What a week. Nvidia didn’t just reveal its highly-anticipated 10-series notebook GPUs, it also released the 3 GB variant of the GTX 1060 desktop graphics card into the wild, and both announcements were followed with a hailstorm of new products from the top vendors in the industry. Gigabyte didn’t waste any time announcing its new Pascal-equipped laptops, and now the company is touting its GTX 1060 3 GB desktop GPUs, which come in three different flavors.
Each Gigabyte GTX 1060 3 GB card features the same 1,152 CUDA cores and memory backend (192-bit bus, 8 Gbps bandwidth), in addition to having two distinct operation modes. Gaming mode is the stock operation (which itself is clocked higher than the Nvidia reference design), and OC mode bumps the clock rates up even further.
GTX 1060 G1 GAMING 3G
The Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1060 G1 Gaming 3G graphics card is the flagship of the 3 GB variants of the GTX 1060, with the highest base and boost clock rates of the three. It has a 1,594 MHz base frequency with a 1,809 MHz boost clock rating in Gaming mode, which increases to 1,620 MHz and 1,847 MHz, respectively, in OC mode. OC mode, along with other performance and aesthetic tweaks, can be configured using the included Xtreme Engine Utility software.
The dual 90mm fans of the Windforce 2X cooling spin in opposite directions from one another, forcing air to disperse above the graphics card (up and away). The aluminum fins of the heatsink have two composite copper heat pipes running throughout to increase thermal dissipation, and they make direct contact with the GPU. The backplate also improves temperatures, in addition to giving the card a stylish look.
For even more aesthetic value, Gigabyte's GTX 1060 G1 Gaming features RGB LED lights, with 16.8 million customizable colors and a plethora of lighting effects, including flashing, breathing, color cycling and more.
GTX 1060 WINDFORCE OC 3G
The Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1060 Windforce OC 3G takes a step back from the G1 Gaming’s aggressive clock rates with a more moderate base and boost clock frequency. It features a 1,556 MHz base clock and 1,771 MHz boost rating in Gaming mode, with a 1,582 MHz base and 1,797 MHz boost clock in OC mode, which falls right behind the base and boost frequencies of the G1 Gaming card in Gaming mode.
The Windforce OC 3G features a similar cooling solution as the G1 Gaming, with dual 90mm fans rotating opposite ways from each other to pull heat away from the processor. However, it has only one heat pipe, but it still makes direct contact with the GPU. The RGB LED lighting also doesn’t make it to the Windforce OC, but it still has a sleek backplate.
GTX 1060 Mini ITX OC 3G
The GTX 1060 Mini ITX OC 3G is the most trimmed-down version of Gigabyte's 3 GB GTX 1060 offerings, with a base clock of 1,531 MHz and boost frequency of 1,746 MHz in Gaming mode. The OC mode of the Mini ITX OC 3G matches the Gaming mode of the Windforce 3G, with a base of 1,556 MHz and a boost rating of 1,771 MHz.
The cooling solution was both slimmed down and buffed in this version of the GTX 1060 3 GB graphics card. There is a single 90mm fan, but it has two direct-contact heat pipes (compared to the Windforce OC 3G’s single pipe). Furthermore, you don’t get a backplate or RGB lighting with this model, but it’s more compact than the other versions and is ideal for an HTPC or Mini-ITX gaming setup with its reduced size.
Pricing And Availability
The GTX 1060 G1 Gaming 3G is available now at Newegg, priced at $229.99. The Windforce OC edition will run $209.99, and the Mini ITX OC version rings up for $199.99.
| Gigabyte GPU | GTX 1060 G1 Gaming 3G | GTX 1060 Windforce OC 3G | GTX 1060 Mini ITX OC 3G |
|---|---|---|---|
| CUDA Cores | 1,152 | ||
| Memory | 3 GB GDDR5 (8 Gbps) | ||
| Memory Interface | 192-Bit | ||
| Base Clock | - 1,594 MHz (Gaming)- 1,620 MHz (OC) | - 1,556 MHz (Gaming)- 1,582 MHz (OC) | - 1,531 MHz (Gaming)- 1,556 MHZ (OC) |
| Boost Clock | - 1,809 MHz (Gaming)- 1,847 MHz (OC) | - 1,771 MHz (Gaming)- 1,797 MHz (OC) | - 1,746 MHz (Gaming)- 1,771 MHz (OC) |
| Cooling | Windforce 2X (Dual 90-mm Fans) | Windforce 2X (Dual 90-mm Fans) | Single 90-mm Fan |
| Output | - Dual-Link DVI-D- HDMI 2.0- DisplayPort 1.4 x3 | - Dual-Link DVI-D x2- HDMI 2.0- DisplayPort 1.4 | - Dual-Link DVI-D x2- HDMI 2.0- DisplayPort 1.4 |
| Recommended PSU | 400 Watts | ||
| Power Connectors | Single 8-pin | Single 6-pin | Single 6-pin |
| Price | $229.99 | $209.99 | $199.99 |
Updated, 8-23-16, 4:52pm CT: We updated the article with the pricing for the Windforce OC and Mini ITX OC GPUs.
