CPU_VS_GPU / 2026-09-11
Intel Core i9-11900KvsNVIDIA GTX 1660
Complete bottleneck analysis at 1080p, 1440p, Ultrawide (UWQHD/SUWQHD), and 4K with estimated FPS for popular games.
69%
ESTIMATED GPU BOTTLENECK
Your GPU (GTX 1660) severely limits the system at 2560x1440, leaving the Core i9-11900K heavily underused. A faster GPU would improve performance dramatically.
Load estimated by the model, not measured on your PC.
- PROCESSORIntel Core i9-11900K
- GRAPHICSNVIDIA GTX 1660
- MEMORY16GB DDR4/DDR5
- RESOLUTION2560x1440
Average across the demanding titles at 2560x1440.
Average across the competitive titles, where the processor leads.
What the build draws (395 W) plus headroom.
DEEP-DIVE ANALYSIS
GENERATED BY THE ENGINEAre the Intel Core i9-11900K and the NVIDIA GTX 1660 a good match? To find out we modelled the pair from 1080p up to 4K, cross-referencing the model's gaming scores for the CPU (68/100) and the GPU (12/100), calibrated against measured benchmarks rather than synthetic scores, with the demand profile of each game.
Verdict: 1080p is playable, not smooth
The GTX 1660 sets the limit at both ends of the range: a ~50% GPU bottleneck at 1080p that widens to ~85% at 4K. No 16:9 size keeps this pair above 60 FPS in demanding titles. 1080p is the highest that stays playable, at roughly 34 FPS on average in AAA. Esports is a different story — around 219 FPS at 1080p.
Resolution reshuffles the priorities. At 1080p the Core i9-11900K's single-thread speed calls the shots; at 4K it's the raw muscle of the GTX 1660 that matters. That shift shows up in the numbers: 50% efficiency at 1080p versus 15% at 4K.
Down to real numbers: In esports titles like Valorant this pair flies — around 464 FPS at 1080p, plenty for a high-refresh monitor. At the other end, a demanding AAA like Alan Wake 2 drops to ~5 FPS at 4K, which is where the GTX 1660's ceiling really shows. Overall, expect about 34 FPS average in AAA games at 1080p and around 11 FPS at 4K.
[CPU] Core i9-11900K
The Core i9-11900K (68/100 on the model's gaming scale) brings 8 cores and 16 threads and determines how many frames per second the system can prepare.
[GPU] GTX 1660
The GTX 1660 scores 12/100 on this model's gaming scale. Its 6 GB of GDDR5 set how far it can go on resolution and texture quality before video memory runs short. It draws every pixel, so its weight grows the higher you push the resolution.
On the chemistry of the pair: Both parts come from nearby generations, which usually means a natural pairing with no platform surprises. You're combining an Intel platform with an NVIDIA GPU — a perfectly valid mix that imposes no penalty.
WHAT TO CHANGE, AND WHAT IT COSTS
At 1440p the GTX 1660 sets the frame rate, and the Core i9-11900K can drive a faster card. The cheapest card that clears our bar for a recommendation (at least 25% more frames) is the Intel Arc A750: about 32% more in this model, with this processor and 16 GB. This processor keeps up with cards up to the NVIDIA RTX 4070 Ti SUPER; anything between the two is an upgrade that gets used, and beyond that card the processor becomes the limit.
The gain is the model's estimate at 2560x1440 with 16 GB, not a measurement of your PC, and prices change: check them at the retailer before deciding.
PRICE OF THIS PAGE'S PAIRING
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SPECIFICATIONS
CATALOGUE DATA[CPU] Intel Core i9-11900K
- Cores8C / 16T
- Clock3.5 – 5.3 GHz
- TDP125 W
- SocketLGA1200
- Single-thread3,749
- Multi-thread25,662
- L3 cache16 MB
[GPU] NVIDIA GTX 1660
- VRAM6 GB GDDR5
- Memory bus192-bit
- TDP120 W
- G3D Mark11,616
- Memory bandwidth192 GB/s
BOTTLENECK BY RESOLUTION
SYNERGY · AVERAGE FPSYour GPU (GTX 1660) severely limits the system at 1920x1080, leaving the Core i9-11900K heavily underused. A faster GPU would improve performance dramatically.
Your GPU (GTX 1660) severely limits the system at 2560x1440, leaving the Core i9-11900K heavily underused. A faster GPU would improve performance dramatically.
Your GPU (GTX 1660) severely limits the system at 3440x1440 (Ultrawide 21:9), leaving the Core i9-11900K heavily underused. A faster GPU would improve performance dramatically.
Your GPU (GTX 1660) severely limits the system at 5120x1440 (Super Ultrawide 32:9), leaving the Core i9-11900K heavily underused. A faster GPU would improve performance dramatically.
Your GPU (GTX 1660) severely limits the system at 4K, leaving the Core i9-11900K heavily underused. A faster GPU would improve performance dramatically.
ESTIMATED FPS BY GAME
1920x1080SYSTEM DIAGNOSTICS
POWER · VRAM & PCIe · RAMPOWER ESTIMATION
The Core i9-11900K (125W) and GTX 1660 (120W) add up to roughly 245W under load. Adding 150W for the rest of the system gives 395W, and with a 30% transient margin, 550W is the safe figure.
VIDEO MEMORY AND PCIe
The GTX 1660's memory bus (192-bit) and bandwidth (192 GB/s) describe its own video memory, meaning how fast the card reads its 6 GB of GDDR5, not the PCIe link to the processor. The PCIe link depends on the card, the processor and the motherboard slot together; our catalogue does not record PCIe generation or lane count, so the model does not estimate it. It matters most for cards with an eight-lane interface in older PCIe 3.0 boards: check the card's and the board's specifications.
SYSTEM MEMORY
This page assumes 16 GB in dual channel. At 1080p, the resolution recommended above, that meets the model's capacity target of 16 GB (enough for three in four of the games it covers), so more capacity would add little or nothing there. The target stays at 16 GB even at 4K, so a larger kit is for heavy multitasking or mods, not for these games. Memory speed and a second channel act on the processor's ceiling instead: they matter in the games the CPU limits, by an amount that depends on the game, and the calculator lets you enter your own kit.
HOW THIS PAGE IS CALCULATED
ENGINE v2026.08 · 2026-09-11CALCULATED, NOT WRITTEN
Every figure and every sentence comes from the same deterministic engine, driven by the catalogue specifications. That is what makes it reproducible: with the same engine version (2026.08) and the same catalogue, the same pairing always gives the same result. When either changes, the version and date above change with it, and the changelog says why.
WHERE THE DATA COMES FROM
Specifications come from the official AMD, Intel and NVIDIA datasheets together with PassMark and TechPowerUp. The gaming indices are calibrated against frame rates published by review outlets (TechPowerUp, TechSpot / Hardware Unboxed, Tom's Hardware, Gamers Nexus, Digital Foundry) rather than synthetic scores. That data is compiled, not measured here: this site runs no test bench of its own.
STATED LIMITS
Figures estimate native raster performance at high/ultra quality, with no ray tracing, upscaling or frame generation. We do not yet publish an externally validated error margin — the accuracy page states exactly where that stands.
* Affiliate disclosure: the Amazon links exist to show pricing. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Recommendation order is decided by the engine and does not depend on commission.
TRY WITH YOUR OWN HARDWARE
Customize RAM, resolution, and discover upgrade recommendations.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
5Does the Intel Core i9-11900K bottleneck the NVIDIA GTX 1660?
The GTX 1660 sets the limit at both ends of the range: a ~50% GPU bottleneck at 1080p that widens to ~85% at 4K. Overall, the GPU is the limit at high resolution, with 28% average efficiency across the 12 resolutions our model tests. 1080p is the highest resolution that stays playable, at about 34 FPS on average in AAA titles.
How many FPS do the Core i9-11900K and GTX 1660 get at 1080p?
At 1080p this combination averages about 34 FPS in AAA games and around 219 FPS in esports titles. In Valorant we estimate up to 464 FPS.
Is this pairing good for 4K gaming?
Not for AAA titles at native high settings: about 11 FPS on average at 4K. It would take upscaling, much lower settings or faster hardware.
What power supply do I need for the Core i9-11900K and GTX 1660?
With an estimated combined draw of 245W across CPU and GPU, we recommend at least a 550W 80+ Gold supply (ideally ATX 3.0) to run with headroom.
Is the GTX 1660's 6 GB of VRAM enough?
6 GB falls short at 1440p for 6 of the 11 games the model tracks, and for 7 at 4K. In those titles expect to lower texture settings, or to see frame-time spikes if you do not.