True Contender or Non?

Initially just a rumor, the 3GB version of the GTX 1060 is now something you lot can buy -- only should you? Information technology comes down to the games you play, the resolution you run them at and how picky you are virtually quality settings.

The 3GB models should be around $50 cheaper than the 6GB cards and that's a good chunk of change for a mid-range graphics card. As some of yous may know, I'm based in Australia and here there is roughly $100 separating the 3GB and 6GB GTX 1060. That's a massive difference in toll and makes it difficult to recommend the more than expensive version. Granted, the difference is less extreme stateside, but you still stand to save around xx%.

If yous are the kind of gamer that upgrades every generation or so, I feel the 3GB model might be the ameliorate purchase. Information technology seems for the vast majority of games the 3GB model is less than 10% slower, which should produce highly playable functioning for folks targeting 1080p in today'due south latest titles.

Those gaming at 1440p are naturally a picayune more invested and would probably be best picking upward the total 6GB model, though if yous are planning on by and large playing games such as Overwatch, then the 3GB model will surely suffice.

You could point to Mirror'south Edge Catalyst and suggest that this is how hereafter games will expect, and you might even exist right. I personally feel this is an extreme example and it will however be some time before it becomes the norm.

For those wondering, turning Mirror'southward Border Catalyst down to the ultra-quality preset saw the 3GB GTX 1060 perform inside 10% of the 6GB model. Not simply that, but I can't really tell the deviation in visual quality between ultra and hyper, making the latter pointless in my opinion.

That's another bespeak worth considering: even if games practise starting time to consume considerably more VRAM, the 3GB GTX 1060 isn't going to become useless overnight. Lowering a few key quality settings will bounciness performance back to expected levels.

Of grade, you could likewise opt for AMD's 4GB RX 480 at roughly the same toll as the 3GB 1060. For the well-nigh function, the 4GB model performs just like the 8GB RX 480, though I am notwithstanding to examination a true 4GB model (we've had to rely on testing with AMD'due south 4GB BIOS). Until I can get my hands a board partner's 4GB RX 480, I'm not willing to call a winner here. Hopefully inside the next few weeks we tin can brand an in-depth comparing and perhaps past then pricing will have settled down.

For now, the MSI GTX 1060 Gaming X 3G looks like an impressive mid-range contender, though its $240 asking price isn't the most attractive among existing 3GB GTX 1060s.

Pros: Effectually 20% cheaper than the 6GB GTX 1060 but less than 10% slower -- a comfortable compromise for 1080p gamers.

Cons: As well having less VRAM, the 3GB GTX 1060 has one SM unit disabled and even so retains the 6GB model'southward total 120W TDP.