NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 3 GB vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a decisive performance advantage for the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 across the shared benchmark suite, with the newer card winning both head-to-head tests. In Geekbench OpenCL, the RTX 4060 scores 95,057 points against the GTX 1060 3 GB's 27,001 points. This represents a 71.6% delta in favor of the RTX 4060, meaning the newer card delivers roughly three and a half times the compute throughput in this particular workload. The gap is substantial enough that the GTX 1060 3 GB is not merely slower, it operates in a different performance tier entirely.

The Geekbench Vulkan result tells a similar story, though with a slightly narrower margin. The RTX 4060 posts 48,643 points versus the GTX 1060 3 GB's 17,475 points, a 64.1% delta. While Vulkan is a modern low-level API that the Pascal architecture supports, the Ada Lovelace implementation clearly extracts far more performance from the same API class. The RTX 4060's advantage in this test is roughly 2.8 times the GTX 1060 3 GB's output.

Looking at the broader benchmark picture, the average benchmark score for the GTX 1060 3 GB is 19,334, while the RTX 4060 averages 17,639. This is a notable inversion: the older card actually holds a higher average score across its recorded benchmark set. However, this is a function of the different tests each card was subjected to, not a reflection of raw capability. The GTX 1060 3 GB was tested exclusively on Geekbench variants (Metal, OpenCL, Vulkan), while the RTX 4060's average includes PassMark DirectX tests and 3DMark Steel Nomad, which are more demanding and varied workloads. The direct head-to-head comparisons, where both cards ran the same tests, are the reliable indicator, and those uniformly favor the RTX 4060.

The percentile rankings place the GTX 1060 3 GB at the 64th percentile of all GPUs in the database, while the RTX 4060 sits at the 61st percentile. The GTX 1060 3 GB's nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX with an average score of 19,410 (a 0.4% delta), the NVIDIA TITAN Xp at 19,177 (0.8%), and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 at 19,164 (0.9%). The RTX 4060's nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon HD 7790 at 17,666 (0.2% delta), the AMD Radeon 780M at 17,588 (0.3%), and the AMD Radeon Pro 560 at 17,551 (0.5%). These rival clusters reinforce that the two cards inhabit different segments of the database's performance distribution, with the GTX 1060 3 GB positioned among older high-end parts and the RTX 4060 among modern mid-range options.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two GPUs spans nearly a full decade of NVIDIA design evolution. The GTX 1060 3 GB is built on the Pascal architecture using the GP106 chip, fabricated on a 16 nm process at TSMC. The RTX 4060 uses the Ada Lovelace architecture with the AD107 chip, manufactured on a 5 nm process, also at TSMC. The process node shrink from 16 nm to 5 nm is a major factor in the performance and efficiency differences observed.

Transistor counts tell a dramatic story. The GTX 1060 3 GB packs 4,400 million transistors on a 200 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 22.0 million per mm². The RTX 4060 contains 18,900 million transistors on a smaller 159 mm² die, achieving a density of 118.9 million per mm². The RTX 4060 has over four times the transistor count in a physically smaller package, a direct result of the more advanced process node.

The compute resources differ substantially. The GTX 1060 3 GB has 1,152 shading units, 72 texture mapping units, and 48 ROPs. The RTX 4060 has 3,072 shading units, 96 TMUs, and 48 ROPs. The shading unit count nearly triples, while TMUs increase by a third and ROPs remain equal. The RTX 4060 also introduces dedicated hardware that the Pascal architecture lacks entirely: 24 ray tracing cores and 96 tensor cores. These specialized units enable features and workloads that the GTX 1060 3 GB simply cannot accelerate.

Clock speeds have risen alongside the architectural changes. The GTX 1060 3 GB runs at a base clock of 1506 MHz and a boost clock of 1708 MHz. The RTX 4060 operates at 1830 MHz base and 2460 MHz boost, representing a 21.5% increase in base clock and a 44% increase in boost clock. The memory subsystems also diverge: the GTX 1060 3 GB uses 3 GB of GDDR5 on a 192-bit bus with 192.2 GB/s of bandwidth, while the RTX 4060 uses 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus with 272.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The RTX 4060 achieves 41.5% more bandwidth despite a narrower bus, thanks to faster memory running at 17 Gbps effective versus 8 Gbps effective on the older card.

Feature support and API levels also differ. The GTX 1060 3 GB supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The RTX 4060 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The DirectX 12 Ultimate designation on the RTX 4060 reflects its ray tracing and mesh shader capabilities, which are absent from the Pascal part. The bus interface also changes: PCIe 3.0 x16 on the GTX 1060 3 GB versus PCIe 4.0 x8 on the RTX 4060. The newer card uses half the physical lanes but the newer PCIe generation provides comparable or better effective bandwidth.

The power characteristics are counterintuitive given the performance gap. The GTX 1060 3 GB has a TDP of 120 W and uses a single 6-pin power connector. The RTX 4060 has a lower TDP of 115 W and uses a single 12-pin connector. Both cards recommend a 300 W power supply. The RTX 4060 delivers roughly three times the compute throughput in some tests while consuming slightly less power, a clear demonstration of the efficiency gains from the 5 nm process and architectural improvements.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear choice for users prioritizing raw performance and modern features. The RTX 4060 wins both head-to-head benchmarks by margins of 71.6% and 64.1% respectively, and it brings ray tracing cores, tensor cores, and DirectX 12 Ultimate support that the GTX 1060 3 GB cannot offer. The RTX 4060 also provides 8 GB of GDDR6 memory versus 3 GB of GDDR5, a significant capacity increase that matters for modern game textures and compute workloads. The RTX 4060's higher boost clock, larger shading unit count, and higher pixel and texture rates all point to a more capable processor across the board.

The GTX 1060 3 GB retains a niche for specific use cases. Its 64th percentile ranking versus the RTX 4060's 61st is worth noting, though this is an artifact of different benchmark sets rather than a true measure of relative capability. The GTX 1060 3 GB's nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX and NVIDIA TITAN Xp, indicating that its average score places it among much higher-tier hardware in the database. Users who require only the specific Geekbench workloads where the GTX 1060 3 GB was tested, such as Metal on older systems, may find it sufficient. The GTX 1060 3 GB also uses a 6-pin power connector, which could be more compatible with older power supplies, and its 250 mm length is slightly longer than the RTX 4060's 240 mm.

For virtually any modern workload, the RTX 4060 is the superior choice based on the recorded data. The performance deltas are too large and the feature gap too wide for the GTX 1060 3 GB to be recommended outside of legacy system constraints. The RTX 4060's lower TDP of 115 W versus 120 W also means it runs cooler and more efficiently in most scenarios. The launch MSRP for the RTX 4060 was 299 USD, while the GTX 1060 3 GB launched at 199 USD, a difference that reflects the substantial generational leap.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ in nearly every measurable specification. The GTX 1060 3 GB uses the GP106 chip on a 16 nm process with 4,400 million transistors and a 200 mm² die. The RTX 4060 uses the AD107 chip on a 5 nm process with 18,900 million transistors and a 159 mm² die. Transistor density jumps from 22.0 million per mm² to 118.9 million per mm².

Clock speeds differ: the GTX 1060 3 GB has a 1506 MHz base and 1708 MHz boost, while the RTX 4060 has a 1830 MHz base and 2460 MHz boost. Memory configurations diverge: 3 GB GDDR5 on a 192-bit bus with 192.2 GB/s bandwidth versus 8 GB GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus with 272.0 GB/s bandwidth. Memory clock rates are 2002 MHz (8 Gbps effective) versus 2125 MHz (17 Gbps effective).

Compute resources: 1,152 shading units, 72 TMUs, and 48 ROPs on the GTX 1060 3 GB versus 3,072 shading units, 96 TMUs, and 48 ROPs on the RTX 4060. The RTX 4060 adds 24 ray tracing cores and 96 tensor cores, which the GTX 1060 3 GB lacks entirely. Pixel rate improves from 81.98 GPixel/s to 118.1 GPixel/s, and texture rate from 123.0 GTexel/s to 236.2 GTexel/s. FP32 compute rises from 3.935 TFLOPS to 15.11 TFLOPS. FP16 performance changes from 61.49 GFLOPS (1:64 ratio) to 15.11 TFLOPS (1:1 ratio).

Power and connectivity: TDP is 120 W versus 115 W, power connectors are 1x 6-pin versus 1x 12-pin, and both recommend a 300 W PSU. The bus interface changes from PCIe 3.0 x16 to PCIe 4.0 x8. Display outputs: the GTX 1060 3 GB has 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0, and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a, while the RTX 4060 has 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a. DirectX support moves from 12 (12_1) to 12 Ultimate (12_2). Physical dimensions: the GTX 1060 3 GB is 250 mm long, while the RTX 4060 is 240 mm long, 111 mm high, and 40 mm wide. Release dates are August 2016 for the GTX 1060 3 GB and May 2023 for the RTX 4060. Both cards are end-of-life, with the GTX 1060 3 GB succeeding the GeForce 900 series and preceding the GeForce 20 series, while the RTX 4060 succeeds the GeForce 30 series and precedes the GeForce 50 series.

FAQ

Q: Which card is faster in Geekbench OpenCL?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 scores 95,057 points versus 27,001 points for the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 3 GB, a delta of 71.6% in favor of the RTX 4060.

Q: Does the GTX 1060 3 GB support ray tracing?

A: No. The GTX 1060 3 GB has no ray tracing cores. The RTX 4060 includes 24 ray tracing cores as part of its Ada Lovelace architecture.

Q: What is the memory capacity difference?

A: The GTX 1060 3 GB has 3 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 192-bit bus with 192.2 GB/s bandwidth. The RTX 4060 has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus with 272.0 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Which card has a higher boost clock?

A: The RTX 4060 boosts to 2460 MHz, while the GTX 1060 3 GB boosts to 1708 MHz. The RTX 4060 also has a higher base clock at 1830 MHz versus 1506 MHz.

Q: How do their power requirements compare?

A: The GTX 1060 3 GB has a TDP of 120 W with a 6-pin power connector. The RTX 4060 has a lower TDP of 115 W with a 12-pin connector. Both recommend a 300 W power supply.

Q: What is the transistor density difference?

A: The GTX 1060 3 GB has a density of 22.0 million transistors per mm² on its 16 nm process. The RTX 4060 has a density of 118.9 million transistors per mm² on its 5 nm process, with 18,900 million total transistors versus 4,400 million.