EVGA GTX 1660 SUPER SC Ultra Review

Having analysed two GTX 1660 SUPER cards for launch day last week, today we have reviewed the EVGA GTX 1660 SUPER SC Ultra.

This is a compact, dual-fan card that measures barely 200mm long, so it is likely to appeal to anyone with a very small chassis, perhaps those looking to build a 1080p gaming rig/HTPC for the living room. Interestingly, it is also fitted with a metal backplate which is unusual for a card at this price – both the Palit and Gigabyte 1660 SUPER cards are fitted with plastic backplates, and a number of cheaper custom cards simply won't have a backplate at all.

As for how the SC Ultra performs, it proved the slowest of the three 1660 SUPER cards we have tested, but there is very little in it – framerate differences between these cards were typically just 2-3FPS, but the card proved 2% slower on average than the Gigabyte Gaming OC 6G, and just 1% slower than the Palit GamingPro OC. Up against the GTX 1660 Ti, this means the SC Ultra is just 4% slower on average, and no more than 6% slower at most.

To put this card into context further, the SC Ultra is 15% faster than RX 590, 17% slower than RTX 2060 Founders Edition and 14% slower than Vega 56. If you've been hanging onto the fan-favourite GTX 1060 GB, the 1660 SUPER could be a worthy upgrade as this card is 39% faster. Even compared to the GTX 1070, which launched at £329, the two cards are essentially matched, with less than a single percentage point between the two.

So while performance is just what we would expect for a GTX 1660 SUPER, the EVGA SC Ultra does suffer in one main area – noise levels. Producing 48dB in our testing, this card is a good 4dB louder than the Palit GamingPro OC. This is definitely louder than I would like, and it seems that the extra fan speed is due to the lack of VRM cooling – there's no contact from the heatsink to cool the VRM, instead it relies solely on airflow from the fans, and noise levels suffer as a result of the fans spinning to 2330rpm under load.

Ultimately, that governs my opinion of this card, especially when we factor in price. I had initially been told this would be a card priced at the £209.99 MSRP, but looking online today shows SC Ultra retailing for £229.99. This is £11 more than the Palit GamingPro OC (£218.99) and while the differences between the two aren't huge, the Palit is faster, cooler and quieter, so buying that card for less money is the obvious choice.

If the SC Ultra does drop down to the £209.99 MSRP, that would help, but the Palit is an all-round better card and is just £9 above MSRP, so that would be my recommendation if you're looking for a new card at this price point.

You can buy the SC Ultra for £229.99 from Scan HERE.

Pros

• Very compact.
• Metal backplate.
• Little difference in gaming performance versus the other 1660 SUPER cards.

Cons

• Loud under load.
• More expensive than the Palit GamingPro OC, despite being technically inferior.

KitGuru says: The EVGA SC Ultra isn't a bad card, but it is definitely louder than I would like. When you factor in the Palit GamingPro OC, which is both cheaper and objectively better, the SC Ultra needs a price cut to remain a viable option.

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