Nvidia has introduced a faster version of the RTX 3070 with the RTX 3070 Ti. But who is this graphics card even worth it for? MeinMMO presents the RTX 3070 Ti in detail and explains what interested parties should pay attention to.
Starting today at 3 PM, you can buy Nvidia’s RTX 3070 Ti. The graphics card is positioned in the mid-price segment:
- It is a faster version of the GeForce RTX 3070.
- The RTX 3070 Ti is located below the GeForce RTX 3080 and offers less video memory than the RTX 3080 (8 vs 10 GB VRAM).
- The manufacturer’s suggested retail price (RRP) for the RTX 3070 Ti is 619 euros, placing it between 3070 (519 euros) and 3080 (719 euros). However, it is expected that the selling prices will be significantly higher.
Recently, Nvidia had introduced the RTX 3080 Ti. We have summarized the most important information about the RTX 3080 Ti for you.
But how does the performance of the RTX 3070 Ti look, and who is it worth buying the graphics card for when it is available? MeinMMO takes a look at the first tests and explains for whom the graphics card could be worth it from today.
Fast WQHD graphics card, but with strong competition
By now, several independent testers have had the chance to test Nvidia’s new graphics card. Here are some results:
- GameStar describes the RTX 3070 Ti as a powerful graphics card that could close the gap between RTX 3070 and RX 6800 (via GameStar.de). While the RX 6800 offers slightly better performance and larger memory, gamers get powerful ray tracing cores (tensor cores) with the RTX 3070 Ti.
- ComputerBase refers to the RTX 3070 Ti as a “mini-upgrade” (via ComputerBase.de): The RTX 3070 Ti delivers good performance but offers hardly any notable improvements over the regular RTX 3070 at a significantly lower efficiency.
- HardwareLuxx states in its test that Nvidia has achieved its goal of positioning a graphics card closer to the RX 6800, but the gap to the regular RTX 3070 is still too small (via Hardwareluxx.de). The price increase from the RTX 3070 to the Ti version is reasonable, but buyers must ultimately decide whether they want to pay the extra cost or not.
- The online magazine The Verge sees the greatest competition primarily in the Radeon RX 6800 (via theverge.com). The RX 6800 not only offers slightly better performance but also significantly more video memory. The RTX 3070 Ti would have benefited from significantly more memory to stand out from the competition.
How fast is the RTX 3070 Ti? In WQHD, the GeForce RTX 3070 Ti provides 5 percent more average FPS than the GeForce RTX 3070. The RTX 3080 is 19 percent ahead of the RTX 3070 Ti. The RX 6800 is also faster than the RTX 3070 Ti (+5 %).
In Full HD, the differences between WQHD and Full HD are hardly noticeable, as the graphics cards are closely matched. In 4K, the gap between the RTX 3070 Ti and the RTX 3070 grows to about 9 percent.
This is why there is criticism for the video memory: Nvidia’s decision to equip the RTX 3070 Ti with only 8 GB of video memory has faced criticism.
Especially regarding ray tracing, it is still uncertain how future-proof 8 GB of video memory will be. A RTX 3070 Ti with 16 GB of video memory would be significantly more attractive than the current model, which is why many testers see the RX 6800 with 16 GB of memory as the better graphics card—when you disregard ray tracing.
Also, the GeForce RTX 3080 is in a better position with its 10 GB of video memory, as it offers a bit more memory, which is sufficient in most cases.
According to our colleagues at GameStar, the 8 GB will not be a problem for current games, but that could change in the future (via GameStar.de).
GeForce RTX 3070 Ti or Radeon RX 6800 – which graphics card is the better choice?
What is the Radeon RX 6800? The Radeon RX 6800 has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of 579 euros and is the direct competitor to the Nvidia RTX 3070. The RTX 3070 Ti is slightly more expensive with an RRP of 599 euros.
Like the two RTX 3070 models, the Radeon RX 6800 is a graphics card aimed at gamers who want to game in Full HD with high framerates or in WQHD.
The Radeon RX 6800 offers about 7 – 9 percent more performance compared to the RTX 3070 in UHD (via ComputerBase.de). The RTX 3070 Ti is thus approximately at the level of the RX 6800. However, the AMD graphics card is significantly more efficient than the Nvidia card.
Who should buy which graphics card? The Radeon RX 6800 is particularly energy-efficient and offers twice as much video memory with 16 GB compared to the RTX 3070 Ti (8 GB). The Radeon graphics card is also an option if you want to try 4K and offers more than enough performance for WQHD.
Currently, you cannot bypass Nvidia for ray tracing and DLSS. Nvidia offers better performance in ray tracing, while AMD (still) does not have a competitive alternative for DLSS. However, this could change when AMD’s DLSS alternative is officially launched at the end of June.
Who is the RTX 3070 Ti worth it for?
- You want the performance of an RX 6800 but want to benefit from ray tracing and especially DLSS.
- Ray tracing and DLSS are important purchasing reasons for you.
- You want to game in WQHD or benefit from high triple-digit framerates in Full HD or try 4K once.
Who is the RTX 3070 Ti not worth it for?
- If you want to game in 4K or higher resolutions. In this case, the RTX 3080 or a RX 6800 XT would be more advisable.
- If 8 GB of video memory is not sufficient for you in the long term.
- If you want to forgo high ray tracing performance and mature DLSS.
- If you want to switch from a GTX 1070 or GTX 970, and may need a new power supply here. Then the RTX 3070, with similar performance and better efficiency, is the better choice.
How good is the availability of the RTX 3070 Ti? Whether you can find an RTX 3070 Ti in stores and buy it at a reasonably fair price is something we cannot promise you.
The sale of the RTX 3070 Ti starts on June 10 at 3 PM. The models of the RTX 3080 Ti cost about twice the MSRP at launch, so you should also expect prices starting from 999 euros for the RTX 3070 Ti. Custom models, meaning graphics cards from board manufacturers, often cost more than the Founders models.
At least Nvidia has stated that it wants to make mining with RTX graphics cards significantly harder. That’s at least a small ray of hope for the hardware market.
