GeForce GTX 1060 5GB vs GeForce RTX 4070 Ti

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1060 5GB

2017Core: 1506 MHzBoost: 1709 MHz

Popular choices:

RTX 4070 Ti
VS
NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4070 Ti

2023Core: 2310 MHzBoost: 2610 MHz

Popular choices:

Performance Spectrum - GPU

About G3D Mark

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 5GB

2017

Why buy it

  • Costs $550 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $799 MSRP).
  • Draws 120W instead of 285W, a 165W reduction.
  • Measures 250mm instead of 285mm, a 35mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (9,175 vs 31,578).
  • Less VRAM, with 5 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
  • Poor future-proofing: 2017-era hardware with 5 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.

GeForce RTX 4070 Ti

2023

Why buy it

  • +244.2% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
  • 140% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 5 GB).
  • More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 4nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • 137.5% higher power demand at 285W vs 120W.
  • 14% longer card at 285mm vs 250mm.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 4070 Ti better than GeForce GTX 1060 5GB?
Yes. GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 31,578 vs 9,175 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is a 2023 card with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation, while GeForce GTX 1060 5GB is a 2017 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 RTX 4070 Ti is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2023 generation instead of 2017, 244.2% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 12 GB instead of 5 GB, and better upscaling support with DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution (2023) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack and better frame-generation support with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack. 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 RTX 4070 Ti is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is about 220.9% more expensive on MSRP at $799 MSRP versus $249 MSRP, and you are getting 244.2% higher G3D Mark. GeForce GTX 1060 5GB really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.
Is GeForce GTX 1060 5GB still worth buying for gaming in 2026?
No, not for a fresh gaming build. GeForce GTX 1060 5GB is 2017 hardware with 5 GB of VRAM, 9,175 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetGeForce GTX 1060 5GBGeForce RTX 4070 Ti
1080p
low119 FPS188 FPS
medium106 FPS171 FPS
high89 FPS155 FPS
ultra66 FPS135 FPS
1440p
low110 FPS151 FPS
medium93 FPS125 FPS
high75 FPS111 FPS
ultra56 FPS102 FPS
4K
low46 FPS92 FPS
medium42 FPS79 FPS
high30 FPS66 FPS
ultra27 FPS59 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce GTX 1060 5GBGeForce RTX 4070 Ti
1080p
low146 FPS664 FPS
medium118 FPS539 FPS
high95 FPS415 FPS
ultra61 FPS366 FPS
1440p
low83 FPS496 FPS
medium62 FPS400 FPS
high46 FPS329 FPS
ultra34 FPS269 FPS
4K
low32 FPS250 FPS
medium23 FPS211 FPS
high19 FPS187 FPS
ultra14 FPS159 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce GTX 1060 5GBGeForce RTX 4070 Ti
1080p
low379 FPS921 FPS
medium330 FPS742 FPS
high246 FPS652 FPS
ultra204 FPS569 FPS
1440p
low308 FPS720 FPS
medium248 FPS578 FPS
high206 FPS497 FPS
ultra155 FPS427 FPS
4K
low187 FPS498 FPS
medium160 FPS403 FPS
high108 FPS352 FPS
ultra76 FPS296 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce GTX 1060 5GBGeForce RTX 4070 Ti
1080p
low258 FPS879 FPS
medium207 FPS731 FPS
high187 FPS664 FPS
ultra162 FPS600 FPS
1440p
low197 FPS706 FPS
medium154 FPS585 FPS
high132 FPS514 FPS
ultra110 FPS460 FPS
4K
low97 FPS477 FPS
medium73 FPS408 FPS
high64 FPS366 FPS
ultra50 FPS324 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1060 5GB and GeForce RTX 4070 Ti

NVIDIA

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.

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4070 Ti

The GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 3 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 2310 MHz to 2610 MHz. It has 7680 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 285W. Manufactured using 4 nm process technology. It features 60 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 31,578 points. Launch price was $799.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 5GB scores 9,175 versus the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti's 31,578 — the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti leads by 244.2%. The GeForce GTX 1060 5GB is built on Pascal while the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti uses Ada Lovelace, both on 16 nm vs 4 nm. Shader units: 1,280 (GeForce GTX 1060 5GB) vs 7,680 (GeForce RTX 4070 Ti). Raw compute: 4.375 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060 5GB) vs 40.09 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4070 Ti). Boost clocks: 1709 MHz vs 2610 MHz.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060 5GBGeForce RTX 4070 Ti
G3D Mark Score
9,175
31,578+244%
Architecture
Pascal
Ada Lovelace
Process Node
16 nm
4 nm
Shading Units
1280
7680+500%
Compute (TFLOPS)
4.375 TFLOPS
40.09 TFLOPS+816%
Boost Clock
1709 MHz
2610 MHz+53%
ROPs
40
80+100%
TMUs
80
240+200%
L1 Cache
0.47 MB
7.5 MB+1496%
L2 Cache
1.25 MB
48 MB+3740%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is support for DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation. This allows it to generate entire frames using AI/Algorithms, essentially doubling the frame rate in CPU-bound scenarios or heavy ray-tracing titles. The GeForce GTX 1060 5GB lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.The GeForce RTX 4070 Ti supports the newer DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 1060 5GB is capped at Upscaling support.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060 5GBGeForce RTX 4070 Ti
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution
Frame Generation
Not Supported
DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation
Ray Reconstruction
No
Yes (DLSS 3.5)
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
NVIDIA Reflex
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 1060 5GB comes with 5 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti has 12 GB. The GeForce RTX 4070 Ti offers 140% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 160 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060 5GB) vs 504 GB/s (GeForce RTX 4070 Ti) — a 215% advantage for the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti. Bus width: 160-bit vs 192-bit. L2 Cache: 1.25 MB (GeForce GTX 1060 5GB) vs 48 MB (GeForce RTX 4070 Ti) — the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060 5GBGeForce RTX 4070 Ti
VRAM Capacity
5 GB
12 GB+140%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR6X
Memory Bandwidth
160 GB/s
504 GB/s+215%
Bus Width
160-bit
192-bit+20%
L2 Cache
1.25 MB
48 MB+3740%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (12_1) (GeForce GTX 1060 5GB) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 4070 Ti). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060 5GBGeForce RTX 4070 Ti
DirectX
12 (12_1)
12 Ultimate
Vulkan
1.3
1.3
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (6th Gen) (GeForce GTX 1060 5GB) vs NVENC (8th Gen) (GeForce RTX 4070 Ti). Decoder: NVDEC (3rd Gen) vs NVDEC (5th Gen). Supported codecs: H.264,H.265,VP9 (GeForce GTX 1060 5GB) vs AV1,H.264,H.265,VP9 (GeForce RTX 4070 Ti).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060 5GBGeForce RTX 4070 Ti
Encoder
NVENC (6th Gen)
NVENC (8th Gen)
Decoder
NVDEC (3rd Gen)
NVDEC (5th Gen)
Codecs
H.264,H.265,VP9
AV1,H.264,H.265,VP9
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 5GB draws 120W versus the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti's 285W — a 81.5% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 5GB is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060 5GB) vs 700W (GeForce RTX 4070 Ti). Power connectors: 6-pin vs 8-pin. Card length: 250mm vs 285mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75 vs 70°C.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060 5GBGeForce RTX 4070 Ti
TDP
120W-58%
285W
Recommended PSU
400W-43%
700W
Power Connector
6-pin
8-pin
Length
250mm
285mm
Height
111mm
112mm
Slots
2
2
Temp (Load)
75
70°C-7%
Perf/Watt
76.5
110.8+45%
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 1060 5GB launched at $249 MSRP, while the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti launched at $799. The GeForce GTX 1060 5GB costs 68.8% less ($550 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 36.8 (GeForce GTX 1060 5GB) vs 39.5 (GeForce RTX 4070 Ti) — the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti offers 7.3% better value. The GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is the newer GPU (2023 vs 2017).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060 5GBGeForce RTX 4070 Ti
MSRP
$249-69%
$799
Performance per Dollar
36.8
39.5+7%
Codename
GP106
AD104
Release
December 26 2017
January 3 2023
Ranking
#289
#11