GeForce GTX 1060 vs GeForce GTX 970: specs and benchmark comparison
Short verdict
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 leads in every scenario with comparable benchmarks: rendering and compute. This does not imply an advantage in tasks without benchmarks.
Compare with AIRendering and compute
B +16.9%NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 leads in this scenario (up to 16.9% in comparable benchmarks).
No comparable benchmarks yet: gaming: rasterization, gaming: ray tracing, power efficiency.
Advantages
Only measured and rated values: a noticeable benchmark gap and specs where more is better.
Where GeForce GTX 1060 is better1
Video memory 2 GB more6 GB vs 4 GB
Where GeForce GTX 970 is better4
Blender Benchmark 2.82 9.5% lower141 s vs 155 s
Blender Benchmark 2.90 16.9% lower482 s vs 564 s
Memory bus 64 bit more256 bit vs 192 bit
Memory bandwidth 32.4 GB/s more224.4 GB/s vs 192 GB/s
Benchmarks
Results are compared within one benchmark, one version and the same conditions.
- B ahead by 9.5%
Blender Benchmark 2.82
GPU, bmw27 (CUDA) · s, lower is better
GeForce GTX 1060154.6 sGeForce GTX 970141.2 sPosition among tested models (23, CUDA)
B · 141A · 1550200400600Each dot is one model’s median in this benchmark. The scale starts at zero, s. NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 is ahead by 9.5% in this benchmark.
About the measurement and source
- A · NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060
154.6 s · community measurement, sample 26 · November 14, 2026
Blender Open Data (Blender Foundation)
Median of 26 submissions (4 outliers excluded), interquartile range 152.99–157.63; submissions 2020-02-26 to 2020-06-06; CUDA backend. Snapshot 2026-11-14.
- B · NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970
141.2 s · community measurement, sample 55 · November 14, 2026
Blender Open Data (Blender Foundation)
Median of 55 submissions (4 outliers excluded), interquartile range 138.88–146.59; submissions 2020-02-29 to 2020-07-23; CUDA backend. Snapshot 2026-11-14.
difference = |A − B| ÷ the smaller value × 100%. The 5% noticeable threshold is a UX heuristic, not statistical significance.
Render time of a single Cycles scene without synchronization. Median of submissions after filtering.
- B ahead by 16.9%
Blender Benchmark 2.90
GPU, classroom (CUDA) · s, lower is better
GeForce GTX 1060563.9 sGeForce GTX 970482.4 sPosition among tested models (25, CUDA)
B · 482A · 5640200400600800Each dot is one model’s median in this benchmark. The scale starts at zero, s. NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 is ahead by 16.9% in this benchmark.
About the measurement and source
- A · NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060
563.9 s · community measurement, sample 20 · November 14, 2026
Blender Open Data (Blender Foundation)
Median of 20 submissions (5 outliers excluded), interquartile range 558.22–592.6; submissions 2020-09-04 to 2021-01-24; CUDA backend. Snapshot 2026-11-14.
- B · NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970
482.4 s · community measurement, sample 23 · November 14, 2026
Blender Open Data (Blender Foundation)
Median of 23 submissions (1 outliers excluded), interquartile range 477.87–497.56; submissions 2020-09-02 to 2021-01-28; CUDA backend. Snapshot 2026-11-14.
difference = |A − B| ÷ the smaller value × 100%. The 5% noticeable threshold is a UX heuristic, not statistical significance.
Render time of a single Cycles scene without synchronization. Median of submissions after filtering.
Reference results (99)
| Benchmark | A | B | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blender Benchmark 2.81GPU, barbershop_interior (CUDA) | 1,530.4 | 1,843.1 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.81aGPU, barbershop_interior (CUDA) | 1,531.3 | 1,839.1 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.81GPU, bmw27 (CUDA) | 154.6 | 146.8 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.81aGPU, bmw27 (CUDA) | 153.1 | 144.6 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.83GPU, bmw27 (CUDA) | 157.7 | 152.5 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.90GPU, bmw27 (CUDA) | 167.5 | 149 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.91.2GPU, bmw27 (CUDA) | 156.2 | 165.1 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.92GPU, bmw27 (CUDA) | 155 | 179.3 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.93.1GPU, bmw27 (CUDA) | 134.1 | 114.4 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.90GPU, bmw27 (OPTIX) | 169.2 | 166.6 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.91.2GPU, bmw27 (OPTIX) | 175.6 | 167.4 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.92GPU, bmw27 (OPTIX) | 166.2 | 162.3 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.93.1GPU, bmw27 (OPTIX) | 167.8 | 157.1 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.81GPU, classroom (CUDA) | 555.1 | 475.9 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.81aGPU, classroom (CUDA) | 543.4 | 480 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.82GPU, classroom (CUDA) | 548.4 | 473.5 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.83GPU, classroom (CUDA) | 561.6 | 482.6 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.91.2GPU, classroom (CUDA) | 524.1 | 458.5 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.92GPU, classroom (CUDA) | 531.6 | 475.4 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.93.1GPU, classroom (CUDA) | 485.5 | 402.7 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.90GPU, classroom (OPTIX) | 586.4 | 673.3 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.93.1GPU, classroom (OPTIX) | 623.5 | 605.8 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.81GPU, fishy_cat (CUDA) | 314.5 | 314.6 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.81aGPU, fishy_cat (CUDA) | 308.3 | 312.1 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.82GPU, fishy_cat (CUDA) | 316.9 | 309.2 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.83GPU, fishy_cat (CUDA) | 321.8 | 310.9 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.90GPU, fishy_cat (CUDA) | 322.9 | 303.2 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.91.2GPU, fishy_cat (CUDA) | 297.5 | 343.7 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.92GPU, fishy_cat (CUDA) | 309 | 365.2 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.93.1GPU, fishy_cat (CUDA) | 309.1 | 365 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.90GPU, fishy_cat (OPTIX) | 330 | 452.8 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.93.1GPU, fishy_cat (OPTIX) | 327.5 | 392.5 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.81GPU, koro (CUDA) | 606.7 | 666.3 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.81aGPU, koro (CUDA) | 610.4 | 673.6 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.82GPU, koro (CUDA) | 605.8 | 645.5 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.83GPU, koro (CUDA) | 595.9 | 862.4 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.90GPU, koro (CUDA) | 541.2 | 558.8 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.91.2GPU, koro (CUDA) | 523.3 | 516.5 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.92GPU, koro (CUDA) | 543.5 | 714.1 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.93.1GPU, koro (CUDA) | 544.6 | 619.8 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.90GPU, koro (OPTIX) | 379.6 | 535.2 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.93.1GPU, koro (OPTIX) | 379.3 | 419.4 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.81GPU, pavillon_barcelona (CUDA) | 888.4 | 773.7 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.81aGPU, pavillon_barcelona (CUDA) | 867.8 | 782.3 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.82GPU, pavillon_barcelona (CUDA) | 874.2 | 761.3 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.83GPU, pavillon_barcelona (CUDA) | 895.9 | 803.2 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.90GPU, pavillon_barcelona (CUDA) | 926.8 | 784 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.91.2GPU, pavillon_barcelona (CUDA) | 831 | 830 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.92GPU, pavillon_barcelona (CUDA) | 880.4 | 927.5 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.93.1GPU, pavillon_barcelona (CUDA) | 816.9 | 689.5 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.90GPU, pavillon_barcelona (OPTIX) | 891.7 | 1,050.6 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.93.1GPU, pavillon_barcelona (OPTIX) | 906.3 | 903.5 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.81GPU, victor (CUDA) | 1,781.5 | 3,321.1 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.81aGPU, victor (CUDA) | 1,463.5 | 5,776.8 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.82GPU, victor (CUDA) | 1,505.3 | 3,504.1 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.83GPU, victor (CUDA) | 1,591.5 | — | no pair |
| Blender Benchmark 2.90GPU, victor (CUDA) | 1,238.9 | 9,949 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.91.2GPU, victor (CUDA) | 1,298.8 | 9,881.1 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.92GPU, victor (CUDA) | 2,037.2 | 3,277.2 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.93.1GPU, victor (CUDA) | 1,255.7 | — | no pair |
| Blender Benchmark 2.90GPU, victor (OPTIX) | 1,234.9 | 3,604.7 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.93.1GPU, victor (OPTIX) | 1,329.1 | 2,414.8 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 3.0.1GPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom (CUDA) | 357.7 | 363.4 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 3.1.0GPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom (CUDA) | 450.2 | 342 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 3.3.0GPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom (CUDA) | 335.1 | 333.3 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 3.4.0GPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom (CUDA) | 434.4 | 320 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 3.6.0GPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom (CUDA) | 454 | 447.6 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 4.1.0GPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom (CUDA) | 447 | — | no pair |
| Blender Benchmark 4.2.0GPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom (CUDA) | 428.5 | — | no pair |
| Blender Benchmark 4.3.0GPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom (CUDA) | 413.2 | 310.5 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 4.5.0GPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom (CUDA) | 352.2 | — | no pair |
| Blender Benchmark 4.2.0GPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom (OptiX / HIP / oneAPI / Metal) | 345.2 | 268.8 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 4.5.0GPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom (OptiX / HIP / oneAPI / Metal) | 349.3 | 254.8 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 5.1.1GPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom (OptiX / HIP / oneAPI / Metal) | 289 | 218.9 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 5.2.0GPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom (OptiX / HIP / oneAPI / Metal) | 255 | 244 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 3.0.1GPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom (OptiX / HIP / oneAPI / Metal) | 413.7 | 333.4 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 3.1.0GPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom (OptiX / HIP / oneAPI / Metal) | 384.3 | 302.6 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 3.2.0GPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom (OptiX / HIP / oneAPI / Metal) | 388.8 | 286.9 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 3.2.1GPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom (OptiX / HIP / oneAPI / Metal) | 378.8 | 306.3 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 3.3.0GPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom (OptiX / HIP / oneAPI / Metal) | 378.8 | 276 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 3.4.0GPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom (OptiX / HIP / oneAPI / Metal) | 383 | 277.8 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 3.5.0GPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom (OptiX / HIP / oneAPI / Metal) | 390.6 | 327.6 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 3.6.0GPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom (OptiX / HIP / oneAPI / Metal) | 376.6 | 301.1 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 4.0.0GPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom (OptiX / HIP / oneAPI / Metal) | 362.4 | 288.9 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 4.1.0GPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom (OptiX / HIP / oneAPI / Metal) | 358.1 | 258.9 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 4.3.0GPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom (OptiX / HIP / oneAPI / Metal) | 347.4 | 247.1 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 4.4.0GPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom (OptiX / HIP / oneAPI / Metal) | 356.5 | 250.9 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 5.1.0GPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom (OptiX / HIP / oneAPI / Metal) | 310.1 | 249 | reference |
| Blender Benchmark 2.90.1GPU, bmw27 (CUDA) | — | 149.8 | no pair |
| Blender Benchmark 2.90.1GPU, classroom (CUDA) | — | 487.8 | no pair |
| Blender Benchmark 2.91.2GPU, classroom (OPTIX) | — | 617.5 | no pair |
| Blender Benchmark 2.92GPU, classroom (OPTIX) | — | 667.8 | no pair |
| Blender Benchmark 2.90.1GPU, fishy_cat (CUDA) | — | 303.8 | no pair |
| Blender Benchmark 2.91.2GPU, fishy_cat (OPTIX) | — | 348 | no pair |
| Blender Benchmark 2.91.2GPU, koro (OPTIX) | — | 443.9 | no pair |
| Blender Benchmark 2.91.2GPU, pavillon_barcelona (OPTIX) | — | 939.8 | no pair |
| Blender Benchmark 2.91.2GPU, victor (OPTIX) | — | 2,482 | no pair |
| Blender Benchmark 3.2.1GPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom (CUDA) | — | 335.6 | no pair |
| Blender Benchmark 5.1.1GPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom (CUDA) | — | 251.5 | no pair |
Each benchmark version has its own scale: numbers are compared only within a row.
Specifications
| Specification | A · GeForce GTX 1060 | B · GeForce GTX 970 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chip | |||
| GPU chip | no data | GM204-200-A1 | no data for A |
| Architecture | Pascal | Maxwell | differs |
| Shader unitsShader unit counts are comparable only within one architecture. | 1,280 (CUDA cores) | 1,664 (CUDA cores) | not directly comparable |
| Clocks | |||
| Base clock | 1,506 MHz | 1,050 MHz | A: 456 MHz more |
| Boost clockClocks of different architectures do not reflect performance directly. For laptop chips, the clock depends on the laptop’s power limit. | 1,708 MHz | 1,178 MHz | A: 530 MHz more |
| Memory | |||
| Video memory | 6 GB | 4 GB | A: 2 GB more |
| Memory type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 | equal |
| Memory bus | 192 bit | 256 bit | B: 64 bit more |
| Memory bandwidthExcludes cache (Infinity Cache / L2), which affects effective bandwidth differently. | 192 GB/s | 224.4 GB/s | B: 32.4 GB/s more |
| Power and dimensions | |||
| Board powerTGP (NVIDIA) and TBP (AMD/Intel) are calculated differently; higher is not better. For laptops, the chip maker sets the range and the laptop maker picks the value, so the same chip behaves differently in different laptops. | 120 W (board power) | 148 W (TDP) | not directly comparable |
| Recommended PSU | 400 W | no data | no data for B |
| Interface | PCIe 3.0 | no data | no data for B |
| Length (reference / Founders Edition)Partner cards have different dimensions; check the specific SKU. | 250 mm | no data | no data for B |
| Thickness (slots) | 2 | no data | no data for B |
| Power connectors (reference) | 1x 6-pin | no data | no data for B |
Chip
GPU chip
Ano data
BGM204-200-A1
no data for AArchitecture
APascal
BMaxwell
differsShader units
A1,280 (CUDA cores)
B1,664 (CUDA cores)
not directly comparableShader unit counts are comparable only within one architecture.
Clocks
Base clock
A1,506 MHz
B1,050 MHz
A: 456 MHz moreBoost clock
A1,708 MHz
B1,178 MHz
A: 530 MHz moreClocks of different architectures do not reflect performance directly. For laptop chips, the clock depends on the laptop’s power limit.
Memory
Video memory
A6 GB
B4 GB
A: 2 GB moreMemory type
AGDDR5
BGDDR5
equalMemory bus
A192 bit
B256 bit
B: 64 bit moreMemory bandwidth
A192 GB/s
B224.4 GB/s
B: 32.4 GB/s moreExcludes cache (Infinity Cache / L2), which affects effective bandwidth differently.
Power and dimensions
Board power
A120 W (board power)
B148 W (TDP)
not directly comparableTGP (NVIDIA) and TBP (AMD/Intel) are calculated differently; higher is not better. For laptops, the chip maker sets the range and the laptop maker picks the value, so the same chip behaves differently in different laptops.
Recommended PSU
A400 W
Bno data
no data for BInterface
APCIe 3.0
Bno data
no data for BLength (reference / Founders Edition)
A250 mm
Bno data
no data for BPartner cards have different dimensions; check the specific SKU.
Thickness (slots)
A2
Bno data
no data for BPower connectors (reference)
A1x 6-pin
Bno data
no data for B
“More” does not always mean “better”: higher power draw or size is a system requirement, not an advantage (such bars are dimmed).
Compare with AI
An AI model reviews the specs and benchmarks of this pair and gives a plain-language verdict on who each model suits.
Questions and answers
How much video memory do NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 have?
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060: 6 GB GDDR5, 192-bit bus. NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970: 4 GB GDDR5, 256-bit bus.
Which is faster: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970?
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 leads in every scenario with comparable benchmarks: rendering and compute. This does not imply an advantage in tasks without benchmarks.
See also
Data sources (3)
- NVIDIA — specifications of NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060checked November 7, 2026
- Wikipedia (English) — specifications of NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970, release date and launch pricechecked November 14, 2026
- Blender Open Data (Blender Foundation) — benchmark Blender Benchmark 2.81, benchmark Blender Benchmark 2.81a, benchmark Blender Benchmark 2.82, benchmark Blender Benchmark 2.83, benchmark Blender Benchmark 2.90, benchmark Blender Benchmark 2.91.2, benchmark Blender Benchmark 2.92, benchmark Blender Benchmark 2.93.1, benchmark Blender Benchmark 2.90.1, benchmark Blender Benchmark 3.0.1, benchmark Blender Benchmark 3.1.0, benchmark Blender Benchmark 3.3.0, benchmark Blender Benchmark 3.4.0, benchmark Blender Benchmark 3.6.0, benchmark Blender Benchmark 4.1.0, benchmark Blender Benchmark 4.2.0, benchmark Blender Benchmark 4.3.0, benchmark Blender Benchmark 4.5.0, benchmark Blender Benchmark 3.2.1, benchmark Blender Benchmark 5.1.1, benchmark Blender Benchmark 5.2.0, benchmark Blender Benchmark 3.2.0, benchmark Blender Benchmark 3.5.0, benchmark Blender Benchmark 4.0.0, benchmark Blender Benchmark 4.4.0, benchmark Blender Benchmark 5.1.0checked November 14, 2026
How we compare: methodology. Where the data comes from: sources.