Radeon RX 540 vs GeForce GTX 1060

Performance Spectrum - GPU

Radeon RX 540

50

2,134

0.0%

Radeon R7 +8G

Radeon Vega 6 Ryzen 3 3350U

Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12GB

GeForce GTX 1060

180

10,064

+371.6%

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 RX 540 is positioned at rank #235 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 RX 540

#54

Radeon RX 6800S

MSRP: $800|Avg: $800

92%

#225

Radeon RX 550X (móvel)

MSRP: $35|Avg: $35

504%

#227

GeForce GTX 1070 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $150

456%

#228

GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $100

455%

#232

GeForce GTX 1050 (Mobile)

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50

414%

#233

Radeon RX 6300

MSRP: $60|Avg: $40

411%

#235

Radeon RX 540

MSRP: $99|Avg: $40

100%

#236

Radeon HD 6750M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $60

99%

#237

Radeon HD 7570M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $15

98%

#239

Arc Graphics 130T

MSRP: $300|Avg: $250

96%

#240

GeForce MX570 A

MSRP: $300|Avg: $300

96%

#242

GeForce GT 645

MSRP: $99|Avg: $15

94%

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 371.6% 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 RX 540.

Insight	Radeon RX 540	GeForce GTX 1060
Performance	❌Lower raw frame rates (-371.6%)	✅Leading raw performance (+371.6%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2017 / GCN 4.0 (2016−2020))	🛑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 214.4% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	Radeon RX 540	GeForce GTX 1060
Cost Efficiency	❌Lower cost efficiency	✅Better overall value (+214.4%)
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.

Radeon RX 540 Benchmark Check

GeForce GTX 1060 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Radeon RX 540 and GeForce GTX 1060

Radeon RX 540

The Radeon RX 540 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 11 2017. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1124 MHz to 1219 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,134 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 RX 540 scores 2,134 versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 10,064 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 371.6%. The Radeon RX 540 is built on GCN 4.0 while the GeForce GTX 1060 uses Pascal, both on 14 nm vs 16 nm. Shader units: 512 (Radeon RX 540) vs 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060). Raw compute: 1.248 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 540) vs 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060). Boost clocks: 1219 MHz vs 1733 MHz.

Feature	Radeon RX 540	GeForce GTX 1060
G3D Mark Score	2,134	10,064+372%
Architecture	GCN 4.0	Pascal
Process Node	14 nm	16 nm
Shading Units	512	2560+400%
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.248 TFLOPS	8.873 TFLOPS+611%
Boost Clock	1219 MHz	1733 MHz+42%
ROPs	16	64+300%
TMUs	32	160+400%
L1 Cache	128 KB	960 KB+650%
L2 Cache	0.5 MB	2 MB+300%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon RX 540	GeForce GTX 1060
Upscaling Tech	FSR 2.1	FSR 2.1 (Compatible)
Frame Generation	FSR 3 (Compatible)	FSR 3 (Compatible)
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	AMD Anti-Lag	Standard

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon RX 540 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: 80 GB/s (Radeon RX 540) vs 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060) — a 140% advantage for the GeForce GTX 1060. Bus width: 128-bit vs 192-bit. L2 Cache: 0.5 MB (Radeon RX 540) vs 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) — the GeForce GTX 1060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	Radeon RX 540	GeForce GTX 1060
VRAM Capacity	4 GB	6 GB+50%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	80 GB/s	192 GB/s+140%
Bus Width	128-bit	192-bit+50%
L2 Cache	0.5 MB	2 MB+300%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12_0 (Radeon RX 540) vs 12 (GeForce GTX 1060). Maximum simultaneous displays: 0 vs 4.

Feature	Radeon RX 540	GeForce GTX 1060
DirectX	12_0	12
Max Displays	0	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: VCE 3.4 (Radeon RX 540) vs NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060). Decoder: UVD 6.3 vs NVDEC (Pascal).

Feature	Radeon RX 540	GeForce GTX 1060
Encoder	VCE 3.4	NVENC (Pascal)
Decoder	UVD 6.3	NVDEC (Pascal)
Codecs	—	H.264,H.265/HEVC

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon RX 540 draws 50W versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 180W — a 113% difference. The Radeon RX 540 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon RX 540) vs 400W (GeForce GTX 1060). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 6-pin. Card length: 1mm vs 173mm, occupying 0 vs 2 slots.

Feature	Radeon RX 540	GeForce GTX 1060
TDP	50W-72%	180W
Recommended PSU	350W-13%	400W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	6-pin
Length	1mm	173mm
Height	—	111mm
Slots	0-100%	2
Perf/Watt	42.7	55.9+31%

💰

Value Analysis

The Radeon RX 540 launched at $99 MSRP and currently averages $40, while the GeForce GTX 1060 launched at $249 and now averages $60. The Radeon RX 540 costs 33.3% less ($20 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 53.4 (Radeon RX 540) vs 167.7 (GeForce GTX 1060) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 214% better value. The Radeon RX 540 is the newer GPU (2017 vs 2016).