Updated at: 06-05-2022 - By: Leo Hall

Nvidia’s most powerful mid-range Pascal GPU is the GeForce GTX 1060. It excels in 1080p gaming and can compete in 1440p and VR as well. Even while the RTX 2060 may feel like a step backwards now that it is arrived, there are still good reasons to stick with this last-generation card.

For those who want to jump into 1440p gaming or VR, the GTX 1060 is still an excellent choice for those who want to attain high framerates in 1080p, even if it has been overtaken by the new series of GPUs with the new nomenclature.

Of course, there are a number of versions of the GTX 1060 made by different manufacturers, each with their own pros and cons, differing in terms of cooling, aesthetic, performance, and pricing. So, which one will you choose? Continue reading to find out!

EVGA GeForce GTX 1060 GAMING

a choice of three or six gigabytes of video memory

Single-fan cooling

The Pros:

  • A solid showing.
  • Affordable
  • Conveniently small

The Cons:

  • The overclocking potential is limited.
  • Under heavy load, the fan becomes extremely noisy.

About The Graphics Card

The first card on this list comes from EVGA, one of Nvidia’s longest-standing and most reputable partners. Although Nvidia now manufactures motherboards, power supplies, and other components, graphics cards remain their primary focus.

EVGA GeForce GTX 1060 SSC GAMING 6GB GDDR5 – GEARVN.COM

Now, this specific model isn’t exactly a high-end one. Compared to the company’s more expensive models, this is a little card with a single ACX 2.0 fan and a beautiful but cheap-feeling casing.

Specifications

Reference Clock 1506 MHz

At 1708 Mhz, the boost clock

VRAM\s3GB

DisplayPort, HDMI, and VGA

A single HDMI port

Our Thoughts

Two things make this EVGA GTX 1060 stand out: it is reasonably priced and has a small enough profile to fit into even the tiniest of computer cases. Because of this, if you are searching for the most affordable GTX 1060, especially if you are using a Mini ITX case, this is the best option.

As a result of the limited room for overclocking due to the single-fan cooling system, this card doesn’t perform as well as those with many fans.

ASUS Dual Series GeForce GTX 1060

a choice of three or six gigabytes of video memory

Dual-fan cooling

The Pros:

  • Good value for your money
  • Overclocking performance is excellent.
  • At a low cost

The Cons:

  • Design that isn’t neutral

About The Graphics Card

Even though the ASUS RoG Strix graphics cards (and other RoG-branded components and accessories) are the company’s most well-known products, the ASUS Dual Series GeForce GTX 1060 represents a departure from the company’s normal RGB-heavy RoG design.

There are two simple-looking but extremely powerful fans on the exterior of its all-white façade. As a “entry-level” graphics card, this GTX 1060 runs fairly well and even comes with some factory overclocking out of the box.

Specifications

It has a base clock frequency of 1594MHz

1809 MHz Boost Clock

Interconnections Two DisplayPort connectors

Two HDMI ports

Final Remarks

This card, despite being marketed as a popular product by Asus, is nevertheless a high-end product that performs exceptionally well. The card’s white exterior isn’t precisely neutral, but Gigabyte delivers an all-around better solution at a comparable (if not lower) price, making this card a no-brainer.

ZOTAC GeForce GTX 1060 Mini

a choice of three or six gigabytes of video memory

Single-fan cooling

The Pros:

  • A solid showing.
  • Design that’s simple and understated
  • Small body size
  • Cheapest 6GB GTX 1060 at the moment

The Cons:

  • It is currently the most affordable 6GB GTX 1060.
  • A fast-moving fan makes a lot of noise.

About The Graphics Card

Finally, we have a Zotac greeting card. One of Nvidia’s most trusted graphics card manufacturers is situated out of Hong Kong and was formed in 2006.

As far as we know, it’s the greatest tiny form factor GTX 1060 on the market right now, thanks to its combination of excellent design, build quality, and performance at a reasonable price.

Specifications

Reference Clock 1506 MHz

At 1708 Mhz, the boost clock

VRAM\s6GB

3 DisplayPort 1.4 ports are available for connection.

It has an HDMI 2.0 port

Our Thoughts

This card is the best option if you’re building a Mini ITX system. The EVGA model we discussed before has better performance, but this one’s design and build quality are far superior. In addition, the 6GB Zotac model costs less than the EVGA model, so there’s something.

To sum up, single-fan cooling doesn’t have as much room for overclocking as dual and triple-fan versions, and the card won’t be as comfortable or quiet to operate at its maximum potential.

Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1060

6 GB of VRAM

Dual-fan cooling

The Pros:

  • Outstanding display of talent.
  • Simple and unassuming style
  • Has a plate on the back.

The Cons:

  • Unusual selection of port locations

About The Graphics Card

Next, we have Gigabyte, a Taiwanese maker of PC components that is normally in the same league as Asus. We’ll be looking at the Gigabyte GTX 1060, which has dual Windforce fans and a recognizable Gigabyte design in our review.

Specifications

The base clock frequency is 1556 MHz.

1797 MHz Boost Clock

Six gigabytes of video memory

A single DisplayPort 1.4 port is supported.

It has an HDMI 2.0 port

Our Thoughts

In terms of looks, the Gigabyte GTX 1060 is clearly superior to the Asus Dual Series GTX 1060, since it offers a more luxurious design, including a backplate. In addition, the black exterior is more likely to blend in with a variety of decors. The Asus model performs somewhat better, but the difference is negligible.

Only Gigabyte’s choice of ports, i.e. providing two Dual Link DVI-D connections, stood out to us as a problem on this card. Our preference would have been to include additional DisplayPort and/or HDMI outputs, which are more widely used and less vulnerable to discontinuity, rather than DVI.

MSI Gaming X GeForce GTX 1060

6 GB of VRAM

Dual-fan cooling

The Pros:

  • Outstanding display of talent.
  • Potential for excellent overclocking
  • Has a plate on the back.

The Cons:

  • The gaudy style isn’t for everyone.
  • Pricey

About The Graphics Card

A graphics card from MSI, another well-known manufacturer whose skill extends beyond graphics cards, follows in its footsteps.

Vga MSI GTX 1060 6GB GAMING X 6G - Hàng chính hãng BH 36 Tháng | Shopee Việt Nam

As the name suggests, the MSI graphics card in question here is the MSI Gaming X GTX 1060, a high-performance model.

Specifications

The base clock frequency is 1596 MHz.

1809 MHz Boost Clock

VRAM\s6GB

3 DisplayPort 1.4 ports are available for connection.

It has an HDMI 2.0 port

Our Thoughts

MSI’s Gaming and Gaming X series cards always have significant red highlights and the dragon emblem in the middle of both fans. But this MSI GTX 1060 isn’t just for show; it delivers excellent performance right out of the box and has good overclocking potential, too.

Even if this card is more expensive than the one from the previous Gigabyte model, many people will agree that the design of graphics cards in this product line is a little over the top.

This is, of course, a profoundly personal matter. All in all, the card is rather well-built, complete with a backplate, and it offers great performance but will have a hard time fitting in aesthetically with most builds.

Gigabyte AORUS GeForce GTX 1060

This is, of course, a highly subjective matter.. It is a well-built card with a backplate, but it will look out of place in most builds.

Triple-fan cooling

The Pros:

  • Exceptional effort.
  • Exceptional overclocking capabilities
  • LED lighting and a backplate complete the look.

The Cons:

  • On the pricey side of things.
  • Does not fit in compact carrying cases.

About The Graphics Card

Finally, we have another Gigabyte model, albeit a lot more serious one, to round out our list! It belongs to Gigabyte’s Aorus brand, which focuses on gaming: the Aorus GTX 1060

Excellent overclocking, triple-fan cooling, and an appealing appearance all combine to make this one of the best GTX 1060 cards on the market.

Specifications

Reference Clock: 1607 MHz

1860 MHz Boost Clock

VRAM\s6GB

3 DisplayPort 1.4 ports are available for connection.

It has an HDMI 2.0 port

Our Thoughts

Gigabyte’s triple Windforce fans are a dead giveaway that this is a benchmark-smoking machine. Compared to other air-cooled GTX 1060 cards, this Aorus model has the highest factory OC settings and few air-cooled GTX 1060 cards can match its overclocking capability.

In terms of design, the card has a metal backplate and a sleek exterior with RGB lighting, which adds a little something extra.

There are, of course, two major drawbacks to this card: its size and its cost. Size is a consideration, even if the price isn’t considerably higher than previous models. We’re talking about three 80mm fans here, after all. As a result, minor situations will be ruled out.

GTX 1060 Zotac AMP! Edition

Pros

  • Design for the Industrial Sector
  • The Best Possibilities for Connectivity
  • Compact size

Cons

  • Discreetly sized
  • Discreetly small

RGB/LED: N/A | RGB/LED: N/A | Slots: 2 x 90mm Fans: 2 x 90mm

Finally, Zotac’s GTX 1060 AMP Edition has a base clock speed of 1556MHz and a boost clock of 1771MHz, as well as the full 6GB GDDR5 RAM and its 192-bit memory bus, making it one of the most powerful cards on the market. Almost all major AAA titles (clearly the optimized ones) had frame rates that were simple for it to consume at ultra-high settings, therefore it will speed you through games like these at 1080p on high-ultra settings. In terms of connections, it has a DVI, HDMI, and three DisplayPorts. Standard 120W watts are provided by a six-pin plug.

The Zotac 1060 AMP variant of the GTX 1060 is awarded the title of best-built GTX 1060. The 90 mm fan and metal heat sink are covered by a black shroud that covers the entire length of the PCB (without a backplate). In addition, the dual 90 mm ZOTAC FREEZE fans have the 0dB fan curve technology built into them. Temperatures pegged at 77 degrees Celsius under maximum loads, with superb acoustics recorded. As a bonus, its user-friendly software allows you to securely overclock it without any hassle.

The lack of a metal backplate is the only drawback to this card. The FireStorm function can be used to set the fan curves to 60% to keep things balanced. It measured between 75 and 77 degrees Celsius at overclocked (maximum fan speed) settings. To sum it up, it’s a great value for the money, thanks to its excellent 1080p performance and equally stunning acoustics.

Inno3D GeForce GTX 1060 Gaming OC

REASONS TO BUY

+Easy-to-understand layout

REASONS TO AVOID

-Unreliable accessibility

Pricing is too high in the United States.

MSI GeForce GTX 1060 Gaming X 6G

REASONS TO BUY

+Beefy is a lot more comfortable.

+Affordable cost

Eight-pin power supply

REASONS TO AVOID

Firmware that wasn’t included in the sample

Palit GeForce GTX 1060 Super JetStream

REASONS TO BUY

+Small footprint

REASONS TO AVOID

-There is no availability in the United States.

-Cooler that is easy on the wallet

How To Pick The Best Graphics Card For Your Needs

Many graphics card types are available, and while the differences between them may be regarded minor at best by those who don’t know much about computers, it’s still worth evaluating which one would best suit your needs.

Vga Card MSI GTX 1060 GAMING X 6G (Chính hãng) | Shopee Việt Nam

Because of this, we’ll cover all you need to know before making your final decision.

3 GB VS 6 GB – How Much VRAM Do You Need?

The GTX 1060 is a bit of an anomaly because it comes in two flavors: 3GB and 6GB of VRAM. It’s important to examine which graphics settings are the most demanding when choosing how much VRAM you’ll require.

First and foremost, there’s the end result to consider. VRAM is needed to render games in real time and at a higher resolution, and 3GB isn’t enough for 1440p.

When playing at 1440p or in virtual reality, you’ll need to drop some of the VRAM-hungry settings like texture resolution and LOD distance, as well as several sorts of anti-aliasing, using a 3GB GTX 1060.

Even with 1440p, less resource-intensive games like CS: GO and Overwatch won’t run out of memory, but the vast majority of AAA titles will.

We’d only recommend a 3GB GTX 1060 if you’re looking to:

  1. Are strapped for cash?
  2. Do not plan on upgrading to a resolution above 1080p any time soon.

If neither of these scenarios applies to you, it could be worth it to save up a few hundred dollars and purchase a device with six gigabytes of storage instead. After all, games are constantly evolving and becoming more demanding, so what works today may not work tomorrow.

The Cooling – Single-Fan, Dual-Fan, Or Triple-Fan?

Open-air cooling is used on every card on the list, with the exception of two cards that use three fans. The question is, which one are you?

In terms of price and size, single-fan cards have a lot going for them: they’re less expensive, and they’re more compact. This means that you can save money by using a single-fan card, which is ideal if your computer has a small form factor.

However, keep in mind that since these cards only have one fan, they can be quite noisy, and they can’t be overclocked at all.

Performance on dual- and triple-fan cards tends to be substantially better. The improved heat dissipation provided by the more powerful cooling allows the card to be overclocked for improved in-game performance. Additionally, the card will be quieter when it isn’t under a lot of stress.

Even while triple-fan cards surpass dual-fan cards almost everywhere, their greatest disadvantage is their enormous size. It’s because of this that they’re too big to fit into smaller containers.

Connectivity – HDMI, DisplayPort, Or DVI?

You’ve probably heard of HDMI, DisplayPort, and DVI, the three most common connections used in modern graphics cards and screens. Despite its near-total obsolescence, VGA connections are still used on some lower-end graphics cards and screens.

If you’re trying to decide between the other three, keep in mind that the visual quality of each is virtually same. Rather, the maximum resolution and refresh rate they support at a particular resolution are the only things that are impacted.

GPUs with GTX 1060 cards include HDMI 2.0, which is one of the newest versions of HDMI that allows 60 Hz refresh rates at 4K resolution while still supporting 120 Hz refresh rates at 1080p.

A slight improvement is made with DisplayPort 1.4, which supports 4K at 120 Hz and 1080p at an impressive 240 Hz refresh rate. As a result, if you have a 1440p 144 Hz display, the latter is the superior option.

When it comes to DVI, the maximum supported resolution is 1440p, which means that it can only support 60 Hz at 1440p. In 1080p, it’s still capable of running at 144 Hz. Additionally, only an adaptor is required to transport sound, which is not possible with DP or HDMI.

The Best GTX 1060 – Our Take

What card would we choose based on the given considerations?

The Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1060 is the clear winner here. As a result, it has become our go-to graphics card because it’s an all-in-one solution that’s both stylish and powerful.

Our recommendation is the Asus Dual Series GTX 1060 instead, as the 3GB version of that card is the cheapest GTX 1060 currently available. The performance is also fairly good when compared to more expensive ones.

These are only some of our favorites, so take that with a grain of salt. Aorus GTX 1060 will appeal to those who want the greatest performance out of this mid-range Pascal GPU. If you’re building a smaller gaming PC, the two EVGA and Zotac variants are obvious choices.

As always, please let us know if you think we missed something crucial or made a mistake and we’ll do our best to fix it as quickly as possible. Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

FAQS:

What is the best version of the GTX 1060?

Five of the Best GTX 1060 Cards:

Is GTX 1060 a good video card?

Now that it’s been replaced by a new series of GPUs with a new name, the GTX 1060 has dropped in price somewhat, but it’s still an excellent option for people hoping to break into 1440p gaming or VR or who want high framerates in 1080p.

Is GTX 1060 outdated?

It’s safe to say that the GTX 1060 isn’t obsolete, and it’s likely to remain so for some time. A more seasoned GPU, but one that’ll still work fine in 2022. On the other hand, it uses slightly more wattage than more modern systems, but not enough to necessitate a massive power supply..

Is the RTX 3050 good?

There’s no denying that the RTX 3050 is a better performer even at low settings than the RX 6500 XT. The GTX 1660 Super, which handily trounced AMD’s newcomer, is a good step up in performance over the GTX 1660, as well.