tweaktown review GTX660Ti

[RussianSensation]

I see...
But I'm already paying 240 euro (around 290$) for a MSI Power Edition OC R7850.
So maybe a 660 Ti won't be that much more expensive :hmm:

Perhaps I should just cancel my order and see what the near future brings...

If you waited this long, doesn't hurt to wait another week. BTW, if you are using 9600GT, what's your CPU speed and the rest of your system specs?

I don't think 24 ROPs and 192-bit memory bus belong in an upper mid-range product. What next is the 660 going to have 16 ROPs and 128-bit bus with DD3 VRAM?

Welcome to AnandTech Pixelpusher6!

Keep in mind often it's not accurate to compare ROPs and memory bandwidth efficiency across brands. Just because the 7870 has a 256-bit bus and 32 ROPs, it doesn't mean that it will be a better card than the 660Ti. This is because often there are other bottlenecks within a specific architecture. HD7870 has higher pixel fill-rate than the 7970 and yet it loses. Also, while the 7870 has 256-bit bus the memory is clocked at 4800mhz vs. 6008 for the 660Ti.

I think the key question on everyone's mind is how much of a performance hit does 660Ti take vs. 670 with MSAA? How much does 660Ti overclock? If the performance hit is small and 660Ti overclocks well, it'll be a bargain at $300. If it takes a huge 20%+ performance hit with MSAA, then it'll be a fast card with FXAA / no AA but not so great with traditional MSAA. We find out tomorrow.

 

[B-Riz]

If you waited this long, doesn't hurt to wait another week. BTW, if you are using 9600GT, what's your CPU speed and the rest of your system specs?



Welcome to AnandTech Pixelpusher6!

Keep in mind often it's not accurate to compare ROPs and memory bandwidth efficiency across brands. Just because the 7870 has a 256-bit bus and 32 ROPs, it doesn't mean that it will be a better card than the 660Ti. This is because often there are other bottlenecks within a specific architecture. HD7870 has higher pixel fill-rate than the 7970 and yet it loses. Also, while the 7870 has 256-bit bus the memory is clocked at 4800mhz vs. 6008 for the 660Ti.

I think the key question on everyone's mind is how much of a performance hit does 660Ti take vs. 670 with MSAA? How much does 660Ti overclock? If the performance hit is small and 660Ti overclocks well, it'll be a bargain at $300. If it takes a huge 20%+ performance hit with MSAA, then it'll be a fast card with FXAA / no AA but not so great with traditional MSAA. We find out tomorrow.

I hate to fixate on one minor detail; but it is a 2 gig VRAM card for $300.

We had 2 gig VRAM on last generations cards.

What be of those people that see the value in more than 2 gig VRAM?

And it is currently priced too closely to the 7950; but this might change at launch or shortly after.

ATI is differentiating in the high end by having 3 vs nVidia's 2 for VRAM.

 

[RussianSensation]

For the most part I don't think 660Ti will have the GPU power to handle situations where more than 2GB of VRAM is beneficial. There could be exceptions such as heavy mods in SKYRIM or GTA V. Also, I am pretty sure there will be 660Ti cards with 3GB of VRAM for a slight premium.

 

[B-Riz]

For the most part I don't think 660Ti will have the GPU power to handle situations where more than 2GB of VRAM is beneficial. There could be exceptions such as heavy mods in SKYRIM or GTA V. Also, I am pretty sure there will be 660Ti cards with 3GB of VRAM for a slight premium.

Yeah, lets see what happens tomorrow and +7 days out...

I jumped to the 7950 for the 2560x1440 panel coming soon...

 

[MBentz]

The reviews aren't getting posted a day before launch? Lame.

 

[RussianSensation]

For high resolutions you made the right choice no question. At 1.1ghz for the 7950, even a 680 will have trouble beating a 7950 at 2560x1440.

 

[B-Riz]

For high resolutions you made the right choice no question. At 1.1ghz for the 7950, even a 680 will have trouble beating a 7950 at 2560x1440.

I would have loved a 670x2 config, but the lower VRAM and higher $$$ was a turn off.

If I feel froggy in a few months, another 7950 will be added.

 

[B-Riz]

The reviews aren't getting posted a day before launch? Lame.

AT and Tom's are consistent with review postings; getting them up as soon as they are able.

 

[BlockheadBrown]

I decided to go low-end with a GHz 7770. I couldn't wait potentially another month on the Kickstarter DG2 6870. I'm hoping it'll tide me over for about a year. We'll see what crops up until then. I wouldn't be surprised if I moved on to something else though and wind up putting this in our HTPC. ;P

With the likelihood of next gen consoles coming out next year, I can't see spending about the same amount on a video card now. Next year I'll evaluate and see what happens...

Let's be honest. I'll re-evaluate once the 650s come out and still decide to do nothing.

 

[MBentz]

AT and Tom's are consistent with review postings; getting them up as soon as they are able.

I understand that. I just assumed nVidia would want some hype going into launch day. Oh well, I think I've talked myself into upgrading to a 7970. Can't hurt to wait one more day!

 

[blastingcap]

I decided to go low-end with a GHz 7770. I couldn't wait potentially another month on the Kickstarter DG2 6870. I'm hoping it'll tide me over for about a year. We'll see what crops up until then. I wouldn't be surprised if I moved on to something else though and wind up putting this in our HTPC. ;P

With the likelihood of next gen consoles coming out next year, I can't see spending about the same amount on a video card now. Next year I'll evaluate and see what happens...

Let's be honest. I'll re-evaluate once the 650s come out and still decide to do nothing.

I have the MSI 7770 OC edition (two fans), and it has done fine: cool and quiet. A stock-clocked 7770, with latest drivers, will go toe-to-toe with a stock-clocked 6850. If you overclock both, they are about equal as well--and also more or less on par with a stock-clocked 6870. But the 7770 will draw less power than either of the 68xx cards, and do a little better in DX11 tessellation. The 6870 has limited headroom for overclocking, so I can't recommend that card if it's significantly more expensive than a 6850 or 7770.

 

[Pixelpusher6]

I wasn't really trying to make an apples to apples comparison. I guess my point was rather 192 bit memory bus reduces the memory bandwidth which the Kepler architecture has already shown signs of weakness against GCN. Whether this makes a difference remains to be seen. I think either the ROPs should have been reduced or the memory bus but not both, and instead they should have lowered the clockspeed / disabled cores.

 

[BlockheadBrown]

I have the MSI 7770 OC edition (two fans), and it has done fine: cool and quiet. A stock-clocked 7770, with latest drivers, will go toe-to-toe with a stock-clocked 6850. If you overclock both, they are about equal as well--and also more or less on par with a stock-clocked 6870. But the 7770 will draw less power than either of the 68xx cards, and do a little better in DX11 tessellation. The 6870 has limited headroom for overclocking, so I can't recommend that card if it's significantly more expensive than a 6850 or 7770.

Thanks!

 

[maniacalpha1-1]

AT's review is expected sometime in the A.M., right?

 

[Grooveriding]

AT's review is expected sometime in the A.M., right?

Believe nvidia NDAs always lift at 9am PST.

 

[toyota]

Believe nvidia NDAs always lift at 9am PST.

I believe its 9 AM eastern

 

[blackened23]

Doesn't look so hot : about even with the 7870

http://elchapuzasinformatico.com/2012/08/review-msi-geforce-gtx-660-ti-power-edition/

 

[RussianSensation]

That review looks so off, I don't even know where to start:

- GTX660Ti > GTX680 MSI Lightning in Skyrim and ties it in Dirt 3? How?
- HD7870 > HD7970 MSI Lightning in Skyrim? and in BF3? How!?

Pass on that review.

 

[blackened23]

That review looks so off, I don't even know where to start:

- GTX660Ti > GTX680 MSI Lightning in Skyrim and ties it in Dirt 3? How?
- HD7870 > HD7970 MSI Lightning in Skyrim? and in BF3? How!?

Pass on that review.

Wow, didn't catch that one.. 7870 faster than 7970 lightning in skyrim, yeah thats not happening. I seriously think that website is some sort of MSI site because it has nothing but MSI ads all over the place lol

 

[thilanliyan]

Yeah those numbers seem way off. 7870 beating a 7970? 660 beating a 680? Yeah right.

 

[Scoobyboo]

If you waited this long, doesn't hurt to wait another week.
BTW, if you are using 9600GT, what's your CPU speed and the rest of your system specs?

So with 'waiting another week', you mean waiting how the 660 turns out (price, specs)?

I just built a totally new pc, and you will find the specs in my signature below.

 

[AtenRa]

Without knowing the exact IQ settings used for each game we cant make any conclusions. Perhaps they tested without AA ??

 

[RussianSensation]

Without knowing the exact IQ settings used for each game we cant make any conclusions. Perhaps they tested without AA ??

The 680 Lightning has 32 ROP, 256-bit bus, 1536 SPs and 1176 GPU Boost. How is a 660Ti PE beating it in Skyrim and ties it in Dirt 3? I would believe it if the 680 and 660Ti were run on different drivers or using different CPUs. Still a $300 card beating a $600 card within NV's range? That would make the 660Ti the greatest mid-range GPU ever made that somehow with less shaders, memory bandwidth and ROPs it can beat a flagship based on the same chip? That's like having a GTX560Ti beating a GTX580.

Tweaktown's review actually shows something that's expected from an ROP neutered (AA dependent spec) and memory bandwidth starved (AA dependent spec) card:

GTX670 vs. 660Ti

Mafia 2 = 10% faster
AvP = 26% faster
FC2 = 26% faster
Metro 2033 = 22% faster
JC2 = 17% faster
Avg = 20% faster

I expect NV to tell reviewers to use FXAA as much as possible and to stay away from traditional MSAA to mask the AA deficiency of this card.

So with 'waiting another week', you mean waiting how the 660 turns out (price, specs)?

I just built a totally new pc, and you will find the specs in my signature below.

Yup. Just see the reviews tomorrow and how well it performs. May be the card to get for $300.

 

[Scoobyboo]

Thank you for the advise RussianSensation

 

[RussianSensation]

Thank you for the advise RussianSensation

NP. Nice system you got btw. Since you got 2 screens, don't forget to pay attention to idle power consumption of 660Ti vs. 7950. That's 1 area where NV has a nice advantage.