Nvidia gtx 1660 vs gtx 1660 ti. our comparison

In view of the events, we already have our comparison between Nvidia GTX 1660 vs GTX 1660 Ti ready. Now that we all have fresh the brand new output of the new mid -range TU116 chip is RT or Tensor, the comparison with the 1660 Ti is mandatory. For this we have selected two of the most powerful versions that will go on the market and that you will have in complete analysis in Professional Review, it is the Gigabyte Geforce GTX 1660 Gaming OC 6G vs the Asus ROG Strix GeForce GTX 1660 Ti, two of the best in its range.

Is this new 1660 worth it, or is the 1660 Ti better to buy? To all this, we will give you an answer in this comparison, so let's go!

Index of contents

Technical specifications and benefits

To put ourselves in a situation, it is best to prepare a table with the technical characteristics of each of the graphics cards and thus see how far manufacturers have gone with each model.

Here we have the specifications for each of these Top of the Range graphics cards in their class. There are two basic differences between the two cards in terms of the hardware they mount.

The first difference is in the CUDA core configuration itself, as is normal a cheaper card will have fewer CUDA cores. The less, as less graphics processing capacity, that is clear. Similarly, they are two cards that do not have RT or Tensor cores, so they have no possibility of Ray Tracing or DLSS.

The second difference and this perhaps is more noticeable, is that the new GTX 1660 installs an 8 Gbps GDDR5 memory, and therefore, 8000 MHz effective clock frequency. This memory is part of the previous generation, and is significantly slower (but cheaper) than GDDR6. The result is almost 100 GB / s less bandwidth than in the chaos of the GTX 1660 Ti. Recall that in the confrontation of the 1660 Ti, this was in this respect much closer to the RTX.

For the rest we talk about similar characteristics, in power and bus width, in addition these versions mount a powerful heatsink and consequently we will not have problems to do more overclocking or to control the temperatures.

Synthetic performance tests Nvidia GTX 1660 vs GTX 1660 Ti

Given the benefits on paper, we will see how this is reflected in performance with the synthetic tests that we generally perform on all GPUs. Of course these are the same programs and in their same versions and benchmarks.

To say that they are two GPUs optimized to the maximum by the manufacturers, so the results are perfectly objective and valid. The test bench that we have used will be:

TESTING BENCH
Processor:	Intel Core i9-9900k
Base plate:	Asus Maximus XI Hero
Memory:	Corsair Vengeance PRO RGB 16 GB @ 3600 MHz
Heatsink	Corsair H100i V2
HDD	Kingston UV400
Graphic card	GTX 1660 and 1660 Ti
Power supply	Corsair RM1000X

And the tests that have been carried out are:

• 3DMark Time Spy3DMark Fire Strike3DMark Tire Strike UltraVRMark Basic edition

Obviously the data shows a lower performance of the 1660 compared to the 1660 Ti but, how much smaller are they?

In the normal Fire Strike test, we are talking about 12% less, it is a benchmark in Full HD so the differences are small. Then, in Fire Strike Ultra, at 4K resolution, the differences increase to more than 21%, we see that the lower power of the GPU and the GDDR5 memory make the difference.

In the Time Spy test the difference drops back to 11.7% and in the VRMark test it is practically the same. In this way, if we make an average, we have a 1660 14% slower than the 1660 Ti, at least in these synthetic tests.

In addition, something that makes these tests clear is that the performance in 4K does decrease in a greater proportion, something that was also seen in the comparison between the 1660 Ti and the RTX 2060. Without a doubt this card is not oriented to play in 4K, not at all, your usual terrain will be Full HD and 2K at most, especially in this more basic version.

Game performance test

But of course, what really interests us is the actual performance of the GPU with games, which is ultimately what we are going to use it for. GTX 1660 vs GTX 1660 Ti Which and how much is better?

Starting with the resolution to which this 1660 graphics card is oriented, we see that in 1080p the results are always lower than the top model. Where performance is most noticeable is in Far Cry 5 up to 15 FPS less and where less in Deux Ex with 8 FPS. But we see that in almost no case are they close to 100 FPS, so we will tend that the 144 Hz of a gaming monitor would be more wasted than with the Ti version. In any case, we can say that 60 Hz is comfortably exceeded with this card, although if you have a GTX 1060 this figure will also be exceeded in many cases by lowering filters.

In 2K resolution the differences remain, between 7 and 13 FPS below the 1660 Ti, but in proportion they are greater, and we will notice it a lot in games like DUES EX or Final Fantasy, since they do not reach the dreamed 60 FPS. Of course here we will have the possibility to download graphics until we can improve performance, but in recent titles such as Metro or Anthem it will be a very complicated task.

If we go up to 4K resolution directly we will have a mediocre gaming experience, just as it happens with the 1660 Ti or the GTX 1060. So in this aspect the least we can ask for is an RTX 2060 with lowered graphics.

Consumption and temperatures

Once again, the measurements are taken with respect to the complete equipment, not only the graphics card, but being an almost identical group of tests, the differences are real. What will be of influence will be the own configuration of each manufacturer, VRM, fans and overclocking.

We see that consumption is very similar, and both at rest and in load the 1660 has a higher consumption. They are not as disparate figures as for example the 1660 Ti and the RTX 2060, but less optimization of this GPU is appreciated.

Temperatures are also higher in the 1660, at rest and under load. In this aspect it will be influencing the heatsink of each model, and also the thermal paste used. But they coincide with the higher consumption of the GPU, since, at higher consumption, it will almost always reflect a higher temperature. In any case, they are sustained temperatures and much cooler than those offered by the previous generation GTX.

Overclocking experience

We have already seen that the overclocking GTX 1660 Ti presented the same results as the gaming RTX 2060, so let's see what we have been able to do with the 1660.

We have been able to go up to 2030 MHz on the GPU clock frequency and 2400 MHz on the memory frequency. In Shadow of the Tomb Rider for example we went from 77 to 84 FPS without reaching the level of the 1660 Ti. In 2K from 52 to 61 FPS equaling the 1660 Ti, and finally in 4K from 28 to 33, also equaling the 1660 Ti.

Nvidia has everything quite studied by what we see, exactly the same thing happening between the 1660 Ti and the RTX 2060. But of course, having the GPU overlocked all the time is not a good idea, but we appreciate its great capacity.

Final conclusion and prices of Nvidia GTX 1660 vs GTX 1660 Ti

There is no doubt that this 1660 is the least powerful graphics card in the Turing series, although it is designed this way, of course. It is a card that falls within the mid / low range, pending the hypothetical GTX 1650. Your purchase is clearly aimed at playing in Full HD resolution and maximum graphics in almost all cases, it will be here where we get your better performance.

But if we want a good gaming experience in higher resolutions, it is not advisable, for this we better opt for the 1660 Ti that offers us an extra, and especially RTX 2060, which for us would be the smartest option, albeit a more basic one, without overclocking being more affordable will still be better. Remember that the RTX 2060 is the natural leap of the GTX 1060.

We recommend reading the best graphics cards on the market

The 1660 stays in no man's land, generally with better benefits than a GTX 1060, but not surpassing a GTX 1070 or 1070 Ti, which, with good opportunities, is a highly desired purchase. Your purchase will depend in part on the prices we see in the coming weeks.

Recall that for example the Asus 1660 Ti is offered for about 379 euros but we have the cheapest version in the MSI 1660 Ti Ventus with 299 euros and the Zotac for 295. Consequently, it is expected that the new 1660 will launch on the market with prices that are around 220 or 250 euros, which will be where this Gigabyte is going since its 1660 Ti Gaming OC version is currently at 325 euros. At least more of this would not be ideal.

Recommended or not? Well, everything will revolve around the price, it is a performance of 15% less than the 1660 Ti, for about 250 euros it is a good option, but for 300 euros, not at all. What do you think about this card, is it what you were looking for?