GeForce GTX 660 vs Radeon R9 270 / R7 370

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.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

The Radeon R9 270 / R7 370 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 5.4% higher G3D Mark score. However, the GeForce GTX 660 offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.

Insight	GeForce GTX 660	Radeon R9 270 / R7 370
Performance	❌Lower raw frame rates (-5.4%)	✅Leading raw performance (+5.4%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / Kepler (2012−2018))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2015 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	✅ More VRAM (+50%)	❌ Less VRAM capacity
Efficiency	⚡ Higher Power Consumption	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt
Case Fit	📏 Compact / SFF Friendly	📏 Compact / SFF Friendly

💎 Value Proposition

The GeForce GTX 660 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the GeForce GTX 660 holds the technical lead. Priced at $15 (vs $149), it costs 90% less, resulting in a 842% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	GeForce GTX 660	Radeon R9 270 / R7 370
Cost Efficiency	✅Better overall value (+842%)	❌Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅More affordable ($15)	⚠️Higher upfront cost ($149)

Performance Check

Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 7800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.

Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.

GeForce GTX 660 Benchmark Check

Radeon R9 270 / R7 370 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 660 and Radeon R9 270 / R7 370

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.

Radeon R9 270 / R7 370

The Radeon R9 270 / R7 370 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in May 5 2015. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 925 MHz to 975 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 110W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,260 points.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 660 scores 4,040 versus the Radeon R9 270 / R7 370's 4,260 — the Radeon R9 270 / R7 370 leads by 5.4%. The GeForce GTX 660 is built on Kepler while the Radeon R9 270 / R7 370 uses GCN 1.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 960 (GeForce GTX 660) vs 1,280 (Radeon R9 270 / R7 370). Raw compute: 1.981 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 660) vs 2.496 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 270 / R7 370). Boost clocks: 1033 MHz vs 975 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 660	Radeon R9 270 / R7 370
G3D Mark Score	4,040	4,260+5%
Architecture	Kepler	GCN 1.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	960	1280+33%
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.981 TFLOPS	2.496 TFLOPS+26%
Boost Clock	1033 MHz+6%	975 MHz
ROPs	24	32+33%
TMUs	80	80
L1 Cache	80 KB	384 KB+380%
L2 Cache	384 KB	512 KB+33%

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 660	Radeon R9 270 / R7 370
Upscaling Tech	FSR 2.1 (Compatible)	FSR 1.0 (Software)
Frame Generation	FSR 3 (Compatible)	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	Standard	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 660 comes with 3 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 270 / R7 370 has 2 GB. The GeForce GTX 660 offers 50% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 144.2 GB/s (GeForce GTX 660) vs 179.2 GB/s (Radeon R9 270 / R7 370) — a 24.3% advantage for the Radeon R9 270 / R7 370. Bus width: 192-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 384 KB (GeForce GTX 660) vs 512 KB (Radeon R9 270 / R7 370) — the Radeon R9 270 / R7 370 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 660	Radeon R9 270 / R7 370
VRAM Capacity	3 GB+50%	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	144.2 GB/s	179.2 GB/s+24%
Bus Width	192-bit	256-bit+33%
L2 Cache	384 KB	512 KB+33%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 660) vs 12 (11_1) (Radeon R9 270 / R7 370). Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 660	Radeon R9 270 / R7 370
DirectX	12	12 (11_1)
Max Displays	4	4

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Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 1st Gen (GeForce GTX 660) vs VCE 1.0 (Radeon R9 270 / R7 370). Decoder: NVDEC 1st Gen vs UVD 4.0. Supported codecs: H.264 (GeForce GTX 660) vs H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (Radeon R9 270 / R7 370).

Feature	GeForce GTX 660	Radeon R9 270 / R7 370
Encoder	NVENC 1st Gen	VCE 1.0
Decoder	NVDEC 1st Gen	UVD 4.0
Codecs	H.264	H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 660 draws 140W versus the Radeon R9 270 / R7 370's 110W — a 24% difference. The Radeon R9 270 / R7 370 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 450W (GeForce GTX 660) vs 450W (Radeon R9 270 / R7 370). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 1x 6-pin. Card length: 241mm vs 220mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 660	Radeon R9 270 / R7 370
TDP	140W	110W-21%
Recommended PSU	450W	450W
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	1x 6-pin
Length	241mm	220mm
Height	—	111mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	—	70
Perf/Watt	28.9	38.7+34%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 660 launched at $229 MSRP and currently averages $15, while the Radeon R9 270 / R7 370 launched at $149 and now averages $149. The GeForce GTX 660 costs 89.9% less ($134 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 269.3 (GeForce GTX 660) vs 28.6 (Radeon R9 270 / R7 370) — the GeForce GTX 660 offers 841.6% better value. The Radeon R9 270 / R7 370 is the newer GPU (2015 vs 2012).