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 980 Ti

2015

Why buy it

✅+36.2% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Less risky long-term buy than GeForce GTX 1060: it remains the more sensible modern option while GeForce GTX 1060 is already legacy-tier future-proofing.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2015-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌
160.6% HIGHER MSRP
$649 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 21.1 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($649 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
❌38.9% higher power demand at 250W vs 180W.

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

Why buy it

✅4.5% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $400 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $649 MSRP).
✅Delivers 91.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 21.1 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $649 MSRP).
✅Draws 180W instead of 250W, a 70W reduction.
✅Measures 173mm instead of 267mm, a 94mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (10,064 vs 13,711).
❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.

GeForce GTX 980 Ti

2015

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

Why buy it

✅+36.2% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Less risky long-term buy than GeForce GTX 1060: it remains the more sensible modern option while GeForce GTX 1060 is already legacy-tier future-proofing.

Why buy it

✅4.5% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $400 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $649 MSRP).
✅Delivers 91.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 21.1 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $649 MSRP).
✅Draws 180W instead of 250W, a 70W reduction.
✅Measures 173mm instead of 267mm, a 94mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2015-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌
160.6% HIGHER MSRP
$649 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 21.1 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($649 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
❌38.9% higher power demand at 250W vs 180W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (10,064 vs 13,711).
❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce GTX 1060 better than GeForce GTX 980 Ti?

Yes. GeForce GTX 1060 is the better GPU overall here. You are getting 4.5% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and 36.2% higher PassMark G3D performance. It also comes from 2016 instead of 2015, which helps its case as the more complete modern gaming card.

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

GeForce GTX 980 Ti is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 36.2% more raw performance headroom. That extra performance headroom should help it hold higher settings and newer game demands for longer.

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 $400 cheaper on MSRP at $249 MSRP versus $649 MSRP, and you are getting 4.5% more estimated average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and a lower G3D Mark (10,064 vs 13,711). It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 91.3%. GeForce GTX 980 Ti is the more forward-looking alternative, so it still has a real case if you care more about future-proofing than about squeezing out the strongest gaming value today.

When does GeForce GTX 980 Ti make more sense than GeForce GTX 1060?

Yes. GeForce GTX 980 Ti is still an excellent gaming GPU in 2026: it is very strong for 1080p, good for 1440p, and more limited at 4K. It makes more sense if your priority is future-proofing and staying closer to $649 MSRP more than squeezing out the extra headroom of GeForce GTX 1060. The trade-off is that GeForce GTX 1060 currently gives you a lower G3D Mark (10,064 vs 13,711) and 4.5% more estimated average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 91.3%.

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 980 Ti Benchmark Check

GeForce GTX 1060 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 980 Ti	GeForce GTX 1060
1080p
low	80 FPS	117 FPS
medium	69 FPS	105 FPS
high	56 FPS	91 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	77 FPS
1440p
low	70 FPS	103 FPS
medium	62 FPS	87 FPS
high	45 FPS	76 FPS
ultra	28 FPS	67 FPS
4K
low	26 FPS	55 FPS
medium	24 FPS	49 FPS
high	16 FPS	41 FPS
ultra	14 FPS	37 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980 Ti Open GeForce GTX 1060

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 980 Ti	GeForce GTX 1060
1080p
low	186 FPS	216 FPS
medium	164 FPS	181 FPS
high	133 FPS	148 FPS
ultra	104 FPS	113 FPS
1440p
low	128 FPS	134 FPS
medium	104 FPS	107 FPS
high	82 FPS	87 FPS
ultra	62 FPS	68 FPS
4K
low	60 FPS	62 FPS
medium	50 FPS	51 FPS
high	46 FPS	49 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	41 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980 Ti Open GeForce GTX 1060

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 980 Ti	GeForce GTX 1060
1080p
low	617 FPS	453 FPS
medium	494 FPS	362 FPS
high	411 FPS	302 FPS
ultra	308 FPS	226 FPS
1440p
low	463 FPS	340 FPS
medium	370 FPS	272 FPS
high	308 FPS	226 FPS
ultra	231 FPS	170 FPS
4K
low	308 FPS	226 FPS
medium	247 FPS	181 FPS
high	206 FPS	151 FPS
ultra	154 FPS	113 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980 Ti Open GeForce GTX 1060

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 980 Ti	GeForce GTX 1060
1080p
low	232 FPS	358 FPS
medium	197 FPS	302 FPS
high	161 FPS	260 FPS
ultra	136 FPS	226 FPS
1440p
low	177 FPS	299 FPS
medium	156 FPS	254 FPS
high	123 FPS	208 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	170 FPS
4K
low	102 FPS	170 FPS
medium	83 FPS	133 FPS
high	67 FPS	123 FPS
ultra	53 FPS	102 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 980 Ti Open GeForce GTX 1060

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 980 Ti and GeForce GTX 1060

GeForce GTX 980 Ti

The GeForce GTX 980 Ti is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in June 2 2015. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1000 MHz to 1075 MHz. It has 2816 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 250W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 13,711 points. Launch price was $649.

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 980 Ti scores 13,711 versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 10,064 — the GeForce GTX 980 Ti leads by 36.2%. The GeForce GTX 980 Ti is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the GeForce GTX 1060 uses Pascal, both on 28 nm vs 16 nm. Shader units: 2,816 (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060). Raw compute: 6.06 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060). Boost clocks: 1075 MHz vs 1733 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980 Ti	GeForce GTX 1060
G3D Mark Score	13,711+36%	10,064
Architecture	Maxwell 2.0	Pascal
Process Node	28 nm	16 nm
Shading Units	2816+10%	2560
Compute (TFLOPS)	6.06 TFLOPS	8.873 TFLOPS+46%
Boost Clock	1075 MHz	1733 MHz+61%
ROPs	96+50%	64
TMUs	176+10%	160
L1 Cache	1 MB+6%	0.94 MB
L2 Cache	3 MB+50%	2 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 980 Ti	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)

Both cards feature 6 GB of GDDR5. Memory bandwidth: 336 GB/s (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060) — a 75% advantage for the GeForce GTX 980 Ti. Bus width: 384-bit vs 192-bit. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) — the GeForce GTX 980 Ti has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980 Ti	GeForce GTX 1060
VRAM Capacity	6 GB	6 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	336 GB/s+75%	192 GB/s
Bus Width	384-bit+100%	192-bit
L2 Cache	3 MB+50%	2 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs 12 (GeForce GTX 1060). Vulkan: 1.1 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980 Ti	GeForce GTX 1060
DirectX	12.1	12
Vulkan	1.1	1.3+18%
OpenGL	4.5	4.5
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 3.0 (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP6 vs NVDEC (Pascal). Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060).

Feature	GeForce GTX 980 Ti	GeForce GTX 1060
Encoder	NVENC 3.0	NVENC (Pascal)
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP6	NVDEC (Pascal)
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC	H.264,H.265/HEVC

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 980 Ti draws 250W versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 180W — a 32.6% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 600W (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs 400W (GeForce GTX 1060). Power connectors: 6-pin + 8-pin vs 6-pin. Card length: 267mm vs 173mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 980 Ti	GeForce GTX 1060
TDP	250W	180W-28%
Recommended PSU	600W	400W-33%
Power Connector	6-pin + 8-pin	6-pin
Length	267mm	173mm
Height	111mm	111mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	85°C	—
Perf/Watt	54.8	55.9+2%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 980 Ti launched at $649 MSRP, while the GeForce GTX 1060 launched at $249. The GeForce GTX 1060 costs 61.6% less ($400 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 21.1 (GeForce GTX 980 Ti) vs 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 91.5% better value. The GeForce GTX 1060 is the newer GPU (2016 vs 2015).