GTX 1060 3GB or 6GB

[kkiwi855]

my build: https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/list/32L2mq
I want to know if i should get the gtx 1060 3gb or 6gb ive checked benchmarks and they are basically the same but people keep saying to get the 6gb despite it being $100 more so therefore i made this thread

 

[jossrik]

Umm, now that you know what parts you want.... Shop around, PCPartPicker is good, but not the best, and the egg is constantly running specials. I got an ASUS 1060 6Gb for a friend of mine about a month ago for 299. While the benchies are close they are not too far off if you can get a good deal. Games are demanding more and more VRAM and that 3Gb is gonna restrict you sooner rather than later, plus, the 6Gb is a beefier card all around. More ROPs and whatnot, it's not just a memory difference there...

 

[norcalsc]

Ebay is your friend

 

[boju]

3GB version is only 1~2 fps below the 6GB version at resolutions from 1080p through to 4k. The extra vram on paper would help in higher resolutions but that's where it stops. To use more vram means running the card in higher resolutions and frankly it's not equipped to handle much more in 1440p with reasonable frame rates, meaning the gtx 1060 would run out of legs before exceeding 3GB vram.

3GB is plenty for 1080p if that's what your goal is. Might consider 6GB for 1440p just for the extra headroom just in case vram usage exceeds 3GB in some games by a few hundred MB's or so.

https://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/MSI/GTX_1060_Gaming_X_3_GB/22.html

 

[Giroro]

Depending on the game and settings, sometimes the 6GB performs nearly the same as the 3GB, but other times it performs 10-30% better. For 1080p the 6GB probably isn't going to be a huge difference. The 3GB version is going to go obsolete faster than the 6GB though. Even the slower 1050 ti has 4GB.
If you want to make better use of your 144Hz of your monitor, you may want to think about saving another month or two for a 1070 - especially since it looks like GPU prices are still going down right now. I'm not sure if you would be limited by the CPU at that point, though.

@jossrik - keep in mind those prices are in CAD. So $300 USD is about $370 CAD.

 

[kkiwi855]

3GB version is only 1~2 fps below the 6GB version at resolutions from 1080p through to 4k. The extra vram on paper would help in higher resolutions but that's where it stops. To use more vram means running the card in higher resolutions and frankly it's not equipped to handle much more in 1440p with reasonable frame rates, meaning the gtx 1060 would run out of legs before exceeding 3GB vram.

3GB is plenty for 1080p if that's what your goal is. Might consider 6GB for 1440p just for the extra headroom just in case vram usage exceeds 3GB in some games by a few hundred MB's or so.

https://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/MSI/GTX_1060_Gaming_X_3_GB/22.html

im gaming in 1080p how long do you think a 3gb and 6gb will last me before i got to upgrade and should i just get a gtx 1070 a few months down the road from now and skip the 1060?

 

[boju]

Just a gut estimate assuming 60Hz?

Either 1060 3 or 6 GB would last 2 maybe 3 years. With moderate detail and anti aliasing settings used to keep jaggies to a minimum at 1080p.

1070 or preferably 1070Ti would see you depend more on vsync/fast sync to eliminate saturation of fps to avoid screen tear albeit would see it survive longer when games catchup in quality where a 1060 would struggle, 3~5 years maybe.

1070Ti would make better sense on a 1080p 144Hz screen in future endeavours if desirable.

 

[kkiwi855]

Just a gut estimate assuming 60Hz?

Either 1060 3 or 6 GB would last 2 maybe 3 years. With moderate detail and anti aliasing settings used to keep jaggies to a minimum at 1080p.

1070 or preferably 1070Ti would see you depend more on vsync/fast sync to eliminate saturation of fps to avoid screen tear albeit would see it survive longer when games catchup in quality where a 1060 would struggle, 3~5 years maybe.

1070Ti would make better sense on a 1080p 144Hz screen in future endeavours if desirable.

Any idea on how to get a bigger budget for that or will going cheap be a mistake in the long run

 

[rcald2000]

kkiwi855 Between the two options, I would purchase the 6GB version over the 3GB. I believe that the 6GB variant has 10% more CUDA cores, therefore is 10% faster. Also it's future proof for games, when you have the texture settings turned up to "ultra".

However.... There are two factors: The next generation of Nvidia graphics cards are "rumored" to be announced in two months. I would assume that the GTX 1170 and 1180 models would release first and the 1160 would be next.

The other bigger factor: If you're intent on purchasing a GPU now (you can't wait), and the 3GB version of the 1060 fits more comfortably within your budget then I suggest that you consider buying a used GTX 970 off of Ebay. With that option, you'll get 3.5GB of usable VRAM, and can get a comfortable overclock; 100 and 200 MHz on the core and memory respectively, if memory serves me right. I'd try to get a GTX 970 for $150 USD or less, depending on what the 1060 models were going for. Just my two cents....

 

[kkiwi855]

kkiwi855 Between the two options, I would purchase the 6GB version over the 3GB. I believe that the 6GB variant has 10% more CUDA cores, therefore is 10% faster. Also it's future proof for games, when you have the texture settings turned up to "ultra".

However.... There are two factors: The next generation of Nvidia graphics cards are "rumored" to be announced in two months. I would assume that the GTX 1170 and 1180 models would release first and the 1160 would be next.

The other bigger factor: If you're intent on purchasing a GPU now (you can't wait), and the 3GB version of the 1060 fits more comfortably within your budget then I suggest that you consider buying a used GTX 970 off of Ebay. With that option, you'll get 3.5GB of usable VRAM, and can get a comfortable overclock; 100 and 200 MHz on the core and memory respectively, if memory serves me right. I'd try to get a GTX 970 for $150 USD or less, depending on what the 1060 models were going for. Just my two cents....

Will NVidia lower the price of their graphics cards when the new ones realease?

 

[rcald2000]

No one knows that but Nvidia. But if I was forced to make a guess.... No, I doubt Nvidia will lower MSRP on the next generation of graphics cards. Although technically, before the cryptocurrency crazy, Nvidia had lowered the MSRP by $50, and then raised the MSRP within the past week, to what you see it now. With that said, I suppose it's "possible" that they'd lower MSRP by $50 ¯\_(ツ)_/¯