8 Best NVIDIA GTX 1660 Ti Gaming Laptops to Buy in 2021 for High-End Mobile Gaming
We have seen many gaming laptops powered by GPUs such as the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, RTX 2070, and even the recently launched GTX 1650. While the GTX 1650 takes the crown as the best mid-range gaming GPU for laptops, the GTX 1660 Ti takes things a notch higher and is actually within the same performance bracket as the RTX 2060 in most games.
Like the RTX series, the GTX 1660 Ti is also based on NVIDIA's Turing architecture that allows for at least a 20% performance uplift over the previous Pascal-based GPUs. The Turing GTX series does not offer ray tracing or AI enhancements, so if you are not a fan of those, it makes sense to opt for the GTX 1660 Ti and save a lot of money.
The GTX 1660 Ti can easily game at FHD or sometimes even at 1440p at 'Very High' to 'Ultra' settings. You should be able to run most modern AAA titles at above 60 fps and close to 100 fps. Dialing down the settings can even get you close to 120 fps.
NVIDIA GTX 1660 Ti-powered laptops have recently started becoming available from OEMs. Most offer a choice of Intel's 9th-gen "Core" CPUs, but some have started offering AMD Ryzen 35W CPUs as well. Some OEMs offer the Max-Q variant of the GTX 1660 Ti, built for thin and light chassis. The Max-Q variant is clocked lower and has a lower TDP than the stock GTX 1660 Ti to allow for lesser heat and more battery life, but it still offers excellent performance.
So, with that information, here are the 8 best GTX 1660 Ti gaming laptops you can buy in 2021 for a great mobile gaming experience.
1. Acer Predator Helios 300
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is an excellent choice for an upper mid-range GTX 1660 Ti laptop. That's primarily because the Helios 300 offers features found mostly in more expensive notebooks at a relatively affordable price.
You get the Intel Core i7-9750H CPU, 16 GB of fast DDR4-2666 memory, a 256 GB PCIe NVMe SSD with an additional slot for an extra M.2 SSD, a 2.5-inch free HDD bay, a backlit keyboard, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti GPU with 6 GB of dedicated VRAM, and a 144 Hz FHD display.
That combination of specs makes for an enticing gaming experience that will last quite some time. Networking is taken care of by the "Killer Ethernet" and wireless-AC 1550 cards that allow for enhanced online play and network prioritization.
Acer provides enough cooling to ensure that the components do not throttle much under load. You can still eke out more consistent performance by "undervolting" the CPU. Acer also offers multiple fan profiles to allow for maximum performance, but they can get really loud overall.
The laptop's 144 Hz display will please gamers as the GTX 1660 Ti can easily pump out more than 100 fps at FHD in most games. While most of the specifications offer good value, battery life is a major letdown with this laptop, so don't expect it to last long without a charger.
- Pros: Excellent gaming performance; Good choice of internals; Extra M.2 slot.
- Cons: Loud fans under load; Poor battery life.
2. Razer Blade 15
We certainly don't have to introduce you to Razer, one of the most popular brands in the world of gaming laptops. With that said, it doesn't come as a surprise that Razer offers a high-powered laptop that features the GTX 1660 Ti GPU, called 'Razer Blade 15.'
You'll be thrilled to know that Razer's Blade 15 comes with the Intel Core i7-10750H CPU, which means you'll get one of Intel's 10th-generation processors. As per the device's specs, you can expect the CPU to push its limits up to 5.0 GHz (via "Turbo Boost") thanks to its 6 cores. Aside from that, you get expandable 16GB 2933 Mhz dual-channel RAM memory, along with a big-enough (256 GB) PCIe SSD (you can upgrade that as you'll have another free SSD slot).
As its name implies, the Razer Blade 15 comes with a 15.6-inch 120 Hz display. It supports up to 'Full HD' resolutions, so you'll be limited to 1920 x 1080p. Nonetheless, it means that even if you play the latest AAA games, you'll get to push them above 100 fps quite easily.
We'd like to note that the Razer Blade 15 is one of the best-looking gaming laptops out there. Its body is made of anodized aluminum, which creates a rigid and sturdy frame. That should also prevent minor scratches and scuffs while on the go.
And lastly, know that Razer's laptops come with zero bloatware, letting you maximize resources and storage out of the box. With that said, everything about the Razer Blade 15 is quite polished, streamlined, and optimized for gaming. Therefore, it's easily one of the best GTX 1660 Ti laptops available in 2021.
- Pros: Streamlined performance; Made of aluminum; Strong performance; 120Hz refresh rate.
- Cons: Mediocre battery life; Could benefit from a RAM upgrade.
3. Asus TUF Gaming 505DU
Asus has really hit the ball out of the park with the TUF Gaming series. The TUF Gaming 505DU offers an AMD Ryzen 7 3750H CPU that has four cores and eight threads with a boost clock of 4 GHz for excellent performance in multi-thread applications as well as games.
The 505DU offers 16 GB of RAM that can be upgraded up to 32 GB if needed. You also get 256 GB of PCIe NVMe SSD storage and 1 TB of HDD to store your game library. Asus has equipped the 505DU with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti GPU. The GTX 1660 Ti offers much more performance than the GTX 1650 and is almost within range of the much more expensive RTX 2060.
This exquisite gaming laptop comes with a 120 Hz display that the GTX 1660 Ti makes full use of to drive higher frames. As a result, cursor movements are smooth, and the display looks great overall.
Since we have the GTX 1660 Ti included, this laptop bests all benchmark tests. Most modern games can be played at ultra settings at 1080p, and if you want to keep the frames above 100 fps, you can dial down some of the visual settings.
The Ryzen 7 3750H offers enough juice for creative apps as well. You can run demanding apps such as Photoshop, Premiere Pro, and After Effects without the laptop getting stressed. For the price, there is little competition to the Asus TUF Gaming 505DU, and it is a powerful GTX 1660 Ti laptop.
- Pros: Excellent FHD gaming; Good specs; Excellent value overall.
- Cons: Keyboard needs getting used to; Fan noise can get high in "Turbo" mode.
4. Dell G7 7790
The Dell G7 7790 will appeal to gamers who need a 17-inch gaming laptop that is powerful to run most of their games and also is useful for creative work. This is a GTX 1660 Ti gaming laptop that does not aspire to be an Alienware but does have enough power under the hood to play modern AAA titles.
The laptop is designed well but looks a bit bland when compared to similar gaming laptops from other brands. While there is a full-size keyboard with a dedicated numpad, key travel is not really the best in its class, so hardcore typists might want to look at other options. You can also get an optional RGB backlit keyboard if you prefer.
The Dell G7 7790 offers plenty of ports, including Thunderbolt 3, so connectivity is not an issue at all. You can configure the CPU options from Core i5 to Core i7 9th gen, depending on the budget. If gaming is your primary use case, then a Core i5 should be just fine and will also save you some money. If you are on a tight budget, Dell's G7 7790 will be the best GTX 1660 Ti gaming laptop your money can buy.
The performance of the Dell G7 is as expected from any GTX 1660 Ti gaming laptop. All games run smoothly at max settings in 1080p, although you will be limited by the 60 Hz frame rate of the display. You can still connect an external gaming monitor to enjoy high frame rate gaming.
That being said, the laptop's display is very color accurate and can double-up as a useful panel for creators as well. The battery life of the G7 is actually perfect for a powerful gaming laptop. You should be able to hit at least 6 hours as long as you are not gaming, which is something not many gaming laptops offer.
- Pros: Very good gaming performance; Color-accurate display.
- Cons: Keyboard needs improvements; High noise levels while gaming.
5. MSI GL63
The MSI GL63 is an affordable MSI gaming laptop, fully loaded with everything you expect from a capable GTX 1660 Ti gaming laptop. It uses an overclocked GTX 1660 Ti GPU to deliver excellent gaming performance while keeping the thermals under check.
The GL63 doesn't win any awards for its design, but gamers will instantly recognize the classic MSI logo and the black-and-red color scheme. MSI offers a full-size SteelSeries keyboard with optional per-key RGB backlighting. Touch typists might not feel very comfortable with this keyboard, but it gets the job done nevertheless. The touchpad supports Windows Precision drivers, so multi-touch gestures are possible.
MSI offers a 144 Hz IPS-like display panel for the GL63. The GTX 1660 Ti can easily drive more than 100 fps in most games at high to very high settings, so the high refresh rate monitor is of good help.
Thermals are well designed for this laptop, given the high-performance components. MSI has a "Cooler Boost" feature that helps in further reducing temperatures so that throttling does not affect gaming.
The laptop offers Intel LAN and wireless-AC but only offers a 1x1 implementation, which is slower than a 2x2 configuration. Overall, the MSI GL63 GTX 1660 Ti is a good upgrade over the GTX 1060 version from last year, and most gamers in this price range will easily get their money's worth.
- Pros: Cool gaming performance; Overclocking possible.
- Cons: 1x1 Wi-Fi; Not the best battery life.
6. Asus ROG Zephyrus G GA502DU
The Asus ROG Zephyrus G GA502DU brings the best of AMD and NVIDIA in one package. The choice of AMD Ryzen 7 3750H offers good value for both gaming and multi-core performance.
The GA502DU looks pretty bland for a gaming laptop, so you can also take it to meetings and work. The display has minimal bezels and offers an immersive viewing experience. But that comes at the cost of having to forego the webcam. We wish Asus had at least offered a webcam in the bottom bezel, even if that would present an awkward angle.
Port selection is good. You don't get Thunderbolt 3, but USB Type-C is available along with multiple USB Type-A ports and an HDMI-out. Despite the fairly powerful internals, this GTX 1660 Ti gaming laptop is just 0.8 inches thick and weighs just 2.1 kg for easy portability.
Gaming on this laptop is a pleasure. The GTX 1660 Ti is a Max-Q variant implying that it is optimized for less power consumption compared to the regular GTX 1660 Ti. This means you will see about a 10 to 15% reduction in performance compared to the normal version.
For regular gamers, this should not make a huge impact. You will still see frames easily cross the 60 fps mark on most modern AAA titles at very high to ultra settings at 1080p. Heavy games such as Metro: Exodus will tax this GPU at ultra settings, though.
The laptop is good for productivity as well. The AMD CPU ensures excellent multi-core performance, and apps such as video editors and transcoders stand to gain immensely from this processor. Overall, the Asus ROG Zephyrus G GA502DU offers a lot of performance for the money and top-of-the-line GTX 1660 Ti laptops.
- Pros: Good performance in most games; Good onboard speakers.
- Cons: No webcam; Not the brighest display.
7. Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic
The Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic offers excellent gaming performance in a thin and light chassis. Moreover, this laptop differs from most other gaming laptops by offering Microsoft Azure AI for dynamically adjusting CPU and GPU clocks depending on the load. It's not AI in the truest sense, but it removes most of the manual work needed to optimize settings.
The Aero 15 Classic comes in multiple configuration options, but if you don't want any of those fancy RTX effects, then the GTX 1660 Ti is the one to get. The overall design of the Aero 15 will appeal to a lot of people. It is not as clean as the Razer Blade but gets the job done.
Port selection is where the Aero 15 Classic beats most of its competitors. You get Thunderbolt 3 and USB Type-C along with an assortment of USB Type-A and HDMI ports. A full-size SD card reader is also present and offers some of the fastest transfer speeds, which can be really useful if you move a lot of large photos and videos from the card to the PC.
The display in this laptop is a 144 Hz IPS panel that offers excellent color reproduction. It feels somewhat dim, but if you are mostly using the laptop indoors, this shouldn't be much of a problem.
Gaming on the Aero 15 Classic is excellent, and the very effective cooling mechanism helps to keep the thermals under check even under heavy load. Fan noise can get a bit loud, but you can use gaming headphones and not be disturbed by it. The laptop's speakers aren't really great, so you'll be needing those headphones anyways.
Surface temperatures during gaming can get quite high, so it is not really suitable for placing on the lap. If pushed properly, you can easily average above 80 fps at ultra settings and can cross 100 fps in general. The Azure AI helps to some extent to boost frames, but don't expect drastic performance improvements. Another issue is that the webcam is placed in the bottom bezel, which looks at your nose instead of the face.
- Pros: Excellent gaming performance; Minimal throttling under load.
- Cons: Onboard speakers aren't really good; Webcam in bottom bezel; High surface temperatures.
8. HP Omen 15
If you take just a quick glance at HP's Omen 15, you'll immediately see that it's a very peculiar gaming laptop. That's because it comes with a unique design that's oriented towards gamers, making us sure that it'll leave you impressed.
What will also leave you impressed is the power that comes with this laptop. On the inside, you'll find Intel's i7-10750H CPU, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, and 512GB of a PCIe NVMe SSD. There's also plenty of space for further expansion, as you'll have 2 accessible RAM slots, as well as an accessible M.2 SSD slot.
As you can already guess, the Omen 15 comes with the GTX 1660 Ti GPU with 6GB of dedicated GDDR6 memory. That means the laptop's specs support VR/MR games, as it's compatible with Oculus, HTC Vive, and Windows Mixed Reality headsets. Let's also not forget that you get Omen's "Tempest" cooling, which should provide optimal system stability and performance.
The HP Omen 15 laptop comes with a 15.6" display limited to 1080p. The only downside here is that the display is limited to 60 Hz only. As per its overall specs, the laptop should be able to produce more than 60 fps quite easily. So, that bottleneck could limit you a bit, but you'll get fluid performance overall.
Finally, we also want to mention Omen's anti-ghosting technology, detecting your keystrokes even if you execute multiple commands at once. And we also think you're going to love Bang & Olufsen's speakers powered by DTS:X.
- Pros: Powerful Intel processor; Runs cool while gaming; Strong performance overall.
- Cons: Display limited to 60Hz only; Not the biggest selection of ports.
That was our take on the best NVIDIA GTX 1660 Ti gaming laptops available on the market in 2021. The GTX 1660 Ti is ideal for those who are into serious gaming but don't really need all that fancy real-time ray tracing and AI enhancements in games.
While most games can be easily run at ultra settings, some of the more demanding ones might need some visual reductions to get playable frame rates. And with laptops with the GTX 1660 Ti now available at affordable prices, mobile gaming has never been better. Let us know if you have any questions in the comments section below.