Comparing the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT vs NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super: Which Mainstream GPU Should You Buy?

For budget-focused PC gamers building 1080p capable rigs in 2023, the choice often boils down to two popular graphics card contenders – the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Super.

Both cards represent the current sweet spot for smooth Full HD gameplay without breaking the bank. But with a vast difference in launch price, specifications and features that impact real-world usability – which one offers maximum value today and better future-proofing?

In this comprehensive tech battle, we‘ll analyze 10+ key data points including architecture, performance benchmarks, resolution support, platform-specific features and more to crown an undisputed champion!

An Overview of the RX 5700 XT and GTX 1660 Super in 2023

First, let‘s recap how the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT and NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super compare as options in 2023 for amateur or professional gamers building mid-range rigs:

RX 5700 XT: Released in 2019 as a 1440p-focused card competing with RTX 2060/2070 GPUs originally priced at $399. Built on cutting-edge RDNA architecture, it shreds through 1080p. But today, you can buy this $350+ card for just $300 making it a value pick.

GTX 1660 Super: NVIDIA‘s late-2019 response to AMD priced very aggressively at just $229. While slower than 5700 XT, Turing architecture and 6GB VRAM deliver excellent 1080p performance consistently. Being more optimized for power efficiency and quiet operation gives it an edge for many.

Now in 2023, both graphics cards are easily available under $350. So which technology and spec combo gives you better and smoother Full HD or QHD gaming today? Does investing extra $100+ make sense for most casual gamers and system builders on a budget?

Let‘s analyze extensively across 10+ metrics to get definitive answers.

Technical Specification Face-Off: RDNA vs Turing Architectures

On paper, the RX 5700 XT clearly outpaces the GTX 1660 Super with its more advanced RDNA architecture, 7nm manufacturing process benefitting clock speeds and greater memory bandwidth courtesy 8GB VRAM.

Table: RX 5700 XT vs GTX 1660 Super Tech Spec Comparison

With 60% more cores, 10% higher boost clocks and 33% extra memory bandwidth while utilizing an advanced 7nm production node, the RX 5700 XT seems far superior on paper specifications wise.

But how do these tech specs translate into tangible metrics like gaming frame rates, thermal efficiency and power consumption in the real world?

AAA Gaming Performance: RX 5700 XT Hits Higher FPS Consistently

Thanks to its beefier spec advantage, the Radeon RX 5700 XT delivers around 20-30% higher frame rates (FPS) across popular games at 1080p and 1440p resolutions.

Benchmarks across 10 major AAA titles in 2023 show the 5700 XT comfortably crossing 60 FPS even at maxed graphic settings in 1440p. Meanwhile the GTX 1660 Super sees dips during intense scenes and has to dial down quality slightly.

Fig 1. 1080p and 1440p Average FPS Comparison in New AAA Games

So for maximum fluidity keeping up with 144Hz+ gaming monitors, the Radeon RX 5700 XT is the clear recommendation in 2023. It also provides sufficient muscle for entry-level 4K.

But the GTX 1660 Super no doubt remains very capable, running optimized titles like Forza Horizon 5 and Doom Eternal well above 60 FPS if you tweak some settings down from Ultra. Plus GPU architecture ages more gracefully than other components, so it has longevity on its side.

Power Efficiency and Thermals: GTX 1660 Super Runs Cooler, Quieter

The NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super holds a commanding advantage drawing 80% less power than the RX 5700 XT under typical gaming loads. Nvidia‘s Turing efficiency combined with the 12nm manufacturing node makes its TDP rating nearly half at 125W vs 225W.

This directly translates into lower heat output keeping average chip temperatures over 15° Celsius cooler along with quieter dual-fan operation. So while the RX 5700 XT relies on brute power, GTX 1660 Super wins big on balance providing smooth frame rates sans noise or thermal throttling issues even on compact ITX builds.

Fig 2. Peak Gaming Power Consumption and Noise Levels

Considering power efficiency and acoustic impact are vital factors affecting real-world gaming experience, the GTX 1660 Super definitely excels as an easier drop-in upgrade for home builds.

1080p Gaming Value: You Get 80% Power at 60% Cost with GTX 1660 Super

Now this is where the value calculations kick in! Originally at launch, the NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super retailed for nearly half the price of the premium RX 5700 XT card. And still today it continues bringing 80% of the gaming performance at 60% of the cost.

Fig 3. Price to Performance Ratio Comparison

In simple terms:

• $220 spent on a GTX 1660 Super gets you smooth 60+ FPS in 1080p gaming
• $330 invested in RX 5700 XT pushes that to 90+ FPS for higher refresh rates

While the RDNA architecture and improved speeds do give the RX 5700 XT well-deserved bragging rights, the GTX 1660 Super offers incredible value still retaining respectable frame rates today after 4+ years since launch.

Unless you explicitly need to max out those frame rates to match 144Hz monitors or shoot for 1440p, spending extra $100+ on the 5700 XT gives only incremental gains.

Feature Support and Future Proofing: NVENC vs AMD VCN Exploration

Now depending on your broader PC gaming plans and usage needs beyond pure gaming, specialized encoding/decoding hardware and next-gen graphics APIs support on these cards also impact decision making.

Encoding and Streaming: NVENC vs AMD VCN

For real-time game streaming needs, NVIDIA still holds an advantage with their dedicated NVENC hardware encoder onboard powering popular software like OBS and XSplit. Encoding 1080p or even 4K H.264/H.265 video at high quality needs heavy resources.

AMD Radeon cards counter that with their advanced VCN video blocks integrated since the 5000 series. But most encoding tests still show 15-20% higher efficiency in bitrate or FPS stability from NVENC compared to VCN while broadcasting.

720p Encoding Performance in XSplit Broadcaster (Higher FPS = Better): NVENC Wins

So if you wish to live stream your gameplay, Nvidia graphics cards do hold an advantage here over comparable or even pricier AMD options interms of dedicated hardware encoding.

Gaming APIs: AMD Leads in DX12 Ultimate Support

For next generation graphics and performance boosting developer APIs support, Radeon RX 5000 series leads the way with DirectX 12 Ultimate compatibility. This includes cutting-edge features like variable rate shading, mesh shaders and sampler feedback.

Although the GTX 1660 Super meets basic DX12 specification, it misses out on the extended toolset which help game engines optimize scenes better. Support for Windows 11 exclusive Auto HDR is also lacking.

So forward-looking support to extract more quality or FPS as developers adopt new rendering techniques does give AMD an edge even if current games cannot leverage those capabilities yet fully.

Overclocking Headroom: Both Cards Have Potential

Enthusiasts might be curious about manual tuning potential on both cards bringing extra performance to the table. Luck of the draw matters since no two GPU chips overclock the same way due to variance.

But in general tests, both the RX 5700 XT and GTX 1660 Super demonstrate 10-15% overclocking headroom maxing out power limits and ramping up clock speeds using AMD Radeon Software or MSI Afterburner.

So users wanting to tinker can push these cards beyond stock specifications if the cooling system permits. Undervolt tweaking for efficiency is also possible to counter higher TDP issues on RX 5700 XT.

The Verdict: GTX 1660 Super Wins Thanks to Value, Efficiency & Long Term Usability

While Radeon RX 5700 XT no doubt trounces the GTX 1660 Super in raw FPS across resolutions as benchmarks showed earlier, the Nvidia Turing card provides incredible value and longevity four years from launch.

If you play at 1080p or have a moderate 60-75Hz gaming monitor, the GTX 1660 Super is still king of the hill managing smooth frame rates and visuals at High-Ultra settings in new games. Performance saturates beyond this point with the RX 5700 XT unless you have plans to upgrade to higher refresh rates.

Combine that with markedly better power and thermal characteristics suited for ITX builds, plus dedicated NVENC encoder benefiting streaming – the GTX 1660 Super is still the best bang for buck GPU recommendation of 2023 so far for budget gamers.

Or if you don‘t wish to wait for next-gen RTX 4060 and RX 7700 XT arriving later at higher prices, building a value 1080p gaming rig with the 1660 Super wont disappoint thanks to its reliable drivers and wide optimization coverage.

So don‘t overspend $100+ extra only to hit incremental FPS gains; the GTX 1660 Super has you covered already! Time to grab this capable 1080p beast before supplies dry out.