GeForce GTX 1060 6GB
Pascal · 6 GB GDDR5 · 120 W
GeForce RTX 5090
Blackwell · 32 GB GDDR7 · 575 W
GeForce RTX 5090 takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, GeForce GTX 1060 6GB lands at 60 and GeForce RTX 5090 at 98. That puts GeForce RTX 5090 ahead by 38 points — a decisive margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick GeForce GTX 1060 6GB if…
- ✓NVIDIA driver stack
- ✓DLSS support on RTX
- ✓Strong resale value
Pick GeForce RTX 5090 if…
- ✓Unrivaled 4K and path-tracing
- ✓DLSS 4 Multi-Frame Gen
- ✓32 GB VRAM for AI
Winner by scenario
Derived from the sub-score breakdown · not a separate test4K & rasterization
GeForce RTX 5090Traditional rendering throughput at high resolution
GeForce RTX 5090 leads on raster (100 vs 60).
Ray tracing
GeForce RTX 5090RT-heavy titles with path-traced lighting
GeForce RTX 5090 leads on rt (100 vs 55).
AI workloads
GeForce RTX 5090Local inference, upscaling, generative tools
GeForce RTX 5090 leads on ai (100 vs 57).
Power efficiency
GeForce RTX 5090Frames per watt — heat, noise, and PSU sizing
GeForce RTX 5090 leads on efficiency (78 vs 68).
Value for money
GeForce GTX 1060 6GBSpecdex score per dollar at MSRP
GeForce GTX 1060 6GB more score per dollar ($249 vs $1,999).
Score breakdown
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | GeForce GTX 1060 6GB | GeForce RTX 5090 |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Pascal | Blackwell |
| VRAM | 6 GB GDDR5 | ▲ 32 GB GDDR7 |
| TBP | 120 W | 575 W |
| Release year | 2016 | — |
| CUDA cores | — | 21,760 |
| Tensor cores | — | 680 (5th gen) |
| RT cores | — | 170 (4th gen) |
| Memory bus | — | 512-bit |
| Bandwidth | — | 1792 GB/s |
| PCIe | — | PCIe 5.0 x16 |
GeForce GTX 1060 6GB
- +NVIDIA driver stack
- +DLSS support on RTX
- +Strong resale value
- −Power draw scales with tier
- −Gen-over-gen price creep
- −VRAM gated per tier
GeForce RTX 5090
- +Unrivaled 4K and path-tracing
- +DLSS 4 Multi-Frame Gen
- +32 GB VRAM for AI
- −Enormous power draw
- −Two-slot+ cooler required
- −Scarce MSRP supply
FAQ: GeForce GTX 1060 6GB vs GeForce RTX 5090
Which is better, GeForce GTX 1060 6GB or GeForce RTX 5090? +
GeForce RTX 5090 scores 98 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 38. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is GeForce GTX 1060 6GB worth the price? +
At $249, GeForce GTX 1060 6GB delivers a Specdex score of 60 — strongest in efficiency.
Is GeForce RTX 5090 worth the price? +
At $1,999, GeForce RTX 5090 delivers a Specdex score of 98 — strongest in raster.
Does GeForce GTX 1060 6GB or GeForce RTX 5090 last longer? +
Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.
Which is better for 4K gaming, GeForce GTX 1060 6GB or GeForce RTX 5090? +
GeForce RTX 5090 — leads on raster (100 vs 60). Traditional rendering throughput at high resolution.
Which is better for ray tracing, GeForce GTX 1060 6GB or GeForce RTX 5090? +
GeForce RTX 5090 — leads on rt (100 vs 55). RT-heavy titles with path-traced lighting.