AMD RX 7700 XT vs Nvidia RTX 3060 vs 3060 Ti – is Navi 32 worth the upgrade?

We’re bringing you our RX 7700 XT vs RTX 3060 vs 3060 Ti comparison to help you pick your next graphics card.

The RX 7700 XT is set to release in early September. It is AMD’s new 1440p champion that is aimed at offering rock-solid 1440p performance without drilling a hole in your pocket. AMD also introduced the RX 7800 XT, which is like a big brother of the RX 7700 XT. If you plan to get the RX 7700 XT, make sure you know where to buy it from. To add to our comparison between these three graphics cards, we’ll take a look at HXL’s leaked information on the RX 7700 XT’s performance.

The RTX 3060 was released in February 2021, and the RTX 3060 Ti came a few months back in December 2020. The RTX 3060 is meant for 1080p competitive gaming, whereas the RTX 3060 Ti can also handle 1440p games fairly easily.

Is it worth spending big bucks to get the RX 7700 XT? Or do the RTX 3060 and the RTX 3060 Ti still hold up well to this day? 

RX 7700 XT vs RTX 3060 vs 3060 Ti – architecture

Architecture is one of the most important factors to consider when buying a graphics card. It shows how many features the graphics card comes with, how well it performs, and how efficient it is.

The RX 7700 XT is based on the RDNA 3 architecture. RDNA 3 is the first GPU architecture in the world to bring a chiplet design. It is also the first time AMD has moved to TSMC’s 5nm process node instead of 7nm. As a result of these improvements, the RX 7000-series cards are significantly more power-efficient than their predecessors. RDNA 3 also includes 2nd gen Raytracing, AI Acceleration, and 2nd gen Infinity Cache for improved performance and visuals. If you take a look at the RDNA 2 and the RDNA 3, it is clear that AMD have made vast improvements to the technology.

Both the RTX 3060 and the RTX 3060 Ti are based on the Ampere architecture. It is Nvidia’s old GPU architecture, which Ada Lovelace has replaced. The Ampere architecture is known for its improved Ray Tracing and DLSS performance thanks to its dedicated 3rd gen Tensor and 2nd-gen RT cores.

When it comes to architecture, the RX 7700 XT is superior to both the RTX 3060 and the RTX 3060 Ti. That’s because RDNA 3 is the latest architecture from AMD, it brings several performance and efficiency improvements that Ampere simply cannot match.

RX 7700 XT vs RTX 3060 vs 3060 Ti – specs difference

Specs	RX 7700 XT	RTX 3060	RTX 3060 Ti
GPU Architecture	RDNA 3.0	Ampere	Ampere
Cores	3456	3584	4864
Base clock	1900 MHz	1320 MHz	1410 MHz
Boost clock	2544 MHz	1780 MHz	1670 MHz
Die Size	346 mm²	392 mm²	392 mm²
Memory	12 GB GDDR6	12 GB GDDR6 / 8 GB GDDR6	8 GB GDDR6 / 8 GB GDDR6X
Bandwidth	432 GB/s	360.0 GB/s / 240.0 GB/s	448.0 GB/s / 608.3 GB/s
TGP	245 W	170 W	200 W

Going over the specifications, the first thing to notice is that the RX 7700 XT actually has fewer cores than both the RTX 3060 and the RTX 3060 Ti. However, that doesn’t matter much because Team Red boasts a significantly higher base and boost clock speeds. Similarly, the card also features more VRAM than the RTX 3060 Ti and the same VRAM as the RTX 3060 12 GB variant. It’s also never too late to make sure you’ve got the best CPU for the RTX 3060.

Speaking of which, you must have noticed that we have listed 2 different memory specifications for both RTX 3060 cards. That’s because the RTX 3060 comes in two memory configurations: one is 12 GB, and the other is 8 GB. In the same way, the RTX 3060 Ti also comes with two memory configurations, GDDR6X offers more bandwidth and performance than GDDR6.

As for power efficiency, the RX 7700 XT consumes the most power, with the RTX 3060 being the best in power efficiency. Overall, the RX 7700 XT gets the win in specifications because its higher clock speeds and 12 GB VRAM make it ideal for high-end gaming.

RX 7700 XT vs RTX 3060 vs 3060 Ti – performance

You also need to go over the gaming benchmarks to understand which graphics card is the best. Well, the RX 7700 XT has not been released yet. As such, we don’t have excess to its performance number. What we do have though, is HXL’s document highlighting the RX 7700 XT’s scores and performance marks. The RX 7700 XT’s Time Spy graphics score is around 17,000 points which, if accurate, is around 3% faster than the RX 6800. It wouldn’t be far off the GeForce RTX 4070 which has a 5% higher score. The specifications of the GPU show the card can handle 1440p gaming without any hiccups. It should also be able to run 4K games at decent framerates.

On the other hand, the RTX 3060 is only ideal for 1080p competitive gaming. You should expect around 110 to 120 FPS from its 12 GB variant. The RTX 3060 Ti is better than that, as it gives you around 150 FPS at 1080p. Switching to 1440p means the RTX 3060 gives somewhere between 60 to 90 FPS on average, and the RTX 3060 Ti goes over 100 FPS. For a more detailed breakdown, take a look at the comparison of the RTX 3060 and the RTX 3060 Ti.

As far as performance goes, the RX 7700 XT is miles ahead of the two. No matter which resolution you play at, if performance is your main concern, the RX 7700 XT should be your choice.

RX 7700 XT vs RTX 3060 vs 3060 Ti – price difference

Going over the pricing, AMD has listed the RX 7700 XT at $450. Similarly, its high-end variants will be available for around $470.

Buy the RX 7700 XT here at launch:

• AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT graphics card via Amazon
• AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT graphics card via Best Buy

Right now, you can get an RTX 3060 12 GB for around $300 and the RTX 3060 Ti GDDR6X for around $360. Which makes all these graphic cards strong contenders for the best GPUs under $700.

While the RTX 3060 cards are more affordable than the RX 7700 XT, the RX 7700 XT offers more value for money because of its excellent price-to-performance ratio.

RX 7700 XT vs RTX 3060 vs 3060 Ti – final word

All things considered, if you’re on a tight budget and want a solid 1080p gaming experience, then you should go for the RTX 3060 or the RTX 3060 Ti — whichever falls within your budget. However, if you can afford it, then you should definitely consider the RX 7700 XT. The card is an upgrade in all aspects and offers excellent performance.