RTX 4070 Ti vs RTX 3090 Ti – which graphics card should you buy?

RTX 4070 Ti vs RTX 3090 Ti – which graphics card should you buy?
Romilly Cotta Updated on by

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We’re here to breakdown the key differences between RTX 4070 Ti vs 3090 Ti.

With the RTX 4070 Ti now having launched, we’ve compiled all the most relevant information on where to buy the GPU and where to find stock. Both the 4070 Ti & 3090 Ti are powerful graphics cards, capable of gaming in glorious 4K with excellent Ray Tracing abilities. In our opinion, this makes both great choices.

But which card offers the sweeter deal? We’ll compare the specs, performance and price to help you decide.

The RTX 4070 Ti has had an interesting journey to say the least. Previously released as the RTX 4080 12GB, Nvidia swiftly ‘unlaunched’ the graphics card following the confusion around having two 4080 graphics cards. Indeed, you might benefit from considering how the new 4070 Ti compares to the RTX 4080 16GB as we wait for stable stock levels on the 4070 Ti.

We’re also recommending a read of RTX 4070 Ti vs AMD’s RX 7900 XT. In our experience, sussing out the competition is a good way to pick the best graphics card for your needs. We’re hoping it’ll help put all those specs into a wider context.

It’s looking like the RTX 4070 Ti is facing a tough crowd though as potential buyers continue to be drawn to Nvidia’s previous-gen 3090 card.

But enough of that, let’s get stuck into what you came here for – a complete breakdown of the 4070 Ti specs vs the 3090 Ti.

RTX 4070 Ti vs RTX 3090 Ti – specs

What makes the 4070 Ti different from the RTX 3090 Ti? Take a look at the table below.

SpecsRTX 4070 TiRTX 3090 Ti
CUDA Cores768010752
Clock speed (base – boost)2.31 – 2.611.56 – 1.86
VRAM (GB, GDDR6X)12GB12GB
ArchitectureLovelaceAmpere
Memory Interface192-bit384-bit
Ray Tracing cores3rd Gen2nd Gen
Tensor cores4th Gen3rd Gen
Maximum resolution7260 x 43207260 x 4320
ConnectivityHDMI 2.1, 3 x DisplayPort2 x HDMI 2.1, 3 x DisplayPort
Required system power (W)226450
Graphics card power (W)750850

As you can see, there’s a handful of notable differences between the 4070 Ti and 3090 Ti.

In terms of clock speeds, the 4070 Ti clearly comes out at winner with a boost clock of 2.61MHz. Though the 3090 Ti can cope with graphic intensive games, the 4070 Ti has the edge here, meaning you’ll get smoother gaming experience, so long as you have the right hardware to support it.

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This higher performance does come at a cost though. With specs like the RTX 4080, you’ll need to ensure your GPU has adequate cooling to maintain its high performance.

You’ll also notice a dramatic difference between the required system power of just 226W compared to 450 W for the RTX 3090 Ti. Nvidia has made huge improvements here, largely thanks to its new Ada Lovelace architecture which delivers power to the GPU more efficiently than the 3090 Ti’s Ampere architecture.

Read More: Is the RTX 4070 Ti good for gaming?

It’s overall lower power draw also means lower running costs – ideal if you’re having long and regular gaming sessions.

The 4070 Ti shares Ada Lovelace architecture with its siblings the RTX 4080 and 4090, so expect the 4070 Ti’s Ray Tracing abilities to be up there with the best. If you’re especially keen on Ray Tracing, read through our article discussing the best GPUs for Ray Tracing to help you in your final decision.

Finally, it’s worth that the RTX 4070 Ti has DLSS 3.0 which also adds to its overall better performance over the 3090 Ti. DLSS 3.0 allows you to game at a virtualized higher resolution whilst maintaining both high frame rates and greater detail. This basically means you can expect a greater performance from your graphics card without the risk of it coming under too much strain.

Is the RTX 3090 Ti still good?

The RTX 3090 Ti is still a brilliant graphics card, fully capable of reaching 4K resolution with high frame rates.

Against the 4070 Ti, it’s also looking to be more readily available, currently retailing on Amazon for a hefty sum just shy of $1,500. Understandably, these prices aren’t cheap so if you’re after a current-gen graphics card at an affordable price, we recommend checking out AMD’s RX 7900 XTX.

Is the RTX 4070 Ti worth it?

The most exciting thing about the RTX 4070 Ti is the $799 price tag, but ultimately it doesn’t matter if there’s limited stock available at launch (surprise surprise). To add insult to injury, we haven’t yet seen the 4070 Ti retail for less than $800.

Frequently asked questions

How much will the RTX 4070 Ti cost?

Nvidia announced that the RTX 4070 Ti would cost $799 upon its release, though with reported low stock levels, the price is already much higher.

Is the RTX 4070 Ti better than the 3090 Ti?

Though the RTX 3090 Ti is still a powerful graphics card, the 4070 Ti definitely does better in terms of Ray Tracing and overall performance, thanks to Nvidia’s latest Lovelace architecture.

Is the RTX 4070 Ti overkill for gaming?

It’s hard to say since there’s considerable variation on the price of this GPU. However, there’s no denying that it has excellent Ray Tracing abilities thanks to DLSS 3.0. So, we’d say that if you’re a gamer looking to enjoy visually engaging games such as single-player RPGs, then it’s not overkill.