Radeon RX 590
VS
GeForce GTX 1060

Radeon RX 590 vs GeForce GTX 1060

AMD

Radeon RX 590

2018Core: 1469 MHzBoost: 1545 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

⚠️ Generational Difference

The Radeon RX 590 uses modern memory architecture. The Radeon RX 590 likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The GeForce GTX 1060 lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.

🚀 Performance Leadership

The GeForce GTX 1060 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 8% higher G3D Mark score. However, the Radeon RX 590 offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.

InsightRadeon RX 590GeForce GTX 1060
Performance
Lower raw frame rates (-8%)
Leading raw performance (+8%)
Longevity
🛑Obsolete Architecture (2018 / GCN 4.0 (2016−2020))
🛑Obsolete Architecture (2016 / Pascal (2016−2021))
Ecosystem
Supports FSR Upscaling
Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM
✅ More VRAM (+33.3%)
❌ Less VRAM capacity
Efficiency
Normal Efficiency
Normal Efficiency
Case Fit
📏 Compact / SFF Friendly
📏 Compact / SFF Friendly

💎 Value Proposition

The GeForce GTX 1060 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. Priced at $60 versus $65 for the Radeon RX 590, it costs 8% less. While it maintains competitive performance, this results in a 17% higher cost efficiency score.

InsightRadeon RX 590GeForce GTX 1060
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Better overall value (+17%)
Upfront Cost
⚠️Higher upfront cost ($65)
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 RX 590 and GeForce GTX 1060

AMD

Radeon RX 590

The Radeon RX 590 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 15 2018. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1469 MHz to 1545 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 175W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 9,315 points. Launch price was $279.

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 RX 590 scores 9,315 versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 10,064 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 8%. The Radeon RX 590 is built on GCN 4.0 while the GeForce GTX 1060 uses Pascal, both on 12 nm vs 16 nm. Shader units: 2,304 (Radeon RX 590) vs 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060). Raw compute: 7.119 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 590) vs 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060). Boost clocks: 1545 MHz vs 1733 MHz.

FeatureRadeon RX 590GeForce GTX 1060
G3D Mark Score
9,315
10,064+8%
Architecture
GCN 4.0
Pascal
Process Node
12 nm
16 nm
Shading Units
2304
2560+11%
Compute (TFLOPS)
7.119 TFLOPS
8.873 TFLOPS+25%
Boost Clock
1545 MHz
1733 MHz+12%
ROPs
32
64+100%
TMUs
144
160+11%
L1 Cache
576 KB
960 KB+67%
L2 Cache
2 MB
2 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureRadeon RX 590GeForce 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 590 comes with 8 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 1060 has 6 GB. The Radeon RX 590 offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 256 GB/s (Radeon RX 590) vs 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060) — a 33.3% advantage for the Radeon RX 590. Bus width: 256-bit vs 192-bit.

FeatureRadeon RX 590GeForce GTX 1060
VRAM Capacity
8 GB+33%
6 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
256 GB/s+33%
192 GB/s
Bus Width
256-bit+33%
192-bit
L2 Cache
2 MB
2 MB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.0 (Radeon RX 590) vs 12 (GeForce GTX 1060). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureRadeon RX 590GeForce GTX 1060
DirectX
12.0
12
Vulkan
1.2
1.3+8%
OpenGL
4.6+2%
4.5
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: VCE 3.4 (Radeon RX 590) vs NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060). Decoder: UVD 6.3 vs NVDEC (Pascal). Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (Radeon RX 590) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060).

FeatureRadeon RX 590GeForce GTX 1060
Encoder
VCE 3.4
NVENC (Pascal)
Decoder
UVD 6.3
NVDEC (Pascal)
Codecs
MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC
H.264,H.265/HEVC
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon RX 590 draws 175W versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 180W — a 2.8% difference. The Radeon RX 590 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (Radeon RX 590) vs 400W (GeForce GTX 1060). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 6-pin. Card length: 241mm vs 173mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots.

FeatureRadeon RX 590GeForce GTX 1060
TDP
175W-3%
180W
Recommended PSU
500W
400W-20%
Power Connector
8-pin
6-pin
Length
241mm
173mm
Height
111mm
111mm
Slots
2
2
Temp (Load)
80°C
Perf/Watt
53.2
55.9+5%
💰

Value Analysis

The Radeon RX 590 launched at $279 MSRP and currently averages $65, while the GeForce GTX 1060 launched at $249 and now averages $60. The GeForce GTX 1060 costs 7.7% less ($5 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 143.3 (Radeon RX 590) vs 167.7 (GeForce GTX 1060) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 17% better value. The Radeon RX 590 is the newer GPU (2018 vs 2016).

FeatureRadeon RX 590GeForce GTX 1060
MSRP
$279
$249-11%
Avg Price (30d)
$65
$60-8%
Performance per Dollar
143.3
167.7+17%
Codename
Polaris 30
GP104
Release
November 15 2018
May 27 2016
Ranking
#285
#137