Radeon RX 590 vs GeForce GTX 1060 5GB

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 5GB lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.

🚀 Performance Leadership

The Radeon RX 590 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1.5% higher G3D Mark score and 60% more VRAM (8 GB vs 5 GB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the GeForce GTX 1060 5GB.

Insight	Radeon RX 590	GeForce GTX 1060 5GB
Performance	✅Leading raw performance (+1.5%)	❌Lower raw frame rates (-1.5%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2018 / GCN 4.0 (2016−2020))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2017 / Pascal (2016−2021))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	✅ More VRAM (+60%)	❌ Less VRAM capacity
Efficiency	⚡ Higher Power Consumption	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt
Case Fit	📏 Compact / SFF Friendly	Standard Size (250mm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Radeon RX 590 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. Although it costs $65 (vs $65), its significant performance lead justifies the premium, offering 1.5% better value per dollar than the GeForce GTX 1060 5GB.

Insight	Radeon RX 590	GeForce GTX 1060 5GB
Cost Efficiency	✅Better overall value (+1.5%)	❌Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

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 590 Benchmark Check

GeForce GTX 1060 5GB Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Radeon RX 590 and GeForce GTX 1060 5GB

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.

GeForce GTX 1060 5GB

The GeForce GTX 1060 5GB is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in December 26 2017. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1506 MHz to 1709 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 120W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 9,175 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Radeon RX 590 scores 9,315 and the GeForce GTX 1060 5GB reaches 9,175 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.5% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon RX 590 is built on GCN 4.0 while the GeForce GTX 1060 5GB uses Pascal, both on 12 nm vs 16 nm. Shader units: 2,304 (Radeon RX 590) vs 1,280 (GeForce GTX 1060 5GB). Raw compute: 7.119 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 590) vs 4.375 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060 5GB). Boost clocks: 1545 MHz vs 1709 MHz.

Feature	Radeon RX 590	GeForce GTX 1060 5GB
G3D Mark Score	9,315+2%	9,175
Architecture	GCN 4.0	Pascal
Process Node	12 nm	16 nm
Shading Units	2304+80%	1280
Compute (TFLOPS)	7.119 TFLOPS+63%	4.375 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1545 MHz	1709 MHz+11%
ROPs	32	40+25%
TMUs	144+80%	80
L1 Cache	576 KB+20%	480 KB
L2 Cache	2 MB+60%	1.25 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon RX 590	GeForce GTX 1060 5GB
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 5GB has 5 GB. The Radeon RX 590 offers 60% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 256 GB/s (Radeon RX 590) vs 160 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060 5GB) — a 60% advantage for the Radeon RX 590. Bus width: 256-bit vs 160-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (Radeon RX 590) vs 1.25 MB (GeForce GTX 1060 5GB) — the Radeon RX 590 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	Radeon RX 590	GeForce GTX 1060 5GB
VRAM Capacity	8 GB+60%	5 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	256 GB/s+60%	160 GB/s
Bus Width	256-bit+60%	160-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB+60%	1.25 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.0 (Radeon RX 590) vs 12 (12_1) (GeForce GTX 1060 5GB). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	Radeon RX 590	GeForce GTX 1060 5GB
DirectX	12.0	12 (12_1)
Vulkan	1.2	1.3+8%
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: VCE 3.4 (Radeon RX 590) vs NVENC (6th Gen) (GeForce GTX 1060 5GB). Decoder: UVD 6.3 vs NVDEC (3rd Gen). Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (Radeon RX 590) vs H.264,H.265,VP9 (GeForce GTX 1060 5GB).

Feature	Radeon RX 590	GeForce GTX 1060 5GB
Encoder	VCE 3.4	NVENC (6th Gen)
Decoder	UVD 6.3	NVDEC (3rd Gen)
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC	H.264,H.265,VP9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon RX 590 draws 175W versus the GeForce GTX 1060 5GB's 120W — a 37.3% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 5GB is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (Radeon RX 590) vs 400W (GeForce GTX 1060 5GB). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 6-pin. Card length: 241mm vs 250mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 75.

Feature	Radeon RX 590	GeForce GTX 1060 5GB
TDP	175W	120W-31%
Recommended PSU	500W	400W-20%
Power Connector	8-pin	6-pin
Length	241mm	250mm
Height	111mm	111mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	80°C	75-6%
Perf/Watt	53.2	76.5+44%

💰

Value Analysis

The Radeon RX 590 launched at $279 MSRP and currently averages $65, while the GeForce GTX 1060 5GB launched at $249 and now averages $65. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 143.3 (Radeon RX 590) vs 141.2 (GeForce GTX 1060 5GB) — the Radeon RX 590 offers 1.5% better value. The Radeon RX 590 is the newer GPU (2018 vs 2017).