Packaging & Accessories: 8 out of 10
In typical Zotac fashion, the shipping container is fairly robust for its price range. Given the fact that this is a downright inexpensive card the included accessories are also ‘good enough’ but some will be disappointed to not find a driver disc included. We personally never use outdated drivers or software so the loss is minor to say the least. You may disagree. If so please dock another point off your final score.
Functionality & Aesthetics: 18 out of 20
Yes, this card is ‘missing’ the zero RPM ‘Freeze’ option. Yes, it is not covered in LEDs. Yes, the top fascia is plastic. None of that matters. This card is so small that as long as your case can accommodate a full height, 2-slot video card… it will fit. Period dot. Equally impressive is even though the two fans are always spinning the card is whisper quiet (we have case fans that are louder than this card). The fact of the matter is by re-using their higher tiered Gaming GTX 1660Ti cooler the Gaming GTX 1660 runs cool and quiet all the time. The only minor issue we have with this card is the fact that it is a touch monochromatic. Some may wish to ding it an extra point because of this. We think it ‘just works’. You may not.
Build Quality & Warranty: 17 out of 20
While the Gaming GeForce GTX 1660 does rely a bit too much on plastic, this card is more than up to the demands the typical entry-level buyer will place on it. So while not the absolute best for showing off your custom PC, its well above average for its price range. The same is true of the warranty. Good but not amazing.
Performance: 25 out of 30
A lot of ‘lowered expectations’ have to be taken into account when dealing with 2-bill cards. However, this card is a very nice upgrade from the GeForce GTX 1060 3GB it replaces, and a decent one from the GTX 1060 6GB. As such it may not be a ‘powerhouse’ by modern standards but it does provide more than good levels of 1080P resolution performance. Just don’t try and go beyond 1080P or you may be disappointed.
Value: 16 out of 20
Value of this card is rather tricky to define. For those only interested in 1080P gaming it’s a slam dunk. The price is just too low to ignore. However, if you are interested in a card that can handle the demands of modern games at higher resolutions… that low price doesn’t look like such a bargain anymore.
Final Score: 83 out of 100
