Finding a graphics card that meets all your gaming needs is no easy feat. Yet, the GTX 1660 provides an ideal balance of power and performance at a reasonable cost.
With features like GDDR5 memory technology, advanced cooling solutions, and enhanced DirectX 12 support, this powerhouse packs plenty of punch into its slim frame, making it the ideal solution for gamers on a tight budget looking to upgrade their systems.
Read on to discover 10 reasons to buy a GTX 1660 for your next gaming rig!
Summary of the GTX 1660
NVIDIA released their GeForce GTX 1660 GPU in March 2019, built around their Turing architecture and designed for optimal 1080p gaming performance and strong VR/1440p capabilities at an attractive, budget-friendly price.
Early benchmark tests indicated it provided approximately 20% lower effective speed than the 1660 Ti but for 20% cheaper. Furthermore, it had an edge over the 6GB 1060 and a similar effective speed as the AMD RX 590.
The GTX 1660 features the TU116 architecture with TSMC 12nm FinFET lithography, 6.6 billion transistors, and 22 SMs with 1,408 CUDA cores for 48 render outputs and 88 texture units. In addition, this card supports Adaptive Shading technology, G-SYNC-compatible monitors, and NVENC broadcasting technology.
NVIDIA introduced the GTX 1660 Super as a direct upgrade of its predecessor GTX 1660 in October 2019 at a starting price of $229, only $10 more than originally charged for a GTX 1660. The GTX 1660 Super was equipped with faster memory and bandwidth improvements. This made it better suited to 1080p gaming while remaining viable for other uses.
It came equipped with faster memory speeds for more stable 1080p gaming and better viability than other solutions. The GTX 1660 sits between the GTX 1060 6GB and GTX 1660 Ti. It offers an effective speed advantage of 12% over its counterpart and similar real-world effective speeds to AMD’s RX 590. On average, it’s 35% faster than GTX 1060 3GB at 1080p resolution while 130% faster than GTX 960.
Overall, the GTX 1660 and GTX 1660 Super have earned praise for their impressive performance in the entry-level to mid-range market, providing gamers and creators with powerful yet cost-effective options for their needs.
- Next-level graphics for AAA gaming
- Award-winning NVIDIA Turing architecture.
- Broadcast your gameplay to Twitch or YouTube
- Dedicated hardware encoder with Open Broadcaster Software (OBS).
- Capture and share videos, screenshots
10 Reasons to Buy a GTX 1660 Today
The GTX 1660 is a top-rated graphics card on the market. If you’re searching for a new graphics card, and thinking about purchasing the GTX 1660 today, the following are the 10 reasons to buy a GTX 1660.
High Performance
The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 graphics card is an unmatched performer, boasting its Turing architecture with 1,408 CUDA cores and 6GB GDDR5 memory for high-end gaming. It has an impressive boost clock speed of 1,785MHz. Plus, its power efficiency means it runs cooler and quieter than many other GPUs when playing modern games at maximum settings.
Additionally, this GPU offers real-time ray tracing technology, enabling more realistic lighting effects in video games. Furthermore, its excellent performance capabilities and advanced technologies like Ansel Photo Capture and ShadowPlay Highlights help users quickly capture screenshots or clips from gameplay quickly and efficiently.
High-Quality Visuals
Surprisingly, the GTX 1660 delivers an outstanding blend of performance and visuals. Equipped with Turing architecture GPU technology, this card brings incredible realism to modern games while saving power through improved efficiency. Furthermore, the GeForce experience gives users automatic driver updates and optimization settings to ensure maximum gaming performance.
The card can provide high-quality visual effects like ray tracing and advanced shading technology for eye-catching graphics and seamless gameplay. It offers stunning graphics at resolutions up to 4K UHD. Equipped with 6GB GDDR5 memory onboard and support for up to three monitors via DisplayPort 1.4a, this card provides plenty of room for immersive experiences. NVIDIA ShadowPlay allows gamers to capture the greatest moments while gaming without negatively affecting game performance.
Affordable Price
The NVIDIA GTX 1660 is an affordable mid-range graphics card offering cutting-edge technologies and performance. It has a base clock speed of 1,530MHz, 6GB of GDDR5 memory, and 1,408 CUDA Cores.
The Turing architecture ensures efficient power utilization, and ray tracing technology provides stunning realism for an immersive gaming experience. Furthermore, this card can support up to five simultaneous displays via its DisplayPort 1.4a ports. This makes it the perfect solution for gamers seeking the latest features in their rigs.
Ansel RTX and Freestyle are two advanced gaming tools included with the GTX 1660. They allow gamers to take professional screenshots or customize gameplay visuals based on personal preference. Support for Vulkan API ensures smooth compatibility across most modern video games released today, making the GTX 1660 an excellent solution for those searching for high-performance hardware at an accessible price point.
Low Power Consumption
The GTX 1660 offers powerful graphics at an attractive price point. Still, its low power consumption makes it even more desirable for those seeking to build or upgrade their gaming PC without breaking the bank.
This GPU consumes up to 30% less power than its predecessor, making it one of the most energy-efficient GPUs today. Plus, with NVIDIA Turing architecture at play, faster frame rates and enhanced performance over other mid-range cards are guaranteed.
Additionally, this card supports DirectX 12 features such as ray tracing and variable rate shading (VRS) technology for optimal gaming experiences. These cutting-edge technologies make the GTX 1660 exceptional and deliver top performance at an unbeatable value for gamers looking for great performance with exceptional value.
High Clock Speeds
The GTX 1660 is an exceptional graphics card featuring high clock speeds and exceptional performance, boasting a 1,530MHz base frequency and 1,785MHz boost frequency for smooth gaming experiences with fast loading times. This card’s 6GB GDDR5 memory allows for higher resolutions without compromising frame rates or visual quality and boasts impressive energy conservation, using only 120W for improved energy conservation.
Additionally, the GTX 1660 provides cutting-edge tech advancements like NVIDIA GameStream Technology that allows users to stream PC games from Windows 10 PCs directly onto a SHIELD device, making accessing favorite titles simpler regardless of where gamers may be. Support of DirectX 12 allows developers to easily create complex effects while players benefit from faster load times and enhanced visuals in compatible games.
NVIDIA Turing Architecture
The clock speed of the GTX 1660 is an incredibly powerful engine that drives its performance. Imagine opening up an F1 race car capable of reaching incredible speeds while remaining under complete control and stable throughout every lap around a track. This performance-boosting factor propels its performance.
The NVIDIA Turing Architecture packs the same punch. Thanks to advanced shading technologies and AI-assisted features like DLSS 2.0, its GPU offers stunning visuals at high frame rates for gaming experiences with stunning visuals. Furthermore, developers can use real-time ray tracing to build photorealistic worlds with unprecedented accuracy and detail. Combining these powerful components allows modern gamers to experience smooth 4K gaming, even on the most demanding titles, without stuttering or lag.
Ray Tracing Capabilities
The GeForce GTX 1660 is an affordable mid-range graphics card that stands out among its counterparts thanks to its Turing architecture, making it capable of supporting ray tracing capabilities. Ray tracing creates more lifelike visuals and objects with finer details than traditional rasterization techniques can. Furthermore, its shadows offer richer detail and more accurate reflections, making them look natural and lifelike.
The GTX 1660 offers enhanced anti-aliasing support compared to previous generations, enabling gamers to experience smoother gaming at higher resolutions. Its powerful hardware and advanced features make it an excellent value proposition.
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Compatibility with Multiple Monitors
The GTX 1660 is widely considered one of the top graphics cards for gaming on multiple monitors, having been extensively tested by various users with multi-monitor setups and proven successful.
However, it should be remembered that this card may not always work optimally.
At the same time, certain games run smoothly across three or four displays at high resolutions. Others experience significant lag when running at higher resolutions. This limitation may be addressed through adjustments to game settings, like reducing overall resolution or turning off specific graphical features.
Users using multiple monitors for non-gaming applications should carefully assess their hardware needs before investing in an individual GPU solution, such as the GTX 1660, by carefully selecting compatible components and understanding how various display layouts affect performance. Both gamers and professionals can experience reliable multi-monitor support from this powerful card.
VR Ready
The GTX 1660 is an excellent investment for those interested in virtual reality. Equipped with Turing architecture, it can produce high-fidelity visuals across various applications for an unforgettable VR experience.
This graphics card boasts 6GB GDDR5 memory to ensure the best VR experience possible for users. Thanks to advanced technologies like ray tracing and DLSS support, gamers will experience immersive, next-gen gaming environments and enjoy immersive, realistic environments. The NVIDIA Ansel technology also makes taking stunning screenshots and sharing them online simple, making the GTX 1660 an excellent budget option for virtual reality gaming experiences.
Support for New Games and Software Updates
The GTX 1660 is an efficient graphics card supporting new game releases and software updates. This theory has been put through rigorous tests in various gaming environments and shown to support up-to-date game releases while providing excellent performance.
Comparable cards tend to outlive one another regarding longevity. The GTX 1660 stands out by running current titles at higher settings longer than competing models. Users looking for an investment that will last them through years of gaming should invest in a GTX 1660 today. Additionally, this card provides excellent stability during software updates, making it perfect for those who frequently download new programs or applications.
- 6GB GDDR6 RAM
- Super compact 6.83-inch card
- 3 x DisplayPort 1.4, 1 x HDMI 2.0b
- Boost clock up to 1785MHz
- Memory clock up 14Gbps
Wrapping Up
Combining high performance with quality visuals, affordability, and low power consumption makes the GTX 1660 attractive for casual gamers and professionals with its support for ray tracing capabilities, multiple monitors, VR readiness, compatibility with new games and software updates, and strong reliability.
The GTX 1660 provides users with an efficient yet durable solution. It’s like having a finely tuned engine purring beneath your hood! This GPU provides unrivaled value if you’re searching for an upgrade without breaking the bank.
