GeForce GTX 1660 Super AIB List, Specs, Comparisons & Data

Nvidia’s original GeForce GTX 1660 took a back seat to its more powerful and popular sister model, the GTX 1660 Ti. However, in 2020, both the original GTX 1660 and the GTX 1660 Ti were effectively superseded by the GTX 1660 Super.

The GTX 1660 Super (also known as GTX 1660S) launch MSRP was $229 – about the same price point as the GTX 1660 ($219) but is about 10% faster than the non-Super and only about 5% slower than the Ti.

Although the GTX 1660 Super uses the same TU116 chip as the 1660 non-Ti, the 6 GB VRAM is now GDDR6 instead of GDDR5, which significantly boosts memory bandwidth from 192GB/s to 336 GB/s – enough to significantly boost gaming performance. This placed the Super variant between the budget and mainstream GPU categories in 2020.

GTX 1660 Super: Relative Performance

Compared to previous generations, the GTX 1660S is around 30% faster than the GTX 1060 6 GB, and AMD’s 25% faster than the Radeon RX 580, making it a suitable upgrade for owners of these graphics cards.

For a quick look at performance, this is how the GTX 1660S stacks up in the 3DMark DX12 Time Spy benchmark:

All games are different but for the most part, this is quite representative of what you get. All in all, the GTX 1660S is a great choice for 1080p gaming. While it can’t compete with the upper mid-range GPUs at 1440p, most games will run well enough even at 1440p if you don’t mind lowering the detail settings.

List of GTX 1660 Super Graphics Cards (AIBs)

The GTX 1660S is a mainstream video card that does not come in souped-up water-cooled custom designs. Most manufacturers use tried and tested, basic designs that are used for other GPUs in the same performance and TDP category.

Note that we do not list the memory (VRAM) clocks separately as none differ from the default 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective), and total memory bandwidth of 336 GB/s.

Asus GTX 1660 Super Cards

Card	Boost Clock (% OC)	Length / Slots	Outputs	Review(s)
Asus Dual GTX 1660 Super Evo	1785 MHz	242 mm/9.5 in Triple-slot	1x HDMI 2.0 1x DP 1.4a 1x DVI	LegitReviews
Asus Dual GTX 1660 Super Evo Advanced	1800 MHz (+0.8%)	242 mm/9.5 in Triple-slot	1x HDMI 2.0 1x DP 1.4a 1x DVI	-
Asus Dual GTX 1660 Super Evo OC	1830 MHz (+2.5%)	242 mm/9.5 in Triple-slot	1x HDMI 2.0 1x DP 1.4a 1x DVI	PCWorld
Asus Dual GTX 1660 Super Mini	1785 MHz	197 mm/7.8 in Dual-slot	1x HDMI 2.0 1x DP 1.4a 1x DVI	-
Asus Dual GTX 1660 Super Mini OC	1830 MHz (+2.5%)	197 mm/7.8 in Dual-slot	1x HDMI 2.0 1x DP 1.4a 1x DVI	-
Asus Phoenix GTX 1660 Super	1785 MHz	174 mm/6.9 in Dual-slot	1x HDMI 2.0 1x DP 1.4a 1x DVI	TechPowerup
Asus Phoenix GTX 1660 Super OC	1800 MHz (+0.8%)	174 mm/6.9 in Dual-slot	1x HDMI 2.0 1x DP 1.4a 1x DVI	-
Asus ROG Strix GTX 1660 Super	1785 MHz	243 mm/9.6 in Dual-slot	2x HDMI 2.0 2x DP 1.4a	-
Asus ROG Strix GTX 1660 Super Advanced	1815 MHz (+1.7%)	243 mm/9.6 in Dual-slot	2x HDMI 2.0 2x DP 1.4a	-
Asus ROG Strix GTX 1660 Super OC	1845 MHz (+3.4%)	243 mm/9.6 in Dual-slot	2x HDMI 2.0 2x DP 1.4a	-
Asus TUF GTX 1660 Super	1785 MHz	206 mm/8.1 in Dual-slot	1x HDMI 2.0 1x DP 1.4a 1x DVI	-
Asus TUF GTX 1660 Super OC	1815 MHz (+1.7%)	206 mm/8.1 in Dual-slot	1x HDMI 2.0 1x DP 1.4a 1x DVI	techporn.ph
Asus TUF X3 GTX 1660 Super	1785 MHz	264 mm/10.4 in Triple-slot	1x HDMI 2.0 1x DP 1.4a 1x DVI	-
Asus TUF X3 GTX 1660 Super OC	1815 MHz (+1.7%)	264 mm/10.4 in Triple-slot	1x HDMI 2.0 1x DP 1.4a 1x DVI	-

Asus effectively offers six different versions of the 1660S with factory OC settings ranging from none to 3.4%. One of the latest additions from Asus is the Dual Mini – a compact graphics card made to fit Mini-ITX builds and even an Intel NUC 9 kit. That is not to say that cooling will be insufficient, as this design is used all the way up to the powerful RTX 2070S. Cooling the GTX 1660S – a GTX 1660 GPU paired with GDDR6 – is not nearly as demanding, so the small format should be more suitable for this GPU.

An even more compact version is found in Asus’ Phoenix lineup, which was also used for the previous-gen Pascal GTX cards. Like other cards in the series, it’s a short, single-fan card, but this one actually has a bit more height to it than some other ITX-oriented GTX 1660S cards. Asus ships this card either with stock clocks or with a minor factory overclock (indicated by OC in the name). At 1800 MHz (instead of 1785 MHz), this is an OC of less than 1% and not something you should pay extra for, in our humble opinion.

One of the more interesting features of this card is that it is dust-resistant with an IPX5 rating. This does not mean that it’s fully dust-proof (an impossible achievement for a graphics card), but it does have some protection that should help ensure a long life span.

MSI GTX 1660 Super Cards

Card	Boost Clock (% OC)	Length / Slots	Outputs	Review(s)
MSI GTX 1660 Super Aero ITX	1785 MHz	179 mm/7.0 in Dual-slot	1x HDMI 2.0 1x DP 1.4a 1x DVI	-
MSI GTX 1660 Super Aero ITX OC	1815 MHz (+1.7%)	179 mm/7.0 in Dual-slot	1x HDMI 2.0 1x DP 1.4a 1x DVI	-
MSI GTX 1660 Super Gaming	1785 MHz	247 mm/9.7 in Dual-slot	1x HDMI 2.0 3x DP 1.4a	-
MSI GTX 1660 Super Gaming X	1830 MHz (+2.5%)	247 mm/9.7 in Dual-slot	1x HDMI 2.0 3x DP 1.4a	TweakTown TomsHardware Guru3D
MSI GTX 1660 Super Gaming Plus	1785 MHz	248 mm/9.8 in Dual-slot	1x HDMI 2.0 3x DP 1.4a	-
MSI GTX 1660 Super Gaming Z Plus	1830 MHz (+2.5%)	248 mm/9.8 in Dual-slot	1x HDMI 2.0 3x DP 1.4a	-
MSI GTX 1660 Super Ventus	1785 MHz	231 mm/9.1 in Dual-slot	1x HDMI 2.0 3x DP 1.4a	-
MSI GTX 1660 Super Ventus OC	1815 MHz (+1.7%)	231 mm/9.1 in Dual-slot	1x HDMI 2.0 3x DP 1.4a	-
MSI GTX 1660 Super Ventus XS	1785 MHz	204 mm/8.0 in Dual-slot	1x HDMI 2.0 3x DP 1.4a	TechPowerup
MSI GTX 1660 Super Ventus XS OC	1815 MHz (+1.7%)	204 mm/8.0 in Dual-slot	1x HDMI 2.0 3x DP 1.4a	Guru3D

Another interesting and similarly compact alternative to single-fan alternatives is MSI’s Ventus XS 6G OC. It’s slightly bulkier overall than single-fan cards overall, but quite a bit shorter than full-size cards. In any event, it should be a good fit for most gaming machines – and not just physically.

Like most of the best GTX 1660 Super graphics cards, the Ventus is available with a factory OC. In the overclocked version, MSI has increased the boost clock to 1815 MHz, which isn’t the highest overclock from the standard 1785 MHz.

What makes this card an interesting option in our view is the competent cooling solution in spite of its small measurements. MSI has also included a rigid backplate.

At the more premium end of the spectrum, MSI offers a factory overclocked Gaming X version of the GTX 1660S. However, if you prefer to experiment yourself – or don’t want to pay extra – there’s also a non-X model available (if you manage to find one, as they appear to be a very rare breed).

The Gaming X has a boost clock of 1,830 MHz out of the box, and it is likely possible to further stretch those values using MSI’s excellent Afterburner overclocking tool. To keep performance consistent and temperatures low, MSI has equipped this card with the Twin Frozr 7 Thermal Design, which consists of two fans that cool a rather sizeable heatsink.

This identical cooling solution with RGB accents is also used on other, considerably more expensive cards. It takes up a little bit more than two PCI slots, however, so it might be a tight fit for small form factor PC builds.

EVGA GTX 1660 Super Cards

Card	Boost Clock (% OC)	Length / Slots	Outputs	Review(s)
EVGA GTX 1660 Super Black	1785 MHz	190 mm/7.5 in Triple-slot	1x HDMI 2.0 1x DP 1.4a 1x DVI	-
EVGA GTX 1660 Super SC Ultra	1830 MHz (+2.5%)	202 mm/8.0 in Dual-slot	1x HDMI 2.0 1x DP 1.4a 1x DVI	KitGuru AnandTech TechPowerup
EVGA GTX 1660 Super SC Ultra Black	1785 MHz	202 mm/8.0 in Dual-slot	1x HDMI 2.0 1x DP 1.4a 1x DVI	-

The EVGA GeForce GTX 1660 Super SC Ultra is one of two different GTX 1660S designs from EVGA. One is a single-fan ITX-size card simply called “Black,” which is normally EVGA naming for cards that ship with standard clock frequencies. The Super Sc Ultra is also available in a “Black” version with standard clocks in addition to a model overclocked to 1830 MHz (from the default 1785 MHz).

Compared to the ASUS Strix and MSI Gaming X, this card is much more compact, but the dual-fan cooler is more effective than all of the single-fan varieties in the market.

Gigabyte GTX 1660 Super Cards

Card	Boost Clock (% OC)	Length / Slots	Outputs	Review(s)
Gigabyte GTX 1660 Super D6	1785 MHz	226 mm/8.9 in Dual-slot	1x HDMI 2.0 3x DP 1.4a	-
Gigabyte GTX 1660 Super OC	1815 MHz (+1.7%)	226 mm/8.9 in Dual-slot	1x HDMI 2.0 3x DP 1.4a	-
Gigabyte GTX 1660 Super Gaming	1785 MHz	280 mm/11.0 in Dual-slot	1x HDMI 2.0 3x DP 1.4a	-
Gigabyte GTX 1660 Super Gaming OC	1860 MHz (+4.2%)	280 mm/11.0 in Dual-slot	1x HDMI 2.0 3x DP 1.4a	TechPowerup Guru3D Hexus
Gigabyte GTX 1660 Super Mini ITX	1785 MHz	170 mm/6.7 in Dual-slot	1x HDMI 2.0 3x DP 1.4a	-
Gigabyte GTX 1660 Super Mini ITX OC	1800 MHz (+0.8%)	170 mm/6.7 in Dual-slot	1x HDMI 2.0 3x DP 1.4a	-

Although the GTX 1660 Super is a relatively frugal GPU with a 125W TDP, you can never go wrong with a more effective cooler. A triple-fan card is quite bulky though and won’t fit in compact PC cases. But if you have room to spare, an extra fan will improve cooling while in most cases producing less noise than dual-fan (and certainly single-fan) cards given the same load. You will also have better chances of overclocking thanks to the lower temperatures.

With the triple-fan Gaming OC model, Gigabyte has taken this philosophy to extremes – with excellent results. The 1660S Gaming OC has been widely praised by testers, even if the large cooler adds a bit too much to the price tag of this mainstream GPU.

Summary and Buyer’s Guide

Had the GTX 1660S been a more power-hungry and heat-generating card, a large and efficient cooling solution would be a bigger priority. Its TDP is however only 125 W, so you might question the need for a bulky triple-fan solution to cool this card. The MSI GTX 1660 Super Gaming X uses a tried and tested design with great-looking RGB highlights, but the ASUS Dual GeForce GTX 1660 Super Mini is also an attractive card. As a bonus, it’s usually less expensive and will fit in mini ITX gaming cases – or even an Intel NUC 9 kit.

• If you care about aesthetics as well as performance – and don’t mind paying a bit more for features such as attractive RGB lighting – then the MSI GeForce GTX 1660 Super Gaming X 6G is one of a very limited amount of choices. What might make it a tough sell is the narrow price gap between this card and entry-level Ti cards that offer better performance.
• If you want the best possible combination of an attractive price tag and good cooling performance, we will stick with our recommendation of the dual-fan ASUS GeForce GTX 1660 Dual Mini.
• For a combination of value and an easy fit in compact builds using an mITX or mATX case, the Asus Dual Mini is still a great choice, but the single-fan Asus Phoenix usually costs less and the cooling solution is still sufficient.

All of these cards use trusted designs from major manufacturers, so reliability should not be an issue unless you are exceptionally unlucky. In terms of real-world performance, the difference between the cards will be small, but you may have more success overclocking cards with additional/more efficient fans. And last but not least: Also compare the GTX 1660S with other affordable cards to see which GPU offers the best price/performance ratio today. On average, however, the 1660S is one of the top choices among the more budget-oriented mid-range GPUs as of late 2020.