GeForce GTX 1660 Ti vs GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
Performance-wise the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is out front, dramatically faster, roughly 118% up on the GeForce GTX 1660 Ti. It is also the stronger value pick here, so it's the easy recommendation if your budget allows.
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GeForce RTX 3060 Ti vs GeForce GTX 1660 Ti: In-Depth Breakdown
Performance: GeForce RTX 3060 Ti vs GeForce GTX 1660 Ti
The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is dramatically faster, around 118% ahead of the GeForce GTX 1660 Ti. That gap is enough to move it up a tier: the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is comfortable at 1080p, while the GeForce GTX 1660 Ti is better matched to entry-level 1080p. The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti packs 4,864 CUDA cores versus 1,536 on the GeForce GTX 1660 Ti.
Price & Value
Right now the GeForce GTX 1660 Ti starts at $221 EUR against $250 EUR for the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti. Because it's both faster and competitively priced, the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti wins on performance-per-dollar by about 93%. The GeForce GTX 1660 Ti is trading below its $279 EUR MSRP — a genuine deal. The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is trading below its $399 EUR MSRP — a genuine deal.
Power & Efficiency
The GeForce GTX 1660 Ti is the lighter draw at 120W against the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti's 200W, making it the easier card to power and cool. The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti draws more in absolute terms but squeezes out more performance per watt, so budget for a beefier PSU if you go that route. Its more modern Ampere architecture on a Samsung 8nm process is part of why it does more with each watt.
VRAM & Future-Proofing
The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti's 8GB (vs 6GB on the GeForce GTX 1660 Ti) gives it more room for 4K textures and memory-hungry creative or AI workloads. The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti's memory is also faster — 448 GB/s versus 288 GB/s (256-bit vs 192-bit bus) — which helps feed the GPU at 4K and with heavy textures.
Which should you buy: GeForce GTX 1660 Ti or GeForce RTX 3060 Ti?
The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is the all-round winner here — it's faster and the better value, so buy it if it fits your budget. Only consider the GeForce GTX 1660 Ti if you find it at a steep discount.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti better than the GeForce GTX 1660 Ti?
Which is better for 4K gaming, the GeForce GTX 1660 Ti or the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti?
Is the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti worth the extra $29 EUR over the GeForce GTX 1660 Ti?
Does the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti have enough VRAM advantage to matter?
Which should you buy: GeForce GTX 1660 Ti or GeForce RTX 3060 Ti?
Technical Specifications Comparison
Architecture & Cores
| Specification | GeForce GTX 1660 Ti | GeForce RTX 3060 Ti |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Turing | Ampere |
| Process Node | TSMC 12nm | Samsung 8nm |
| CUDA Cores (CUDA Cores / CUDA Cores) | 1,536 | 4,864✓ |
| Ray Tracing Cores | — | 38 |
| Tensor / AI Cores | — | 152 |
Clock Speeds
| Specification | GeForce GTX 1660 Ti | GeForce RTX 3060 Ti |
|---|---|---|
| Base Clock | 1,500 MHz✓ | 1,410 MHz |
| Boost Clock | 1,770 MHz✓ | 1,665 MHz |
Memory
| Specification | GeForce GTX 1660 Ti | GeForce RTX 3060 Ti |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 6 GB | 8 GB✓ |
| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR6 |
| Memory Bus | 192-bit | 256-bit✓ |
| Memory Speed | 12 Gbps | 14 Gbps✓ |
| Bandwidth | 288 GB/s | 448 GB/s✓ |
Connectivity & Power
| Specification | GeForce GTX 1660 Ti | GeForce RTX 3060 Ti |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 4.0 x16 |
| TDP | 120 W✓ | 200 W |
| Power Connectors | 1x 8-pin | 1x 12-pin |
| Released | Feb 2019 | Dec 2020 |