Ever since the official release of the GTX 1060 earlier this month, Nvidia’s partners have been scrambling to get their aftermarket cards launched and released to the market. Although many vendors are showing off their new cards prodigiously, Galax quietly launched its new GTX 1060 cards in both aftermarket and reference form.
Galax GeForce GTX 1060 EXOC
The Galax GeForce GTX 1060 EXOC is one of the fastest cards in the lineup, with a core clock of 1,544 MHz and a boost clock of 1,759 MHz. Memory speed for this model is 8,008 MHz (or 8Gbps). The shroud itself is made of hard plastic, with dual 90mm fans firing downward onto an aluminum heatsink with one 8-mm and two 6-mm nickel-plated heatpipes transferring the heat away from to the GPU.
The display outputs of the EXOC are a bit different compared to the usual configurations that sport three DisplayPorts, one DVI and one HDMI that we often see today. This card features two dual-link DVI-D, one HDMI 2.0b port, and one DisplayPort 1.4 interface.
Galax GeForce GTX 1060 EXOC White
The “White” version of this card is identical to the standard EXOC model, but (as the name implies) it features a white version of the EXOC shroud and a white backplate, which is an attractive aesthetic for black-and-white-themed computer builds. Surprisingly, this white version is 12 MHz faster in both the base and boost clocks compared to the regular EXOC, even though the name doesn’t imply it. The base clock is 1,556 MHz, and the boost clock is 1,771 MHz.
Galax GeForce GTX 1060
Galax’s reference model, the simply called the “Galax GeForce GTX 1060,” is the company’s entry-level 1060 card. The cooler is rather similar to the GTX 1060 Founders Edition (a blower card), but instead of black and silver angular accents, it features a cheaper-looking all-black shroud. Because this card is an entry level model, it uses the reference clock speeds. The base clock is 1,506 MHz, and the boost clock is 1,708 MHz.
Pricing And Availability
Unfortunately, Galax has left us in the dark with regard to pricing and release dates for the U.S market.
| Graphics Card | Galax GTX 1060 EX OC 6GB | Galax GTX 1060 EX OC White 6GB | Galax GTX 1060 6GB |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core Clock | 1,544 MHz | 1,556 MHz | 1,506 MHz |
| Boost Clock | 1,759 MHz | 1,771 MHz | 1,708 MHz |
| GPU | GP106-400 | ||
| Memory | 6GB GDDR5, 8,008 MHz | ||
| Thermal Solution | EXOC Cooler | Blower Style Cooler | |
| Backplate | Yes | ||
| Connectivity | - DisplayPort 1.4- HDMI 2.0b - Dual Link-DVI-D x2 | -DisplayPort 1.4 x3- HDMI 2.0b- Dual Link-DVI-D | |
| Dimensions (L x W x H) | 268 x 139.1 x 41.5 mm | 251 x 139.1 x 41.5 mm | 255 x 125 x 41.5 mm |
I'd much rather have a 1.5GHz card right from nVidia than a 1.3GHz that can OC to 1.5.
What are you talking about? The GTX1060 base is over 1500MHz for all models.
http://www.polygon.com/2016/7/28/12315238/nvidia-gtx-970-lawsuit-settlement
I hate nvidia's coolers they are loud, don't spin down to zero with no load and like to run cards at 80c. I just bought an MSI 1070 for work and a MSI 1080 at home and both still have plenty of OC potential with no stability issues and no concern over premature wear.
The GTX 1060 FE - which is the WORST 1060, can EASILY over clock the VRAM 450 Mhz and core to 2088 at all times! All it requires is max power target (for FE that is 116%) and from there a few SLIDER BARS in MSI Afterburner!
Now ALL of these cards save maybe the smallest one, will ALL over clock MUCH better and more easily, AKA you won't need to adjust fan curve much if at all, and it WILL be much more quiet! Also, the MSI Gamging 6G - most reviewers got the VRAM up by 700 to 900 Mhz!
So even a Founder Edition GTX 1060 can add +250 MHz core, and +450 VRAM, at which point you are looking at a GPU that kicks the ASS of a GTX 980 at stock clocks anyway - the 980 CAN OC very well, so it is still probably faster in average FPS.
BUT I still would rather buy a GTX 1060 for $270 than a used 980 for about $225, because that 1060, has INSANELY good minimum frame rates! To the point that even when STOCK - in the 3 out of 15 or so games where the RX 480 8GB manages to pull ahead, the minimums on the 1060 are still FAR better!
Not to mention, there are NO RX 480 cards that can OC beyond 1380 core! Even with the benefit of an 8 pin power AND a badass cooler!
Gamer's Nexus covered all of this! They even made a "Hybrid" Water cooled and Fan cooled RX 480 - and used a MoBo with a supplementary 8 pin power for all PCIe lanes - and STILL they never broke 1380 core!
And a 1060 at 2088 kicks the TEETH out of an RX 480 8GB at 1380!
Don't just take my word for it! READ http://www.gamersnexus.net/hwreviews/2518-nvidia-gtx-1060-review-and-benchmark-vs-rx-480/page-6
And it SEEMS like none of you know HOW TO OVER CLOCK A GPU MANUALLY! It is VERY easy! I had my GTX 770 running 8 GHZ VRAM, 256 GB/sec! And the core clock (boost) stayed at 1346 at all times in all games!
It is AMD that sell GPUs that are "pre-OCed (to the max)" When the GTX 1060 can EASILY add +250 core and the RX 480 cannot even manage 100 in most cases!
Also keep in mind: all base specs from places such a TechPowerUp GPU-Z database are measured a non-boost speeds for Nvidia!
Basically a stock GTX 1060 at 1506 MHz pushes out 72.3 Gpixel and 120 GTexel - at 1700 that turns into 83 Gpixel and 145+ Gtexel.
Bring that up to 2088 and you are getting a rather INSANE 90 Gpixel and 160 Gtexel - add +450 to VRAM and you have 220 GB/sec, add 800 and you are at 235+ GB/sec!
So really, these AIB cards are meant for either people who know little to nothing about OCing and want the best performance out of the box, or people like ME who tweak EVERYTHING to go as fast as possible!
And so far all AIB cards that cover the VRAM with their main cooler and use 2 to 6 heatpipes depending on size, what they offer people like me, is not TOO much in the way of maximum core clock, as 2156 seems to be where GP106 maxes out FOR REAL, but what they DO allow for is a rather HUGE VRAM OC! Where the FE card can do 350 to about 500 MHz to VRAM if lucky, these AIB cards all manage 600 to over 800 VRAM OC - which ironically enough, makes the GTX 1060 have ALMOST as much VRAM BAndwidth as the 1070 or RX 480 - and REALLY makes it faster than a GTX 980 when it comes to minimum FPS!
Fair enough. Or in any case, Nvidia messed up, being an adult means taking responsibility for your actions.