1660s vs 3050 Ti: A Comparison of Mid-Range Graphics Cards
The graphics card market is highly competitive, with various options available for different budgets and performance requirements. In this article, we'll compare two mid-range graphics cards from different generations: the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660S and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti.
Architecture and Performance
The GTX 1660S is based on the TU116 architecture, which was introduced in 2019. It features 1408 CUDA cores, 88 texture units, and 48 ROPs. The GPU has a base clock speed of 1420 MHz and a boost clock speed of up to 1680 MHz.
On the other hand, the RTX 3050 Ti is based on the GA107 architecture, which was introduced in 2022. It features 2560 CUDA cores, 80 texture units, and 80 ROPs. The GPU has a base clock speed of 1365 MHz and a boost clock speed of up to 1695 MHz.
In terms of performance, the RTX 3050 Ti has a significant advantage over the GTX 1660S. The RTX 3050 Ti is capable of delivering up to 10.8 TFLOPS of single-precision compute performance, while the GTX 1660S can only deliver up to 5.4 TFLOPS.
Memory and Bandwidth
The GTX 1660S has 6 GB of GDDR6 memory, with a memory bandwidth of 336 GB/s. The RTX 3050 Ti, on the other hand, has 4 GB of GDDR6X memory, with a memory bandwidth of 448 GB/s.
While the RTX 3050 Ti has less memory, its GDDR6X memory provides higher bandwidth and faster data transfer rates. This gives the RTX 3050 Ti an advantage in memory-bound applications and games.
Power Consumption and Efficiency
The GTX 1660S has a TDP of 125W, while the RTX 3050 Ti has a TDP of 130W. Despite having a higher TDP, the RTX 3050 Ti is more power-efficient due to its more modern architecture.
Ray Tracing and AI Features
One of the key advantages of the RTX 3050 Ti is its support for ray tracing and AI-enhanced features like DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) and Tensor Cores. These features are not available on the GTX 1660S.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while the GTX 1660S was a solid mid-range option in its time, the RTX 3050 Ti offers significantly better performance, memory bandwidth, and features. If you're looking for a mid-range graphics card with ray tracing and AI capabilities, the RTX 3050 Ti is the better choice.
However, if you're on a tight budget and don't need the latest features, the GTX 1660S can still provide decent performance for 1080p and 1440p gaming.
Specifications Comparison
| Specification | GTX 1660S | RTX 3050 Ti |
|---|---|---|
| CUDA Cores | 1408 | 2560 |
| Texture Units | 88 | 80 |
| ROPs | 48 | 80 |
| Base Clock Speed | 1420 MHz | 1365 MHz |
| Boost Clock Speed | 1680 MHz | 1695 MHz |
| Memory | 6 GB GDDR6 | 4 GB GDDR6X |
| Memory Bandwidth | 336 GB/s | 448 GB/s |
| TDP | 125W | 130W |
| Ray Tracing | No | Yes |
| AI Features | No | Yes |
| Architecture | TU116 | GA107 |
