The GTX 1060 and GTX 1660 were the most popular graphics cards on Steam for years, and millions of PCs still run them. In 2026 they are showing their age: new games need upscaling to run, 6 GB of video memory is not enough for high textures, and a growing list of games won't start at all without ray tracing hardware. Here are the best upgrades for each card, how much faster they really are, and what to check in your PC before you buy.
Quick answer: for a GTX 1060, the best value upgrade is a used RTX 3060 Ti or RTX 3070 ($265–270): 2.1 to 2.4 times faster. On a tight budget, a used RX 6600 ($199) is still about 65% faster. For a GTX 1660 or 1660 Super, skip the RX 6600 (too small a step) and go for a used RTX 3070 or RX 6800 16 GB ($270–360), or a new RX 9060 XT ($460–500), which are about twice as fast.
Why upgrade a GTX 1060 or 1660 in 2026?
- No ray tracing hardware. GTX cards can't run games that require ray tracing, like Gears of War: E-Day, and that list keeps growing. Every card in this guide supports it.
- 6 GB of video memory forces low textures in many new games, or causes stutter.
- No DLSS or modern frame generation on GTX cards. FSR helps, but it can't make up the gap in the newest games.
- Performance: on our scale (RTX 3060 = 100), the GTX 1060 6 GB scores 59, the GTX 1660 68 and the GTX 1660 Super 74. A mid-range card from 2020 or later doubles that.
Not sure what is in your PC? Our Check My PC tool and How to Check Your PC Specs guide tell you in a minute.
The best upgrades, compared
The score is the one used in our GPU Tier List and Compare Hardware tool (RTX 3060 = 100). The last two columns show how much faster each card is than your current one.
| Graphics card | New or used | Typical price | Score | vs GTX 1060 6 GB | vs GTX 1660 Super |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RX 6600 | Used | ~$199 | 97 | +64% | +31% |
| RX 6650 XT | Used | ~$230 | 112 | +90% | +51% |
| RTX 3060 Ti | Used | ~$265 | 126 | +114% | +70% |
| RTX 3070 | Used | ~$270 | 144 | +144% | +95% |
| Arc B580 12 GB | Used | ~$300 | 135 | +129% | +82% |
| RX 6700 XT 12 GB | Used | ~$320 | 141 | +139% | +91% |
| RX 6800 16 GB | Used | ~$360 | 171 | +190% | +131% |
| RX 9060 XT 8 GB | New | ~$460–500 | 153 | +159% | +107% |
| RTX 5060 8 GB | New | ~$470 | 141 | +139% | +91% |
Used prices are typical eBay sold prices from FpsGen's October 2026 data; new prices are US store prices from late October and early November 2026. They change every week.
A good rule: an upgrade is worth the money when the new card is at least 70% to 100% faster. Below that, you will feel the difference in benchmarks more than in games.
Best upgrade for a GTX 1060
- Best value: used RTX 3070 (
$270) or RTX 3060 Ti ($265). More than twice as fast, with DLSS and ray tracing. Compare them in RTX 3070 vs RTX 3060 Ti. - Tight budget: used RX 6600 (~$199). About 65% faster and very efficient: it runs on the same power supply as a GTX 1060 in most PCs. See how it compares to the old favorite in RX 6600 vs RX 580.
- New with a warranty: RX 9060 XT 8 GB (~$460–500). More than 2.5 times faster, with FSR 4.
If you are still deciding between the GTX 1060 and an RX 580 for a cheap second PC, see GTX 1060 6GB vs RX 580.
Best upgrade for a GTX 1660 or 1660 Super
- Best value: used RTX 3070 (~$270). About twice as fast as a GTX 1660 Super, with DLSS.
- More video memory: used RX 6800 16 GB (~$360). More than twice as fast, and 16 GB keeps textures on High in new games for years.
- New: RX 9060 XT 8 GB (
$460–500) or RTX 5060 ($470). Twice as fast, with a warranty and the newest upscaling. - Skip the RX 6600: only about 30% faster than a GTX 1660 Super, too small a step for the money.
Compare your card in RTX 3060 vs GTX 1660 Super or RTX 2060 vs GTX 1660 Super.
Check these before you buy
A GTX 1060 or 1660 PC is usually a few years old, so check three things first:
- Your processor. A PC with a GTX 1060 often has a Core i5-8400, Ryzen 5 2600 or Ryzen 5 3600. These are fine with an RX 6600 or RTX 3060 Ti, but they hold back an RTX 3070, RX 6800 or RX 9060 XT at 1080p in many games. Test your pair in our Bottleneck Calculator before you buy, and read CPU Bottleneck Explained.
- Your power supply. A GTX 1060 PC often has a 400–500 W power supply with one PCIe power connector.
- RX 6600: fine on a good 450 W unit (one 8-pin connector).
- RTX 3060 Ti, RX 6650 XT, Arc B580, RX 9060 XT, RTX 5060: plan for 550 W.
- RTX 3070, RX 6700 XT, RX 6800: plan for 650 W, often with two 8-pin connectors.
- Your motherboard. Older boards run PCIe 3.0. Most cards here work fine on it, but cards with 8 PCIe lanes (RX 6600, RX 6650 XT, RX 7600, RTX 5060) lose a few percent, more when their video memory is full. Intel Arc cards need Resizable BAR, which many PCs from before 2020 don't have: on an older PC, choose NVIDIA or AMD instead.
What is your old card worth?
Sell the old card to pay for part of the new one. In October 2026, a used GTX 1060 6 GB sold for about $70 and a GTX 1660 Super for about $114 on eBay. Our PC Price tool shows what your card and your whole PC are worth.
Is it time for a new PC instead?
If your PC has a 4-core processor (Core i5-7400 or older, Ryzen 3) or 8 GB of RAM, a new graphics card alone won't fix it: the processor and memory will hold it back. Our guide Upgrade vs New PC helps you decide. In that case, look at our Best Gaming PC Build Under $700 or Under $1000, and sell the old PC.
If your processor is a 6-core or better, upgrading the graphics card is the cheapest big jump in FPS you can make. And if you also have a Ryzen 5 5600 or 7600, our Best GPU for Ryzen 5 5600 and 7600 guide goes further.
FAQ
What is the best upgrade for a GTX 1060?
A used RTX 3060 Ti or RTX 3070 for about $265–270, more than twice as fast. On a tight budget, a used RX 6600 for about $199 is still about 65% faster.
What is the best upgrade for a GTX 1660 Super?
A used RTX 3070 or RX 6800, or a new RX 9060 XT. They are about twice as fast. An RX 6600 is only about 30% faster, too small a step.
Is the GTX 1060 still good in 2026?
For esports and older games at 1080p, yes. For new games, it needs low settings and upscaling, and it can't run games that require ray tracing.
Will a new graphics card work with my old power supply?
An RX 6600 runs on a good 450 W unit. Most cards in the RTX 3060 Ti to RX 9060 XT range need 550 W, and an RTX 3070 or RX 6800 needs 650 W. Check that your power supply has the right PCIe power connectors.
Will my old processor bottleneck a new graphics card?
A 6-core processor like a Ryzen 5 3600 or Core i5-8400 is fine up to an RTX 3060 Ti class card at 1080p. With faster cards, it becomes the limit in many games. Check your pair in our Bottleneck Calculator.
Should I buy a used graphics card?
In 2026, used cards give much more performance per dollar than new ones under $400. Buy with buyer protection and see the card running first. Our Best Graphics Card Under $300 guide has a checklist.
Scores: FpsGen's hardware scale (RTX 3060 = 100), the same as our GPU Tier List and Compare Hardware tool. Prices: used = eBay sold prices, October 2026 (FpsGen price data); new = US store prices, late October and early November 2026 (ComputingForGeeks). Prices change every week: check before you buy. Last checked November 8, 2026.
Gaming writer at FpsGen. Guides and reviews are built on official sources, patch notes and real player data.
Comments
No comments yet. Start the conversation.