GeForce GTX 1060 vs GeForce RTX 2060
The GeForce RTX 2060 pulls ahead here — in a different league, about 86% ahead of the GeForce GTX 1060. It also wins on performance-per-dollar, making it the cleaner choice when you can afford it.
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GeForce RTX 2060 vs GeForce GTX 1060: In-Depth Breakdown
Performance: GeForce RTX 2060 vs GeForce GTX 1060
The GeForce RTX 2060 is dramatically faster, around 86% ahead of the GeForce GTX 1060. Both cards sit in the same broad class, well suited to entry-level 1080p. The GeForce RTX 2060 packs 1,920 CUDA cores versus 1,280 on the GeForce GTX 1060.
Price & Value
Pricing has the GeForce RTX 2060 at $271 EUR, $34 EUR under the GeForce GTX 1060's $305 EUR. Because it's both faster and competitively priced, the GeForce RTX 2060 wins on performance-per-dollar by about 109%. The GeForce RTX 2060 is trading below its $349 EUR MSRP — a genuine deal.
Power & Efficiency
At 120W vs 160W, the GeForce GTX 1060 is the gentler load on your system. The GeForce RTX 2060's extra power draw buys more performance per watt, not just more heat — worth it if your PSU has the headroom. Its more modern Turing architecture on a TSMC 12nm process is part of why it does more with each watt.
Memory & Bandwidth
The GeForce RTX 2060's memory is faster — 336 GB/s versus 192 GB/s — which helps feed the GPU at 4K and with heavy textures.
Generation & Longevity
The GeForce RTX 2060 is roughly 3 years newer than the GeForce GTX 1060 (Turing vs Pascal), so it generally benefits from a more modern architecture and longer driver-support runway.
Which should you buy: GeForce GTX 1060 or GeForce RTX 2060?
The GeForce RTX 2060 is the all-round winner here — it's faster and the better value, so buy it if it fits your budget. Only consider the GeForce GTX 1060 if you find it at a steep discount.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the GeForce RTX 2060 better than the GeForce GTX 1060?
Which is better for 4K gaming, the GeForce GTX 1060 or the GeForce RTX 2060?
Is the GeForce GTX 1060 worth the extra $34 EUR over the GeForce RTX 2060?
Which should you buy: GeForce GTX 1060 or GeForce RTX 2060?
Technical Specifications Comparison
Architecture & Cores
| Specification | GeForce GTX 1060 | GeForce RTX 2060 |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Pascal | Turing |
| Process Node | TSMC 16nm | TSMC 12nm |
| CUDA Cores (CUDA Cores / CUDA Cores) | 1,280 | 1,920✓ |
| Ray Tracing Cores | — | 30 |
| Tensor / AI Cores | — | 240 |
Clock Speeds
| Specification | GeForce GTX 1060 | GeForce RTX 2060 |
|---|---|---|
| Base Clock | 1,506 MHz✓ | 1,365 MHz |
| Boost Clock | 1,708 MHz✓ | 1,680 MHz |
Memory
| Specification | GeForce GTX 1060 | GeForce RTX 2060 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 6 GB | 6 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR6 |
| Memory Bus | 192-bit | 192-bit |
| Memory Speed | 8 Gbps | 14 Gbps✓ |
| Bandwidth | 192 GB/s | 336 GB/s✓ |
Connectivity & Power
| Specification | GeForce GTX 1060 | GeForce RTX 2060 |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 3.0 x16 |
| TDP | 120 W✓ | 160 W |
| Power Connectors | 1x 6-pin | 1x 8-pin |
| Released | Jul 2016 | Jan 2019 |