NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super : Specifications, Architecture, Working, Differences & Its Applications

Nvidia developed the GeForce GTX 16 series graphics processing units in February 2019. These are based on the Turing microarchitecture, which was commercialized in a similar timeframe, and aim to cover the basic to mid-range market. The available GeForce GTX 16 series GPUs are the 1650 Super, GTX 1650, 1660, 1660 Super, lower-end GTX 1630, and 1660 Ti. Similar to the GeForce RTX 20 series GPU, the GeForce GTX 16 series GPU was followed by the GeForce 30 series. This 16 series was the final GPU generation of the GeForce series that did not support hardware-accelerated real-time ray tracing. Therefore, this series was marketed under the GTX in place of the RTX prefix. This article elaborates on the NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super GPU, its working, and applications.

What is NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super?

NVIDIA designed the GTX 1660 Super as a mid-range performance GPU built on the Turing architecture. This graphics card excels in 1080p gaming, delivering strong performance. It utilizes a 12 nm process based on the TU116 graphics processor. This GPU card supports DirectX 12 in its TU116-300-A1 variant. Thus, the TU116 graphics processor is a normal-sized chip with 284 mm² die area, which uses 6,600 million transistors.

NVIDIA connects 6 GB of GDDR6 memory through the GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER using a 192-bit memory interface. The GPU operating frequency ranges from 1530 MHz to 1785 MHz. NVIDIA has stopped some shading units on this GPU to attain the target shader count of the product. This GPU features shading units – 1408, texture mapping units – 88, and ROPs – 48. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER is a dual-slot card which draws power from a single 8-pin power connector, where the power draw can be rated maximum at 125 W. Its display outputs mainly include: 1x HDMI 2.0, 1x DVI & 1x DisplayPort 1.4a.

How does NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super Work?

The NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super GPU works with the Turing architecture using a TU116 graphics processor. However, it’s a customized version of the standard GTX 1660, which is mainly differentiated by its upgrade from GDDR5 memory to faster GDDR6 memory. Thus, this memory upgrade can improve the memory bandwidth to 336 GB/s, enhancing performance for 1440p gaming and 1080p gaming.

This performance can be achieved by running CUDA cores – 1408, texture mapping units – 88, and ROPs – 48 at 1530 MHz of a core clock, which can be enhanced to 1785 MHz. The NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super GPU works by merging a powerful graphics processor based on Turing with very-fast GDDR6 memory to speed up the rendering of graphics. Similar to all GPUs, this processor design can be optimized for parallel processing by allowing it to execute millions of instantaneous calculations for creative and gaming tasks.

Specifications

The specifications of the NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super GPU include the following.

• NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super GPU is built on the Turing Architecture.
• It features a TU116 GPU.
• Process Size is 12 nm.
• It includes 1,408 CUDA Cores.
• Base Clock is 1530 MHz
• Boost Clock is 1785 MHz.
• Floating Point Performance is 5.027 TFLOPS or FP32.
• Memory speed is 14 Gbps.
• Standard memory configuration is 6 GB GDDR6.
• Memory interface width is 192-bit.
• Memory Bandwidth is 336 GB/s
• Maximum power consumption or TDP is 125 W.
• Recommended system power is 450 W or above PSU
• It features one 8-pin connector.
• Maximum digital resolution is 7680 x 4320 at 60Hz.
• API Support – Vulkan API, DirectX 12, and OpenGL 4.6.
• Interface is PCI Express 3.0 x16
• It features a single 8-pin power connector.
• Outputs – HDMI 2.0b, DisplayPort 1.4, and DVI-D
• API Support is DirectX 12 and OpenGL 4.6.

NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super GPU Architecture

The NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super GPU is built on the Turing architecture by using the TU116 GPU. However, it lacks Tensor (AI) cores and dedicated RT (ray tracing) and focuses on core performance with features like adaptive shading technology, 1408 CUDA cores, simultaneous floating point execution & integer operations. In addition, it can also use high-speed GDDR6 memory, differentiating it from the Creative GTX 1660, which uses GDDR5 memory. In addition, this architecture supports current APIs like DirectX 12 with features like a unified memory architecture and adaptive shading.

NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super GPU Architecture Components

The NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super GPU architecture is fabricated on a 12nm process. It features different components like CUDA cores – 1408, Texture Mapping Units or TMUs – 88, and Render Output Units or ROPs – 48. In addition, it can also have GDDR6 memory – 6GB on a 192-bit memory interface, 1530 MHz of base CLK, and 1785 MHz boost clock. This GPU includes concurrent floating point, integer operations, and Turing’s adaptive shading for improved performance.

CUDA Cores

The NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super GPU features CUDA Cores – 1408. So, these are the parallel processing units that handle the graphics rendering mainly for the card. The main function of these cores is to perform the parallel computations required for graphics processing in rendering games & other applications. Therefore, the GTX 1660 Super GPU with 1408 CUDA cores makes up for this with quicker GDDR6 memory to deliver superior performance as compared to the original GTX 1660.

Texture Mapping Units (TMUs)

The texture mapping units, or TMUs, are the significant parts of the Turing architecture. This architecture features TMUs-88 – 88 which handle the sampling and filtering of textures in rendering. Thus, it is significant for visual detail within games. These texture units are responsible for texture processing, which are 2D images functional to 3D models within a video game, to include surface details & appearance.

Render Output Units (ROPs)

The NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super GPU features Render Output Units or ROPs – 48, which units are responsible for the last stages of the rendering process, like writing pixel data to memory by performing anti-aliasing tasks. These ROPs handle anti-aliasing, absolute pixel operations & the rendered image writing to the frame buffer. The number of render output units can impact performance, mainly at higher resolutions, because they are significant for handling the ultimate pixel data that is provided to the monitor.

GDDR6 Memory

It is a high-speed type of graphics memory used in the GPU to easily access and store data. Therefore, it is significant for gaming & other graphical tasks. It provides memory – 6GB with a 192-bit interface & 14 Gbps speed, which results in a 336 GB/s memory bandwidth. Therefore, this is a significant performance improvement over the earlier GDDR5 memory generation, which allows the GPU to manage demanding 1080p gaming efficiently.

Power Connector

The NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super GPU uses a single 8-pin power connector to receive the power from the PCI-Express slot on the motherboard. This graphics card has approximately 125W of Thermal Design Power (TDP). This standard 8-pin power connector must be supplied directly from the PSU (power supply unit) to ensure constant operation & avoid performance issues.

Video & Display Engine

The GTX 1660 Super GPU features dedicated hardware that speeds up video encoding & manages display outputs. The Turing-based NVENC encoder provides superior encoding quality and efficiency as compared to earlier generations, which makes it perfect for streamers. The DisplayPort 1.4a & HDMI 2.0b allow for high-refresh-rate output and high-resolution to displays.

Clocks

The base clock in this GPU is the minimum guaranteed speed, whereas the boost clock is the maximum speed of the GPU that can be achieved for short bursts whenever thermal & power headroom allows. Thus, the boost clock is an automatic and dynamic feature that allows the GPU to enhance its performance beyond the base clock in demanding tasks like high-performance computing and gaming.

The NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super features a reference 1530 MHz base clock & 1785 MHz of a reference boost clock. This processor can be built on the NVIDIA Turing architecture with 1408 CUDA cores.

Software System

The latest Game Ready Driver is the necessary software system for an NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super GPU from NVIDIA. This software can be downloaded from their website or through the NVIDIA App. Thus, this is a new companion tool from NVIDIA for creators and gamers which provides driver updates, a unified control center, and features like recording and redesigned in-game overlay tools. In addition, it can also have software for features like NVIDIA Freestyle, GeForce Experience & other system-enhancing utilities.

Difference between NVIDIA GTX 1660 and NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super

The difference between NVIDIA GTX 1660 and NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super includes the following.

How to Maintain NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super?

The NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super GPU maintenance can be done by updating drivers regularly, perform physical cleaning through compressed air for every 6 to 12 months & monitor temperatures with software. Sometimes, you may need to change the thermal paste to keep optimal cooling performance.

• The latest drivers must be Downloaded and installed from official website of NVIDIA to ensure improvements performance, bug fixes & compatibility improvements.
• Open the case and utilize compressed air to clean the fan & heat sink’s dust. Hold the fan blades to avoid them from spinning & avoid directly touching the circuit board.
• Use HWMonitor or MSI Afterburner software to check the temperature of your GPU. Keep it in secure limits to avoid overheating.

Advantages

The advantages of NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super include the following.

• The GTX 1660 Super GPU is designed for high-definition 1080p gaming, thus delivering a smooth and responsive experience within several modern games.
• It uses quick 14 Gbps GDDR6 memory, which provides a 336 GB/s of higher memory bandwidth as compared to older models which leads to better performance.
• Its Turing architecture features optimizations like simultaneous FP+INT operations and higher shaders that can speed up frame rates.
• It supports new DirectX 12 APIs by ensuring compatibility with all modern games.
• The ASUS Phoenix model has a solid design that fits into a broad range of PC cases.
• This GPU provides up to a 20% increase in performance over the new GTX 1660 & is up to 1.5x faster as compared to the previous GTX 1060.
• This GPU card includes a low-impact and an award-winning NVENC broadcast encoder, which makes it a best option for streamers who desire to transmit their game play.
• In addition, it supports several features like GeForce Experience with NVIDIA Highlights, Freestyle and Ansel by allowing for simple game capture, in-game filtering and photo creation.

Disadvantages

The disadvantages of NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super include the following.

• The NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super GPU lacks modern features like DLSS, ray tracing, and its limited VRAM. Thus, it can delay performance in more demanding and newer games at higher settings.
• It typically has only a single DisplayPort, DVI port, and HDMI which is hard to connect several displays without using a different card or adapters.
• This GPU is not ideal for users who want to play the latest games with high-end graphics settings.
• In addition, it struggles with the most recent AAA titles at high settings and resolutions, which needs significant compromises.

Applications

The applications of NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super include the following.

• The NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super GPU is used mainly for 1080p gaming, which handles popular titles at higher settings through high frame rates.
• It can also be used in mid-level 3D modeling, video streaming, and graphic design.
• This graphics card excels at 1080p resolution which delivers flat game play in a lot of titles like Fortnite, Call of Duty, GTA V and Valorant.
• The 1660 Super GPU handles mid-level 3D modeling and graphic design.
• This is suitable for streaming, which provides high-quality broadcast encoding through the Turing NVENC encoder.
• It is frequently used for everyday & productivity tasks.

This is brief information on NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super GPU which is an efficient graphic card that excels at 1080p gaming. It is capable in mid-range GPUs for 1080p gaming to provide strong performance for its price class, mostly for trendy titles. Thus, it is the best choice for economical gamers on a 1080p monitor who don’t require superior features like ray tracing. Here is a question for you, What is NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super?