GeForce GTX 570 vs GeForce GTX 660

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 570

2010Core: 732 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 660

2012Core: 980 MHzBoost: 1033 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce GTX 570 vs GeForce GTX 660 Performance Spectrum

About G3D Mark

G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.

GeForce GTX 570 vs GeForce GTX 660 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

GeForce GTX 570 vs GeForce GTX 660: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

GeForce GTX 570

2010

Why buy it

  • 68.7% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 3 GB vs 3 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2010 hardware with 3 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 52.4% HIGHER MSRP
    $349 MSRPvs$229 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 11.3 vs 17.6 G3D/$ ($349 MSRP vs $229 MSRP).
  • 56.4% higher power demand at 219W vs 140W.

GeForce GTX 660

2012

Why buy it

  • Costs $120 less on MSRP ($229 MSRP vs $349 MSRP).
  • Delivers 56.7% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 17.6 vs 11.3 G3D/$ ($229 MSRP vs $349 MSRP).
  • 20% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (3 GB vs 3 GB).
  • Draws 140W instead of 219W, a 79W reduction.
  • Measures 241mm instead of 267mm, a 26mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 570 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • 2012 hardware with 3 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce GTX 570 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 68.7% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward GeForce GTX 660 instead at 4,040 vs 3,930, so for this question the real-game FPS result matters more than the synthetic split.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce GTX 570 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond because it comes out ahead on the available hardware-headroom signals for this matchup.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce GTX 660 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $120 cheaper on MSRP at $229 vs $349, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 56.7% (17.6 vs 11.3), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce GTX 660 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce GTX 570 has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 570 vs GeForce GTX 660 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 570

The GeForce GTX 570 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in December 7 2010. It features the Fermi 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 732 MHz. It has 480 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 219W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,930 points. Launch price was $349.

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 660

The GeForce GTX 660 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 6 2012. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 980 MHz to 1033 MHz. It has 960 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 140W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,040 points. Launch price was $229.

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 570 scores 3,930 and the GeForce GTX 660 reaches 4,040 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.8% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 570 is built on Fermi 2.0 while the GeForce GTX 660 uses Kepler, both on 40 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 480 (GeForce GTX 570) vs 960 (GeForce GTX 660). Raw compute: 1.405 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 570) vs 1.981 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 660).

FeatureGeForce GTX 570GeForce GTX 660
G3D Mark Score
3,930
4,040+3%
Architecture
Fermi 2.0
Kepler
Process Node
40 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
480
960+100%
Compute (TFLOPS)
1.405 TFLOPS
1.981 TFLOPS+41%
ROPs
40+67%
24
TMUs
60
80+33%
L1 Cache
960 KB+1100%
80 KB
L2 Cache
640 KB+67%
384 KB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureGeForce GTX 570GeForce GTX 660
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
Upscaling support
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
NVIDIA Reflex
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 570 has 3 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 660 carries 3 GB. GeForce GTX 660 gives you 20% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 152 GB/s (GeForce GTX 570) vs 144.2 GB/s (GeForce GTX 660) — a 5.4% advantage for the GeForce GTX 570. Memory bus width is 320-bit on the GeForce GTX 570 and 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 660. L2 Cache: 640 KB (GeForce GTX 570) vs 384 KB (GeForce GTX 660) — the GeForce GTX 570 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce GTX 570GeForce GTX 660
VRAM Capacity
2.5 GB
3 GB+20%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
152 GB/s+5%
144.2 GB/s
Bus Width
320-bit+67%
192-bit
L2 Cache
640 KB+67%
384 KB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 11_0 (GeForce GTX 570) vs 12 (GeForce GTX 660). Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce GTX 570GeForce GTX 660
DirectX
11_0
12+9%
Max Displays
2
4+100%
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: PureVideo HD (GeForce GTX 570) vs NVENC 1st Gen (GeForce GTX 660). Decoder: PureVideo HD vs NVDEC 1st Gen.

FeatureGeForce GTX 570GeForce GTX 660
Encoder
PureVideo HD
NVENC 1st Gen
Decoder
PureVideo HD
NVDEC 1st Gen
Codecs
H.264
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 570 draws 219W versus the GeForce GTX 660's 140W — a 44% difference. The GeForce GTX 660 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce GTX 570) vs 450W (GeForce GTX 660). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs 1x 6-pin. Card length: 267mm vs 241mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots.

FeatureGeForce GTX 570GeForce GTX 660
TDP
219W
140W-36%
Recommended PSU
550W
450W-18%
Power Connector
2x 6-pin
1x 6-pin
Length
267mm
241mm
Slots
2
2
Perf/Watt
17.9
28.9+61%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 570 came in at $349, while the GeForce GTX 660 launched at $229. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 660 was 34.4% cheaper ($120 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 11.3 (GeForce GTX 570) vs 17.6 (GeForce GTX 660) — the GeForce GTX 660 offers 55.8% better value. The newer card here is GeForce GTX 660 (2012 vs 2010).

FeatureGeForce GTX 570GeForce GTX 660
MSRP
$349
$229-34%
Performance per Dollar
11.3
17.6+56%
Codename
GF110
GK106
Release
December 7 2010
September 6 2012
Ranking
#497
#490

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