GTX 1660 Super Power Consumption: How Much Power Does The GTX 1660 Super Use?
Are you on the market for a nice mid-tier graphics card? If you are then you should consider using a GTX 1660 Super graphics card.
WHile this card might not be as powerful as some of the latest graphics cards made by Nvidia, it can still handle some of the latest games.
The Geforce GTX 1660 Super is one of the best cards in the 16- series because it offers a good amount of performance at a reasonable price.
However, before you go ahead and make the purchase, you need to make sure that you have the right power supply for the job. Having the right PSU is essential when building a PC; especially if you are on a budget.
You don’t want to make the mistake of underpower your computer, but wasting money on a large power supply isn’t good either.
Before you go ahead you need to understand the power requirements for the GTX 1660 Super. That way you can decide what the right power supply is for your PC.
To many people, this can be very overwhelming, but don’t worry because in this article we will walk you through the knowledge and the steps, that way you can build you PC with confidence.
How Many Whats Does a GTX 1660 Super Use?
The Total Graphics Power or TGP of the GTX 1660 Super, standing at 125 Watts, is the standard measure of its power consumption. During intense gaming sessions, it’s expected that the card would operate at around 125 Watts, while during idle moments, the card’s power output drops to approximately 9 Watts.
It’s worth noting, however, that the wattage usage of this graphics card may fluctuate depending on several variables, such as the level of power required by your gaming rig, the types of games or tasks you’re performing, and the extent of their intensity. Therefore, it’s essential to consider these factors when gauging the card’s power consumption level.
If you use more than one monitor expect your graphics card to have a higher idle power consumption. Typically, with an extra monitor the idle power consumption will be just under double what you would see with just one monitor. In this instance, the Geforce GTX 1660 Super graphics card will produce around 18 Watts of power when idle in a dual monitor setup.
As you delve into the intricacies of GPU power consumption, it becomes crucial to pay close attention to the concept of TGP, or Total Graphics Power. This metric provides insight into the maximum amount of energy your GPU will typically draw when undertaking demanding tasks like immersive gaming experiences.
Interestingly, you may come across another term, “TDP,” (Thermal Design Power) which is often used interchangeably with TGP.
However, it’s essential to understand that TDP represents the overall power consumption of a component, while TGP is solely focused on the power consumption of the GPU itself. By keeping this distinction in mind, you can gain a deeper understanding of the power requirements necessary for optimizing your GPU’s performance.
The TGP is not actually the true maximum of the graphics card. The true maximum of the GTX 1660 Super is around 138 Watts, but this only happens, when you see a spike in your performance. These power spikes only last a few seconds and will go back down to the max baseline level which in this case is only 120 watts.
This power draw can also be met when you overclock your system.
GTX 1660 Ti Power Consumption Compared To Other GPUs
The GPUs power consumption is compared using TGP. It is very important to know and compare your graphics cards to other similar models because it will help you get a grasp on the amount of power your system is going to use.
Here is a comparison of a few graphics cards that are around the performance range of the GTX 1660 Ti.
| GPU | TGP |
| GTX 1660 Ti | 120 Watts |
| GTX 1660 Super | 125 Watts |
| GTX 1660 | 120 Watts |
As you can see from this table the GTX 1660 Super has a higher wattage than other GTX 1660 cards. Although it is only 5 watts higher it is still more. However, this is not something to be concerned about because 125 watts is still pretty power efficient by today’s standards.
If you want to compare more GPU models and their wattages and TGP output then you should check out the Database.
I have also provided the average power consumption when gaming, as well as the average power consumption when idle, that way you can get a better understanding.
What Power Supply Do I Need to Use For a GTX 1660 Super?
I would recommend that you try to get a power supply unit that is 500 watts. If you go on Nvidia’s page you can see that they say that the 1660 Super would be able to run on a 450-watt power supply, however, that is the bare minimum.
When purchasing a power supply for your computer you want to keep in mind that every piece of hardware in your system has a power consumption.
Although not as powerful as a graphics card, all of these little components add up and can exceed the wattage of your PSU very quickly.
That’s why you want to be safe and grab a PSU that has around a 20% increase in extra wattage than you planned for your system.
By doing this you will not only know for sure that your PSU will be able to support powering your whole system but it will also be safe from any power spikes that happen when you are gaming.
If you also want to save on your electricity bill, then you should purchase a power supply that is at least 80 plus Bronze certified, with the best rating being 80 plus Gold certified.
You should read: “How Do Power Supply Ratings Work?”
Best Power Supply For The GTX 1660 Super
The power supply you decide to use for your build will depend not just on your graphics card, but also on the other components you want to use inside your computer.
As a basis, I would recommend the EVGA 500W White Plus Certified.
The reason why I would recommend this PSU is that EVGA is a well-known and well-trusted power supply manufacturer. That way you know you are getting a high-quality product.
On top of that, this power supply is 80 plus white certified meaning it is very efficient when it comes to consuming power, so by paying a little more upfront on the PSU you will be able to save a lot more money on your electrical bill.
GTX 1660 Super FAQ
How Much Power Does The GTX 1660 Super Use When Idle?
When idle the GTX 1660 Super uses around 9 watts of power. However, this will differ depending on how many monitors you are using. The more monitors you are using the more wattage your GPU will use when Idle.
Is The GTX 1660 Super Considered High-End?
The GTX 1660 Super is not a high-end card. This graphics card is targeted towards mid-end builds, but is still a very good GPU that will allow you to play games, and run computing tasks at a fairly well performance level.
Is 400 Watts Enough For The 1660 Super?
Technically 400 watts is enough for the 1660 Super, but this is the bare minimum. Nvidia recommends that you have a PSU that is at least 450 watts if you want to build a computer using the GTX 1660 Super. However, I would recommend still going above this and getting at least a 500 watt power supply, just in case you want to do any upgrades or overclocking in the future.
