RRP: £259.99
Available from:Target Components
Today I am looking at my favourite component in the computer. The graphics card. You may ask, why it's my favourite. Good question. Because it is one of the key elements a gamer needs in order to play their game flawlessly. As we all know, there are graphics cards and their are GRAPHICS CARDS. We all have our favourite be it AMD or Nvidia. Personally, I prefer Nvidia. We also have our favourite go to brand. I'm no stranger to AFox graphics cards. I use them in quite a few builds. Why? Because they do the job and are a decent price. So, today I am going to get up close and personal with a card of theirs that I have not yet had the joy of building with, the 1660ti. Please remember to watch the video, like it, comment, and subscribe to our channel.
Let's take a look at the box. It's a nice looking box and I like the art on it. It stands out. It has great branding. You know when you just glance at it who makes it. You can tell straight away that this is an Nvidia card. You don't have to pick up the box and turn and twist it to find that out. It's all on the front easy to see. You also can see what model it is very easily. It's a very nice looking box that will look good on your shelf. I've noticed something about it though. The box looks exactly like the 1050ti. While I like the art, it would not hurt to change it up with the generations and card. Other than that, it looks really smart.
Inside, you will find:
the graphics card
manual
molex adaptor
disk for drivers
While it is nice to include a disk for drivers, I would advise against using it. By the time you get it, it will be outdated. So, go to Nvidia.com to download your drivers. It's very simple and you will have the latest drivers. About the adaptor, again it is nice they include it but I would NEVER use it due to safety reasons. Molex is not equipped to power a graphics card. If you under power a graphics card you will kill it. If your PSU does not have a PCIe adaptor for your card, you need to replace it. Also, I have seen a few catastrophes come through my door with molex adaptors melting. Owch! So, save yourself time and messing about and just bin the adaptor, and replace the PSU instead. Nice of them to include but it's a "thanks but no thanks" for me.
The card itself has two fans with the AFox logo on them. On the top of the card, which will be facing out of your windowed case, you don't have much to see. I was expecting at least a sticker on the top of the card with AFox on it. Be proud of your card, put your name where people can see it. Without calling out the name of mine, I can look right into my case and see it lit up in ARGB. While ARGB is nice, you don't have to go that far, but at least put a nice brand on it in some way and put a shield over the top to make it look tidy. It's the only part we gamers see of the card, so make it look good. Now on the back there is a heatsink, which is nice. It looks good. Some brands skimp on this and leave just a pcb board on view. I, personally like when manufacturers put a heat sink on it. So, good job here. On this particular card, you have three ports. One DVI, one display port and one HDMI. That covers the bases for most people. If you are using dual display, just make sure each monitor uses a different connection, and you are sorted.
Final comments:
The card is good value for money. For those that do not have a windowed case or the ones that don't care for RGB lit components...this is a good card for you. For the bling lovers, not so much so. It's all down to preference. I would advise you to give the power adaptor a miss that is included and upgrade your PSU if you find yourself needing this. As we all know, those are not safe and under-powering your machine is never a good thing. While I enjoy the art on the box, I would like to be able to distinguish one card from another by seeding different art styles. It's OK that you put a sticker on it but other manufacturers have put different styles on theirs. Something to consider.
Pros and Cons:
+Good Performance
+Easily overclock-able with MSI afterburner
+Great Value
+No included gimmicks
+Good twin fan cooling design
-No lighting
-The card has nothing attractive on it to show from a windowed case. Other makers have at least a sticker, branding, or RGB, this one just shows the inside.
-While the box is nice, it is the same one they use for all cards. It would be nice to have different art for different cards.
-Included power adaptor -- an sometimes cause issues if your power supply is not up to it and we recommend using one with a dedicated cable.
And with that being said, we give it the TFT Highly Recommended
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