NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti represent two distinct eras of mobile and desktop graphics, separated by five years of architectural evolution. The data shows a single head-to-head benchmark, but the specification sheets reveal a profound generational shift. The GTX 1660 Ti dominates the only shared test, the Geekbench OpenCL benchmark, with a score of 51,029 against the GTX 880M’s 5,622, a staggering 89% delta in favor of the newer card. This single result, combined with the architectural differences, paints a clear picture of progress, though the older card’s niche characteristics warrant a closer look.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark comparison available is the Geekbench OpenCL test, and it is not close. The GTX 1660 Ti scores 51,029, while the GTX 880M manages just 5,622. This represents an 89% advantage for the GTX 1660 Ti, a massive margin that underscores the leap in compute performance between 2014 and 2019. The GTX 880M’s score is more than nine times lower, which is a direct reflection of its older Kepler architecture and lower raw throughput.

This result aligns with the theoretical specifications. The GTX 1660 Ti’s FP32 performance is listed at 5.437 TFLOPS, while the GTX 880M is rated at 3.050 TFLOPS, making the newer card roughly 78% faster in raw floating-point math. However, the OpenCL delta of 89% is even larger, suggesting that the Turing architecture’s efficiency in compute workloads goes beyond simple clock-for-clock improvements. The GTX 880M’s 28 nm process and older driver optimizations likely hold it back further in this specific API.

Interestingly, the average benchmark scores tell a slightly different story. The GTX 880M has an average benchmark score of 8,040, which places it in the 42nd percentile of all GPUs. The GTX 1660 Ti, despite its overwhelming OpenCL win, has a lower average score of 7,723 and sits in the 41st percentile. This discrepancy is due to the different benchmark suites included in each card’s average. The GTX 880M’s average is drawn from its two Geekbench results, while the GTX 1660 Ti’s average includes a wider range of tests, including DirectX 9, 10, 11, and 12 tests where its scores are relatively low (e.g., 190 in Passmark DirectX 9 and 51 in Passmark DirectX 12). This highlights that while the GTX 1660 Ti is a compute monster, its legacy DirectX performance in these specific tests is not its strength.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU wins the only direct benchmark comparison?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti wins decisively in the Geekbench OpenCL test, scoring 51,029 versus the GTX 880M’s 5,622, a delta of 89%.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The GTX 880M has a higher average benchmark score of 8,040 compared to the GTX 1660 Ti’s 7,723. However, the GTX 880M’s average is based on only two Geekbench tests, while the GTX 1660 Ti’s includes a broader suite of DirectX and Passmark tests.

Q: What is the difference in their memory bandwidth?

A: The GTX 1660 Ti offers significantly higher memory bandwidth at 288.0 GB/s, compared to the GTX 880M’s 160.0 GB/s. The newer card also uses faster GDDR6 memory running at 12 Gbps effective, versus the GTX 880M’s GDDR5 at 5 Gbps effective.

Q: Do both cards support DirectX 12?

A: Yes, but at different feature levels. The GTX 880M supports DirectX 12 (11_0), while the GTX 1660 Ti supports DirectX 12 (12_1), indicating the newer card supports more advanced DirectX 12 features.

Q: Which card has a higher transistor density?

A: The GTX 1660 Ti has a much higher transistor density of 23.2M / mm², compared to the GTX 880M’s 12.0M / mm². This is largely due to the newer 12 nm process node versus the older 28 nm node.

Q: What is the pixel rate difference?

A: The GTX 1660 Ti has a significantly higher pixel rate of 84.96 GPixel/s, while the GTX 880M is rated at 31.78 GPixel/s. This indicates the newer card can fill the screen with pixels much faster, which is critical for high-resolution gaming.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two GPUs is vast. The GTX 880M is built on the Kepler architecture, using the GK104 chip, manufactured on a 28 nm process at TSMC. It packs 3,540 million transistors into a 294 mm² die. In contrast, the GTX 1660 Ti uses the Turing architecture with the TU116 chip, built on a 12 nm process, also at TSMC. This newer process allows for 6,600 million transistors in a slightly smaller die of 284 mm², resulting in a transistor density of 23.2M / mm² versus the 880M’s 12.0M / mm². This nearly doubles the density, enabling more complex logic and higher clock speeds.

Clock speeds tell a similar story. The GTX 880M has a base clock of 954 MHz and a boost clock of 993 MHz, while the GTX 1660 Ti operates at a base of 1500 MHz and boosts to 1770 MHz. This is a 57% increase in base clock and a 78% increase in boost clock, respectively. The memory subsystem also diverges significantly. The GTX 880M uses 8 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, yielding 160.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GTX 1660 Ti uses 6 GB of GDDR6 on a 192-bit bus, but achieves 288.0 GB/s due to the much higher 12 Gbps effective memory speed. Interestingly, the GTX 880M has more memory (8 GB vs 6 GB) and a wider bus (256-bit vs 192-bit), but the GTX 1660 Ti’s faster memory technology more than compensates, offering 80% more bandwidth.

The compute cores are configured differently as well. Both have 1536 shading units, but the GTX 880M has 128 TMUs and 32 ROPs, while the GTX 1660 Ti has 96 TMUs and 48 ROPs. This means the older card has more texture units, while the newer card has more render output units. The GTX 1660 Ti’s higher ROP count directly contributes to its much higher pixel rate of 84.96 GPixel/s versus 31.78 GPixel/s. Its texture rate is also higher at 169.9 GTexel/s versus 127.1 GTexel/s, despite having fewer TMUs, due to its higher clocks. The GTX 1660 Ti also supports FP16 compute at 10.87 TFLOPS (2:1), a feature the GTX 880M lacks entirely.

The Verdict

The benchmark data is unambiguous: the GTX 1660 Ti is the far more capable GPU. Its 89% lead in the Geekbench OpenCL test over the GTX 880M is a massive generational leap. The newer card’s superior pixel rate (84.96 vs 31.78 GPixel/s), texture rate (169.9 vs 127.1 GTexel/s), and FP32 performance (5.437 vs 3.050 TFLOPS) all point to a clear winner for any modern workload. The GTX 880M’s only advantages are its larger 8 GB memory capacity and its higher average benchmark score of 8,040 versus 7,723, but that average is skewed by the limited number of tests.

For a user prioritizing raw compute, modern API support, and higher resolution rendering, the GTX 1660 Ti is the obvious choice. Its DirectX 12 (12_1) support and Vulkan 1.4 compatibility are far ahead of the GTX 880M’s DirectX 12 (11_0) and Vulkan 1.2.175. The GTX 880M, being an end-of-life mobile part from 2014, is simply outclassed. The GTX 1660 Ti also carries a launch MSRP of 279 USD, though this analysis does not weigh pricing. Based strictly on performance data, the GTX 1660 Ti is the definitive pick.

Specification Differences

| Specification | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti |

|---|---|---|

| Architecture | Kepler | Turing |

| Process Node | 28 nm | 12 nm |

| Transistors | 3,540 million | 6,600 million |

| Die Size | 294 mm² | 284 mm² |

| Base Clock | 954 MHz | 1500 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 993 MHz | 1770 MHz |

| Memory Size | 8 GB | 6 GB |

| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR6 |

| Memory Bus Width | 256 bit | 192 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 160.0 GB/s | 288.0 GB/s |

| TMUs | 128 | 96 |

| ROPs | 32 | 48 |

| Pixel Rate | 31.78 GPixel/s | 84.96 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 127.1 GTexel/s | 169.9 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 3.050 TFLOPS | 5.437 TFLOPS |

| FP16 | N/A | 10.87 TFLOPS (2:1) |

| TDP | 122 W | 120 W |

| Slot Width | MXM Module | Dual-slot |

| Power Connectors | None | 1x 8-pin |

| Bus Interface | MXM-B (3.0) | PCIe 3.0 x16 |

| DirectX | 12 (11_0) | 12 (12_1) |

| Vulkan | 1.2.175 | 1.4 |

| Release Date | 2014-03-11 | 2019-02-21 |

Where Each One Wins

The GTX 1660 Ti wins in nearly every measurable performance category. Its compute advantage in OpenCL is decisive, and its higher pixel and texture rates make it superior for gaming at high resolutions and with modern graphical effects. The DirectX 12 (12_1) feature level and Vulkan 1.4 support mean it is ready for the latest game APIs. Its higher FP32 throughput and FP16 support also make it more suitable for compute tasks like machine learning inference or video processing. The lower TDP of 120 W versus 122 W is marginal, but the dual-slot form factor with a standard PCIe interface makes it far easier to install in a desktop.

The GTX 880M, however, has a few niche wins. Its 8 GB memory capacity is 33% larger than the GTX 1660 Ti’s 6 GB, which could be an advantage in specific memory-constrained workloads, such as large texture datasets or certain scientific computations. Its higher average benchmark score of 8,040 versus 7,723, while based on a smaller sample, suggests that in some legacy or specific Geekbench tests, it holds up reasonably well. The MXM module form factor means it was designed for laptops, where its 122 W TDP was a consideration. For a user with a legacy MXM-based system, the GTX 880M might be the only drop-in replacement, whereas the GTX 1660 Ti requires a standard PCIe slot. Ultimately, the GTX 1660 Ti is the winner in raw performance, but the GTX 880M retains a niche for specific legacy systems and memory-heavy tasks.