R9 390X vs GTX 1660
Head-to-head specifications
| Metric | R9 390X | GTX 1660 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3DMark Time Spy | 2,068 | 1,760 | +17.5% |
| Avg FPS @ 1080p | 33 | 31 | +6.5% |
| Avg FPS @ 1440p | 18 | 17 | +5.9% |
| Avg FPS @ 4K | 10 | 9 | +11.1% |
| FP32 compute (TFLOPS) | 5.9 | 5.0 | +17.5% |
| VRAM | 8 GB GDDR5 | 6 GB GDDR5 | — |
| Memory bandwidth (GB/s) | 448 | 168 | +166.7% |
| TDP (W) | 275 | 120 | — |
| Launch MSRP (USD) | $429 | $219 | +95.9% |
- R9 390X averages 18 fps at 1440p versus 17 fps — about 6% faster.
- GTX 1660 draws less power (120W vs 275W).
Verdict: R9 390X or GTX 1660?
R9 390X advantages
- 1440p gaming (+6%)
- 4K gaming (+10%)
- Synthetic benchmark performance (+15%)
- Video memory (+25%)
- Memory bandwidth (+63%)
GTX 1660 advantages
- Power efficiency (+56%)
- Affordability (+49%)
Which should you choose?
- Choose the R9 390X if you game at 1440p.
- Choose the GTX 1660 if you want lower power draw, heat and noise.
- Choose the R9 390X if you game at 4K or drive a high-resolution display.
Value for money
GTX 1660 delivers more performance per dollar, making it the better value of the two at their listed prices.
R9 390X vs GTX 1660: which should you choose?
R9 390X — AMD desktop graphics card (2015, GCN 2.0) with 8 GB of GDDR5, averaging 18 fps at 1440p; launched at $429.
GTX 1660 — NVIDIA desktop graphics card (2019, Turing) with 6 GB of GDDR5, averaging 17 fps at 1440p; launched at $219.
R9 390X vs GTX 1660: R9 390X is faster for gaming. R9 390X averages 18 fps at 1440p versus 17 fps — about 6% faster. GTX 1660 draws less power (120W vs 275W).
1080p, 1440p and 4K
At 1440p — the most common enthusiast resolution — the R9 390X averages 18 fps against 17. At 4K (10 vs 9 fps) VRAM (8GB vs 6GB) and memory bandwidth matter more.
Power and value
Board power is 275 W versus 120 W, which affects PSU headroom, case cooling and noise. At launch MSRPs of $429 vs $219, 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 R9 390X better than the GTX 1660?
R9 390X takes the overall edge, though GTX 1660 wins in specific areas worth weighing. R9 390X averages 18 fps at 1440p versus 17 fps — about 6% faster.
What is the main difference between the R9 390X and the GTX 1660?
R9 390X averages 18 fps at 1440p versus 17 fps — about 6% faster. GTX 1660 draws less power (120W vs 275W).
Which is better value?
GTX 1660 delivers more performance per dollar, making it the better value of the two at their listed prices.
Which should I choose?
Choose the R9 390X if you game at 1440p. Choose the GTX 1660 if you want lower power draw, heat and noise.
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.