We've been impressed with NVIDIA's top-end GeForce GTX 690, GTX 680 and GTX 670 graphics cards, but if recent history has told us anything, it's that the next card down the line - the GTX x60 - is the one that really tickles many users' fancy.
The GeForce GTX 460 was an awesome card (heck, it still is), the GeForce GTX 560 Ti was a big seller, and it's only a matter of time until NVIDIA follows up with a GeForce GTX 660 Ti that hits the sweet spot of performance and sub-$300 pricing.
But how long can you expect to wait? Well, according to the latest rumours circulating from Swedish website sweclockers.com, the long-awaited GeForce GTX 660 Ti will make its debut in the third week of August. NVIDIA's done well to keep the card under wraps with only a month to go, but a few rumoured specifications are beginning to leak through the cracks.
According to reports, the GeForce GTX 660 Ti will be based on the existing GK104 die, with NVIDIA opting to retain seven active Streaming Multiprocessors. This will give the card the same number of processors as the GeForce GTX 670 - 1,344 - but NVIDIA will differentiate its number-three solution with a tighter 192-bit memory bus, a smaller 1.5GB frame buffer and, presumably, lower clock speeds.
All logical steps, and the final package is said to be arriving with a $299 (£230) price tag that will put the GeForce GTX 660 Ti right up against AMD's Radeon HD 7870.
Should these specifications hold true, here's how NVIDIA's three fastest single-GPU graphics cards will compare:
GeForce GTX 680 (2,048MB) |
GeForce GTX 670 (2,048MB) |
GeForce GTX 660 Ti (1,536MB) |
|
---|---|---|---|
Launch Date | March 2012 | May 2012 | August 2012 |
DX API | 11.1 | 11.1 | 11.1 |
Process | 28nm | 28nm | 28nm |
Transistors | 3.54bn | 3.54bn | 3.54bn |
Die Size | 294mm² | 294mm² | 294mm² |
Streaming Multiprocessors | 8 | 7 | 7 |
Processors | 1,536 | 1,344 | 1,344 |
Texture Units | 128 | 112 | 112 |
ROP Units | 32 | 32 | 32 |
GPU/Shader Clock (MHz) | 1,006 | 915 | Unknown |
Boost Clock (MHz) | 1,058 | 980 | Unknown |
Memory Size (MB) | 2,048 | 2,048 | 1,536 |
Memory Clock (MHz) | 6,008 | 6,008 | Unknown |
Memory Bus (bits) | 256 | 256 | 192 |
Power Connectors | 6+6 | 6+6 | Unknown |
TDP (watts) | 195 | 170 | Unknown |
Release MSRP | $499 | $399 | $299 |