GeForce 660 GTX: characteristics, review and reviews

Turning your computer into a full-fledged gaming machine that meets the high graphics requirements starts with a video card. This is the main component of the system responsible for the quality of the "picture" display and, in general, for recreating the game process. At the moment, the market offers a lot of options for very worthy graphics cards, capable of "pulling" games, implemented in modern 3D graphics. In this row there is also a GeForce 660 GTX model, in which the developers tried to use the former potential of the segment of video cards, as well as to introduce a number of fundamentally new ideas that improve the computer's graphics performance. This model starts a new line of video cards based on the GK106 processor. This factor has become decisive for the performance indicators of the device, which, however, cause ambiguous judgments among cardholders.

General information about the video card

The reference model GTX 660 from NVIDIA was the first product made on the platform Kepler series GK106. Although the device is manufactured on a 28-nm process technology, if you compare the graphics processor with the flagship GPU GTX 650, then there will be serious limitations. The device loses to its older brother that in the development of the GTX 650 version, one graphic cluster and two SMX departments were used. As a result, it provides operation of 384 stream processors. Nevertheless, the GeForce 660 GTX uses a good frequency potential in terms of its performance - the memory resource provides operation at 1502 MHz. Also on the performance of this model can be judged by the thermal potential of 64 watts. Based on the first acquaintance with the characteristics of the video card, we can assume that it is more suitable for the needs of the user with medium queries, but, it's not so simple.

In comparison with previous generations and the same representatives of the GTX family, the model has received a number of significant changes in terms of providing heat transfer, functional interaction between the elements, as well as in the configuration of microchips. However, these changes were not enough to put the device on one level with advanced versions of GPUs.

Specifications

Before proceeding to a full review of the technical data of the video card, it should be noted that they can seriously differ depending on the manufacturer. If you previously thought that the basic version of NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 will be the basis for other manufacturers, today you can see the differences not only in the design of the graphic processor, but also in terms of technical capabilities. One way or another, in its original form, the device has the following data:

• GPU - platform GK106.
• The number of transistors is about 2.5 billion.
• The process technology is 28 nm.
• The memory frequency is 1.5 GHz.
• The clock speed is 1 GHz.
• The memory type is GDDR5.
• The width of the bus is 192 bits.
• The amount of memory is 2 GB.
• DirectX is represented by version 11.
• Raster conveyors- 24.
• Texture blocks - 80.

You should also bear in mind that there is an earlier version of this device - it is a modification of NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 TI, which has a lot of texture units and stream processors, but loses in pixel filling speed. But, much more difference still applies to the versions of the map, the creation of which dealt with the company ZOTAC, ASUS and others.

Platform Features

Almost all representatives of the GTX 600 series were developed on the platform of the top processor GK104. Among them, the same uniprocessor card, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 TI, as well as a version for OEMs. Actually, the last devices based on GK104 were already created with less enthusiasm. Moreover, the company put the rejected crystals on them, which affected the quality of computing processes.

Together with the revision of the GTX 660 series it was decided to lay the foundation for the new processor - GK106. Thus, the GeForce GTX 660 graphics card , intended for retail sales, was already based on the GK106 platform. What is interesting about the new scheme of the processor?

First of all, its symmetry. In this architecture, one graphic cluster contains not two, but only one multiprocessor. As a result, there are significant losses in the amount of computing units - at least if compared with the GeForce GTX 660 TI and the 650 version. At the same time, strangely enough, the memory capacity, cache parameters and clock frequency in both models are approximately the same.

Place in the GeForce line

NVIDIA is positioning the graphics card as a replacement for models that are currently successful for the consumer due to the ratio of performance and price. This, by the way, graphics processors GTX 460 and 9800 GT, well-known to gamers. In this case, the GeForce 660 GTX will surpass the 460 version by almost 2 times. If you compare with 9800 GT, you can see a good increase in FPS - more than 4 times. In addition, DirectX 11 support contributes to the optimization of graphical processes.

Improving performance against the background of the GTX 560 is not so obvious. In many respects this is due to the fact that the 560 card itself turned out to be successful, and for a long time will please its users. Nevertheless, according to dry technical parameters, GeForce GTX 660 2Gb exceeds it by 10 W in the potential of the heat sink. By the way, in the AMD Radeon family the closest rival of the model for power consumption with similar performance is the HD 7850 series.

Version from ZOTAC

The developers of ZOTAC offer an overclocked version of the map, as well as a version close to the author's standard. However, even in the basic specification of the model the manufacturer could not resist and endowed it with a frequency of 993 MHz instead of the standard 980 MHz. By the way, the outwardly basic version of GeForce 660 GTX from ZOTAC resembles the video card NVIDIA in the version of TI. However, to distinguish it will not be difficult, if you pay attention to the open cooling system, equipped with two fans.

In addition, the creators provided the card with a small plate for heat dissipation from memory chips. On the back side of the board, the chips do without a radiator system, and one of the chips is covered with a plate only half. There is a difference in the approach to the device of radiators for the power system. So, in comparison with the GeForce GTX 660 TI, they are not located near the stub, but at the very end of the board. This is a more common place for radiators, in the long run such a configuration of location provides a similar effect.

Model from Palit

The assortment of the Taiwanese manufacturer Palit includes two modifications of graphics cards based on NVIDIA technology. In this case, different variations of the Palit GeForce GTX 660 have a few differences. The basic version costs less and is made in a classical design. At the same time, cooling systems and a printed circuit board have much in common with an overclocked modification. Otherwise, the frequencies and parameters of the operating modes are in accordance with the recommendations of NVIDIA for the cards in this series.

For gamers it is obvious that the overclocked version of the video accelerator Palit GeForce GTX 660 with the prefix "OS" is the most interesting. On whether it makes sense to acquire a revised model, you can judge by the results of the engineers of the company. So, if in the standard the frequency of the video accelerator is 980 MHz and in the format of the work "Bust" is increased to 1033 MHz, Palit specialists provided the acceleration of the GeForce card core to 2600 MHz and 3900 MHz, respectively, for the basic and dynamic modes of operation.

ASUS Version

ASUS has four versions of video accelerators, which are developments on the GTX 660 platform. The most productive was the version of the ASUS GeForce GTX 660 with the eloquent prefix "Game". In this modification, the frequency of the GPU was significantly increased and the video memory was slightly overclocked. Familiar with the developments of this company, users usually do the following: they purchase an initial version of the video card, which is cheaper and has NVIDIA-recommended parameters, and then perform independent overclocking.

The main question is, is it possible to achieve the values that are offered in the overclocked version of the ASUS GeForce GTX 660 without special help? Of course, a certain breakthrough will be achieved manually, but the element base is still unavailable for user customization, therefore it will not be possible to approach the "top" modification of this card from ASUS.

Price issue

Manufacturers of video cards have been dividing the segment into two main categories for several years. The first includes high-performance gaming devices, the cost of which exceeds 15 thousand rubles. The second category, respectively, includes all the rest of the products, but also has its own small segments, one of which includes the GeForce GTX 660. The price of this card varies from 8 to 12 thousand. The specific cost depends on the brand that issued the model, characteristics, and specifications .

Positive feedback about the video card

All euphonious reviews about this video card can be divided into those that relate to its technical characteristics, and opinions on aesthetic merits. So, in terms of functionality and performance gamers note that the card is fairly average, but still, with the price taken into account, it justifies itself. There are also many positive assessments regarding the quality of the GeForce GTX 660 build. The price, of course, is not budget, but for the same 8-10 thousand it is quite possible to run into a productive, but inclined to breakdown apparatus. The GTX 660, in its turn, will not deliver such disappointments. If you turn to the aesthetic and practical nuances of the operation of the card, many users praise its noiselessness, compactness and the absence of overheating.

Negative feedback about the video card

The main drawback is considered to be the transition to a new platform, because of what the video card lost in the computing potential. This is reflected in many graphical processes, including that manifested when smoothing in games. The GeForce 660 GTX memory does not save the situation on 2G, although, as noted by experienced gamblers, even with such data, some models show much more performance.

Interestingly, there are conflicting estimates about the value of this model. At the time of its appearance, even 8 thousand seemed unreasonably high fees for video cards with such capabilities.

Conclusion

The tendency to increase the performance of hardware stuffing forces manufacturers to increase the power of graphics processors in all available ways. The developers of NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 have chosen not the most successful but promising option for solving this problem. They used a new architecture, which ultimately lowered the efficiency of the device. In a sense, this step can be called a test. For those who became owners of this card, of course, this state of affairs is not comforting. The user receives a quality, well-assembled and technically sound video card from a well-known brand, but, unfortunately, with reduced performance.