nVidia launches the GTX 660 Ti: Best $300 Graphics Card
nVidia launched their first Kepler based mid-range graphics card today, namely the GTX 660 Ti. The newly launched card is based on the same GK104 silicon that power’s the monster that is GTX 680 and it’s younger sibling the GTX 670.
There was a time last year when nVidia had lost all hope. More so, everyone had lost hope on nVidia. Fermi, nVidia’s biggest graphics chip ever had tanked. And it did tank bad. A huge card, a huge chip, loads of power requirement and failed performance. AMD’s graphics cards, which were 70% the size and cost would beat nVidia where it mattered the most. And that was the highest performing GPU crown (which nVidia takes real seriously). A year later, nVidia outdid themselves. Their new Kepler based GPU and it’s product, the GK 104 silicon did what AMD did to nVidia last year. AMD is now on the run. The HD7970 is bigger, costlier and consumes more power. GK 104 simply laughs at it, with it’s measly 294 mm^2 die size and 256-bit memory interface, which beats the much more meatier 365 mm^2 and 384-bit (read, costlier to produce) HD7970.
Image Courtesy Anandtech
The graphics card market has an amazing atmosphere right now, with nVidia pulling ahead, thanks to Kepler, and AMD still fighting on due to revisions and excellent Catalyst Software enhancements thereby increasing game performance. Yesterday, nVidia launched the GTX 660 Ti. And with it, it entered into a market which the GTX 680 was originally meant to target, but thanks to over-performing (literally), it ended up at a $500 price bracket.
Enter GTX 660 Ti, the $300 beast based on the same piece of silicon as the GTX 680. The difference? The GTX 660 Ti is closer to the GTX 670, with both having one shader cluster disabled. The other key bit of difference is that the GTX 660 Ti has a 192-bit memory interface. Rest all remains the same. Despite that, the card performs admirably. And AMD’s fear is clear especially after they released their new HD 7950 Boost State Profile/Bios, basically a free performance upgrade for all HD 7950 cards. But will it be enough? Have a look at various reviews across the Internet to find out.
The performance of the card when overclocked matches or surpasses the GTX 680 and the HD7970. This is an enviable feat by a $300 card. I think you can now appreciate how powerful and amazing this card really is at it’s price point.
Reviews:
MSI GTX 660 Ti Power Edition Overclocked – Tweaktown
HD7950 boost vs GTX 660 Ti – Guru3D
ASUS GTX 660 Ti Direct CU II – Techpowerup
nVidia GTX 660 Ti Review – Techspot
nVidia GTX 660 Ti Review – Techreport
EVGA, Zotac, Gigabyte GTX 660 Ti – Anandtech
Gainward GTX 660 Ti Phantom – Fudzilla
nVidia GTX 660 Ti Review – Legit Reviews
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Preetam
Preetam Nath actively follows mobile technology. He has been following computer hardware keenly since 2007, only to start digging more into mobiles ever since the smartphone revolution. Studying his Engineering at MIT Manipal, Preetam devotes most of his time to update himself with the latest happenings in the technology sphere.