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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, raw graphics performance, VRAM, feature set, power efficiency, pricing context, and long-term value so you can see which GPU actually makes more sense.

GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design

2019

Why buy it

✅56.8% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 4 GB).
✅Draws 60W instead of 110W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation (2023).
❌Limited future-proofing: older hardware, 6 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in upcoming AAA games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 49.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $179 MSRP).

Radeon RX 5500

2019

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 49.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($179 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation (2023).
✅More future proof: RDNA 1.0 (2019−2020) on 7nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌83.3% higher power demand at 110W vs 60W.

GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design

2019

Radeon RX 5500

2019

Why buy it

✅56.8% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 4 GB).
✅Draws 60W instead of 110W, a 50W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 49.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($179 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation (2023).
✅More future proof: RDNA 1.0 (2019−2020) on 7nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation (2023).
❌Limited future-proofing: older hardware, 6 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in upcoming AAA games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 49.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $179 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌83.3% higher power demand at 110W vs 60W.

Quick Answers

So, is Radeon RX 5500 better than GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design?

Yes. Radeon RX 5500 is the better GPU overall here. You are getting 2.9% higher PassMark G3D performance.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Radeon RX 5500 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting better upscaling support with FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack and better frame-generation support with FSR Frame Generation (2023) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack and a 7nm process instead of 12nm. That broader feature stack should age better as more games lean on modern upscaling and frame-generation support.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?

Radeon RX 5500 is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. Radeon RX 5500 is priced in an unclear MSRP range at $179 MSRP versus an unclear MSRP, and you are getting lower estimated average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and 2.9% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 100+%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.

Is GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design is still a strong modern gaming GPU: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It remains a good buy when you can get it meaningfully cheaper than the alternative around an unclear MSRP, even if Radeon RX 5500 is still the cleaner recommendation on overall value today.

Games Benchmarks

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 9800X3D 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 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design Benchmark Check

Radeon RX 5500 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design	Radeon RX 5500
1080p
low	80 FPS	84 FPS
medium	69 FPS	72 FPS
high	59 FPS	60 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	39 FPS
1440p
low	70 FPS	74 FPS
medium	62 FPS	64 FPS
high	46 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	30 FPS	31 FPS
4K
low	26 FPS	28 FPS
medium	25 FPS	27 FPS
high	17 FPS	18 FPS
ultra	14 FPS	16 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design Open Radeon RX 5500

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design	Radeon RX 5500
1080p
low	219 FPS	106 FPS
medium	192 FPS	74 FPS
high	145 FPS	51 FPS
ultra	117 FPS	34 FPS
1440p
low	166 FPS	73 FPS
medium	141 FPS	45 FPS
high	112 FPS	33 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	24 FPS
4K
low	98 FPS	34 FPS
medium	82 FPS	24 FPS
high	66 FPS	19 FPS
ultra	51 FPS	14 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design Open Radeon RX 5500

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design	Radeon RX 5500
1080p
low	387 FPS	349 FPS
medium	309 FPS	304 FPS
high	258 FPS	238 FPS
ultra	193 FPS	198 FPS
1440p
low	290 FPS	285 FPS
medium	232 FPS	239 FPS
high	193 FPS	199 FPS
ultra	145 FPS	149 FPS
4K
low	193 FPS	176 FPS
medium	155 FPS	151 FPS
high	129 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	97 FPS	74 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design Open Radeon RX 5500

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design	Radeon RX 5500
1080p
low	235 FPS	140 FPS
medium	197 FPS	113 FPS
high	160 FPS	97 FPS
ultra	135 FPS	81 FPS
1440p
low	178 FPS	103 FPS
medium	153 FPS	85 FPS
high	120 FPS	73 FPS
ultra	97 FPS	59 FPS
4K
low	96 FPS	60 FPS
medium	76 FPS	48 FPS
high	60 FPS	38 FPS
ultra	45 FPS	29 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design Open Radeon RX 5500

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design and Radeon RX 5500

GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design

The GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in April 23 2019. It features the Turing architecture. The core clock ranges from 1140 MHz to 1335 MHz. It has 1536 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 60W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 8,589 points. Launch price was $229.

Radeon RX 5500

The Radeon RX 5500 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in October 7 2019. It features the RDNA 1.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1845 MHz. It has 1408 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 110W. Manufactured using 7 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 8,837 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design scores 8,589 and the Radeon RX 5500 reaches 8,837 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design is built on Turing while the Radeon RX 5500 uses RDNA 1.0, both on 12 nm vs 7 nm. Shader units: 1,536 (GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design) vs 1,408 (Radeon RX 5500). Raw compute: 4.101 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design) vs 5.196 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 5500). Boost clocks: 1335 MHz vs 1845 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design	Radeon RX 5500
G3D Mark Score	8,589	8,837+3%
Architecture	Turing	RDNA 1.0
Process Node	12 nm	7 nm
Shading Units	1536+9%	1408
Compute (TFLOPS)	4.101 TFLOPS	5.196 TFLOPS+27%
Boost Clock	1335 MHz	1845 MHz+38%
ROPs	48+50%	32
TMUs	96+9%	88

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the Radeon RX 5500 is support for FSR Frame Generation. This allows it to generate entire frames using AI/Algorithms, essentially doubling the frame rate in CPU-bound scenarios or heavy ray-tracing titles. The GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.The GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Radeon RX 5500 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design	Radeon RX 5500
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	FSR Frame Generation
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design comes with 6 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon RX 5500 has 4 GB. The GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design offers 50% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 288 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design) vs 224 GB/s (Radeon RX 5500) — a 28.6% advantage for the GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design. Bus width: 192-bit vs 128-bit.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design	Radeon RX 5500
VRAM Capacity	6 GB+50%	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	288 GB/s+29%	224 GB/s
Bus Width	192-bit+50%	128-bit

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (12_1) (GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design) vs 12.1 (Radeon RX 5500). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design	Radeon RX 5500
DirectX	12 (12_1)	12.1
Vulkan	1.4+17%	1.2
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: 7th Gen NVENC (GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design) vs VCN 2.0 (Radeon RX 5500). Decoder: 4th Gen NVDEC vs VCN 2.0. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP8,VP9,MPEG-2,VC-1 (GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9 (Radeon RX 5500).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design	Radeon RX 5500
Encoder	7th Gen NVENC	VCN 2.0
Decoder	4th Gen NVDEC	VCN 2.0
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP8,VP9,MPEG-2,VC-1	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design draws 60W versus the Radeon RX 5500's 110W — a 58.8% difference. The GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design) vs 450W (Radeon RX 5500). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 8-pin. Typical load temperature: 85°C vs 75°C.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design	Radeon RX 5500
TDP	60W-45%	110W
Recommended PSU	500W	450W-10%
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	8-pin
Length	—	180mm
Height	—	110mm
Slots	0-100%	2
Temp (Load)	85°C	75°C-12%
Perf/Watt	143.2+78%	80.3