GTX 660 vs Radeon X1900 XTX
Head-to-head specifications
| Metric | GTX 660 | Radeon X1900 XTX | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| VRAM | 2 GB GDDR5 | 512 MB GDDR3 | — |
| Memory bandwidth (GB/s) | 168 | 50 | +238.7% |
| TDP (W) | 140 | 135 | — |
| Launch MSRP (USD) | $229 | $649 | -64.7% |
- These GPUs come from different eras (2012 vs 2006), so direct benchmark comparisons are not meaningful. The table shows their specifications side by side for historical and architectural context.
Verdict: GTX 660 or Radeon X1900 XTX?
GTX 660 advantages
- Video memory (+75%)
- Memory bandwidth (+70%)
- Affordability (+65%)
Radeon X1900 XTX advantages
- No decisive advantage on the tracked metrics.
Which should you choose?
- Choose the GTX 660 if you play the latest titles at high textures or do GPU-accelerated work.
- Choose the GTX 660 if you work with high-resolution textures or memory-bound workloads.
GTX 660 vs Radeon X1900 XTX: which should you choose?
GTX 660 — NVIDIA desktop graphics card (2012, Kepler) with 2 GB of GDDR5, averaging 13 fps at 1440p; launched at $229.
Radeon X1900 XTX — ATI desktop graphics card (2006, Ultra-Threaded SE) with 512 MB of GDDR3; launched at $649.
GTX 660 vs Radeon X1900 XTX: a cross-generation spec comparison. These GPUs come from different eras (2012 vs 2006), so direct benchmark comparisons are not meaningful. The table shows their specifications side by side for historical and architectural context.
Different eras, different missions
These two parts do not compete head-to-head: GTX 660 (2012, Desktop) and Radeon X1900 XTX (2006, Desktop) come from different generations or market segments, so modern game benchmarks do not apply to both. The specification table above is best read as architectural context — process node, memory technology and power budgets show how far GPU design has moved.
Specifications at a glance
GTX 660 carries 2 GB of GDDR5 against 512 MB of GDDR3 on Radeon X1900 XTX, with board powers of 140 W and 135 W respectively.
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 660 better than the Radeon X1900 XTX?
GTX 660 is the clearly stronger overall choice, winning most of the dimensions that matter. These GPUs come from different eras (2012 vs 2006), so direct benchmark comparisons are not meaningful. The table shows their specifications side by side for historical and architectural context.
What is the main difference between the GTX 660 and the Radeon X1900 XTX?
These GPUs come from different eras (2012 vs 2006), so direct benchmark comparisons are not meaningful. The table shows their specifications side by side for historical and architectural context.
Which should I choose?
Choose the GTX 660 if you play the latest titles at high textures or do GPU-accelerated work. Choose the GTX 660 if you work with high-resolution textures or memory-bound workloads.
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.