RTX 2060 Vs GTX 1070: Should You Upgrade?

The gaming hardware world differs substantially from the era the GTX 1070 launched. Many of these changes can be attributed to the innovations of the RTX line of graphics cards. In this comparison, I will walk you through the differences between the RTX 2060 vs GTX 1070 to see how they hold up in the middle of 2023.

Key Takeaways

• The average of the framerates in our testing for the RTX 2060 was 65 FPS, whereas the GTX 1070 only got slightly over 53 FPS.
• The RTX 2060 had an average power draw of about 140 watts in the tests, whereas the GTX 1070 had an average of 153 watts.
• The RTX 2060 had an average peak temperature close to 54°C, whereas the GTX 1070 had peak temperatures in the neighborhood of 51°C.
• The GTX 1070 gives about 60% better performance per dollar than the RTX 2060.

RTX 2060 Vs GTX 1070

Comparison Table

Architecture

The RTX 2060 is based on a newer architecture that brought much-needed innovation to the stale GPU landscape. 

Also Read: RTX 2060 Vs GTX 1660 Ti

The Turing architecture introduced the world to DLSS and Ray Tracing. Though these features took baby steps in the RTX 2000 series GPUs, they would eventually completely change the GPU market. Along with this, the Turing architecture also substantially improved efficiency and performance.

The Pascal architecture the GTX 1070 debuted with is 7 years old. This architecture had some fun features like SLI but nothing in the way of improving performance. Overall this architecture was an incremental bump from the previous ones.

The AI-focused architecture allows you to use DLSS, whilst you can only use AMD’s free super sampling software (FSR) on the GTX 1070. For a detailed comparison, check out our DLSS vs FSR article.

Memory

The 2 GB larger memory on the GTX 1070 compared to the RTX 2060 is very useful in modern games that list 8 GB as a minimum requirement. Unfortunately, this does not improve performance substantially, as the bottleneck on the GTX card is its performance and not its memory.

Design

The GTX 1070 is a substantially bigger card than the RTX 2060 and has about a 1.5-inch longer board length. Remember this while making your purchasing decision, as you might have a case that fits the RTX 2060 but not the GTX 1070.

Also Read: RTX 2060 Vs AMD RX 6600 XT

GTX 1070 Vs RTX 2060: Gaming Benchmarks

In this comparison section, I will be comparing the RTX 2060 vs GTX 1070 in various gaming benchmarks. As a reflection on the age of these cards, the resolution for the tests in this comparison will be locked to 1080p. No Ray-Tracing or DLSS will be enabled to ensure fairness for each card. 

These tests were performed on a controlled test bench, the specifications of which are listed below:

• CPU – Ryzen 7 5800X3D
• Motherboard – GIGABYTE B550 AORUS Master Mobo
• RAM – 2x8GB DDR4 3600mhz Ram
• SSD – XPG S40G 512GB RGB M.2
• PSU – ASUS Rog Thor 1200 Certified

Red Dead Redemption 2 (Ultra Settings)

• In Red Dead Redemption 2 with ultra settings (using the Vulkan API), the RTX 2060 demonstrated superior performance, delivering an average of 54 FPS, compared to the GTX 1070’s average of 42 FPS.
• During demanding gameplay moments, the RTX 2060 maintained smoother performance with 1% lows of 47 FPS, while the GTX 1070 exhibited worse performance with 1% lows of 36 FPS.
• Regarding power efficiency, the RTX 2060 consumed 149 watts, whereas the GTX 1070 required a slightly higher power draw of 162 watts.
• Operating within acceptable temperatures, the RTX 2060 reached a peak temperature of 57°C, while the GTX 1070 had a lower peak temperature of 52°C.

Cyberpunk 2077 (High Settings)

• In Cyberpunk 2077 with high settings, the RTX 2060 and GTX 1070 delivered similar average FPS, with the RTX 2060 achieving 56 FPS and the GTX 1070 reaching 54 FPS.
• During demanding gameplay sequences, the GTX 1070 performed better with 1% lows of 45 FPS, while the RTX 2060 lagged substantially behind with 1% lows of 32 FPS.
• Regarding power efficiency, the RTX 2060 consumes 145 watts, whereas the GTX 1070 requires a slightly higher power draw of 156 watts.
• The difference in temperatures in this game were much closer, with the RTX 2060 reaching a peak temperature of 55°C while the GTX 1070 operated at a slightly lower peak temperature of 53°C.

Similar Guides: RTX 2060 Vs GTX 1080

Dying Light 2 (High Settings)

• While playing Dying Light 2 with high settings, the RTX 2060 once again established its dominance by delivering a superior average of 57 FPS, leaving the GTX 1070 behind at 44 FPS.
• The RTX 2060 performed better with 1% lows of 46 FPS, surpassing the GTX 1070’s 38 FPS and ensuring more consistent gameplay.
• The RTX 2060 demonstrated better power efficiency in this title, consuming 150 watts, while the GTX 1070 required a slightly higher power draw of 160 watts.
• The RTX 2060 peaked at 57°C, whereas the GTX 1070 stayed much cooler at 53°C.

Elden Ring (Maximum Settings)

• When playing Elden Ring at maximum quality settings, the RTX 2060 and GTX 1070 achieve an identical average of 62 FPS, delivering comparable performance. This can be attributed to the game engine limiting the FPS, making it more of a boolean performance test than how well each graphics card can run.
• Both graphics cards perform consistently during demanding gameplay sequences with 1% lows of 44 FPS. The similarity in the 1% lows can also be a function of the game engine.
• The RTX 2060 consumed less power at 128 watts, while the GTX 1070 requires a slightly higher power draw of 151 watts. This shows that the GTX 1070 had to work significantly harder to get the same level of performance.
• The RTX 2060 maintained a peak temperature of 48°C, while the GTX 1070 came in slightly higher with a peak temperature of 49°C.

Also Read: RTX 3050 Vs 2060

Far Cry 6 (Ultra Settings)

• Far Cry 6 at ultra settings showcased better performance from the RTX 2060, delivering an impressive average of 79 FPS, while the GTX 1070 lagged with 61 FPS.
• The RTX 2060 maintained much smoother performance with 1% lows of 58 FPS, providing a more consistent and immersive gaming experience compared to the GTX 1070’s unsavory 35 FPS.
• The RTX 2060 consumed 119 watts of power, demonstrating better power management compared to the GTX 1070’s slightly higher power draw of 131 watts.
• The RTX 2060 exhibited a peak temperature of 50°C, while the GTX 1070 was significantly cooler, with a peak temperature of 46°C.

Forza Horizon 5 (Ultra Settings)

• Using ultra settings in Forza Horizon 5, the RTX 2060 showcased better performance with an average of 58 FPS, outperforming the GTX 1070’s 48 FPS. This is a highly well-optimized game, so any performance deltas here are indicative of better raw performance.
• The RTX 2060 maintains smoother performance during big races with 1% lows of 46 FPS, surpassing the GTX 1070’s 37 FPS.
• The RTX 2060 consumed 126 watts of power from the wall, while the GTX 1070 required a slightly higher power draw of 138 watts.
• The RTX 2060 reached a peak temperature of 52°C, while the GTX 1070 had a slight but significant difference in temperature at 49°C.

Also Check: RX 6600 Vs RTX 2060

God Of War (High Settings)

• When playing God of War at high settings, the RTX 2060 outperformed the GTX 1070 with an average of 86 FPS compared to 64 FPS. This test indicates the biggest delta in performance so far, which might be because this is one of the newer games we’ve tested in this comparison.
• In graphically demanding scenarios, the RTX 2060 performs better with 1% lows of 75 FPS, surpassing the GTX 1070’s 56 FPS. Most people might find that the 50-60 experience that the GTX gives in its 1% lows is enough, but the lows of the 2060 impact real-world performance by a good margin.
• By consuming only 153 watts, the RTX 2060 showcases a superior power efficiency compared to the GTX 1070, which requires 169 watts.
• While the RTX 2060 attained a peak temperature of 58°C, the GTX 1070 operated at a much lower peak temperature of 52°C.

A Plague Tale Requiem (Ultra Settings)

• When running A Plague Tale Requiem on ultra settings, the RTX 2060 achieved an average of 57 FPS, surpassing the GTX 1070’s 51 FPS. 
• The RTX 2060 delivered better performance with 1% lows of 51 FPS, outperforming the GTX 1070’s 48 FPS. The difference in 1% lows in this test can be marked up as the margin of error.
• The RTX 2060 demonstrated better power efficiency, consuming 155 watts, while the GTX 1070 required a slightly higher power draw of 170 watts. 
• The RTX 2060 reached a peak temperature of 58°C, while the GTX 1070 operated at a marginally lower peak temperature of 57°C.

Spider-Man Miles Morales (High Settings)

• When playing Spider-Man Miles Morales at high settings, the RTX 2060 achieved an average of 77 FPS, outperforming the GTX 1070’s 63 FPS. 
• The RTX 2060 performed better with 1% lows of 53 FPS, surpassing the GTX 1070’s 50 FPS. The difference in this metric is unnoticeable.
• The RTX 2060 consumed 132 watts, while the GTX 1070 required a slightly higher power draw of 139 watts.
• The RTX 2060 reached a peak temperature of 54°C, while the GTX 1070 had a significantly lower peak temperature of 50°C.

Also Read: RTX 2060 Vs RX Vega 56

Overall Gaming Performance 

In this section of the RTX 2060 vs GTX 1070 comparison, I will evaluate the findings of the gaming benchmarks to see which graphics card performs better for your needs. 

Framerate

The RTX 2060 outperformed the GTX 1070 in almost every game I tested in this comparison. Despite what most people will tell you, the Ampere cards brought substantial improvements in performance along with RTX and DLSS.

• The average of the framerates in our testing for the RTX 2060 was 65 FPS. The GTX 1070 managed to only get about a little over 54 FPS. The sub-60 FPS of the GTX 1070 indicates it is no longer a good option for smooth 1080p high gaming. For the GTX 1070 to be effective at 1080p, you need to turn a few settings down or use supersampling software, ideally FSR. Of course, if DLSS is enabled on the RTX card, you can expect a 10-30% increase in FPS, allowing you to turn a few more settings higher.
• Putting averages aside, 1% lows are arguably the most important metric for a smooth gaming experience. The RTX 2060 had average 1% lows of about 50 FPS, whereas the GTX 1070 was behind again with 1% lows of 43 FPS.

For the smoothest gaming experience, you should target your 1% lows to match the refresh rate of your monitor. Neither the RTX nor the GTX can match a 60 Hz monitor, making both poor performers in this category.

Power

Though the RTX 20 series of graphics cards brought more power-draw, the RTX 2060 still has a lesser overall power draw than the GTX 1070, despite its better performance.

• The RTX 2060 had an average power draw of about 139 watts in the tests, whereas the GTX 1070 had an average of 152 watts.
• The difference in these numbers is not large enough to affect your power bill or to make you consider upgrading your power supply for the RTX 2060.

If your GPU is suffering from crashes, check out our review on how to fix GPU crashes.

Similar Guides: RTX 2060 Vs 3060

Temperatures

Temperatures are vital in maintaining the lifespan of your GPU, and potentially, low temperatures might even unlock a bit more performance on your hardware.

The RTX 2060 and the GTX 1070 perform well below their temperature limits, with the RTX 2060 running hotter. 

• In my testing, I found that the RTX 2060 had an average peak temperature close to 54°C, whereas the GTX 1070 had peak temperatures in the neighborhood of 51°C.
• With these temperatures, both these cards have enough thermal headroom to ensure that heat would not be a point of failure.

If you want to use the cooler temperatures on the GTX 1070 to your advantage, read our guide on overclocking.

Performance Per Watt

In this comparison, it has been made clear that the RTX 2060 offers a bit more performance while using a bit less power. The actual difference between the RTX 2060 and the GTX 1070 can be made clear using performance per watt.

• The RTX 2060 has a performance of 0.466 frames/watt, whereas the GTX 1070 comes out to about 0.355 frames/watt. 
• The difference between these metrics is about 31% in favor of the RTX 2060.

Performance Per Dollar

Perhaps the most important factor in determining the desirability of a card is the performance you can get out of it in ratio to its price. I will discuss this in regard to the average framerates we found in the benchmark tests.

• If we compare performance per dollar at launch, the RTX 2060 was around 0.17 frames/dollar, whereas the GTX 1070 comes in with a performance-per-dollar of 0.15 frames/dollar.
• From what we found about the prices of these cards on eBay, the RTX 2060 has a performance-per-dollar of 0.31 frames/dollar. The GTX 1070 comes in with a performance-per-dollar of 0.49 frames/dollar.

Of course, if you buy hardware of this tier and age, you will not be paying the MSRP. This metric shows that the GTX 1070 stretches your dollar further than the newer RTX card.

If you want the best price-to-performance computer, I recommend reading our article on the best PCs under $1000.

Pricing And Availability

The RTX 2060 launched with an MSRP of $349, whereas the GTX 1070 had an MSRP of $379 at launch.

In 2023, you can expect to buy the RTX 2070 for around $210 used, and you can find the GTX 1070 for about $110.

These cards should be available in any used retail market of your choice. It would be surprising if you could find a new version of these cards sitting on a store shelf.

If you can stretch your budget to more powerful budget cards, check out our RX 6600XT vs RTX 3050 comparison.

RTX 2060 Vs GTX 1070: Which One Should You Go For?

Both the RTX 2060 have some overlap in their target demographics. Both cards (at this point of their life cycle) target the budget gamer looking for a smooth experience at 1080p on a budget.

If you want to shell out for something with a long life ahead of it and some quality-of-life features, the RTX 2060 is a great choice. For your money, you get DLSS support, some Ray Tracing performance, and more performance than the GTX 1070.

However, if you want to stay on a tighter budget, the GTX 1070 is a no-brainer. It performs similarly for almost half the price if you want to buy used.

Pros And Cons