The Nvidia GTX 1660 and all the GTX 1060 are both decent graphics cards for gaming but which should you pick and is it worth upgrading. In this article, we’ll test out and compare 10 different games at 1080p and 1440p resolutions to help you see the performance difference between them and find out which is better value for the money.
 |  |
|---|---|
| GTX 1660 | GTX 1060 |
| BUY NOW | BUY NOW |
| PROS | PROS |
| Great for 1080p gaming. Very affordable. Efficient and quiet. | Excellent FHD and 1440p performance. Quiet running. Incredibly low power consumption. |
| CONS | CONS |
| Modest gains over 1060 6GB. Not a true budget GPU price. Some games use more than 6GB. | More expensive than rivals. 4GB RX 480 is better value. |
SPECIFICATIONS
| GPU | GTX 1660 | GTX 1060 |
| CUDA Cores | 1408 | 1280 |
| Boost Clock (MHz) | 1785 | 1506 |
| Base Clock (MHz) | 1530 | 1708 |
| MEMORY | GTX 1660 | GTX 1060 |
| Memory Speed | 8 Gbps | 8 Gbps |
| Standard Memory Config | 6GB GDDR5 | 6 GB GDDR5 |
| Memory Interface Width | 192-bit | 192-bit |
| Memory Bandwidth (GB/sec) | 192 | 192 |
| DISPLAY | GTX 1660 | GTX 1060 |
| Maximum Digital Resolution | 7680×4320 @ 120Hz | 7680×4320@60Hz |
| Standard Display Connectors | DP 1.4a, HDMI 2.0b, DL-DVI-D | DP 1.43, HDMI 2.0b, Dual Link-DVI |
| Multi Monitor | Yes | Yes |
| HDCP | Yes | 2.2 |
| DIMENSIONS | GTX 1660 | GTX 1060 |
| Height | 4.37″ | 4.378″ |
| Length | 5.7″ | 9.823″ |
| Width | 2-slot | 2-Slot |
| THERMAL & POWER | GTX 1660 | GTX 1060 |
| Maximum GPU Temperature (in C) | 95 | 94 |
| Graphics Card Power (W) | 120 | 120 |
| Recommended System Power (W) | 450 | 400 |
| Supplementary Power Connectors | 8-pin | 6-Pin |
PERFORMANCE
GRAPHICS CARD USED:
- MSI GTX 1660 GAMING X
- ASUS GTX 1060 DUAL OC
SYSTEM SPECS:
- RAM: 16GB DDR4-3200
- MOTHERBOARD: MSI Z390 GAMING PRO CARBON
- CPU: INTEL I7-8700K
LET’S GET INTO RESULTS.
Apex Legends
Apex Legends was tested in campaign mode. In this test GTX 1660 is the clear winner. At 1440p, there was 5.1% diference and 12% diiference at 1080p.
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
In Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, the GTX 1660 is ahead, with a 7.8% higher average frame rate at 1080p, rising slightly to a 12% lead at 1440p.
Battlefield V
Battlefield V was tested using the games built in benchmark tool, and the GTX 1660 was almost 14% faster at 1080p, and this increased up to a 16% lead at 1440p.
Counter Strike: GO
Counter Strike: GO was tested in campaign mode. There was not too much difference between both cards but still 1660 was ahead. At 1080p, the difference was just 1FPS and stepping up to 1440p, now the difference was 5FPS.
Far Cry 5
Far Cry 5 was tested with the games benchmark tool. With almost an 8% higher average FPS at 1080p and 12% at 1440p.
Far Cry New Dawn
There was less of a difference observed in Far Cry New Dawn, which was tested with all graphical settings set to high Settings. At 1080p there was just a 11% higher average FPS with the 1660, and this increased to 12% higher frame rate at 1440p.
Fortnite
Fortnite was tested using the replay feature, with the exact same replay file used for all testing. The results were a little strange here, 1660 was a little ahead, though realistically most of the results were so close together it’s within margin of error, regardless the performance was very similar.
Metro Exodus
Metro Exodus was tested with the game’s benchmark tool, and there was a bit more of a difference this time around, with the 1660 coming out 8% faster at 1080p, and there was a larger 11% boost at 1440p. I have to say that both the graphics card were not performing well at 1080p.
Rainbow Six Siege
Rainbow Six Siege was tested using the built in benchmark, and there was 22% at 1080p. At 1440p however, the 1660 was able to hit an average frame rate 23% ahead of the 1060.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider
Shadow of the Tomb Raider was tested in the practice range, so while not quite the same as actual gameplay, it allows me to perform the same test pass more accurately which is ideal for comparison purposes. At 1080p the 1660 was almost 15% higher than the 1060, then at 1440p it had less than a 18% lead.
CONCLUSION
In general, the newest 1660 seems worth picking and is what I’d go for today especially given it performs better too.
If you’ve already got a 1060 6GB, is it worth upgrading to the 1660? I think it depends on the game but in general, not really, as you’re only getting a 13% improvement on average.
