GTX 1660 Ti vs RTX 4090
Head-to-head specifications
| Metric | GTX 1660 Ti | RTX 4090 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3DMark Time Spy | 1,904 | 33,032 | -94.2% |
| Avg FPS @ 1080p | 32 | 240 | -86.7% |
| Avg FPS @ 1440p | 18 | 153 | -88.2% |
| Avg FPS @ 4K | 9 | 87 | -89.7% |
| FP32 compute (TFLOPS) | 5.4 | 82.6 | -93.4% |
| VRAM | 6 GB GDDR6 | 24 GB GDDR6X | — |
| Memory bandwidth (GB/s) | 336 | 1,008 | -66.7% |
| TDP (W) | 120 | 450 | — |
| Launch MSRP (USD) | $279 | $1,599 | -82.6% |
- RTX 4090 averages 153 fps at 1440p versus 18 fps — about 88% faster.
- GTX 1660 Ti draws less power (120W vs 450W).
Verdict: GTX 1660 Ti or RTX 4090?
GTX 1660 Ti advantages
- Power efficiency (+73%)
- Affordability (+83%)
RTX 4090 advantages
- 1440p gaming (+88%)
- 4K gaming (+90%)
- Synthetic benchmark performance (+94%)
- Video memory (+75%)
- Memory bandwidth (+67%)
Which should you choose?
- Choose the GTX 1660 Ti if you want lower power draw, heat and noise.
- Choose the RTX 4090 if you game at 1440p.
- Choose the GTX 1660 Ti if you want the better price for the performance.
Value for money
RTX 4090 delivers more performance per dollar, making it the better value of the two at their listed prices.
GTX 1660 Ti vs RTX 4090: which should you choose?
GTX 1660 Ti — NVIDIA desktop graphics card (2019, Turing) with 6 GB of GDDR6, averaging 18 fps at 1440p; launched at $279.
RTX 4090 — NVIDIA desktop graphics card (2022, Ada Lovelace) with 24 GB of GDDR6X, averaging 153 fps at 1440p; launched at $1,599.
GTX 1660 Ti vs RTX 4090: RTX 4090 is faster for gaming. RTX 4090 averages 153 fps at 1440p versus 18 fps — about 88% faster. GTX 1660 Ti draws less power (120W vs 450W).
1080p, 1440p and 4K
At 1440p — the most common enthusiast resolution — the RTX 4090 averages 153 fps against 18. At 4K (9 vs 87 fps) VRAM (6GB vs 24GB) and memory bandwidth matter more.
Power and value
Board power is 120 W versus 450 W, which affects PSU headroom, case cooling and noise. At launch MSRPs of $279 vs $1,599, weigh the frame-rate lead against price and power draw for your target resolution.
The verdict
Both are credible choices in the graphics card comparison space; the specification table above lays out every metric so you can weigh the trade-offs that matter to you. Pick the one whose strengths line up with how you will actually use it.
Frequently asked questions
Is the GTX 1660 Ti better than the RTX 4090?
RTX 4090 takes the overall edge, though GTX 1660 Ti wins in specific areas worth weighing. RTX 4090 averages 153 fps at 1440p versus 18 fps — about 88% faster.
What is the main difference between the GTX 1660 Ti and the RTX 4090?
RTX 4090 averages 153 fps at 1440p versus 18 fps — about 88% faster. GTX 1660 Ti draws less power (120W vs 450W).
Which is better value?
RTX 4090 delivers more performance per dollar, making it the better value of the two at their listed prices.
Which should I choose?
Choose the GTX 1660 Ti if you want lower power draw, heat and noise. Choose the RTX 4090 if you game at 1440p.
Methodology
Graphics cards are compared on 3DMark Time Spy scores, average gaming frame rates at 1080p/1440p/4K, FP32 compute throughput, VRAM capacity and type, memory bandwidth, board power (TDP) and launch MSRP — plus AI workload throughput (Stable Diffusion iterations/s and local LLM tokens/s) where measured. Vintage and server GPUs without modern benchmark results are compared on specifications only, clearly labelled. Frame rates are averages across a game suite at high settings; specific titles vary.