Nvidia is the graphics card king, but AMD is making moves and giving it a run for its money. Both provide gamers and power users with superior graphics cards. Recently, AMD unveiled their Radeon RX 7900 XTX card, while Nvidia unveiled their GTX 1660 Super.
Additionally, Gamers and tech enthusiasts have carefully evaluated both cards for superior performance. We will compare the specifications of both cards in various categories to enable readers to make informed decisions. By exploring both cards’ strengths, weaknesses, and differences in-depth, readers can select an ideal option for themselves.
AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX Vs Nvidia GTX 1660 Super: Side-by-Side Comparison
| Specification | AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX | Nvidia GTX 1660 Super |
| Architecture | RDNA 3 | Turing |
| Process Node | 5nm | 12nm |
| Compute Units | 96 | 22 |
| Stream Processors | 6144 | 1408 |
| Game Clock | 2269 MHz | 1530MHz |
| Boost Clock | 2499 MHz | 1785 MHz |
| Memory Capacity | 24 GB GDDR6 | 6 GB GDDR6 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 960.0 GB/s | 336 GB/s |
| Texture Rate | 959.6 GTexel/s | 157.1 GTexel/s |
| Ray Tracing | 2nd Gen | N/A |
| TDP | 355W | 125W |
- Video memory: 24GB GDDR6
- Stream processor: 6144 Units
- Clock speed: 2300 MHz
- Boost clock: Up to 2500 MHz
- Memory clock: 20 Gbps
AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX Vs Nvidia GTX 1660 Super: What’s the Difference?
AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX and Nvidia GTX 1660 Super are two high-performance graphics cards making waves among gamers and content creators alike. Both cards have impressive specs and features. However, each offers distinctive differences. Let’s look at them below.
Floating-point Performance
RX 7900 XTX boasts an incredible peak single-precision floating-point performance of 61.42 TFLOPS, while GTX 1660 Super offers a 5.03 TFLOPS. However, these differences in floating-point performance may significantly impact graphics-intensive applications like engineering simulations.
Because of its superior floating-point performance, RX 7900 XTX can handle complex mathematical computations. RX 7900 XTX graphics card also beats GTX 1660 in graphics-intensive applications. If you’re looking for a high-performance graphics cards to meet this need, RX 7900 XTX would be the best choice.
Architecture and Process Node
The RX 7900 XTX utilizes RDNA 3 architecture, while GTX 1660 Super relies on Turing architecture. On the other hand, RDNA 3 provides advanced features like real-time ray tracing and mesh shaders, which enhance visual quality. In comparison, Turing boasts remarkable capabilities such as concurrent floating point execution.
As for process nodes, the RX 7900 XTX employs a more advanced 5nm process node than GTX 1660 Super’s 12nm process node. This makes for more compact transistor packing with increased processing power and efficiency than its larger 12nm counterpart.
Overall, the RX 7900 XTX’s advanced architecture and smaller process node give it an advantage in visual quality and processing power over the GTX 1660 Super.
Compute Units and Stream Processors
The RX 7900 XTX boasts more compute units and stream processors than its GTX 1660 Super counterpart. More specifically, RX 7900 XTX offers 96 compute units with 6144 stream processors compared to its counterpart’s 22 compute units.
Differences in compute units and stream processors can dramatically impact graphics card performance in intensive gaming sessions. Because of its higher compute units and stream processors, the RX 7900 XTX can handle more complex tasks better than its competitor.
However, this feature also ensures the simultaneous processing of multiple instructions to speed up rendering times and overall performance. Of the two, the RX 7900 XTX is the superior option.
Texture Rate
Graphic card visuals depend mainly on the texture rates available and thus should be a consideration when making purchase decisions. On this consideration, AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX outshines Nvidia GTX 1660 Super in terms of peak texture fill rate. Radeon RX 7900 XTX ‘s peak texture fill rate is 959.6 GTexel/s which is significantly more than 157.1GTexel/s for GTX 1660 Super.
Therefore, this indicates that the RX 7900 XTX can render more textures faster for smoother and more detailed visuals.
RX 7900 XTX boasts an increased texture mapping unit (TMU) count of 384 compared to GTX 1660 Super’s 88. Surprisingly, TMUs apply textures onto 3D objects, allowing sharper, more detailed images due to this extra processing power.
All in all, RX 7900 XTX is the better option if you need to gain and render more textures quickly for sharper and more detailed visuals.
Memory and Memory Bandwidth
When choosing graphics cards, memory features can be a deciding factor. The RX 7900 XTX boasts 24GB of GDDR6 while GTX 1660 Super, 6GB. More importantly, the higher memory gives more room to work with.
RX 7900 XTX has a much higher memory bandwidth of 960.0GB/s than GTX 1660 Super’s, and is better suited to graphics-intensive applications. The 7900 XTX’s superior memory capacity and bandwidth make it an excellent option for gaming, video editing, and 3D modeling. On the other hand, GTX 1660 Super can tackle simple tasks, but will struggle when performing complex operations.
If you require more memory and have the budget, RX 7900XTX would be the ultimate buy.
Game Clock and Boost Clock
Performance on any graphics card heavily relies on its game and boost clocks. RX 7900 XTX offers higher game clock speeds of 2269MHz compared to 1530MHz in GTX 1660 Super. Furthermore, the 2499MHz boost clock speed in RX 7900 XTX outpaces 1785 MHz on GTX 1660 Super.
Additionally, higher clock rates can significantly enhance graphics card performance. RX 7900 XTX is an increasingly reliable solution for gaming and other graphics-intensive tasks. GTX 1660 Super is no match, as its lower clock speeds may result in reduced energy usage and heat output.
However, this makes GTX 1660 Super an energy-efficient option for quieter and cooler graphics cards. Both cards provide performance that meets these specifications at various power usage levels and levels of intensity.
Ray Tracing and Infinity Cache
RX 7900 XTX offers hardware-accelerated ray tracing for more realistic lighting effects in games and graphics-intensive apps. At the same time, GTX 1660 Super doesn’t support dedicated hardware for these effects but relies on software simulation.
Additionally, the RX 7900 XTX features Infinity Cache technology, which gives provides fast access to frequently accessed information. This feature subsequently helps optimize the game and other application performance. Unfortunately, GTX 1660 Super does not possess this advanced ability.
Overall, for cutting-edge visual gaming experiences, the RX 7900 XTX comes out on top due to its advanced ray tracing features and Infinity Cache feature. That’s not say GTX 1660 Super is incapable. It can still provide decent performance, but without the high degree of realism in graphics-intensive apps.
Power Consumption and Cooling Solution
7900 XTX has a higher Thermal Design Point of 355W compared to the GTX 1660 Super’s TDP of 125W. As a result, it tends to consume more power while producing additional heat. GTX 1660 Super uses lower power, resulting in greater energy efficiency and less cooling needs.
In addition, RX 7900 XTX’s higher power consumption and heat production also require more powerful PSUs and effective cooling solutions. On the other hand, GTX 1660 Super can run with less expensive options, making it more budget-friendly.
So, think about your needs and budget when shopping for your next graphics card. If you need more processing power and robust cooling solutions, go for RX 7900 XTX. However, if you want an affordable yet energy-efficient graphics solution, GTX 1660 Super is a good choice.
Display Technology Support
AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX features HDMI 2.1a and two DisplayPort 2.1 ports. These two display standards support high refresh rates and resolutions. On the other hand, Nvidia GTX 1660 Super has one HDMI 2.0 and one DisplayPort 1.4a port.
In addition, AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX boasts remarkable lighting and shadow effect capabilities in graphics-intensive applications and gaming. This functionality is made possible with hardware-accelerated ray tracing technology. However, optimal performance from this video card may require additional power consumption solutions or cooling solutions.
Finally, RX 7900 XTX’s latest standards support and additional ray tracing capacity, which makes it a better display technology choice than Nvidia GTX 1660 Super.
- 6GB GDDR6 VRAM
- 192-bit memory bus
- Still great for modern games at 1080p
- 1785MHz clock speed
- 14Gbps memory speed
AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX Vs Nvidia GTX 1660 Super: 6 Must-Know Facts
- Nvidia’s GTX 1660 Super is a capable graphics card and is cheaper than AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX graphics cards.
- AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX offers hardware-accelerated ray tracing and mesh shaders to improve visual quality when playing games or using graphics-intensive applications.
- RX 7900 XTX provides superior compute units, stream processors, texture rates, and memory bandwidth than Nvidia GTX 1660 Super for enhanced graphics-intensive application performance.
- AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX boast of 61.42 TFLOPs of peak floating-point operations per second and is better suited for complex mathematical computation.
- Nvidia GTX 1660 Super offers lower thermal design power (TDP) requirements than AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX cards, making them easier to manage with less robust cooling solutions.
- AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX provides more advanced display technologies with higher HDMI and DisplayPort standards versions.
AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX Vs Nvidia GTX 1660 Super: Which One Is Better?
Like many decisions, selecting the ideal graphics card depends on individual needs and preferences. AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX and Nvidia GTX 1660 Super have their pros and cons considers. So, carefully examine their specifications and capabilities before making a buying decision.
AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX has a superior architecture, higher compute units/stream processors count, advanced ray tracing features, and larger Infinity Cache. On the other hand, Nvidia GTX 1660 Super is more cost-effective, with lower power usage as good as G-Sync technology compatibility.
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