1660 Ti vs 2070
In this article, we have compared the differences between the GTX 1660 Ti and RTX 2060 to discover which one will come out on top.
When it comes down to picking the best graphics cards among the vast sea of options out there, shortlisting your options down to just one can be a daunting task. That’s why, here at WePC, we’ve done the hard work for you.
If you’re looking for a new graphics card and you’re considering purchasing one from Nvidia, you’re making a great choice. Nvidia is a leader in the PC gaming world, inventors of the GPU, and has over 20 years of industry experience.
In this article, we’re going to be comparing two of their bestselling cards: the GTX 1660 Ti, as well as their RTX 2070, to help you decide which one might be best for your needs. Ready? Let’s begin.
Nvidia Overview
Founded in 1999, Nvidia has developed a reputation for developing some of the best graphics cards in the gaming market, as well as acquiring market dominance in other areas, including AI, automotive cars, and even mobile computing.
In comparison to some of their rivals, such as AMD, Nvidia has consistently continued to set the bar for innovative and industry-standard GPUs, and the 1660 Ti and 2070 cards are shining examples of their expertise. Below, let’s take a look at some of the differences between the two:
Architecture
Architecture impacts speed and overall performance, and is where the main differences between the two cards can be found. To begin, let us take a look at the base and boost clock capabilities between the two cards:
GTX 1660 Ti:
Base Clock: 1500 MHz
Boost Clock: 1830MHz
RTX 2070:
Base Clock: 1410MHz
Boost Clock: 1620MHz
The 1660 Ti has been made with Nvidia’s very own Turing architecture, which will ensure impressive performance across many games, and a 1.4X power efficiency upgrades as opposed to older generation cards.
Interestingly enough, though the RTX 2070 is deemed a more ‘premium’ card, the GTX 1660 Ti pulls ahead in both the base and boost clock specifications. This solidifies the 1660 Ti’s presence comfortably within the midrange powerhouse category, meaning that this card will be able to handle 1080p and 1440p gaming, though it will likely struggle at 4K.
On the other hand, though the RTX 2070 has a slightly slower base and clock speed, it is still considerably more powerful than the GTX 1660. Also powered by Nvidia’s Turing GPU architecture, 2070 will be able to deliver a performance up to 6 times faster than older-generation cards, as well as enhanced graphics that won’t lag, all thanks to its RTX platform.
In addition, the RTX 2070 has been built on the 12nm process and is, therefore, able to support AI and real-time ray tracing, and it does this by combining multiple kinds of CUDA and Tensor cores.
Cooling
If you’re interested in being able to overclock your gaming card, then the cooling capabilities of the card you’re considering is very important. It is a factor that determines how well your GPU will be able to achieve maximum speed and allow you to enjoy an immersive and smooth gaming experience.
The RTX 2070 boasts 1,920 CUDA cores, 240 Tensor cores, and 6GB of 14GHz memory. It features a maximum GPU temperature of 88 degrees celsius, whereas the 1660 Ti has a temperature of 83 degrees celsius. As far as cooling goes, though the 2070 pulls ahead in this category, you still might want to consider purchasing a separate cooling system, though keep in mind that this will come at an additional cost.
In addition to this, to keep cool, the GTX 1660 Ti features thermals that help to maintain lower temperatures during the most demanding of games, while the RTX 2070 features wing-blade fans and an innovative slot design that will help to withstand even 4K resolution without overheating. It also means that the 2070 is better-suited to being overclocked.
Resolution
Resolution refers to how sharp and clear the gameplay will appear. The GTX 1660 will be able to achieve around 50-60 frames per second (which is on par with the RTX 2070) however, the resolution will be lacking in shadows, ambiance, and immersive lighting.
On the other hand, the RTX 2070 will be able to achieve around 50-60 frames per second (operating at maximum settings) meaning that the RTX 2060 is not only faster by 58%, but able to deliver a more smooth and immersive experience.
The RTX 2070 will be able to provide you with great frame rate increases over the GTX 1660 6GB, which we think justifies the difference in price point between the two. Armed with the 2070, you’ll be able to play games such as Call of Duty and Borderlands in full HD resolution, all the while keeping frame rates operating at a level that won’t overburden the card.
Ray Tracing
The GTX 1660 Ti was developed way before Nvidia began using ray tracing technology so, unfortunately, this card does not offer ray tracing. In contrast, the RTX 2070 does offer real-time ray tracing, which means that this card can be used to create realistic and immersive lighting and shadow effects.
VRAM
Nvidia has manufactured the 1660 Ti with a 6GB GDDR5 VRAM. This might be a problem in the future as, though it will be able to handle 1440p, it will likely begin to struggle significantly as 4K games become more prevalent.
Nevertheless, Nvidia has still been pretty generous with the GTX 1660 Ti. It has an impressively large capacity of 6GB, and a memory speed of 8Gbps, which is an upgrade to older generation cards, such as the GTX 960.
The 1660 Ti will also be able to withstand high-frequency gaming. However, as many games of today require at least a memory of 8GB upwards, it’s no denying that this GPU struggles to compete with more advanced and new graphics cards currently on the market.
On the other hand, though the RTX 2070 is deemed as being an ‘entry-level’ GPU, it does come with 8GB of VRAM. This makes the 2070 more powerful and modern than the GTX 1660 Ti, as it will be able to withstand both the highest texture gameplays between 1440 and 1880p, as well as 4K.
Besides these general specifications above, it is also worth being aware that neither card comes with Nvidia’s VirtualLink™ feature. In a nutshell, VirtualLink™ is an industry-standard specification that allows VR headsets to be able to connect to devices by using a single connector, rather than requiring multiple cords. This speeds up VR setup and allows smaller device users to have a more realistic, immersive playing experience.
However, the lack of VirtualLink™ still doesn’t deter away from the fact that both of these cards are capable of meeting your gaming needs. In particular, the RTX 2070 will be able to handle a range of current VR headsets due to its high processing core – it’s just something to be aware of.
Bottom Line
Choose the GTX 1660 Ti if:
If you’re on the lookout for a mid-range level GPU card that will be able to offer you some premium features, look to the GTX 1660 Ti. It has impressive Turing architecture at a more affordable price point, however, it offers no ray tracing and doesn’t offer many cooling capabilities, so it will be difficult to overclock.
Choose the RTX 2070 if:
If you’re searching for a graphics card that can offer you 1440p gaming, then you won’t be disappointed with the RTX 2070. Though it is placed at a higher price point than the GTX 1660 Ti, it offers far more capabilities, including ray tracing, excellent cooling capabilities, and DLSS. In comparison to the GTX 1660 Ti, the RTX 2070 is hard to rival.