Nvidia RTX 4070 Ti vs RTX 3070 Ti Comparison: Which one is Better for You? [Benchmark]
In this article, we are going to compare the RTX 4070 Ti to its predecessor the RTX 3070 Ti. We will go in-depth on the specs, performance, and price of these GPUs, and see the differences between the new 40-series GPUs and the previous generations’ 30-series GPUs.
When comparing these GPUs you should determine if the advantages and disadvantages of using the newest 4070 Ti GPU are worth it for you.
We will do our best to compare, and give our opinions on what GPU will provide the best outcome for you depending on your needs, and budget, so make sure you read through very thoroughly so, that you can get the most information possible.
Specification Comparison: RTX 4070 Ti vs RTX 3070 Ti
| GPU Specifications | RTX 4070 Ti | RTX 3070 Ti |
|---|---|---|
| CUDA Cores | 7680 | 6144 |
| Tensor Cores | 240 | 192 |
| RT Cores | 60 | 48 |
| Architecture | Ada Lovelace | Ampere |
| Processor Size | 4 nm | 8 nm |
| Base Clock Speed | 2310 MHz | 1575 MHz |
| Boost Clock Speed | 2610 MHz | 1770 MHz |
| VRAM/Memory Size | 12 GB | 8 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR6X | GDDR6X |
| TGP/TDP | 285 Watts | 290 Watts |
| Recommended PSU Wattage | 750 Watts | 750 Watts |
| Maximum Resolution | 7260 x 4320 | 7260 x 4320 |
| MSRP | $799 | $599 |
After looking at the spec chart above you can see that in almost every category the RTX 4070 Ti outperforms the RTX 3070 Ti.
However, that is to be expected because it is the next-gen 40 series GPU. It is supposed to be better.
Ada Lovelace Architecture vs Ampere Architecture
Let’s start by comparing the architecture of these two GPUs. The RTX 4070 Ti comes equipped with the Lovelace architecture, which is Nvidias newest architecture, that features significant improvements in power compared to its previous architecture “Ampere”, which is what the RTX 3070 Ti uses.
Lovelace’s microarchitecture is based on TSMC’s 4nm technology cutting its size in half compared to Ampere’s 8nm chip.
But wait it gets even more impressive.
Nvidia was able to use 76 billion transistors in its Lovelace architecture, which is just shy of tripling Ampere’s 28 billion transistors.
So, why is this important? Because more transistors typically mean higher performance, which is exactly what Nvidia claims with its new Lovelace Architecture.
Further, the ray tracing efficiency of the RTX 4070 Ti has improved a lot compared to the RTX 3070 Ti.
Starting off the RTX 4070 Ti has an extra 12 RT cores compared to the RTX 3070 Ti add-on with its compatibility with DLSS 3, the ray tracing capabilities of the RTX 4070 Ti outshine that of the RTX 3070 Ti.
Performance Difference: RTX 4070 Ti Vs RTX 3070 Ti
When it comes to performance there are a few things to keep in mind, and in every area, the RTX 4070 Ti performs better than the RTX 3070 Ti.
Starting with the clock speeds, the RTX 4070 Ti has a base clock speed of 2310 MHz with a boost clock speed of 2610 MHz. As you can see the RTX 4070 Ti has a very high clock speed compared to other GPUs. With a graphics card, this power you will be able to play pretty much any game at a high frame rate, performance, and quality.
On the other hand, the RTX 3070 Ti has a base clock speed of 1575 MHz with a boost clock speed that goes up to 1770 MHz.
When comparing the clock speeds of the RTX 3070 Ti and the RTX 4070 Ti, you can see that there is a 735 MHz difference in the base clock speed and an 840 MHz difference in the boost clock speed.
With that being said the RTX 3070 Ti is still a very powerful GPU that will be able to run high-end games at a fairly good performance and frame rate.
Another aspect of performance that you need to compare is the memory inside each graphics processing unit.
With the 4070 Ti, you can see it has a VRAM capacity of 12 GB; whereas the 3070 Ti has a VRAM capacity of 8GB.
The VRAM capacity in a GPU can help increase performance a little bit, but it is less important for performance especially for gaming, so even though there is a big jump in the amount of VRAM in the RTX 4070 Ti, you will not notice a drastic difference just because it has more memory stored on the GPU.
To get a better understanding of GPU memory and VRAM check out this article I wrote on “The Difference Between VRAM and RAM.”
Price Difference: RTX 4070 Ti vs RTX 3070 Ti
Next, we are going to talk about the price of the graphics card. How expensive a GPU is will be a deciding factor for a lot of you, and will be the end all decision in the end.
Previously, we talked about the performance and architecture of these two graphics cards, and what you learned was that the RTX 4070 Ti has the advantage, however, does the performance difference outweigh the amount of money you have to put in to get this performance?
The RTX 4070 Ti has an MSRP of $799, while the RTX 3070 Ti has an MSRP of $599.
That’s a $200 difference in price, so it is up to you to determine whether paying that extra $200 for better performance is worth it.
You should also note that not every GPU is priced the same, it will depend on the manufacturer and store you buy it from, prices will range from a little under MSRP to a lot over MSRP. This is just something that you should keep in mind.
Power Consumption
Another thing to consider is the power consumption of the GPU. The reason for this is that it will determine whether you need a bigger power supply, or need to change other hardware around in your computer that meets your power consumption requirements.
This is the thing that factors into the price as well because, with a more powerful GPU, you will need a more powerful power supply unit, which can get quite expensive.
The power consumption of the RTX 4070 Ti or TGP is 285 watts with a recommended PSU of 750 watts. Now compare the power consumption of the RTX 3070 Ti with a TGP of 290 watts.
As you can see the 4070 Ti is actually more power efficient than the 3070 Ti which can be surprising for many people. Nvidia did a good job of lowering the power requirements of the 40-series GPUs, frankly because they were getting very high with each new generation of GPUs, so it is a great step forward.
Benchmark Tests
You should check out this video by Testing Games if you want to look at benchmarks of the two GPUs in specific games.
Is The RTX 4070 Ti Worth It?
The RTX 4070 Ti is a very powerful piece of hardware, but are you willing to take the hit out of your wallet?
When you look at the hefty price tag for the 4070 Ti the 3070 Ti becomes a lot more attractive to many of you, and I would say if you are looking for a powerful graphics card and the 4070 Ti seems like a little too much on the price scale then the 3070 Ti will still be a very good choice for performance and output.
However, if you are looking for a GPU to be considered an “endgame” and you don’t worry about the price too much then go for it!
