GTX 1660 Ti Vs RTX 3050 [Gaming Benchmarks 2023]

In the GTX 1660 Ti vs RTX 3050 comparison, we will compare the performance of both cards in real-world gaming scenarios. Through our comparison, you will be able to select the right GPU for your rig. 

Key Takeaways

• The RTX 3050 managed to get a 66 FPS average in our gaming tests, whereas the 1660 Ti managed 62 FPS.
• The GTX 1660 Ti ran much hotter than the RTX 3050. The disparity in temperature was close to 5°C.
• The GTX 1660 Ti misses key features like DLSS and ray tracing.

GTX 1660 Ti Vs RTX 3050

Comparison Table

Architectural Differences

1. Process Size: The NVIDIA RTX 3050 utilizes an 8nm manufacturing process, while the NVIDIA GTX 1660 Ti is based on a 12nm process.
2. VRAM: The RTX 3050 and GTX 1660 Ti have different VRAM sizes. The RTX 3050 has 8GB of VRAM, while the GTX 1660 Ti has 6GB of VRAM.
3. TDP: The RTX 3050 has a TDP of 130W, slightly higher than the GTX 1660 Ti’s TDP of 120W. 
4. Clock Speeds: The base clock of the RTX 3050 is 1552MHz, with a boost clock of 1777MHz. The GTX 1660 Ti has a base clock of 1500MHz, which can boost up to 1770MHz. 
5. Other Features: The RTX 3050 has support for DLSS and ray tracing, while the GTX 1660 Ti misses out on these features.

Also Read: RTX 3050 Vs RTX 3060

RTX 3050 Vs GTX 1660 Ti: Gaming Benchmarks

In this part of the GTX 1660 Ti vs RTX 3050 comparison, we will see the performance of each of these graphics cards in modern titles. All of these benchmarks were performed in a controlled environment at 1080p atop a test bench, the specifications of which are listed below:

• CPU – I3 10100
• RAM – Kingston 16GB DDR4 
• SSD – XPG S40G 512GB RGB M.2
• PSU – Corsair CV 550w PSU 80+ Bronze

Shadow Of The Tomb Raider

• In Shadow of the Tomb Raider, the RTX 3050 performs slightly better than the GTX 1660 Ti. The RTX 3050 achieves an average of 81 FPS, surpassing the GTX 1660 Ti’s average of 77 FPS.
• During demanding gameplay sequences, both GPUs maintain similar 1% lows, with the RTX 3050 reaching 62 FPS and the GTX 1660 Ti achieving 1% lows of 60 FPS.
• In terms of temperatures, the GTX 1660 Ti reaches a peak temperature of 75°C, while the RTX 3050 operates at a slightly lower peak temperature of 69°C.

God Of War

• In God of War, the GTX 1660 Ti and RTX 3050 exhibit similar performance, with the GTX 1660 Ti achieving an average of 66 FPS and the RTX 3050 reaching an average of 63 FPS.
• Both GPUs maintain comparable 1% lows during graphically intense scenes, with the GTX 1660 Ti at 51 FPS and the RTX 3050 at 54 FPS.
• Regarding temperatures, the GTX 1660 Ti reaches a peak temperature of 76°C, while the RTX 3050 operates at a slightly higher peak temperature of 79°C.

Also Check: RTX 3050 Vs RX 6500 XT

GTA V

• In GTA V, the RTX 3050 outperforms the GTX 1660 Ti, delivering a higher average of 77 FPS compared to 67 FPS for the GTX 1660 Ti.
• The GTX 1660 Ti exhibits higher 1% lows in Grand Theft Auto V at 94 FPS, while the RTX 3050 lags behind with 53 FPS.
• In terms of temperatures, both GPUs operate at similar levels, with the GTX 1660 Ti reaching a peak temperature of 66°C and the RTX 3050 operating at a slightly higher peak temperature of 67°C.

Elden Ring

• In Elden Ring, both the GTX 1660 Ti and the RTX 3050 offer similar performance, with the GTX 1660 Ti achieving an average of 49 FPS and the RTX 3050 reaching 48 FPS.
• Both GPUs exhibit identical 1% lows of 35 FPS in Elden Ring, indicating similar performance in handling more intense scenes.
• In terms of temperatures, the GTX 1660 Ti reaches a peak temperature of 76°C, while the RTX 3050 operates at a slightly lower peak temperature of 73°C.

Dying Light 2

• In Dying Light 2, the RTX 3050 outperforms the GTX 1660 Ti, providing a higher average of 47 FPS compared to 41 FPS for the GTX 1660 Ti.
• During demanding gameplay sequences, the RTX 3050 also maintains better 1% lows with 41 FPS, while the GTX 1660 Ti falls behind with 34 FPS.
• As for temperatures, the GTX 1660 Ti reaches a peak temperature of 75°C, while the RTX 3050 operates at a slightly lower peak temperature of 72°C.

Also Read: RTX 3050 Vs 2060

Far Cry 6

• Far Cry 6’s performance difference between the GTX 1660 Ti and the RTX 3050 is minimal. The RTX 3050 achieves a slightly higher average of 47 FPS compared to 46 FPS for the GTX 1660 Ti.
• During demanding gameplay sequences, the RTX 3050 also maintains slightly better 1% lows with 38 FPS, while the GTX 1660 Ti falls behind with 35 FPS.
• In terms of temperatures, the GTX 1660 Ti reaches a peak temperature of 74°C, while the RTX 3050 operates at a lower peak temperature of 65°C.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

• In Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, the RTX 3050 performs slightly better than the GTX 1660 Ti. The RTX 3050 achieves an average of 53 FPS, while the GTX 1660 Ti lags slightly behind at 51 FPS.
• During demanding gameplay sequences, the RTX 3050 also delivers better 1% lows with 41 FPS, compared to 36 FPS for the GTX 1660 Ti.
• Speaking of temperatures, the GTX 1660 Ti reaches a peak temperature of 76°C, while the RTX 3050 operates at a lower peak temperature of 66°C.

Cyberpunk 2077

• In Cyberpunk 2077, the RTX 3050 shows a slight performance advantage over the GTX 1660 Ti. The RTX 3050 achieves an average of 67 FPS, while the GTX 1660 Ti falls slightly behind at 64 FPS.
• Both GPUs offer similar 1% lows during hard-to-run parts of Cyberpunk 2077, with the RTX 3050 and GTX 1660 Ti at 53 FPS and 52 FPS, respectively.
• Regarding temperatures, both GPUs operate at similar levels, with the GTX 1660 Ti reaching a peak temperature of 75°C and the RTX 3050 reaching 74°C.

Also Check: RTX 3050 Vs RX 6600

Forza Horizon 5

• In Forza Horizon 5, the GTX 1660 Ti and RTX 3050 deliver similar performance. The GTX 1660 Ti achieves an average of 92 FPS, while the RTX 3050 follows closely with 89 FPS.
• Both GPUs provide similar 1% lows during demanding gameplay sequences, with the GTX 1660 Ti and RTX 3050 at 78 FPS and 76 FPS, respectively.
• Regarding temperatures, the GTX 1660 Ti reaches a peak temperature of 75°C, while the RTX 3050 operates at a slightly lower peak temperature of 68°C.

Hitman 3

• In Hitman 3, the GTX 1660 Ti and RTX 3050 perform similarly. The GTX 1660 Ti achieves an average of 86 FPS, while the RTX 3050 follows closely with 87 FPS.
• Both GPUs offer comparable 1% lows, with the GTX 1660 Ti and RTX 3050 at 68 FPS and 70 FPS, respectively.
• In terms of temperatures, the GTX 1660 Ti reaches a peak temperature of 77°C, while the RTX 3050 operates at a slightly lower peak temperature of 73°C.

More From 3050: RX 6600 XT Vs RTX 3050

Red Dead Redemption 2

• In Red Dead Redemption 2, both the GTX 1660 Ti and RTX 3050 offer similar performance. The GTX 1660 Ti achieves an average of 55 FPS, while the RTX 3050 reaches 56 FPS.
• Both GPUs deliver comparable 1% lows, with the GTX 1660 Ti and RTX 3050 at 44 FPS and 43 FPS, respectively.
• In terms of temperatures, the GTX 1660 Ti reaches a peak temperature of 76°C, while the RTX 3050 operates at a slightly lower peak temperature of 73°C.

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey

• In Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, the GTX 1660 Ti and RTX 3050 show slightly different performances. The GTX 1660 Ti achieves an average of 52 FPS, while the RTX 3050 falls slightly behind with an average of 48 FPS.
• Both GPUs deliver similar 1% lows during demanding gameplay sequences, with the GTX 1660 Ti and RTX 3050 at 38 FPS.
• Regarding temperatures, the GTX 1660 Ti reaches a peak temperature of 73°C, while the RTX 3050 operates at a slightly lower peak temperature of 68°C.

Similar Comparisons: GTX 1650 vs RTX 3050

RTX 3050 Vs GTX 1660 Ti: Overall Gaming Performance

In this section of the GTX 1660 Ti vs RTX 3050 comparison, we will review the findings in the benchmark tests, specifically regarding framerate and temperatures.

Framerate

• The RTX 3050 averaged 66 FPS throughout our gaming tests at 1080p, while the GTX 1660 Ti managed to get around 62 FPS on average.
• 1% lows were also close between the two cards. The RTX 3050 had 1% lows of 52 FPS, whereas the GTX 1660 Ti managed to get a slightly lower 50 FPS average.

Our gaming tests proved that these cards do not have a huge difference in performance. In fact, the delta between these two cards is small enough to be unnoticeable in most scenarios.

Do note that these tests focused on the raw performance of these cards. If you decide to play games using DLSS or ray tracing on the RTX 3050, it will beat the older card significantly due to its hardware support for AI upscaling and ray tracing.

Temperatures

• The GTX 1660 Ti had an average temperature of 74.5°C in our tests.
• The RTX 3050 stayed cooler than the GTX 1660 Ti, with an average temperature of 70.6°C according to our benchmarks.

The RTX 3050 was substantially well-cooled during our testing compared to the older card, which can be attributed to its smaller processing nodes and lower TDP.

More From 1660 Ti: RTX 2060 Vs GTX 1660 Ti

The lower temperatures on this card can help with longevity while also giving some thermal headroom to overclock the RTX 2060.

It is also important to note that both cards operate within safe thermal limits, so you should not be worried about the cards overheating or causing a system malfunction unless they are in exceptionally poor condition.

Temperatures are very important to keep in check if you want your GPU to reach its maximum lifespan. If you want to learn about safe GPU idle temperatures, read our guide on the topic.

Price And Availability

You can find the GTX 1660 Ti for around $150 on a used reseller like eBay, while the RTX 3050 will set you back about $200.

As for availability, the age of the 1660 Ti makes it unlikely to find this card in any computer parts retailer. On the flip side, the RTX 3050 should still be available at any computer parts retailer of your choosing, as there is no successor of this card from the RTX 40 series as of writing this article. You can also find these cards on used retailers like eBay or Newegg.

If you want to learn the current market cost of your computer, check out our valuation guide.

Which One Should You Go For?

Having seen the performance of each of these cards’ performance, I will highlight each card’s demographic in this part of the GTX 1660 Ti vs RTX 3050 comparison.

For the average gamer looking to stretch their dollar as far as possible, the GTX 1660 Ti is the better option. It gives almost identical performance to the RTX 3050 while having a hefty discount on the price.

Also Check: RTX 3060 Vs GTX 1660 Ti

Sure, you don’t get ray tracing, but what use is it if the setting gets stuttery performance on the 3050? If you feel like the half-baked bells and whistles of the RTX 3050 are not suited to you, then the GTX 1660 Ti is the card for you.

There is one feature of the RTX 3050 that should elevate its performance much above its weight class for consumers. This feature is DLSS. This singular addition to the RTX 3050 makes it worth the extra seventy bucks over the GTX 1660 Ti, assuming your budget allows for it.

Pros And Cons