GeForce GTX 1660 vs Radeon RX 6500 XT
On raw speed the GeForce GTX 1660 comes out ahead: well ahead on speed, about 25% ahead of the Radeon RX 6500 XT. That said, the Radeon RX 6500 XT is the smarter buy on value — $400 AUD less for the performance on offer.
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GeForce GTX 1660 vs Radeon RX 6500 XT: In-Depth Breakdown
Performance: GeForce GTX 1660 vs Radeon RX 6500 XT
The GeForce GTX 1660 is significantly faster, around 25% ahead of the Radeon RX 6500 XT. Both cards sit in the same broad class, well suited to entry-level 1080p.
Price & Value
The Radeon RX 6500 XT currently lists from $199 AUD, $400 AUD less than the GeForce GTX 1660 at $599 AUD. Despite being slower, the Radeon RX 6500 XT offers the better performance-per-dollar (~141% better value), so budget-focused buyers should weigh it carefully. The GeForce GTX 1660 still sits about $380 AUD above its $219 AUD MSRP.
Power & Efficiency
On power, the Radeon RX 6500 XT is the gentler choice at 113W versus 120W. The GeForce GTX 1660 is more efficient per watt because it's faster, but its higher 120W draw means more heat and a bigger PSU.
VRAM & Future-Proofing
VRAM favors the GeForce GTX 1660 at 6GB versus 4GB on the Radeon RX 6500 XT — that extra 2GB matters most at 4K, with high-res texture packs, and for content-creation/local-AI work.
Generation & Longevity
The Radeon RX 6500 XT is roughly 3 years newer than the GeForce GTX 1660 (RDNA 2 vs Turing), so it generally benefits from a more modern architecture and longer driver-support runway.
Features & Ecosystem
Beyond raw numbers, the GeForce GTX 1660 brings NVIDIA DLSS upscaling/frame generation and stronger ray tracing, while the Radeon RX 6500 XT offers AMD FSR upscaling and strong rasterization value. If you lean on upscaling or ray tracing, that ecosystem difference can matter as much as the frame-rate gap.
Which should you buy: GeForce GTX 1660 or Radeon RX 6500 XT?
Choose the GeForce GTX 1660 if you want the most performance and can absorb the higher price. If you're optimizing for value, the Radeon RX 6500 XT stretches your money further for only slightly lower performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the GeForce GTX 1660 better than the Radeon RX 6500 XT?
Which is better for 4K gaming, the GeForce GTX 1660 or the Radeon RX 6500 XT?
Is the GeForce GTX 1660 worth the extra $400 AUD over the Radeon RX 6500 XT?
Does the GeForce GTX 1660 have enough VRAM advantage to matter?
Which should you buy: GeForce GTX 1660 or Radeon RX 6500 XT?
Technical Specifications Comparison
Architecture & Cores
| Specification | GeForce GTX 1660 | Radeon RX 6500 XT |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Turing | RDNA 2 |
| Process Node | TSMC 12nm | TSMC N6 |
| CUDA Cores (CUDA Cores / Stream Processors) | 1,408✓ | 1,024 |
| Ray Tracing Cores | — | 16 |
Clock Speeds
| Specification | GeForce GTX 1660 | Radeon RX 6500 XT |
|---|---|---|
| Base Clock | 1,530 MHz | 2,310 MHz✓ |
| Boost Clock | 1,785 MHz | 2,815 MHz✓ |
Memory
| Specification | GeForce GTX 1660 | Radeon RX 6500 XT |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 6 GB✓ | 4 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR6 |
| Memory Bus | 192-bit✓ | 64-bit |
| Memory Speed | 8 Gbps | 18 Gbps✓ |
| Bandwidth | 192 GB/s✓ | 144 GB/s |
Connectivity & Power
| Specification | GeForce GTX 1660 | Radeon RX 6500 XT |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 4.0 x4 |
| TDP | 120 W | 113 W✓ |
| Power Connectors | 1x 8-pin | 1x 6-pin |
| Released | Mar 2019 | Jan 2022 |