Hey there! Looking to upgrade your graphics card for smooth 1080p gaming, but torn on the RX 580 or GTX 1660 Super? This in-depth 2500+ word guide examines every aspect of AMD and Nvidia‘s top value GPUs to help decide which is best for you.
A Brief History: RX 500 vs GTX 1000 Series
First, let‘s set the stage on where these graphics cards fall in the great GPU timeline…
The Radeon RX 500 series released in April 2017 as a refinement of AMD‘s older Polaris architecture that originally debuted alongside the Radeon 400 series. The RX 580 stood out as the flagship 1080p gaming GPU, touting higher clocks and power limits versus the RX 480.
Nvidia‘s matching mid-range offering came in the form of the GTX 1660 Super, part of their newer Turing generation which led the market for most of 2019. Architectural changes and the shift to GDDR6 memory ushered noticeable performance uplifts over 2016‘s acclaimed GTX 1000 series.
Although the RX 580 is over half a decade old, it remains a formidable force today for casual gaming and eSports titles thanks to driver maturity and highly optimized performance in leading engines like DirectX 11.
But can AMD‘s aging veteran still trade blows with Nvidia‘s tad newer GTX 1660 Super? Let‘s break it down!
Who Should Buy These GPUs?
Before diving into nitty gritty benchmarks, it‘s worth calling out the intended target buyers for each graphics card:
The Radeon RX 580 appeals most to:
- Budget-focused builders
- 1080p gamers
- Those playing older or eSports titles
- Cryptocurrency miners
- Upgraders with older systems
The GeForce GTX 1660 Super attracts:
- Mainstream 1080p gamers
- Performance minded shoppers
- Content creators via superior NVENC encoder
- DIY hobbyists who like to tinker and overclock
Essentially if light 1080p gaming is your main concern, especially in games 5+ years or older, the cheaper RX 580 easily suffices.
But for tackling intensive new releases at 60+ FPS on high settings, the GTX 1660 Super offers around 15% faster speeds thanks to a superior memory subsystem and architectural design. Lower noise levels and power draw increase its appeal further for many.
Now let‘s contrast the specs and technical makeup of these two GPUs!
AMD vs Nvidia Silicon: RX 580 and GTX 1660 Super Spec Comparison
| Specification | RX 580 | GTX 1660 Super |
|---|---|---|
| Launch Date | April 2017 | October 2019 |
| GPU Codename | Polaris 20 | TU116 |
| Manufacturing Process | 14 nm | 12 nm |
| Die Size | 232 mm2 | 284 mm2 |
| Transistors | 5.7 billion | 6.6 billion |
| Compute Units | 36 | 22 |
| Stream Cores | 2304 | 1408 |
| Tensor Cores | N/A | N/A |
| RT Cores | N/A | N/A |
| Base Clock | 1257 MHz | 1530 MHz |
| Game Clock | N/A | 1785 MHz |
| Boost Clock | 1340 MHz | 1785 MHz |
| Memory Size & Type | 8GB GDDR5 | 6GB GDDR6 |
| Memory Bus | 256-bit | 192-bit |
| Memory Bandwidth | 256 GB/s | 336 GB/s |
| TDP | 185W | 125W |
| Launch Price | $199-$229 | $229 |
You can easily view the hardware distinctions in this side-by-side table. While AMD‘s aging RX 580 continues relying on an established 14nm node and slower GDDR5 memory, Nvidia‘s Turing architecture brought the GTX 1660 series to a denser 12nm process and cutting-edge GDDR6.
Higher clocks, improved IPC (instructions per cycle), and extra memory bandwidth allow the 1660 Super to overcome deficits in raw core count or die area versus AMD‘s solution which seems stronger on paper. Package power also drops by a third down to only 125 watts.
Now let‘s move our comparison to gaming and content creation workloads to see how much these architectural differences actually matter!
Benchmark Breakdown: Gaming and Application Performance
Simply reading specs doesn‘t always translate into real-world speed advantages. The best measurement comes from running intensive benchmarks and games to stress test graphics cards under load.
Here you can see results across 15 different gaming tests with average frame rates at 1080p resolution using high quality presets:
On average the GeForce GTX 1660 Super eds out ahead by 15% over the Radeon RX 580. Archiechural improvements contained in Nvidia‘s Turing design contribute heavily to these marketable gains in AAA titles like Horizon Zero Dawn, God of War, and Cyberpunk 2077.
However, we still see great parity in many eSports centric games including CS:GO, Valorant, DotA 2 or older releases like GTA V where the aging RX 580 has enjoyed years of driver optimization. Frame rates well clear 100+ FPS highlight CPU limitations more than graphics here.
For creators, Nvidia also packs dedicated hardware video encoding (NVENC) into each GPU to accelerate screen recording and streaming with minimal performance loss. AMD lacks an equivalent integrated encoder, relying on the CPU for most encoding tasks.
Let‘s move onto synthetic tests that analyze different 3D rendering capabilities using simulated workloads not tied to any single game…
Synthetic Showdown: 3DMark and VRMark Benchmarks
The trusted 3DMark benchmark suite further cements Nvidia‘s lead, with the GTX 1660 Super averaging 20% higher graphic scores across DX11 and DX12 versions. Still, both GPUs fall into the same performance tier here, easily hitting the threshold for smooth VR gaming.
VRMark includes specialized VR tests to evaluate image stability and latency for virtual reality headsets. The Orange Room benchmark pushes pixel fill rates while Blue Room analyzes complex shader effects.
While the RX 580 manages parity with Nvidia in later VR-focused tests thanks to asynchronous compute enhancements, overall the GTX 1660 Super still outpaces AMD‘s best mainstream GPU from 2017‘s era.
Now let‘s shift gears to analyze power, thermals and acoustics which all impact real world ownership experiences.
Power and Heat: Acoustics, Cooling Needs, and Overclocking Compared
Graphics cards quickly turn electricity into heat under load. This requires considerable cooling solutions and dependence on your computer‘s power supply. Lower thermal output also keeps fan noise down, important for quiet computing environments.
Thanks to TSMC‘s efficient 12nm FinFET process, Nvidia manages to buck their reputation for expensive power demands this generation. The entire GTX 1660 lineup sips just 125 watts at stock speeds with minimal heat generated. Most 1660 Super cards use simple dual fan coolers and slot powered designs avoiding supplementary PCIe power connectors to further reduce complexity.
By comparison, AMD‘s 5+ year old Polaris 20 GPU relies on aging 14nm planar transistors that inefficiently leak more waste energy as heat, February 2023 resulting in 30% higher board power rating of 185 watts for the Radeon RX 580. Real world total system draw easily exceeds AMD‘s rating under full gaming loads. These demands require robust airflow and quality power supplies in the 650+ watt range, especially when other power hungry components come into play.
Higher thermal output also necessitates louder cooling fans to dissipate the excess heat before temperature thresholds are reached. Tests show the RX 580 averaging 53 dB noise levels under gaming workloads compared to just 36 dB for Nvidia‘s more efficient rival. That‘s over 3X louder for anyone without headphones!
Superior thermals also give the GTX 1660 Super nearly 20°C extra headroom for overclocking experiments up to 2GHz+. By comparison, the RX 580 with its energy leakage quickly nears 80° even 80° at stock settings, leaving little flexibility for extra MHz without improved cooling.
Basically if you want to avoid dealing with meltdown level thermals, noise suited for airport runways, and beefy PSU requirements down the road, Nvidia‘s 125 watt Turing card certainly helps you sleep easier!
Display Outputs and Multi-Monitor Setups
While performance defines the meat of any GPU‘s capabilities, we can‘t overlook usability features that enhance functionality too.
ports prove vital for connecting monitors without adapters. All GTX 1660 Super models offer 1x HDMI 2.0b + 1x DisplayPort 1.4 ** by default. Certain premium variants may add a second DP port for a dual screen workspace out of the box.
AMD‘s Radeon RX 580 lines up competitively with 1x HDMI 2.0b + 3x DisplayPort 1.4. So triple monitor gamers don‘t need to budget in hub purchases here. Few motherboards integrate so much display I/O natively today.
Speaking of connectivity, neither solution supports USB-C video output. You‘ll need a pricier modern graphics card for that.
Feature Support: Encoding, Ray Tracing, DLSS and More
Graphics architecture plays a crucial role beyond just gaming speeds – it also enables next generation visual capabilities through dedicated hardware.
Nvidia‘s Turing design powers the GeForce 16 series with new rendering techniques like hybrid ray traced lighting and deep learning super sampling (DLSS). These features dramatically enhance visual quality at smooth frame rates in supported titles such as Control, Cyberpunk 2077 and Minecraft. AMD won‘t catch up until their RDNA 2 architecture found in the RX 6000 series.
The GTX 1660 Super also packs an updated NVENC hardware encoder to efficiently handle streaming and recording up to 4K 60 FPS with little performance loss in games. By contrast, AMD‘s GPU architecture still relies on the CPU for video encoding, significantly hampering frames if you ever broadcast or create content while gaming.
Other modern features missing from AMD‘s aging Polaris chip include mesh shaders, sampler feedback and variable rate shading. Game developers actively utilize these capabilities today and especially moving forward into the DirectX 12 Ultimate era.
So while the Radeon RX 580 easily handles gaming today through brute compute muscle, it misses out on next generation graphics innovations you may come to expect in the coming years. Nvidia‘s Turing design proves more forward thinking in that sense.
Value Breakdown: Performance Per Dollar and Availability
Let‘s recap the overall value each GPU provides gamers looking for the best bang for their buck…
Raw cost paints the Radeon RX 580 as undisputed value champion. Launching at $229 half a decade ago then quickly sliding to sub $200 street pricing, nowadays you‘ll almost always find 8GB RX 580s under $150 new.
In fact, major retailers currently list PowerColor‘s Red Dragon model at just $144 after rebate! Considering the RX 580‘s level of 1080p speed that still keeps up respectably today, this presents a staggering value unmatched by any other GPU. Used RX 580s in working order often sell for well under $100 on the secondary market too.
By contrast, Nvidia‘s GTX 1660 Super debuted at $229 for a 6 gigabyte reference version, maintaining that MSRP for custom designs with improved cooling, power delivery and factory overclocks out the box.
Current pricing floats between $210 on sale up to $260 for premium variants like MSI‘s Gaming X model. So you certainly pay an extra $50-100+ for the 1660 Super‘s architectural advancements and 15% performance gains today – along with better efficiency, noise, and triple-A optimized drivers.
Used 1660 Supers tend to run $180-200 meaning they still command a healthy premium versus RX 580s even after factoring in resale value down the road.
Ultimately if you mainly stick to eSports or shooters a few years old running 200 FPS+, I‘d easily recommend snagging AMD‘s discounted RX 580 and investing savings into a new high refresh rate gaming monitor to better leverage that extra speed!
But for future proof all-around performance punching above the RX 580‘s weight class while outpacing modern titles better optimized for GeForce cards, the GTX 1660 Super certainly makes a compelling case even at 20-30% higher cost.
Just try finding either card in stock today amid booming demand and supply shortages! But keep an eye on listings as both these GPUs deliver incredible value that thrashes modern integrated graphics found in commodity OEM desktops and laptops.
Final Verdict: GTX 1660 Super Still The 1440p Stopgap until Next Gen Arrives
If you made it this far reading my novel of a graphics card analysis – first of all congrats! 🥳 I salute you…
But more importantly, you‘re now equipped to decide whether the Radeon RX 580 or GeForce GTX 1660 Super makes sense to fulfill your 1080p gaming needs in 2023 and hopefully a few years beyond!
To quickly recap key findings:
Radeon RX 580
- Unmatched dollar for FPS value ratio
- Handles eSports and older games extremely well
- Great for casual gaming at high frame rates
- Higher power demands and noisy cooling
- Lacks support for newer rendering techniques
GeForce GTX 1660 Super
- Faster overall thanks to better architecture
- Quieter acoustics and lower power draw
- More headroom for overclocking
- Backed by superior Nvidia feature set
- Around 15% pricier for better future proofing
If overall lowest cost is priority one, I recommend snagging the RX 580 which slashes settings and resolution advantage compared to Nvidia‘s $50-100 premium GTX 1660 Super. Value hunters drive harder bargains after all!
But for bigger future proofing buffers thanks to better efficiency and next generation graphics support, the 1660 Super certainly seems worth 15% higher cost to sustain 60 FPS gaming through at least 2024. Its design decisions stand the test of time better until you eventually upgrade again.
Whichever route you go, I‘m positive your gaming experience and graphics horsepower receives a colossal injection over integrated GPUs or ancient cards! Let me know if any other questions pop up in your purchasing journey down below.
Happy gaming and graphics card hunting! Don‘t settle for junk integrated graphics in prebuilts – you deserve better my friend 😎
