIA

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 R9 270X scores 4,874 versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 10,064 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 106.5%. The Radeon R9 270X is built on GCN 1.0 while the GeForce GTX 1060 uses Pascal, both on 28 nm vs 16 nm. Shader units: 1,280 (Radeon R9 270X) vs 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060). Raw compute: 2.688 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 270X) vs 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060). Boost clocks: 1050 MHz vs 1733 MHz.

FeatureRadeon R9 270XGeForce GTX 1060
G3D Mark Score
4,874
10,064+106%
Architecture
GCN 1.0
Pascal
Process Node
28 nm
16 nm
Shading Units
1280
2560+100%
Compute (TFLOPS)
2.688 TFLOPS
8.873 TFLOPS+230%
Boost Clock
1050 MHz
1733 MHz+65%
ROPs
32
64+100%
TMUs
80
160+100%
L1 Cache
320 KB
960 KB+200%
L2 Cache
0.5 MB
2 MB+300%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureRadeon R9 270XGeForce 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 R9 270X comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 1060 has 6 GB. The GeForce GTX 1060 offers 50% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 179.2 GB/s (Radeon R9 270X) vs 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060) — a 7.1% advantage for the GeForce GTX 1060. Bus width: 256-bit vs 192-bit. L2 Cache: 0.5 MB (Radeon R9 270X) vs 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) — the GeForce GTX 1060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureRadeon R9 270XGeForce GTX 1060
VRAM Capacity
4 GB
6 GB+50%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
179.2 GB/s
192 GB/s+7%
Bus Width
256-bit+33%
192-bit
L2 Cache
0.5 MB
2 MB+300%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_1) (Radeon R9 270X) vs 12 (GeForce GTX 1060). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureRadeon R9 270XGeForce GTX 1060
DirectX
12 (11_1)
12
Vulkan
1.2
1.3+8%
OpenGL
4.6+2%
4.5
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: VCE 1.0 (Radeon R9 270X) vs NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060). Decoder: UVD 4.2 vs NVDEC (Pascal). Supported codecs: H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,MPEG-4 (Radeon R9 270X) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060).

FeatureRadeon R9 270XGeForce GTX 1060
Encoder
VCE 1.0
NVENC (Pascal)
Decoder
UVD 4.2
NVDEC (Pascal)
Codecs
H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,MPEG-4
H.264,H.265/HEVC
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon R9 270X draws 180W versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 180W — a 0% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (Radeon R9 270X) vs 400W (GeForce GTX 1060). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs 6-pin. Card length: 241mm vs 173mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots.

FeatureRadeon R9 270XGeForce GTX 1060
TDP
180W
180W
Recommended PSU
500W
400W-20%
Power Connector
2x 6-pin
6-pin
Length
241mm
173mm
Height
109mm
111mm
Slots
2
2
Temp (Load)
80 C
Perf/Watt
27.1
55.9+106%
💰

Value Analysis

The Radeon R9 270X launched at $199 MSRP and currently averages $40, while the GeForce GTX 1060 launched at $249 and now averages $60. The Radeon R9 270X costs 33.3% less ($20 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 121.8 (Radeon R9 270X) vs 167.7 (GeForce GTX 1060) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 37.7% better value. The GeForce GTX 1060 is the newer GPU (2016 vs 2013).

FeatureRadeon R9 270XGeForce GTX 1060
MSRP
$199-20%
$249
Avg Price (30d)
$40-33%
$60
Performance per Dollar
121.8
167.7+38%
Codename
Curacao
GP104
Release
October 8 2013
May 27 2016
Ranking
#448
#137