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 1060

2016

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU across 46 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌80% higher power demand at 180W vs 100W.

RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU

2023

Why buy it

✅50.7% more average FPS across 46 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 6 GB).
✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Draws 100W instead of 180W, a 80W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 40.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU

2023

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Why buy it

✅50.7% more average FPS across 46 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 6 GB).
✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Draws 100W instead of 180W, a 80W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU across 46 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌80% higher power demand at 180W vs 100W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 40.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU better than GeForce GTX 1060?

Yes. RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU is clearly the better overall GPU here. RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU averages 50.7% more FPS across 46 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 19,656 vs 10,064 in G3D Mark. On top of that, RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU is a 2023 card with no meaningful modern upscaling stack, while GeForce GTX 1060 is a 2016 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?

RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2023 generation instead of 2016, 95.3% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 12 GB instead of 6 GB, and 100.0% more ray-tracing hardware. 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?

RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU is the smarter buy by a wide margin. RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU is priced in an unclear MSRP range at an unclear MSRP versus $249 MSRP, and you are getting 50.7% more estimated average FPS across 46 tracked games in our benchmark data and 95.3% higher G3D Mark. GeForce GTX 1060 really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.

Is GeForce GTX 1060 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

No, not for a fresh gaming build. GeForce GTX 1060 is 2016 hardware with 6 GB of VRAM, 10,064 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 1060 Benchmark Check

RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU
1080p
low	117 FPS	143 FPS
medium	105 FPS	124 FPS
high	91 FPS	109 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	77 FPS
1440p
low	103 FPS	114 FPS
medium	87 FPS	95 FPS
high	76 FPS	76 FPS
ultra	67 FPS	53 FPS
4K
low	55 FPS	51 FPS
medium	49 FPS	44 FPS
high	41 FPS	33 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	28 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU
1080p
low	216 FPS	379 FPS
medium	181 FPS	327 FPS
high	148 FPS	265 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	230 FPS
1440p
low	134 FPS	282 FPS
medium	107 FPS	236 FPS
high	87 FPS	190 FPS
ultra	68 FPS	156 FPS
4K
low	62 FPS	132 FPS
medium	51 FPS	113 FPS
high	49 FPS	95 FPS
ultra	41 FPS	72 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU
1080p
low	453 FPS	826 FPS
medium	362 FPS	680 FPS
high	302 FPS	590 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	442 FPS
1440p
low	340 FPS	628 FPS
medium	272 FPS	510 FPS
high	226 FPS	442 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	332 FPS
4K
low	226 FPS	406 FPS
medium	181 FPS	324 FPS
high	151 FPS	268 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	212 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU
1080p
low	358 FPS	301 FPS
medium	302 FPS	260 FPS
high	260 FPS	217 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	190 FPS
1440p
low	299 FPS	239 FPS
medium	254 FPS	211 FPS
high	208 FPS	177 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	151 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	142 FPS
medium	133 FPS	121 FPS
high	123 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	79 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1060 and RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU

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.

RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU

The RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 21 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 1110 MHz to 1545 MHz. It has 5120 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 40 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 19,656 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU's 19,656 — the RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU leads by 95.3%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU uses Ada Lovelace, both on 16 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 5,120 (RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 15.82 TFLOPS (RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 1545 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU
G3D Mark Score	10,064	19,656+95%
Architecture	Pascal	Ada Lovelace
Process Node	16 nm	5 nm
Shading Units	2560	5120+100%
Compute (TFLOPS)	8.873 TFLOPS	15.82 TFLOPS+78%
Boost Clock	1733 MHz+12%	1545 MHz
ROPs	64	64
TMUs	160	160
L1 Cache	0.94 MB	5 MB+432%
L2 Cache	2 MB	48 MB+2300%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU
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 1060 comes with 6 GB of VRAM, while the RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU has 12 GB. The RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 432 GB/s (RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU) — a 125% advantage for the RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU. Bus width: 192-bit vs 192-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 48 MB (RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU) — the RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU
VRAM Capacity	6 GB	12 GB+100%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	192 GB/s	432 GB/s+125%
Bus Width	192-bit	192-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB	48 MB+2300%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12 Ultimate (RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU
DirectX	12	12 Ultimate
Vulkan	1.3	1.3
OpenGL	4.5	4.6+2%
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060) vs NVENC 8th gen (RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU). Decoder: NVDEC (Pascal) vs NVDEC 5th gen. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1 (RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU
Encoder	NVENC (Pascal)	NVENC 8th gen
Decoder	NVDEC (Pascal)	NVDEC 5th gen
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC	H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU's 100W — a 57.1% difference. The RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 150W (RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU). Power connectors: 6-pin vs Mobile.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU
TDP	180W	100W-44%
Recommended PSU	400W	150W-63%
Power Connector	6-pin	Mobile
Length	173mm	—
Height	111mm	—
Slots	2	0-100%
Temp (Load)	—	80°C
Perf/Watt	55.9	196.6+252%