GeForce GTX 1660 vs GeForce GTX 980
The GeForce GTX 1660 pulls ahead here — in a different league, about 43% ahead of the GeForce GTX 980. It also wins on performance-per-dollar, making it the cleaner choice when you can afford it.
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GeForce GTX 1660 vs GeForce GTX 980: In-Depth Breakdown
Performance: GeForce GTX 1660 vs GeForce GTX 980
The GeForce GTX 1660 is dramatically faster, around 43% ahead of the GeForce GTX 980. Both cards sit in the same broad class, well suited to entry-level 1080p.
Price & Value
Pricing has the GeForce GTX 1660 at $158 GBP, $325 GBP under the GeForce GTX 980's $484 GBP. Because it's both faster and competitively priced, the GeForce GTX 1660 wins on performance-per-dollar by about 336%. The GeForce GTX 1660 is trading below its $219 GBP MSRP — a genuine deal. The GeForce GTX 980 is trading below its $549 GBP MSRP — a genuine deal.
Power & Efficiency
Power draw favors the GeForce GTX 1660 (120W vs 165W), and it's the more efficient card too, so it's the easy pick if thermals or a smaller PSU matter. Its more modern Turing architecture on a TSMC 12nm process is part of why it does more with each watt.
VRAM & Future-Proofing
The GeForce GTX 1660 carries 6GB versus 4GB on the GeForce GTX 980. The extra 2GB helps at 4K, with high-resolution texture packs, and for content-creation or local-AI workloads that exhaust smaller buffers. The GeForce GTX 980's memory is also faster — 224 GB/s versus 192 GB/s (256-bit vs 192-bit bus) — which helps feed the GPU at 4K and with heavy textures.
Generation & Longevity
The GeForce GTX 1660 is roughly 5 years newer than the GeForce GTX 980 (Turing vs Maxwell), so it generally benefits from a more modern architecture and longer driver-support runway.
Which should you buy: GeForce GTX 1660 or GeForce GTX 980?
The GeForce GTX 1660 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 980 if you find it at a steep discount.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the GeForce GTX 1660 better than the GeForce GTX 980?
Which is better for 4K gaming, the GeForce GTX 1660 or the GeForce GTX 980?
Is the GeForce GTX 980 worth the extra $325 GBP over the GeForce GTX 1660?
Does the GeForce GTX 1660 have enough VRAM advantage to matter?
Which should you buy: GeForce GTX 1660 or GeForce GTX 980?
Technical Specifications Comparison
Architecture & Cores
| Specification | GeForce GTX 1660 | GeForce GTX 980 |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Turing | Maxwell |
| Process Node | TSMC 12nm | TSMC 28nm |
| CUDA Cores (CUDA Cores / CUDA Cores) | 1,408 | 2,048✓ |
Clock Speeds
| Specification | GeForce GTX 1660 | GeForce GTX 980 |
|---|---|---|
| Base Clock | 1,530 MHz✓ | 1,126 MHz |
| Boost Clock | 1,785 MHz✓ | 1,216 MHz |
Memory
| Specification | GeForce GTX 1660 | GeForce GTX 980 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 6 GB✓ | 4 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bus | 192-bit | 256-bit✓ |
| Memory Speed | 8 Gbps✓ | 7 Gbps |
| Bandwidth | 192 GB/s | 224.3 GB/s✓ |
Connectivity & Power
| Specification | GeForce GTX 1660 | GeForce GTX 980 |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 3.0 x16 |
| TDP | 120 W✓ | 165 W |
| Power Connectors | 1x 8-pin | 2x 6-pin |
| Released | Mar 2019 | Sep 2014 |