Question Basic GeForce 1660 or high-spec GeForce 1060?

Sep 27, 2018
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I'm trying to choose between the two video cards below:

A$330 for a Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1060 Windforce3 OC 6GB
https://www.umart.com.au/Gigabyte-GeForce-GTX-1060-Windforce3-OC-6GB-Graphics-Card_49660G.html

A$370 for a Gigabyte Geforce GTX 1660 Gaming 6G OC
https://www.umart.com.au/Gigabyte-Geforce-GTX-1660-Gaming-6G-OC-Graphics-Card_50161G.html

The card is to go into a new AMD Ryzen 7 2700 system with 16 GB RAM. It will run games on a 2K 75Hz monitor, with a 1080p monitor running YouTube videos at the same time. The most advanced games will be Jedi: Fallen Order, Elite Dangerous and Diablo III. ;) I am likely to use the card for 3-4 years before upgrading it.

I was unable to find a web page that would allow me to directly compare the specs of these cards, nor a direct performance comparison.

What I do know:
* The 1660 is newer technology, so likely to maintain its performance with new games further into the future
* The 1660 is likely to handle 2K resolutions better
* The 1060 is a higher-end product within its GPU range

So:
* Will this particular 1660 perform better in games than this particular 1060?
* If so, is the difference big enough to justify spending an extra A$40?

Thanks in advance!
 
Sep 27, 2018
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Thanks for the replies and advice.

I'm still not convinced, but I am better informed. (It's sad, because I used to know the answers to all of these questions.)

@jay32267 - That comparison site is awesome. But it seems (at a glance) to only compare baseline versions.

@hftvhftv - Good advice. Except the video card is the easiest component to replace, so there's an annoying argument to just pick a price point. Aargh!

@ElectrO_90 - There's always the option to turn down graphics settings, especially anti-aliasing! I'm actually preferring the sharp look of Diablo III with NO anti-aliasing at 2K. I did read the review that basically said the 1660s don't quite manage 2K, but this is meant to be a budget gaming PC; the high-spec components are the ones that are going to last 8-10 years. Also, there was a time when 30fps was just super! :D
 

hftvhftv

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Thanks for the replies and advice.

I'm still not convinced, but I am better informed. (It's sad, because I used to know the answers to all of these questions.)


@hftvhftv - Good advice. Except the video card is the easiest component to replace, so there's an annoying argument to just pick a price point. Aargh!
Yeah, it's the easiest component to replace, but you'll get better gaming performance if for example you went form a Ryzen 7 to a Ryzen 5 and got like an RTX 2060 instead of a going on 3 year old graphics card that's been discontinued for months. You'll also lose money trying to sell an old card and having to pony up for full retail price on a new card. Might as well just save the extra money and get a better card.
 
Sep 27, 2018
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Thanks for the reply -- I really do appreciate you taking the time. There are some issues, though:
  1. The CPU is locked in, and there's no way I'm going to buy Radeon.
  2. I've never successfully sold a single old video card.
  3. I still haven't seen any actual proof that this particular 1660 will be faster than this particular 1060, and they really are the only options I'm considering to buy.

To be perfectly honest, my current thinking is that I should stick with my current video card (GTX 750 Ti) and wait until the 1660 range comes down in price -- probably when the 1670s start to release.

Most astonishing to me is how little information I can find on actual specs. For example, the specs for the 1060 and 1660 look very nearly identical. The manufacturing process size is completely missing on the 1660. And I can't find any performance data at all on the Windforce 3. In SSDs, it's even worse! Makes me wonder if the PC Hardware market has just become one giant con-job. :(