The computers at the beginning were large machines with low processing power. But over time, more powerful computers were needed. With the processing power, graphical power also became a requirement. Now the technology has progressed to such a large extent that non-existing faces can be created. To render such images, high graphical power is needed. Companies like NVIDIA and AMD keep up with the user demand. In this article, we will be looking into two high-end graphic cards by NVIDIA. The RTX 3060 Ti vs RTX 3070. The RTX 3060 Ti was released on 2nd December 2020. Compared to this, RTX 3070 was released on 29th October 2020.
3060 Ti Vs 3070: Technical Specifications
Let us dive deep into the components of RTX 3060 Ti vs RTX 3070. The Cores are one of the main things for a GPU. The RTX 3060 Ti contains around 4864 CUDA cores. On the other hand, the RTX 3070 contains 5888 cores. With these many CUDA cores, the RTX 3070 gives a 1500 MHz of core clock speed. Compared to this, the RTX 3060 Ti gives around 1410 MHz clock speed. On overclocking, the RTX 3060 Ti gives a boost clock of 1670 MHz speed. The overclocking also increases the speed of 3070 to 1730 MHz. There are also RT and Tensor cores in a GPU. The RT and Tensor cores for 3060 Ti are 38 and 152, respectively. The 3070 provides 46 RT cores and 184 Tensor cores. The architecture for both the GPUs is the Ampere architecture. The number of transistors in 3060 Ti and 3070 is 17.40 billion. The power requirement for 3060 Ti is 200 W, where for the RTX 3070, it is 220 W.
RTX 3060 Ti Vs RTX 3070: Memory, Video Outputs And Ports
The Memory in a GPU is one of the main components that allow the smooth working of the GPU. This memory is known as the VRAM or the Virtual memory. The main purpose of VRAM is to provide running space for components like Ray tracing cores and Tensor cores. Procedures like ray tracing use up a lot of RAM. Because they work on detailing the image more. To reduce the lag while gaming, the VRAM was added to the GPUs. So, the more the VRAM, the better the performance of the GPU. Now let us investigate the Memory for the 3060 Ti vs 3070. Both the RTX 3060 Ti and 3070 contain 8GB of GDDR6 memory. The GDDR6 memory helps both to provide a 256-bit transfer rate. With this much memory, the clock speed for the memory that the GPUs provide is 14 Gbps. This much clock speed for memory is good. The transfer rate between the memory and other components of the computer is around 448 GBs per second. This transfer rate is the same for both the 3060 Ti and 3070. Now let us investigate the number of ports that both the GPUs have. The ports in the GPU are important in the sense that they are the connection between the remaining PC and the GPU. The RTX 3060 Ti contains 1x HDMI 2.1 ports and 3x DisplayPort 1.4. They connect the GPU with our monitors. Now moving on to the RTX 3070, it also contains a similar I/O port configuration featuring 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4. Also, there is a power connector in every GPU. This connects the GPU with the power supply, which helps it run. Both the GPUs contain a 1×8-pin power connector. Do keep in mind the specifications that I am discussing here are of the Founder’s Edition cards provided by Nvidia. Related guides:
RTX 3060 vs RTX 3060 ti RTX 3080 vs RX 6800 xt 3070 vs 3080 benchmarks
RTX 3060 Vs RTX 3070: API support
When you open a game like Call of Duty Modern Warfare or any other game. You might see in the settings an option, namely the DirectX version. These are known as APIs. Direct X is one of them. API, which is known as the Application Programming Interface, is an interface between different apps. This interface allows communication between the apps. Also, it brings apps together for easier sharing of data between them. This provides the apps to run in ways in which other apps can understand them. Every GPU provides support for running a certain API. You can not run a higher API version than the recommended by your GPU. There are many APIs in a GPU like Direct X, Open CL, Open GL, Vulkan, Shader Model, etc. Each one performs its specified purpose. But the most important ones are Direct X and Open GL. Now let us investigate the versions that 3060 Ti vs 3070 support. Both the RTX 3070 and RTX 3060 Ti provide support for the Direct X 12 and Open GL 4.6.
RTX 3060 Ti Vs RTX 3070: Gaming performance
Testing Setup For 1440p Ultra Benchmark: First up I will be benchmarking the games at 1440p with Ultra graphical settings. The specifications of the PC used to do these benchmarks are discussed below.
The processor was an Intel Core i7-10700k. The motherboard was MSI MAG Z490 TOMAHAWK. The SSD (Solid-State Drive) was a Samsung 970 EVO Plus SSD with a 1TB space. The RAM was 2 sticks of 16 GB DDR4, which provides a clock speed of 3600 MHz.
1- Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (1440p Ultra)
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, the most popular and latest game released in the Assassin’s Creed series. This game is a story-based all-time masterpiece. With a resolution set to 1440p and the in-game graphic settings, all maxed out to Ultra. Let’s push Assassin’s Creed Valhalla to its limits. For the RTX 3060 Ti, the game gives an average of 71 FPS. When the RTX 3070 is installed instead of 3060 Ti, the average FPS increases to 76 FPS. The difference between the FPS is not too great.
2- Resident Evil Village (1440p Ultra)
Resident Evil Village is the latest released part in the Resident Evil series. It had gained a lot of popularity even before its release. With the resolution set to 1440p and the in-game settings set to Ultra. Now let’s move on to the benchmarks results for the RTX 3060 Ti vs RTX 3070. For RTX 3060 Ti, I got an average FPS of 141. On the other hand, the RTX 3070 takes the lead by providing an average of 162 FPS. The FPS provided by RTX 3070 is way more than those of RTX 3060 Ti.
3- Horizon Zero Dawn (1440p Ultra)
Let us dive deep into the benchmark results for this game. With the same testing setup, I will keep the resolution of the game to 1440p. Now I will max out the game’s graphical settings to Ultra for the best experience. By installing the RTX 3060 Ti and then running the game at these settings, I got an average of 80 FPS. With the same build and settings but the GPU being RTX 3070, the frame rate was increased to 90 FPS. This is a 10 FPS increase which is huge for such settings.
4- Red Dead Redemption 2 (1440p Ultra)
Red Dead Redemption is an old but still highly popular game. This game brings to life the times of a sheriff in town. The story for the game is outstanding. Benchmarking this game with the same testing setup is our work now. Setting the game resolution to 2560 x 1440p and then maxing out the game settings. On installing the RTX 3060 Ti, the average frame rates were is 84 FPS. When the RTX 3070 is installed in the build, the frame rate increases to 95 FPS.
5- Cyberpunk 2077 (1440p Ultra)
Cyberpunk 2077, a futuristic game based on a solid storyline. This game became most popular when Keanu Reeves was added as one of the main characters. Moving on to the benchmark results for Cyberpunk 2077. The game is running at 2560 x 1440 pixels resolution with in-game settings at Ultra. With the GPU being RTX 3060 Ti and the testing setup, I got an average of 53 FPS. When the GPU is changed to RTX 3070 with the same testing setup, the average frame rate was increased up to 62 FPS. Testing Setup For 4K Ultra Benchmark: Now I will be testing some games on 4k resolution. For that, the PC build I will use has the following specs.
The processor I will be using is an AMD Ryzen 9 5900X. The motherboard is the one by MSI. A MEG X570 ACE. I used four DDR4 RAM sticks with 8GB of space. These are CL14 RAM with a speed of 3200 MHz.
1- Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (4k Ultra)
COD: Black Ops Cold War is the latest first-person shooter released by Call of Duty. I will be benchmarking this game with the testing setup that I have. Let me turn up the resolution in-game to 4k (3840 x 2160p) and the graphical quality to Ultra. Now when I install the RTX 3060 Ti and run the Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. I get an average of 56 FPS. When I changed the GPU to RTX 3070, the average FPS increased to 66. A 10 FPS increase! On 4k resolution is a thumbs up for RTX 3070.
2- Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla (4k Ultra)
Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla is a highly graphic demanding game so playing this game at maxed-out settings is best. To benchmark this game at completely decked out in-game, I have set all the in-game graphical settings to Ultra, running at 4K. Then running this game with these specifications, I got an average of 40 FPS. Now change the 3060 Ti by RTX 3070. With this, the average FPS reaches 45 FPS. This is a big improvement at 4k resolution.
3- Microsoft Flight Simulator (4k Ultra)
Microsoft released a Flight Simulator in 2018. This was released to provide a real airplane flying experience to people around the world. Let us dive deep into the performance of both the GPUs by benchmarking this game. I will be benchmarking this game at 3840 x 2160 pixels resolution and the in-game settings being decked out to Ultra. With the RTX 3060 Ti installed on the PC, it delivered an average of 40 FPS. But when the RTX 3060 Ti is changed to RTX 3070, the average FPS increases to 45 FPS.
4- DOOM Eternal (4k Ultra)
Benchmarking DOOM Eternal is also one of the ways to know about the max performance of a GPU. Now it’s time to benchmark the Doom Eternal I will be running this game at 4K Ultra settings. With this setup and RTX 3060 Ti, installed it delivered an average of 102 FPS. When the 3060 Ti is changed to be RTX 3070, the average FPS comes out to be 117. This is a 15 FPS increase in the FPS. Such an increase is an exceptional performance by RTX 3070.
5- Red Dead Redemption 2 (4k Ultra)
Let us benchmark Red Dead Redemption 2 at max performance. For benchmarking, The set resolution is 3840 x 2160p (4k) resolution. With that, the in-game settings should also be set to Ultra. This configuration is known as decked-out settings for any game. With RTX 3060 Ti in the PC and this configuration of settings, I get an average of 49 FPS. When the GPU is changed to RTX 3070, the average was 60 FPS. An 11 FPS gain at 4k resolution is good for RTX 3070.
RTX 3060 Ti Vs RTX 3070: Design & Cooling
The next thing I will be talking about is the design and cooling of 3060 Ti vs 3070 GPUs. Firstly, let’s talk about the design of the RTX 3060 Ti. The RTX 3060 Ti has a very medium-sized design with two fans. These fans are removable from the motherboard of the GPU, but then you might need an external cooling system for them. The dimensions for a 3060 Ti are 251 x 112 x 42 mm. This is the size of a medium-sized GPU (including the fans). If you are low on case space, you can remove the fans. In this case, the dimensions for the GPU come out to be 144.75 x 109.94 x 1.6 mm. The cooling system in RTX 3060 Ti is Heat sink with dual coolers. This helps keep the GPU temperature to 93 Celsius at recommended overclocking. Coming to the design of RTX 3070. It also has a medium-sized design with two fans mainly for cooling purposes. These fans are also removable. The dimension for 3070 is 242 x 112 mm, which can fit in most cases. There are also heat sinks with two coolers.
RTX 3060 Ti Vs RTX 3070: Pricing & Value
As you might already know, the cards by NVIDIA or AMD are sold in the market by different vendors/companies. This set of companies include famous companies like MSI, GIGABYTE, Zotac, etc. These companies add a few new features and sell them at a bit higher price. These features are like more ports in the GPU or more cooling fans, or more heat sinks. The pricing difference is sometimes due to these. But nowadays, COVID is a big reason for the 90% increase in prices. On NVIDIA’s original website, the price quoted for the RTX 3060 Ti is $399.00. But due to the COVID crises, the prices in the market have doubled or tripled. This card would have been $500 before COVID. But now, the price limit between which this card is being sold is around $899.00 – $1,500 or maybe more than that. This is a lot compared to the price provided by the company. Related guides: 6900 XT vs 3080 In-Depth Comparison – (With 10+ Games Benchmarks)Best Nvidia RTX 3070 Graphics Cards In 2023 – (Updated)Best RTX 3060 Ti Graphics Cards 2021 – (Top-Notch GPUs)Nvidia RTX 3090 vs RTX 3080 vs RTX 3070 – Head To Head Comparison! Now, let us investigate the price of RTX 3070 in the market. According to NVIDIA, the price for RTX 3070 at present is $499.00.
RTX 3060 Ti Or RTX 3070: Which One Should You buy?
RTX 3060 Ti vs RTX 3070? Which one to buy? This is a question on everyone’s mind. Well, you might be able to get your answer here. If we compare the specifications for both the GPUs, you can see that both the GPUs are almost the same in a lot of specifications. Specifications like Architecture, Ports, power connector configuration, etc., are common for both the GPUs. Even the transistor count for both the GPUs is the same. The memory type, space, speed is also the same. Talking about the differences between both the GPUs. The amount of CUDA, Ray tracing, Tensor cores are more for the RTX 3070 than the 3060 Ti. Also, the RTX 3070 provides a better core clock speed and is more than the RTX 3060 Ti. This helps the RTX 3070 to provide more boost clock speed when overclocked. From the specifications, 3070 seems a better choice but 3060 Ti is also not a bad option. But if you are not a specification type of guy. Else you look for a GPU in your budget. Then the case is different. If you have a low budget, then the RTX 3060 Ti is the best choice. But for high budget users, the RTX 3070 is the best choice. On NVIDIA’s official site, the RTX 3060 Ti is said to be the mid-ranger in the RTX 30 series. On the other hand, the RTX 3070 is called the 1440p RTX champion. Looking at the benchmark results RTX 3070 is best for 1440p quality gaming, where RTX 3060 Ti is good for 1080p high frame rate gaming.
#1 – Which is better, 3060 Ti or 3070?
If we look at the specification, it seems as the RTX 3060 Ti is almost the same as RTX 3070. But if we take a look at the benchmark results. One thing is clear that RTX 3070 is better at performing than RTX 3060 Ti. But 3060 Ti is almost at the same level too.
#2 – Is the 3060 Ti worth buying?
The RTX 3060 Ti is a close competitor to RTX 3070. So, if you have a low budget, then an RTX 3060 Ti is not a bad choice at all. Even there is not a lot of difference in their specifications. Also, the benchmark results are close.
#3 – Is there a big difference between 3060 and 3060 Ti?
Both the RTX 3060 and RTX 3060 Ti are the cards from RTX 30 series. There is not a big difference in their specifications. But performance-wise, the RTX 3060 Ti beats RTX 3060. Still, the difference is not too big. Their difference is big between RTX 3060 and RTX 3070.
#4 – Can the 3060 Ti run 1440p 144Hz?
Yes, the RTX 3060 Ti runs the game quite well at 1440p 144 Hz. The GPU provides around 60 – 80 FPS which is a decent amount at this resolution. These FPS are at Ultra game settings. If the settings are lowered a bit too high, then even more FPS can be gained.
#5 – Which 3060 Ti is the best?
There are many RTX 3060 Ti graphic cards in the market. But the most popular graphic card of this year is by ASUS. The graphic card is the ASUS GeForce RTX 3060 Ti ROG Strix Gaming OC. The price for this graphic card is surely high, but the specifications are great.
#6 – Is the 3070 future-proof?
For sure, the RTX 3070 is future-proof. It is one of the high-end graphic cards. It provides extremely good performance at 1440 p and normal performance at 4k resolution. At 1080p, the RTX 3070 performs very well. I recommend this card for future-proofing.
#7 – Is the RTX 3070 good enough for 1440p?
Yes, the RTX 3070 is a graphics card with extremely good performance. It performs exceptionally at 1080 p and is very good at 1440p quality. For a GPU to give 40 – 60 FPS at 4k resolution means that it provides the best performance at lower resolutions.
