MSI NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super 6GB Graphics Card - Pre-Owned

NVIDIA's GTX 1660 Super card launched in October 2019 and was an interesting memory upgrade for the GTX 1660 series. The number of CUDA cores (1408) and clock speeds remain the same as the regular GTX 1660, but the memory has been upgraded from GDDR5 to the faster GDDR6—this is the card's biggest and only major change.

Thanks to this memory upgrade, the GTX 1660 Super offers approximately 75% more memory bandwidth than the GDDR5-based GTX 1660, and according to NVIDIA's own benchmarks, it's 20% faster than the regular GTX 1660 and 1.5 times faster than the older GTX 1060 6GB. Interestingly, this card even rivals the more expensive GTX 1660 Ti in some benchmarks, making it a sweet-spot card in terms of price-to-performance.

Performance and Architecture

The GTX 1660 Super is built on the TU116 chip and features 1408 CUDA Cores. The base clock is around 1530 MHz and the boost clock goes up to 1785 MHz, while factory-overclocked variants (like the Gigabyte OC) can even reach 1830 MHz. This card is built on the Turing architecture, which features concurrent floating-point and integer operations, adaptive shading technology, and twice the cache as its predecessor, delivering improved performance in modern games.

The card also includes DirectX 12 and OpenGL 4.6 support, along with features like NVIDIA Ansel (for in-game photography), NVIDIA Highlights, and a dedicated hardware encoder (for simultaneous gaming and streaming). Approximately 1.4x better power efficiency than the previous Pascal generation also provides a cooler and more silent gaming experience.

Memory and memory bandwidth

This card features 6GB of GDDR6 video memory, running at speeds of up to 14 Gbps over a 192-bit memory interface. This provides memory bandwidth of up to 336 GB/s, which is 75% more than the GTX 1660 (192 GB/s) and even better than the GTX 1660 Ti (288 GB/s). This is why the GTX 1660 Super outperforms even more expensive models in memory-intensive games.

Display Output and Connectivity

The GTX 1660 Super features three DisplayPort 1.4a and one HDMI 2.0b outputs, supporting resolutions up to 4K@60Hz. The card can connect up to four displays simultaneously and supports a maximum digital resolution of 7680x4320. The PCI Express 3.0 x16 interface makes it easily compatible with any modern motherboard.

Cooling and Build

The card comes in a dual-slot design and measures between 210mm and 268mm in length, depending on the model. Most variants feature dual-fan cooling designs (e.g., Gigabyte WINDFORCE 2X, MSI TWIN FROZR 7), while some brands, such as PNY, also offer single-fan variants. MSI's TORX FAN 3.0 and Gigabyte's alternate-spinning fan designs ensure better airflow and silent operation.

Things to keep in mind during installation

Ensure the card is seated correctly in the PCIe x16 slot and the 8-pin power connector is connected. The recommended PSU is 450W. Download legacy drivers from NVIDIA's official website, as this card is no longer supported by NVIDIA's latest Game Ready drivers.

Who is this graphics card for?

The GTX 1660 Super is an excellent choice for users seeking a 1080p high-settings gaming experience on a budget, with improved memory bandwidth. This card is a reliable performer for esports titles, battle royale games, and streaming-focused users (thanks to its dedicated encoder). For those confused between the GTX 1660, 1660 Super, and 1660 Ti, the Super variant could be the smarter choice in terms of price-to-performance.

GTX 1660 Super Specifications Table

GTX 1660 Super Price (New vs Second-Hand)

Note: This card has been discontinued, so "new" units are now difficult to find, and most purchases are made on the second-hand market. Be sure to check the card's condition, fan bearings, and benchmark tests before purchasing.