GTX 1660 Super Review in 2026 — Still a Budget Beast for 1080p Gaming?

GTX 1660 Super — A Budget Legend in 2026

Back in 2020, the GTX 1660 Super was the undisputed king of budget 1080p gaming. Fast forward to 2026, and while newer GPUs have taken the spotlight, the 1660 Super remains a surprisingly capable option for ultra-budget builds, esports gaming, and entry-level streaming. If you’re building a budget gaming PC under ₹50,000, this card still delivers excellent value for money.

In this review, we take another look at the Inno 3D GTX 1660 Super six years later — how it holds up in modern games, whether it’s still worth buying in 2026, and what alternatives you should consider instead.

GTX 1660 Super Specs & Comparison

The GTX 1660 Super sits right between the GTX 1660 and the GTX 1660 Ti. Its main upgrade over the original 1660 was the switch from GDDR5 to GDDR6 memory, giving it a significant bandwidth boost without a major price hike. Here’s how it stacks up:

The 1660 Super uses the TU116 GPU chipset and essentially matches the 1660 Ti in memory performance while costing significantly less. In 2026, you can find these cards used for around $80–100 on the second-hand market, making them one of the cheapest ways to build a 1080p gaming rig.

Gaming Benchmarks — How Does It Hold Up in 2026?

We tested the card with a Ryzen 5 3600 setup (still a great pairing) across popular titles. Here’s what you can expect in 2026:

• CS2 (CS:GO successor): 180–250 FPS on low/competitive settings — still silky smooth for 144Hz monitors
• Overwatch 2: 150–200 FPS on low settings — excellent for competitive play
• Valorant: 200+ FPS — no issues whatsoever
• Fortnite: 100–130 FPS on medium settings (DX12 mode)
• Apex Legends: 100–144 FPS on low-medium settings
• GTA 5: 120+ FPS on very high settings — still a masterpiece
• Call of Duty: Warzone: 70–90 FPS on low-medium settings (playable but showing its age)
• Cyberpunk 2077: 40–50 FPS on low settings (FSR helps push to 60)

For esports titles, the GTX 1660 Super is still a capable performer. If you’re worried about high temperatures while gaming, check out our guide on 9 ways to lower your GPU temperatures to keep your card running cool.

Streaming Performance — NVENC Still Works Great

The GTX 1660 Super includes Nvidia’s NVENC encoder (Turing generation), which offloads streaming from your CPU. Even in 2026, this encoder delivers solid 1080p60 streams on Twitch and YouTube. Recommended OBS settings:

• Encoder: Nvidia NVENC H.264
• Rate Control: CBR 6000–8000 Kbps
• Output Resolution: 1080p
• Keyframe Interval: 2 seconds
• Preset: Quality

CPU usage stays around 1–3% while streaming, and the FPS hit is only about 10–15 frames. For a dedicated streaming guide, our roundup of top OBS Studio plugins can help you get the most out of your stream setup.

Pros and Cons of the GTX 1660 Super in 2026

✅ Pros

• Excellent 1080p performance in esports titles
• GDDR6 memory still holds up well
• NVENC encoder for streaming
• Very affordable on the used market ($80–100)
• Low power consumption (125W TDP) — no PSU upgrade needed
• Backplates on most models (Inno 3D included!)

❌ Cons

• No ray tracing or DLSS support
• 6GB VRAM is becoming a bottleneck in modern AAA titles
• No longer in production — used market only
• Can’t match modern budget cards like RTX 3050 or Arc A580
• Driver support is legacy (Game Ready drivers only)

Is the GTX 1660 Super Worth Buying in 2026?

The honest answer: it depends on your budget and needs.

If you’re building an ultra-budget 1080p esports rig and can find a used 1660 Super for under $100, it’s still a solid choice. It pairs beautifully with a Ryzen 5 3600 or i5-10400F and will handle CS2, Valorant, Overwatch 2, Fortnite, and League of Legends without breaking a sweat.

However, if you’re planning to play modern AAA titles like Cyberpunk 2077, Starfield, or Alan Wake 2, the 6GB VRAM will hold you back. In that case, look for a used RTX 2060 Super (8GB) or an RX 6600 instead.

If you’re coming from an older card like the GTX 1060 or RX 580, the 1660 Super is still a noticeable upgrade. But if you already have a 1660 Super, there’s no urgent reason to upgrade unless you want ray tracing or better AAA performance.

For comparison, the laptop version of this chip (GTX 1660 Ti) powered machines like the MSI GL65 gaming laptop, which we reviewed — it’s a great reference point if you’re choosing between desktop and mobile.

Final Verdict

The GTX 1660 Super was a phenomenal budget graphics card in its prime, and in 2026 it remains a decent entry-level option for esports gamers and anyone building a PC on a tight budget. It’s not a card for 4K gaming or ray tracing, but for 1080p competitive play and light streaming, it still gets the job done.

If you’re building a PC on a shoestring, pair the 1660 Super with a solid 144Hz monitor and you’ll have a great time. Just manage your expectations on AAA titles and keep an eye on GPU temperatures — our GPU temperature guide can help you dial in the perfect fan curve.

Check out: Inno 3D GTX 1660 Super