GPU Performance Comparison: NVIDIA RTX 3070 vs 3070 Ti

In this comparison we are going to analyze the basic characteristics of both graphics cards in the NVIDIA reference model, that is, in the Founder Edition; However, you must bear in mind that in the market you can find different variants of the different assemblers, each one with different characteristics in terms of thermal and acoustic performance but also gross performance, since they modify the operating speeds with factory Overclock . However, the chip and VRAM remain the same in all cases, which is why we have decided for the sake of having an accurate comparison to use the reference models for this.

RTX 3070 Ti vs 3070, technical characteristics

As can be seen in the table of technical specifications that we have prepared to put both graphics face to face, they both use the same GPU but the RTX 3070 Ti has a greater number of unlocked SMs, so the count of Shader Processors and TMUs are also superior. Similarly, the Ti version has two RT cores and 8 more Tensor cores, so its performance in ray traced games should be slightly higher.

Regarding the operating speeds we also find slight differences, since the Ti version is a little faster as standard with 75 MHz more base and 45 MHz more in Boost mode, so this added to the above should mean better performance in all kinds of games regardless of their nature or resolution.

Now, the biggest change is in the memory because the RTX 3070 that was launched in September 2020 uses 8 GB of GDDR6 memory with chips at 14 Gbps of effective speed, while the new Ti has 12 GB using GDDR6X chips that They have a frequency of 19 Gbps effective, which translates into a much higher bandwidth (the difference is notable, of more than 160 GB / s); this should be reflected in better performance especially at high resolutions and in open world games that load large portions of the game map into memory.

Regarding the consumption of both GPUs, the RTX 3070 has a TDP of 220 watts and is powered by NVIDIA’s controversial 12-pin connector (generally, 2 × 8 pins in custom graphics) while the Ti version increases its TDP up to 290 watts, even though it uses the same power connectors. This translates into a considerably higher consumption (the difference is 70 watts) and a higher generation of heat, which makes these graphics “hotter” and noisier.

For the rest, in the Founders Edition models we have exactly the same heat sink and with the same video outputs, so there is not much to say about it. Of course, the recommended retail price of the RTX 3070 was $ 499 which was later translated into about 550 euros, while the Ti model was launched at a price of $ 599 translated into 650 euros, but with the shortage crisis of chips in the end we have not seen these GPUs in stores at reasonable prices (and in some cases we have not seen them at all).

The theory says that there are 100 euros of difference between one and another GPU but, will it be worth paying them? Let’s see it.

Performance differences

Fortunately, both graphics cards have been through our lab and we’ve been able to show you our respective reviews of both, so we can provide you with first-hand performance data to see how they perform when push-pull, in different games and at different resolutions. Certainly, whoever is thinking of investing the money that one of these GPUs costs will surely already have a high-end gaming PC with which they will not have bottlenecks and in all probability will seek to play at high FPS rates and / or high resolutions, environments. in which both graphs behave very well but since we are seeing which of the two is more worthwhile, what interests us is to see the difference.

Let’s take Call of Duty: WarZone as an example of a game at Full HD resolution, of course with maximum graphics and using the DirectX 12 API but without activating Ray Tracing.

We can see that the difference is barely 4 FPS between one graphic and the other at Full HD resolution, although it is true that the difference between the VRAM of both GPUs is not too noticeable at this resolution, so let’s see this same game and under the same conditions but at 1440p resolution.

Here we see that the difference is extended to 9 FPS, since as we have already commented, the difference between the VRAM of both GPUs is beginning to be noticed. Let’s see at 4K resolution what we find.

Here again the difference between the two graphs is enlarged again, and we are already 12 FPS apart. Obviously the RTX 3070 Ti is a better graphics, faster, with more SMs and more and better dedicated memory, so we cannot expect anything other than a performance increase and, despite this, the RTX 3070 still has a Excellent performance as it remains above 60 FPS on average even at 4K resolution.

So is it worth paying more for the jump in benefits?

Which graph is worth the most?

It is obvious that the RTX 3070 Ti is a much better graphics than the RTX 3070, since it has a more complete chip, is faster and has more and better VRAM, something that is especially noticeable at high resolutions. However, this performance improvement is also at the cost of a higher 70W consumption, greater heat generation and noisier operation, factors that we obviously have to take into account.

The RTX 3070 Ti costs (in theory) 100 euros more than the RTX 3070 and from our point of view the price difference is well justified by the huge improvement in dedicated memory, so of course if we were to recommend one of these two graphics cards for a gaming PC, we would definitely recommend the Ti version because it is notably superior.

Now, if you are concerned about consumption and temperature as well as noise and you do not need that extra performance that it provides at high resolutions, the RTX 3070 is still a safe bet to be able to have a great performance in games, so of course it is not a graph that you should discard and more if you are on a budget.