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 970

2014

Why buy it

✅Draws 150W instead of 180W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1060 across 46 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2014-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌
32.1% HIGHER MSRP
$329 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 29.3 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

Why buy it

✅45.6% more average FPS across 46 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $80 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Delivers 37.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 29.3 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 4 GB).
✅Measures 173mm instead of 267mm, a 94mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌20% higher power demand at 180W vs 150W.

GeForce GTX 970

2014

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

Why buy it

✅Draws 150W instead of 180W, a 30W reduction.

Why buy it

✅45.6% more average FPS across 46 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $80 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Delivers 37.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 29.3 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 4 GB).
✅Measures 173mm instead of 267mm, a 94mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1060 across 46 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2014-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌
32.1% HIGHER MSRP
$329 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 29.3 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($329 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.
❌20% higher power demand at 180W vs 150W.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce GTX 1060 better than GeForce GTX 970?

Yes. GeForce GTX 1060 is the better GPU overall here. You are getting 45.6% more average FPS across 46 tracked games in our benchmark data, 4.4% higher PassMark G3D performance, and 6 GB vs 4 GB of VRAM. It also comes from 2016 instead of 2014, which helps its case as the more complete modern gaming card.

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

GeForce GTX 970 is the safer long-term GPU choice because it gives you the stronger overall hardware and feature outlook for modern games.

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

GeForce GTX 1060 is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce GTX 1060 is about $80 cheaper on MSRP at $249 MSRP versus $329 MSRP, and you are getting 45.6% more estimated average FPS across 46 tracked games in our benchmark data and 4.4% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 37.9%. GeForce GTX 970 is the more forward-looking alternative, so it still has a real case if you care more about lower power draw (150W vs 180W) and future-proofing than about squeezing out the strongest gaming value today.

When does GeForce GTX 970 make more sense than GeForce GTX 1060?

Yes. GeForce GTX 970 is still an excellent gaming GPU in 2026: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It makes more sense if your priority is lower power draw (150W vs 180W), future-proofing, and staying closer to $329 MSRP more than squeezing out the extra headroom of GeForce GTX 1060. The trade-off is that GeForce GTX 1060 currently gives you 4.4% higher G3D Mark and 45.6% more estimated average FPS across 46 tracked games in our benchmark data. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 37.9%.

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 970 Benchmark Check

GeForce GTX 1060 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 970	GeForce GTX 1060
1080p
low	81 FPS	117 FPS
medium	69 FPS	105 FPS
high	58 FPS	91 FPS
ultra	38 FPS	77 FPS
1440p
low	70 FPS	103 FPS
medium	62 FPS	87 FPS
high	46 FPS	76 FPS
ultra	29 FPS	67 FPS
4K
low	26 FPS	55 FPS
medium	24 FPS	49 FPS
high	17 FPS	41 FPS
ultra	14 FPS	37 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 970 Open GeForce GTX 1060

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 970	GeForce GTX 1060
1080p
low	185 FPS	216 FPS
medium	152 FPS	181 FPS
high	122 FPS	148 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	113 FPS
1440p
low	132 FPS	134 FPS
medium	102 FPS	107 FPS
high	81 FPS	87 FPS
ultra	60 FPS	68 FPS
4K
low	63 FPS	62 FPS
medium	50 FPS	51 FPS
high	46 FPS	49 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	41 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 970 Open GeForce GTX 1060

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 970	GeForce GTX 1060
1080p
low	405 FPS	453 FPS
medium	347 FPS	362 FPS
high	289 FPS	302 FPS
ultra	217 FPS	226 FPS
1440p
low	325 FPS	340 FPS
medium	260 FPS	272 FPS
high	217 FPS	226 FPS
ultra	163 FPS	170 FPS
4K
low	210 FPS	226 FPS
medium	174 FPS	181 FPS
high	129 FPS	151 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	113 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 970 Open GeForce GTX 1060

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 970	GeForce GTX 1060
1080p
low	179 FPS	358 FPS
medium	138 FPS	302 FPS
high	120 FPS	260 FPS
ultra	103 FPS	226 FPS
1440p
low	138 FPS	299 FPS
medium	107 FPS	254 FPS
high	94 FPS	208 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	170 FPS
4K
low	80 FPS	170 FPS
medium	59 FPS	133 FPS
high	46 FPS	123 FPS
ultra	36 FPS	102 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 970 Open GeForce GTX 1060

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 970 and GeForce GTX 1060

GeForce GTX 970

The GeForce GTX 970 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 19 2014. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1050 MHz to 1178 MHz. It has 1664 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 9,640 points. Launch price was $329.

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

The GeForce GTX 970 scores 9,640 and the GeForce GTX 1060 reaches 10,064 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 4.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 970 is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the GeForce GTX 1060 uses Pascal, both on 28 nm vs 16 nm. Shader units: 1,664 (GeForce GTX 970) vs 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060). Raw compute: 3.92 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 970) vs 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060). Boost clocks: 1178 MHz vs 1733 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970	GeForce GTX 1060
G3D Mark Score	9,640	10,064+4%
Architecture	Maxwell 2.0	Pascal
Process Node	28 nm	16 nm
Shading Units	1664	2560+54%
Compute (TFLOPS)	3.92 TFLOPS	8.873 TFLOPS+126%
Boost Clock	1178 MHz	1733 MHz+47%
ROPs	56	64+14%
TMUs	104	160+54%
L1 Cache	624 KB	960 KB+54%
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 970	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 970 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: 224 GB/s (GeForce GTX 970) vs 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060) — a 16.7% advantage for the GeForce GTX 970. Bus width: 256-bit vs 192-bit.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970	GeForce GTX 1060
VRAM Capacity	4 GB	6 GB+50%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	224 GB/s+17%	192 GB/s
Bus Width	256-bit+33%	192-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (FL 12_1) (GeForce GTX 970) vs 12 (GeForce GTX 1060). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970	GeForce GTX 1060
DirectX	12 (FL 12_1)	12
Vulkan	1.3	1.3
OpenGL	4.6+2%	4.5
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 2nd gen (GeForce GTX 970) vs NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060). Decoder: PureVideo VP6 vs NVDEC (Pascal). Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 970) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060).

Feature	GeForce GTX 970	GeForce GTX 1060
Encoder	NVENC 2nd gen	NVENC (Pascal)
Decoder	PureVideo VP6	NVDEC (Pascal)
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC	H.264,H.265/HEVC

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 970 draws 150W versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 180W — a 18.2% difference. The GeForce GTX 970 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce GTX 970) vs 400W (GeForce GTX 1060). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs 6-pin. Card length: 267mm vs 173mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970	GeForce GTX 1060
TDP	150W-17%	180W
Recommended PSU	500W	400W-20%
Power Connector	2x 6-pin	6-pin
Length	267mm	173mm
Height	111mm	111mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	80°C	—
Perf/Watt	64.3+15%	55.9

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 970 launched at $329 MSRP, while the GeForce GTX 1060 launched at $249. The GeForce GTX 1060 costs 24.3% less ($80 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 29.3 (GeForce GTX 970) vs 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 37.9% better value. The GeForce GTX 1060 is the newer GPU (2016 vs 2014).