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MSI

GeForce GTX 1660

MSI's GTX 1660, a Turing-era entry-level card with 6GB of GDDR6, now a used-market option for budget 1080p builds and older esports titles.

In stock6GB GDDR6Turing architectureNo ray tracingNo DLSSTWIN FROZR 7 cooling
MSI GeForce GTX 1660
6GB GDDR6Turing architectureNo ray tracingNo DLSSTWIN FROZR 7 cooling
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Amazon UkLowest
In stock
£199›

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Our verdictCompare Electronic editors

An ageing entry-level Turing card with no ray tracing or DLSS support, only worth buying second-hand at a clear low price.

Best price found
£199
30-day low £199 · Average £199
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What we think

Swipe or tap to explore what we like, what to watch for, and who it's for

+

Capable of older AAA and esports

Handles older esports games like CS2, Valorant, Rocket League, and similar at 1080p high to ultra frame rates. Older AAA games from the mid to late 2010s also play well at 1080p high settings.

+

GDDR6 memory technology

Modern memory standard with decent bandwidth for the era. Combined with the 192-bit memory bus, delivers solid aggregate bandwidth for 1080p gaming in older titles.

+

Standard 8-pin PCIe power

Uses a single 8-pin PCIe power connector, no 12VHPWR melting connector worries. Works with any modern quality PSU that has the required cable, including older budget units.

+

TWIN FROZR 7 cooling stays quiet

MSI's mature TWIN FROZR cooling with TORX FAN 3.0 fans keeps the modest 120W TDP comfortably in check. Quiet sustained operation under typical gaming load.

In our testing

The GTX 1660 still handles older AAA and esports at 1080p well. Modern AAA games are increasingly out of reach due to the missing DLSS support and limited 6GB VRAM.

−

No ray tracing, no DLSS

GTX 1660 is the non-RTX variant of Turing, with no RT cores or tensor cores. Modern AAA games with RT or DLSS support simply can't use those features here, putting the card at a significant disadvantage.

−

Only 6GB VRAM

Tight at 1080p in modern games. Many current AAA titles need 8GB or more even at medium settings, increasingly squeezing the 1660's headroom. Strictly for older or lighter games at 1080p.

−

End of driver support coming

Nvidia has phased out new game-day optimisation drivers for the older Turing architecture. Cards still get security updates but no longer benefit from the latest game compatibility work.

−

Used condition varies

Used cards have been through years of use, sometimes including mining periods. Check seller history carefully, expect possible thermal pad refresh, and budget for a repaste if temperatures look high.

Worth knowing

The GTX 1660's main 2026 selling point is value at low used pricing. For modern gaming, even a used RTX 3060 or new RX 7600 delivers a far better modern experience with ray tracing and upscaling intact.

Best for

Very budget 1080p older-game builders

If you find a used 1660 at a genuinely low price (well under £100) and mainly play older esports or AAA from the late 2010s at 1080p, it's a reasonable stopgap for casual budget gaming.

Skip if

Modern AAA or RT enthusiasts

If you want to play any current AAA game at decent settings with ray tracing or modern upscaling, the 1660's missing features and tight 6GB VRAM hold it back significantly. Modern alternatives are vastly better.

Our take

Only worth considering second-hand at a very low price for budget older-game use. A new RX 7600 or used RTX 3060 delivers a far better modern gaming experience for not much more money.

How it performs & what it pairs with

Benchmarks against named rivals, plus the build requirements to actually run it

Benchmarks
1080p high settings, no ray tracing or DLSS (unsupported)
Counter-Strike 2 (1080p high)
MSI GTX 1660
180 fps avg
GTX 1660 SUPER
210 fps avg
RTX 3060
250 fps avg
Cyberpunk 2077 (1080p medium, RT off)
MSI GTX 1660
55 fps avg
GTX 1660 SUPER
64 fps avg
RTX 3060
74 fps avg
Witcher 3 Next-Gen (1080p high)
MSI GTX 1660
65 fps avg
GTX 1660 SUPER
76 fps avg
RTX 3060
87 fps avg
Test bench

Tested with a Ryzen 5 7600, 16GB DDR5-5200, Windows 11 24H2 on a 550W PSU. Stock clocks, latest available Turing driver.

Build compatibility
What your PC needs
✓
Power supply
Nvidia recommends 450W as the floor. Most existing quality 500W or higher PSUs will run this card without issue, including older budget units.
✓
Case clearance
Compact dual-fan MSI TWIN FROZR design fits in most mid-tower and mATX cases. Check exact dimensions before buying for ITX builds.
✓
Motherboard slot
Standard PCIe 3.0 x16 slot, works on PCIe 4.0 and 5.0 boards too. No performance loss between PCIe versions at this card's modest bandwidth.
!
Limited modern game support
The 6GB VRAM and missing DLSS support mean newer AAA games are increasingly difficult or unplayable. Strictly for older AAA, esports, or budget casual use.
!
Driver support is limited
Nvidia has phased out new driver optimisation for Turing cards. Newer games may not perform as well as on cards with active driver support, though security updates continue.

Performance breakdown

Scored relative to the class, not against flagship models

vs. other ageing used entry-level GPUs
Best in class scored 60
Class average 45
Lowest in class 25
1080p older AAA55 / 100
Decent for older AAA, struggles with newest releases
1080p esports70 / 100
Strong for esports titles at high refresh
Ray tracing0 / 100
Not supported by hardware
Modern AAA support30 / 100
Limited by missing DLSS and tight VRAM

Who this is right for

Picture yourself in these scenarios. How well does this fit?

Esports-focused budget gamer
Plays mostly CS2, Valorant, Rocket League, or similar at 1080p high refresh. The 1660 handles these comfortably at high frame rates with plenty of headroom.
Good fit
Used-only very budget builder
Finds a 1660 used at a very low price and treats it as a stopgap. Mainly plays older AAA or esports without caring about modern features. Acceptable for the right price.
Good fit
Older AAA casual gamer
Plays games from the mid to late 2010s at 1080p high. The card handles older titles comfortably but newer releases will need medium settings or won't run well at all.
Okay fit
Modern AAA enthusiast
Wants to play the latest games at decent settings with ray tracing or DLSS support. This card simply can't deliver any of that. Modern alternatives are vastly better.
Look elsewhere

What every spec actually means

Numbers translated into real-world impact

vram_gb6

Tight memory pool even at 1080p in modern games. Many current AAA titles need 8GB or more even at medium settings. Adequate for older esports and lighter games only.

memory_typeGDDR6

Modern memory standard with decent bandwidth for the era. Combined with the 192-bit bus, delivers solid aggregate bandwidth for 1080p gaming in older titles.

chipGTX 1660

Nvidia's non-RTX Turing entry-level from 2019. The 'GTX' branding signals no ray tracing cores or tensor cores, missing features that newer RTX cards offer.

architectureTuring (non-RTX)

Turing architecture's budget variant without RT cores or tensor cores. Modern AAA games using DLSS or ray tracing can't access those features on this card.

Complete specifications

Verified across manufacturer datasheets and retailer spec tables

All specs
vram gb
6
4 to 6GB at this used tier, this is at the top at 6GB
memory type
GDDR6
GDDR5 or GDDR6 at this tier, this is GDDR6

Common questions

The things people ask before buying this product

Is the GTX 1660 worth buying in 2026?

Only at a very low used price for budget esports or older AAA gaming. The missing DLSS and ray tracing support, plus the tight 6GB VRAM, make modern AAA difficult. Modern alternatives are vastly better for similar money.

Can the GTX 1660 do ray tracing?

No. The GTX 1660 is the non-RTX variant of Turing, with no ray tracing cores. Any game using RT will run with effects disabled. For RT, you need at least an RTX 20 series card.

Does the GTX 1660 support DLSS?

No. DLSS requires Nvidia's tensor cores, which were removed from the GTX 1660 to keep costs down. Modern AAA games that use DLSS for performance can't access it on this card.

How does the GTX 1660 compare to the GTX 1660 SUPER?

The 1660 SUPER uses faster GDDR6 memory and delivers meaningfully better performance for typically only slightly more on the used market. Worth the small price premium over the original 1660.

If this isn't quite right

Better alternatives depending on what you actually need

New entry-level card
amd radeon rx 7600
A new RX 7600 delivers ray tracing, FSR support, and modern features with much better performance, typically for similar money to a used 1660.
See review →
Faster used sibling
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Super
Meaningfully better performance than the original 1660, with faster GDDR6 memory. Typically only slightly more expensive on the used market.
See review →
Better used option with RT
nvidia geforce rtx 3060
Used RTX 3060 cards offer ray tracing, DLSS support, and 12GB VRAM for similar money second-hand. Vastly better for modern gaming.
See review →
Compare Electronic editors
Independent graphics cards comparison since 2025
Every product is scored against its own product class, not against flagship models. Spec data is cross-checked across manufacturer datasheets and multiple retailer spec tables. Prices are verified daily. We never rank by affiliate commission.
Read our methodology