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Today we’re considering the RTX 4070 Ti vs RX 6800 XT to see which GPU makes the most sense for you.
We’ve already seen how the RX 6800 XT shapes up versus the RTX 3080, so it makes sense to now have a look at how it performs against Nvidia’s latest generation of GPUs.
The RTX 4070 Ti is the most recent, and most affordable, way to get your hands on Nvidia’s RTX 40-series, all of which feature the cutting-edge Lovelace architecture. It’s been impressing gamers ever since, as one of the best GPUs for ray tracing.
The RX 6800 XT came out over a year earlier as part of AMD’s RX 6000 series. This means it is actually a generation behind the RTX 4070 Ti, but despite this still performs very well up against it. As well as this, thanks to its older release date, it is offered for a more competitive price.
We are comparing the two here, not to crown an outright winner, but to see which one makes the most sense for you and your gaming needs. Both of these cards are incredibly powerful and amongst the best GPUs for QHD and HD gaming. However, there are some key differences which mean, depending on your exact requirements, it is likely there is a better option for you.
To help you find it we’ve broken our comparison down into the categories of specs, architecture, performance and value for money. We’re confident this will give you enough of an overview to know which one you should go for. Let’s get into it.
RTX 4070 Ti vs RX 6800 XT – Specs
| Specs | RTX 4070 Ti | RX 6800 XT |
| Architecture | Ada Lovelace | RDNA 2 |
| Base Clock | 2310 MHz | 2015 MHz |
| Boost Clock | 2610 MHz | 2250 MHz |
| VRAM | 12 GB GDDR6 | 16 GB GDDR6 |
| Memory bandwidth | 504.2 GB/s | 512 GB/s |
| Bus width | 192 bit | 256 bit |
| Minimum PSU Recommendation | 700W | 750 W |
It’s a common mistake to assume that comparing two GPUs is simply a numbers gamer, where the higher numbers win. In reality, there are so many complicated and interconnected parts to a GPU that it is not this simple. Nevertheless, specs can reveal important information and are a good place to start our comparison.
As you can see, each card is ahead in different categories, though there aren’t any where one is drastically superior to the other.
The 16GB of VRAM that comes in the RX 6800XT is huge, though the RTX 4070 Ti isn’t too far behind on 12GB. This means that both have enough memory for gaming with the RX 6800 XT edging it. Both have GDDR 6 which is currently the fastest memory available.
Read More: Best PSU for RTX 4070 Ti
The RX 6800 XT also has a larger bus width, which translates to a higher volume of data that can be moved quickly. This has a knock-on effect for smooth gameplay, helping to increase it.
Where the RTX 4070 Ti wins out is in clock speed, both base and boost. This is a vital metric by which to measure performance. It tells us how many times a GPU can access its memory per second, in order to complete a calculation. When boosted the clock speed of the RTX 4070 Ti is over 2.6GHz, versus around 2.2GHz for the RX 6800 XT.
All these specs affect performance, along with perhaps the most important difference between these two cards, their architecture.
RTX 4070 Ti vs RX 6800 XT – Architecture
The RTX 4070 Ti comes with NVIDIA’s most recent, and most advanced architecture which is called Ada Lovelace. This brings with it 3rd generation ray tracing cores and 4th generation Tensor cores, both more capable and efficient than their predecessors. This means that the RTX 4070 Ti actually performs better versus the 3080 Ti, despite the latter’s higher core count and bus width.
Nvidia also made breakthroughs in neural graphic processing, again improving overall speeds, especially in relation to ray tracing.
The RX 6800 XT meanwhile uses RDNA 2 architecture, this is actually one generation behind Lovelace. RDNA 2 though less advanced still performs well and allows the high specs that the RX 6800 XT has to reach their potential.
Read More: Best CPU for RTX 4070 Ti
It also introduced us to AMD’s Infinity Cache. This technology serves as an amplifier for bandwidth, allowing it to increase up to 3.25 times over 256-bit 16GBps GDDR6 memory. This is especially useful for 4K and 1440p performance.
However, it only has first-generation ray tracing accelerators, meaning it does lag behind the RTX 4070 Ti in ray tracing quite significantly.
Let’s have a closer look at how these factors affect actual gaming performance.
RTX 4070 Ti vs RX 6800 XT – Performance
Overall these GPUs actually perform very similarly in most games. In general, the RX 6800 XT has ever so slightly higher frame rates in most games, though there are some, such as Cyberpunk 2077 where the RTX 4070 Ti performs better.
It should be said that overall both of these cards are very capable of gaming at incredibly high frame rates at 1080p and can perform well all the way up to 4K.
Read More: RTX 4070 Ti vs 3080 Ti
There is however one department where the RTX 4070 Ti wins hands down and that is ray tracing. Ray tracing is a department where Nvidia has always excelled and with the RTX 4070 Ti coming out more recently they have had even more time to improve their technology.
The result of this is that, if ray tracing is a deal breaker for you, it’s definitely worth considering the RXT 4070 Ti.
RTX 4070 Ti vs RX 6800 XT – Value for money
When it comes down to price there is a clear one, but the question of which brings more value for money has a less clear answer.
If we compare the MSRPs of both cards we see that the RX 6800 XT retails for $649, while the RTX 4070 Ti is $799. However even this doesn’t tell the full story. As the RTX 4070 Ti came out more recently demand has driven the price up, while the RX 6800 XT has actually gone down in price, thanks in part to the release of the next generation of AMD GPUs.
That’s not to say that the RX 6800 XT necessarily offers superior value for money, however. Don’t forget that the RTX 4070 Ti has far superior ray tracing abilities. Plus the fact that it is a newer release will likely mean longer support and warranties when you buy.
You can check the exact price of each below.
MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 4070 Ti
Base Clock
2310
Boost Clock
2745 MHz
VRAM
‎12 GB
Dimensions
13.3 x 2.4 x 5.5 inches
Recommended PSU
750W
ASUS ROG Strix RX 6800 XT
Base Clock
1925 MHz
Boost Clock
2360 MHz
VRAM
16GB GDDR6
Recommended PSU
700W
Dimensions
267 x 120 x 50 mm
Which one should you go for?
As is all too common in the world of tech, it comes down to a balancing act between price and performance.
If sheer power, especially ray tracing power is of primary concern to you then the RTX 4070 Ti is the one to go for. It easily produces higher frame rates when the demanding technology is enabled.
However, if ray tracing is less of a concern to you and you are on a tighter budget the RX 6800 XT is an incredibly powerful card capable of 4K resolutions in even demanding games and is available right now for cheaper than ever before.
