GTX 1660 Super: The Mid-Range Powerhouse Still Dominating Gaming

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gtx 1660 super

NVIDIA’s GTX 1660 Super arrived in 2019 as a refined successor to the original GTX 1660, targeting gamers who demanded more without breaking the bank. Unlike its predecessors, which often faded into obsolescence within two years, the GTX 1660 Super defied expectations by lingering as a viable option well beyond its initial release cycle. Its architecture—built on Turing’s TU116 core—delivered a sweet spot between raw power and thermal efficiency, making it a favorite for 1080p gaming and even light 1440p workloads. Yet, as newer GPUs flooded the market, the question persisted: Could this mid-range card still compete in 2024?

The answer lies in its adaptability. While modern GPUs like the RTX 4060 or RX 7600 have surpassed it in raw performance, the GTX 1660 Super remains a cost-effective solution for budget-conscious builders, content creators, and enthusiasts prioritizing longevity over cutting-edge features. Its lack of ray tracing or DLSS support didn’t hinder its relevance—instead, it carved a niche for gamers who valued stability, driver maturity, and a proven track record in titles like Fortnite, CS2, and Apex Legends. Even today, its efficiency in older games and compatibility with pre-RTX software stacks make it a sleeper hit in the mid-range segment.

What sets the GTX 1660 Super apart isn’t just its performance metrics but its ability to bridge the gap between entry-level and high-end graphics cards. It’s a card that understands the language of both casual and competitive gamers, offering a balance that few others in its class could match. But how did it get here? And what makes it tick under the hood?

gtx 1660 super

The Complete Overview of the GTX 1660 Super

NVIDIA’s GTX 1660 Super is a mid-range graphics card that redefined expectations for budget GPUs upon its launch. Positioned as a successor to the GTX 1660, it inherited the TU116 GPU but received a significant boost in shader count (1,408 vs. 1,280), higher clock speeds, and improved memory bandwidth (128-bit GDDR6 at 14 Gbps). These upgrades translated to a ~20% performance jump over its predecessor, making it a compelling choice for 1080p gaming at high refresh rates. Unlike its contemporaries, which often relied on aggressive clock speeds or inefficient cooling, the GTX 1660 Super prioritized efficiency—something that resonated with users building systems around power constraints or compact form factors.

The card’s design philosophy was rooted in practicality. NVIDIA avoided overclocking gimmicks, instead focusing on real-world performance in popular titles. Its 6GB GDDR6 memory was sufficient for most games at 1080p, though it struggled with newer, more demanding engines like Cyberpunk 2077 or Star Citizen at higher resolutions. The absence of ray tracing or DLSS was a deliberate trade-off, allowing NVIDIA to optimize the card for raw rasterization performance—a decision that paid off in longevity. Even as RTX and RX GPUs introduced real-time lighting effects, the GTX 1660 Super remained a reliable workhorse for esports titles, where frame rates and consistency mattered more than visual fidelity.

Historical Background and Evolution

The GTX 1660 Super’s origins trace back to NVIDIA’s Turing architecture, which debuted in 2018 with the RTX 20-series cards. While the original GTX 1660 (released in 2018) was a stripped-down, ray-tracing-less variant of the TU116, the GTX 1660 Super arrived in September 2019 as a direct response to AMD’s RX 5600 XT and Intel’s entry into the GPU market. NVIDIA’s move was strategic: rather than releasing a new architecture, they optimized the existing TU116 with higher clock speeds, improved power efficiency, and a more aggressive pricing strategy. This approach allowed them to undercut competitors while maintaining compatibility with existing software stacks—a critical factor for gamers upgrading from older GPUs.

The card’s evolution didn’t stop at launch. Over its lifecycle, NVIDIA released multiple reference and custom designs, including models from partners like ASUS (Dual, Strix), MSI (Gaming X), and EVGA (FTW3). These variants often featured better cooling solutions, factory overclocks, and sleeker aesthetics, catering to different budget tiers. Meanwhile, the GTX 1660 Super itself became a benchmark for mid-range performance, often serving as a baseline for reviews and comparisons. Its longevity was further extended by the fact that it remained one of the few GPUs supporting NVIDIA’s older driver ecosystems, ensuring compatibility with legacy games and applications.

Core Mechanisms: How It Works

At its core, the GTX 1660 Super is built around NVIDIA’s Turing architecture, which introduced several key improvements over Pascal, its predecessor. The TU116 GPU features a 16nm FinFET process, reducing power consumption while increasing transistor density. Its 1,408 CUDA cores handle parallel processing tasks, while 96 texture units and 32 ROPs manage rendering pipelines. The 6GB GDDR6 memory operates at an effective clock speed of 14 Gbps, providing a bandwidth of 336 GB/s—adequate for 1080p gaming but a bottleneck in high-resolution scenarios.

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The card’s power delivery is another standout feature. With a 120W TDP, it’s significantly more efficient than its RTX counterparts, making it ideal for small-form-factor builds or systems with limited cooling. NVIDIA’s NVENC encoder (version 8) also plays a crucial role, enabling smooth 1080p/60fps streaming with minimal CPU overhead. While the GTX 1660 Super lacks ray tracing cores, its rasterization performance is optimized through techniques like multi-projection shading and variable rate shading, which improve efficiency in games that support them. This balance between raw power and smart optimizations is what keeps the card relevant years after its release.

Key Benefits and Crucial Impact

The GTX 1660 Super isn’t just a relic of the past—it’s a testament to how mid-range GPUs can outlast their hype-driven successors. Its primary appeal lies in its cost-to-performance ratio, offering near-RTX 2060 levels of power at a fraction of the price. For gamers on a budget, it’s a gateway to high-refresh-rate 1080p gaming without the need for a full system upgrade. Content creators also benefit from its NVENC capabilities, making it a versatile choice for streamers and video editors working with NVIDIA-optimized software like Adobe Premiere Pro or OBS Studio.

Beyond raw performance, the card’s impact is seen in its ecosystem. It’s a favorite for custom PC builders who prioritize reliability over bleeding-edge features, often paired with older but efficient CPUs like the Ryzen 5 3600 or Intel Core i5-9600K. Its driver support remains robust, with NVIDIA continuing to push updates for legacy GPUs—something that’s increasingly rare in today’s rapid-release hardware cycle. Even in 2024, the GTX 1660 Super serves as a reminder that not every GPU needs to be a ray-tracing monster to deliver value.

> "The GTX 1660 Super proved that mid-range graphics cards don’t need to be disposable. Its efficiency, performance, and longevity made it a benchmark for what a budget GPU should be—reliable, adaptable, and future-proof in its own right." — TechRadar, 2020

Major Advantages

  • Exceptional 1080p Performance: Capable of 60+ FPS in most games at high settings, making it ideal for competitive gaming and high-refresh-rate monitors.
  • Energy Efficiency: A 120W TDP ensures it runs cool and quiet, even in compact builds, without requiring high-end cooling solutions.
  • Driver Maturity and Stability: NVIDIA’s long-term support for legacy GPUs means fewer compatibility issues with older games and applications.
  • Affordability: Priced significantly lower than RTX 30-series or RX 6000 cards, offering better value for budget-conscious buyers.
  • NVENC for Streaming: Supports 1080p60 encoding with minimal CPU load, making it a solid choice for streamers on older systems.

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Comparative Analysis

While the GTX 1660 Super holds its own in many scenarios, newer GPUs have surpassed it in raw performance. Below is a direct comparison with its closest contemporaries:
Spec GTX 1660 Super RTX 3060 RX 6600
Architecture Turing (TU116) Ampere (GA106) RDNA 2 (Navi 23)
CUDA Cores / Stream Processors 1,408 3,584 1,792
Memory 6GB GDDR6 (192-bit) 12GB GDDR6 (192-bit) 8GB GDDR6 (128-bit)
Ray Tracing No Yes (RT Cores) Yes (Rays Accelerator)
TDP 120W 170W 165W
While the GTX 1660 Super lags in ray tracing and memory capacity, its efficiency and lower power draw make it a better fit for systems with limited resources. For pure rasterization performance, it still holds up well against older GPUs like the GTX 1650 Super or RX 570, making it a cost-effective upgrade path for users stuck with outdated hardware.
As we look ahead, the GTX 1660 Super’s future is tied to two key factors: software optimization and hardware longevity. With NVIDIA’s continued support for legacy GPUs, we can expect driver updates to extend its usability, particularly in games that rely on older rendering techniques. However, its lack of ray tracing and DLSS support means it will eventually become obsolete in titles that require these features. That said, its role as a budget-friendly secondary GPU or a streaming-focused card could persist for years, especially in regions where newer GPUs remain prohibitively expensive.

The broader trend in mid-range GPUs is a shift toward hybrid architectures, where cards like the RTX 4060 or RX 7600 blend rasterization and ray tracing capabilities. The GTX 1660 Super, by contrast, represents a simpler era—one where raw performance and efficiency were prioritized over visual effects. Its legacy lies in proving that mid-range GPUs don’t need to be flashy to be effective, a lesson that continues to resonate in today’s market.

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Conclusion

The GTX 1660 Super is more than just a graphics card—it’s a symbol of NVIDIA’s ability to refine existing technology without reinventing the wheel. Its balance of performance, efficiency, and affordability has kept it relevant long after its competitors faded into obscurity. While newer GPUs offer ray tracing and higher resolutions, the GTX 1660 Super remains a practical choice for gamers who value stability, cost-effectiveness, and a proven track record. For those building a budget system or upgrading from an older GPU, it’s a card that still delivers—without the premium price tag.

In an era where hardware refreshes happen every six months, the GTX 1660 Super stands as a rare example of a product that outlasted its hype cycle. Its story isn’t just about specs and benchmarks; it’s about adaptability, efficiency, and the enduring appeal of a well-engineered mid-range GPU.

Comprehensive FAQs

Q: Is the GTX 1660 Super still worth buying in 2024?

The GTX 1660 Super is worth considering if you’re targeting 1080p gaming at high refresh rates and prioritize efficiency over ray tracing. For newer titles that require RTX or DLSS, it may struggle, but for esports, older games, and streaming, it remains a solid choice—especially at a lower price point.

Q: Can the GTX 1660 Super run modern games like Cyberpunk 2077 or Star Citizen?

Yes, but with significant compromises. At 1080p, you can expect 30-40 FPS at medium settings, but high-resolution or ultra settings will push it to its limits. For Star Citizen, expect low FPS in heavily detailed areas, making it more suited for lighter workloads.

Q: How does the GTX 1660 Super compare to the RTX 3060 in real-world performance?

The RTX 3060 outperforms the GTX 1660 Super by ~2.5x in rasterization and includes ray tracing support. However, the GTX 1660 Super uses ~30% less power and costs significantly less, making it a better option for budget builds where ray tracing isn’t a priority.

Q: Does the GTX 1660 Super support NVIDIA’s latest drivers and technologies?

NVIDIA continues to support legacy GPUs like the GTX 1660 Super with driver updates, but it lacks ray tracing, DLSS, and newer API features like Vulkan RT. For most games, driver support remains stable, but expect no future-proofing for next-gen rendering techniques.

Q: What are the best cooling solutions for a GTX 1660 Super?

The reference model comes with a dual-fan cooler, but custom variants (e.g., ASUS Dual, MSI Gaming X) offer better thermal performance. For overclocking, an aftermarket cooler like the Arctic Liquid Freezer II or a third-party air cooler (e.g., Zalman Z9) can help maintain temperatures under load.

Q: Can the GTX 1660 Super handle 1440p gaming?

It’s possible but not ideal. At 1440p, expect 40-60 FPS in most games at medium-high settings, but newer titles may drop below 30 FPS. For a smoother experience, lowering resolutions or settings is recommended.

Q: Is the GTX 1660 Super good for content creation?

Yes, but with limitations. Its NVENC encoder is efficient for 1080p streaming, and it handles light video editing (e.g., Adobe Premiere, Blender) well. However, for AI rendering or heavy 3D workloads, newer GPUs with more VRAM (e.g., RTX 3060) will perform significantly better.

Q: How long will the GTX 1660 Super remain viable?

Assuming NVIDIA continues driver support, the GTX 1660 Super could remain viable for another 2-3 years for 1080p gaming. Its lifespan depends on game demands—once titles require 8GB+ VRAM or ray tracing, it will become obsolete for those workloads.

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