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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, raw graphics performance, VRAM, feature set, power efficiency, pricing context, and long-term value so you can see which GPU actually makes more sense.

GeForce GTX 645

2010

Why buy it

✅Costs $99 less on MSRP ($150 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
✅Measures 147mm instead of 173mm, a 26mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (1,880 vs 10,064).
❌Less VRAM, with 1 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2010-era hardware with 1 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 12.5 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

Why buy it

✅+435.3% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 222.5% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 12.5 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
✅500% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 1 GB).
✅Less risky long-term buy than GeForce GTX 645: it remains the more sensible modern option while GeForce GTX 645 is already obsolete for modern gaming.

Trade-offs

❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌17.7% longer card at 173mm vs 147mm.

GeForce GTX 645

2010

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

Why buy it

✅Costs $99 less on MSRP ($150 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
✅Measures 147mm instead of 173mm, a 26mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Why buy it

✅+435.3% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 222.5% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 12.5 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
✅500% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 1 GB).
✅Less risky long-term buy than GeForce GTX 645: it remains the more sensible modern option while GeForce GTX 645 is already obsolete for modern gaming.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (1,880 vs 10,064).
❌Less VRAM, with 1 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2010-era hardware with 1 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 12.5 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌17.7% longer card at 173mm vs 147mm.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce GTX 1060 better than GeForce GTX 645?

Yes. GeForce GTX 1060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 10,064 vs 1,880 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce GTX 1060 is a 2016 card with no meaningful modern upscaling stack, while GeForce GTX 645 is a 2010 model from an older generation with no meaningful modern upscaling stack. So this is not really a tight same-tier comparison. It is more a modern card against an older, weaker alternative.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce GTX 1060 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2016 generation instead of 2010, 435.3% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 6 GB instead of 1 GB, and a 16nm process instead of 40nm. That leaves it with more room for heavier textures, tougher ray tracing loads, and higher-end 1440p or 4K gaming over the next few years.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?

GeForce GTX 1060 is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce GTX 1060 is about 66.0% more expensive on MSRP at $249 MSRP versus $150 MSRP, and you are getting 435.3% higher G3D Mark. GeForce GTX 645 really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.

Is GeForce GTX 645 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

No, not for a fresh gaming build. GeForce GTX 645 is 2010 hardware with 1 GB of VRAM, 1,880 in G3D Mark, and no meaningful modern upscaling stack. That is simply too far behind to be an easy modern recommendation.

Games Benchmarks

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 9800X3D 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.

GeForce GTX 645 Benchmark Check

GeForce GTX 1060 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 645	GeForce GTX 1060
1080p
low	66 FPS	117 FPS
medium	54 FPS	105 FPS
high	38 FPS	91 FPS
ultra	26 FPS	77 FPS
1440p
low	52 FPS	103 FPS
medium	43 FPS	87 FPS
high	27 FPS	76 FPS
ultra	18 FPS	67 FPS
4K
low	20 FPS	55 FPS
medium	19 FPS	49 FPS
high	12 FPS	41 FPS
ultra	10 FPS	37 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 645 Open GeForce GTX 1060

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 645	GeForce GTX 1060
1080p
low	85 FPS	216 FPS
medium	62 FPS	181 FPS
high	50 FPS	148 FPS
ultra	38 FPS	113 FPS
1440p
low	49 FPS	134 FPS
medium	33 FPS	107 FPS
high	23 FPS	87 FPS
ultra	18 FPS	68 FPS
4K
low	23 FPS	62 FPS
medium	16 FPS	51 FPS
high	12 FPS	49 FPS
ultra	9 FPS	41 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 645 Open GeForce GTX 1060

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 645	GeForce GTX 1060
1080p
low	85 FPS	453 FPS
medium	68 FPS	362 FPS
high	56 FPS	302 FPS
ultra	42 FPS	226 FPS
1440p
low	63 FPS	340 FPS
medium	51 FPS	272 FPS
high	42 FPS	226 FPS
ultra	32 FPS	170 FPS
4K
low	42 FPS	226 FPS
medium	34 FPS	181 FPS
high	28 FPS	151 FPS
ultra	21 FPS	113 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 645 Open GeForce GTX 1060

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 645	GeForce GTX 1060
1080p
low	85 FPS	358 FPS
medium	68 FPS	302 FPS
high	56 FPS	260 FPS
ultra	42 FPS	226 FPS
1440p
low	63 FPS	299 FPS
medium	51 FPS	254 FPS
high	42 FPS	208 FPS
ultra	32 FPS	170 FPS
4K
low	42 FPS	170 FPS
medium	34 FPS	133 FPS
high	28 FPS	123 FPS
ultra	21 FPS	102 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 645 Open GeForce GTX 1060

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 645 and GeForce GTX 1060

GeForce GTX 645

The GeForce GTX 645 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 31 2010. It features the Fermi architecture. The core clock speed is 607 MHz. It has 352 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,880 points. Launch price was $279.

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 GeForce GTX 645 scores 1,880 versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 10,064 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 435.3%. The GeForce GTX 645 is built on Fermi while the GeForce GTX 1060 uses Pascal, both on 40 nm vs 16 nm. Shader units: 352 (GeForce GTX 645) vs 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060). Raw compute: 0.8554 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 645) vs 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060).

Feature	GeForce GTX 645	GeForce GTX 1060
G3D Mark Score	1,880	10,064+435%
Architecture	Fermi	Pascal
Process Node	40 nm	16 nm
Shading Units	352	2560+627%
Compute (TFLOPS)	0.8554 TFLOPS	8.873 TFLOPS+937%
ROPs	32	64+100%
TMUs	44	160+264%
L1 Cache	704 KB	960 KB+36%
L2 Cache	0.5 MB	2 MB+300%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 645	GeForce GTX 1060
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 645 comes with 1 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 1060 has 6 GB. The GeForce GTX 1060 offers 500% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 192-bit. L2 Cache: 0.5 MB (GeForce GTX 645) vs 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) — the GeForce GTX 1060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 645	GeForce GTX 1060
VRAM Capacity	1 GB	6 GB+500%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	192 GB/s
Bus Width	128-bit	192-bit+50%
L2 Cache	0.5 MB	2 MB+300%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 11.0 (GeForce GTX 645) vs 12 (GeForce GTX 1060). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 3 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 645	GeForce GTX 1060
DirectX	11.0	12+9%
Vulkan	1.2	1.3+8%
OpenGL	4.6+2%	4.5
Max Displays	3	4+33%

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (1st Gen) (GeForce GTX 645) vs NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060). Decoder: PureVideo VP5 vs NVDEC (Pascal). Supported codecs: MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264,MPEG-4 (GeForce GTX 645) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060).

Feature	GeForce GTX 645	GeForce GTX 1060
Encoder	NVENC (1st Gen)	NVENC (Pascal)
Decoder	PureVideo VP5	NVDEC (Pascal)
Codecs	MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264,MPEG-4	H.264,H.265/HEVC

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 645 draws 200W versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 180W — a 10.5% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (GeForce GTX 645) vs 400W (GeForce GTX 1060). Power connectors: None vs 6-pin. Card length: 147mm vs 173mm, occupying 1 vs 2 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 645	GeForce GTX 1060
TDP	200W	180W-10%
Recommended PSU	300W-25%	400W
Power Connector	None	6-pin
Length	147mm	173mm
Height	111mm	111mm
Slots	1-50%	2
Temp (Load)	80	—
Perf/Watt	9.4	55.9+495%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 645 launched at $150 MSRP, while the GeForce GTX 1060 launched at $249. The GeForce GTX 645 costs 39.8% less ($99 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 12.5 (GeForce GTX 645) vs 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 223.2% better value. The GeForce GTX 1060 is the newer GPU (2016 vs 2010).