nVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 Pro Reviews

Bringing our review of the first GK106-based video card to a close, it’s difficult not to sound like a broken record at times. The launch of the GeForce GTX 660 and the accompanying GK106 GPU is very much a by-the-numbers launch. This is by no means a bad thing, but it does mean that it’s a launch with very few surprises. As far as NVIDIA’s execution goes, GK106 and the GTX 660 is exactly what they’ve needed to start filling in the gap between $100 and $300. Truth be told we would have liked to see the GTX 660 come in at $200 so that NVIDIA had a clear $200 contender – an always-popular price point – but given the performance of the GTX 660 that’s being a bit wishful on our part. Furthermore NVIDIA would still need to leave enough room for the eventual launch of the next GK106 part, which will be whatever goes between GTX 650 and GTX 660. So much like the GTX 460 1GB two years before it, the GTX 660 launches at $229.

There’s little to choose between the GeForce GTX 660 and AMD Radeon HD 7870 in terms of performance, and the cards are almost identically priced. However, Nvidia’s model has the advantage of only needing one power connector and is even available in single-slot designs, so is a more sensible upgrade if you have a compact case and modest power supply.

When we first reviewed the GTX 670, we deemed it the best value high-end graphics card money could buy. Likewise, last month we found that the GTX 660 Ti exceeded the GTX 670's price-to-performance ratio, making it the biggest bang for your buck. Having tested the GTX 660, we're inclined to conclude that Nvidia has done it again -- sort of. While the new GK106-based card is a solid value at its price, AMD has already slashed prices where necessary, so its lineup isn't quite as displaced as with previous Kepler launches. The GTX 660 provides a surprisingly high level of performance for its MSRP of $230. It's roughly 23% cheaper than last month's GTX 660 Ti while being only 14% slower when running games at 1920x1200. Additionally, the GTX 660 is about $30 (11%) cheaper than the HD 7870 and runs about 5% slower, giving the former a slight edge in bargain points. Interestingly, however, the GTX 660 and HD 7850 share an identical price-to-performance ratio. The former is 10% more expensive but offers 10% more speed. Unfortunately, that means we have no clear advice if you're debating between the HD 7850 and GTX 660. Your decision will have to hinge on the games you want to play or brand-exclusive features.

If you've been waiting a couple of years to upgrade your $200 video card, the Nvidia GeForce GTX 660 is an attractive choice that nonetheless faces strong competition from similarly priced AMD products.