Today we'll take a closer look at three mid and low-end MSI graphics adapters from the same NVIDIA 6xx family, which are quite different nevertheless.

MSI GeForce GTX 660 TwinFrozr OC Edition

GPU: GeForce GTX 660 (GK104) Model name: N660 TF 2GD5/OC Interface: PCIe 3.0 x16 GPU clock rate (ROPs/shaders): 1033–1098 MHz (the standard is 980–1084 MHz) Memory clock rate, physical (effective): 1502 (6008) MHz (the standard is 1500 (6000) MHz) Memory bus: 192-bit Stream processors: 960 Texture units: 80 (BLF/TLF/ANIS) ROP units: 24 Dimensions: 235x126 mm, 2 slots PCB color: brown Peak power consumption (3D/2D/standby): 144/46/24 W Output connectors: Dual-Link DVI-I, Single-Link DVI-D, HDMI 1.4a, DisplayPort 1.2 Multi-GPU mode: SLI (hardware)

MSI GeForce GTX 650 Ti OC Power Edition

GPU: GeForce GTX 650 Ti (GK106) Model name: N650Ti PE 1GD5/OC Interface: PCIe 3.0 x16 GPU clock rate (ROPs/shaders): 993 MHz (the standard is 928 MHz) Memory clock rate, physical (effective): 1350 (5400) MHz (standard) Memory bus: 128-bit Stream processors: 768 Texture units: 64 (BLF/TLF/ANIS) ROP units: 16 Dimensions: 230x131 mm, 2 slots PCB color: brown Peak power consumption (3D/2D/standby): 118/34/21 W Output connectors: Dual-Link DVI-I, Single-Link DVI-D, miniHDMI Multi-GPU mode: SLI (software)

MSI GeForce GTX 650 OC Power Edition

GPU: GeForce GTX 650 (GK107) Model name: N650 PE 1GD5/OC Interface: PCIe 3.0 x16 GPU clock rate (ROPs/shaders): 1124 MHz (the standard is 1058 MHz) Memory clock rate, physical (effective): 1250 (5000) MHz (standard) Memory bus: 128-bit Stream processors: 384 Texture units: 32 (BLF/TLF/ANIS) ROP units: 16 Dimensions: 240x100 mm, 2 slots (1 fan); 265x100 mm, 2 slots (2 fans, next to each other), 240x100, 3 slots (2 fans, 'double-decker') PCB color: brown Peak power consumption (3D/2D/standby): 79/36/25 W Output connectors: Dual-Link DVI-I, Single-Link DVI-D, miniHDMI Multi-GPU mode: SLI (software)

Comparison with the reference design, front view

MSI GeForce GTX 660 TwinFrozr OC Edition	Reference NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660

MSI GeForce GTX 650 Ti OC Power Edition	Reference NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti

MSI GeForce GTX 650 OC Power Edition	Reference NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650

Comparison with the reference design, rear view

MSI GeForce GTX 660 TwinFrozr OC Edition	Reference NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660

MSI GeForce GTX 650 Ti OC Power Edition	Reference NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti

MSI GeForce GTX 650 OC Power Edition	Reference NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650

Obviously, all the graphics cards have MSI's custom designs (though the company is rumored to outsource a part of its production).

MSI GeForce GTX 660 TwinFrozr OC Edition boasts a bigger PCB than that of the reference card. Nevertheless, its major part copies the reference design, leaving some empty space on the PCB. If the cooling system could be mounted on the smaller reference motherboard, why did MSI enlarge it? For the sake of supplementary power: in the reference motherboard the connectors are likely to be obstructed by the cooling system, so MSI has made the PCB bigger. By the way, ASUS offered a different solution to this issue: they used the horizontal power connector and bundled it with a flexible extension power cable. MSI GeForce GTX 660 TwinFrozr OC Edition has a single 6-pin connector for supplementary power.

MSI GeForce GTX 650 Ti OC Power Edition has a larger-than-standard PCB as well, but here the extra space is used for the enhanced VRM with 4 phases and a digital controller. The set of outputs is standard. This graphics card requires extra power through a single 6-pin connector.

MSI GeForce GTX 650 OC Power Edition copies the aforementioned GTX 650 Ti with the exception of an extra fan power connector required for the adapter's Transthermal designed cooling system.

Maximum resolutions and frequencies:

• 240 Hz maximum refresh rate
• 2048 x 1536 @ 85 Hz max. analog (VGA) resolution
• 2560 x 1600 @ 60 Hz max. digital (DVI) resolution (for Dual Link DVI-D)

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