GeForce GTX 1060 3GB
Model frame rate limits of 39, 27 and 15 FPS at 1080p, 1440p and 4K, assuming the processor never gets in the way.
The GeForce GTX 1060 3GB is one of the slowest graphics card in our database and best kept to 1080p at medium settings, or to lighter esports titles.
Its 3GB of memory forces texture settings down in most games released in the last few years.
Its closest AMD rival is the Radeon RX 570 4GB, which is 4% faster at 1440p.
Estimated FPS in Popular Games
| Game (settings) | 1080p | 1440p | 4K |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cyberpunk 2077 (High, no ray tracing) | ~30 | ~20 | ~10 |
| Fortnite (High, DirectX 12) | ~50 | ~35 | ~20 |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (High) | ~45 | ~30 | ~15 |
| Counter-Strike 2 (High) | ~95 | ~65 | ~35 |
Modelled estimates with a processor fast enough not to hold the card back, rounded to the nearest 5 FPS. Counter-Strike 2 is usually limited by the processor well before these figures. See the methodology for how they are produced.
The slowest CPU that will not hold it back
| Resolution | Minimum processor | Estimated FPS |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | Ryzen 5 1600 | 29 |
| 1440p | Ryzen 5 1600 | 20 |
| 4K | Ryzen 5 1600 | 11 |
Notice how the requirement drops as resolution rises. At 4K this card is working so much harder per frame that a far slower processor keeps up without trouble. The search starts at four cores and eight threads: below that a game stutters whatever the average frame rate says.
The processors it lands closest to
The 24 processors whose frame rate limit sits nearest this card's, fastest first. The tag after each number says which part hits its limit first. For any other combination, use the calculator.
| Processor | 1080p | 1440p | 4K |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core i5-11400 | 29 gpu | 20 gpu | 11 gpu |
| Ryzen 5 5500 | 29 gpu | 20 gpu | 11 gpu |
| Core i5-10600K | 29 gpu | 20 gpu | 11 gpu |
| Ryzen 7 3800X | 29 gpu | 20 gpu | 11 gpu |
| Core i7-8700K | 29 gpu | 20 gpu | 11 gpu |
| Ryzen 7 3700X | 29 gpu | 20 gpu | 11 gpu |
| Ryzen 5 3600X | 29 gpu | 20 gpu | 11 gpu |
| Core i5-9600K | 29 gpu | 20 gpu | 11 gpu |
| Ryzen 5 3600 | 29 gpu | 20 gpu | 11 gpu |
| Ryzen 3 3300X | 29 gpu | 20 gpu | 11 gpu |
| Core i5-10400 | 29 gpu | 20 gpu | 11 gpu |
| Core i5-10400F | 29 gpu | 20 gpu | 11 gpu |
| Core i7-7700K | 29 gpu | 20 gpu | 11 gpu |
| Ryzen 5 3500X | 29 gpu | 20 gpu | 11 gpu |
| Ryzen 7 2700X | 29 gpu | 20 gpu | 11 gpu |
| Core i3-10100F | 29 gpu | 20 gpu | 11 gpu |
| Core i5-9400F | 29 gpu | 20 gpu | 11 gpu |
| Ryzen 5 4600G | 29 gpu | 20 gpu | 11 gpu |
| Core i5-8400 | 29 gpu | 20 gpu | 11 gpu |
| Ryzen 5 4500 | 29 gpu | 20 gpu | 11 gpu |
| Ryzen 3 3100 | 29 gpu | 20 gpu | 11 gpu |
| Ryzen 5 2600 | 29 gpu | 20 gpu | 11 gpu |
| Core i3-9100F | 29 gpu | 20 gpu | 11 gpu |
| Ryzen 5 1600 | 29 gpu | 20 gpu | 11 gpu |
Specifications
| Manufacturer | NVIDIA |
| Series | NVIDIA GTX 10 Series |
| Video memory | 3 GB |
| 3DMark Time Spy (graphics) | 3,398 |
| PCI Express | 3.0 ×16 |
| Released | 2016 |
Other Cards in the NVIDIA GTX 10 Series
- GeForce GTX 1060 6GB CPU pairing and bottleneck
- GeForce GTX 1050 Ti CPU pairing and bottleneck
- GeForce GTX 1050 CPU pairing and bottleneck
- GeForce GTX 1070 CPU pairing and bottleneck
Common Questions
What CPU do I need for the GeForce GTX 1060 3GB?
In our model the Ryzen 5 1600 is the slowest processor that keeps the GeForce GTX 1060 3GB fully fed at both 1080p and 1440p. Anything faster leaves the card as the limit, which is what you want in a gaming PC.
Is the GeForce GTX 1060 3GB good for 1440p?
Only with reduced settings. It averages around 27 FPS at 1440p on high settings in our model, so it is better suited to 1080p, where it reaches about 39 FPS.
Is 3GB of VRAM enough on the GeForce GTX 1060 3GB?
Not for recent games at high settings. 3GB means turning textures down in most titles from the last few years, even at 1080p.
Is the GeForce GTX 1060 3GB faster than the Radeon RX 570 4GB?
No. The Radeon RX 570 4GB is about 4% faster at 1440p in our model (28 vs 27 FPS).