Is it Worth Upgrading from RTX 3070 to RTX 3070 Ti?
After extensive research and analysis, I don‘t recommend most RTX 3070 owners upgrade to the 3070 Ti. The performance gain is only around 10-15% on average, which isn‘t enough to justify spending over $100 extra.
However, if you game at 1440p resolution and want to maximize frame rates above 100+ fps, the 3070 Ti can provide a worthwhile boost. It also gives you a bit more futureproofing at higher resolutions.
Diving Deep on Performance Differences
Let‘s dig into the benchmarks to see how much better the RTX 3070 Ti performs compared to the RTX 3070.
Here is a breakdown of average frame rate comparisons in a few popular games at 1080p resolution:
| Game | RTX 3070 | RTX 3070 Ti | % Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shadow of the Tomb Raider | 182 fps | 196 fps | +8% |
| Forza Horizon 5 | 151 fps | 166 fps | +10% |
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | 132 fps | 145 fps | +10% |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 108 fps | 119 fps | +10% |
As you can see, at 1080p the RTX 3070 Ti is around 8-10% faster. While measurable, that‘s not a very significant upgrade for most people gaming at this resolution.
Now let‘s look at the 1440p benchmarks:
| Game | RTX 3070 | RTX 3070 Ti | % Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shadow of the Tomb Raider | 126 fps | 138 fps | +10% |
| Forza Horizon 5 | 110 fps | 120 fps | +9% |
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | 88 fps | 96 fps | +9% |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 71 fps | 79 fps | +11% |
Here the lead grows slightly larger to 9-11% in favor of the 3070 Ti. This can start to become a more worthwhile performance uplift at higher resolutions.
Based on various benchmark sources, the average FPS advantage of the RTX 3070 Ti at 4K resolution is around 10-12% as well. However, neither card is really ideal for 4K gaming.
Overclocking Comparison
With manual overclocking, the RTX 3070 Ti can achieve clock speeds around 5-8% higher than the RTX 3070 on average. This can improve the performance difference to around 15% in optimally cooled systems.
For example, TechPowerUp managed to overclock their RTX 3070 Ti sample to 1905 MHz boost clock, versus 1770 MHz on their overclocked RTX 3070 sample.
Ray Tracing and DLSS
Both cards deliver virtually identical ray tracing performance and DLSS image quality, since they are built on the same Nvidia Ampere architecture.
The 3070 Ti maintains its 10-15% raw performance advantage with ray tracing and DLSS enabled. For example, in Control at 1440p highest settings with ray tracing on, the 3070 Ti achieves 78 fps while the 3070 gets 69 fps (source).
Ray tracing does impact performance significantly. In the same benchmark above, disabling ray tracing improves frame rates to 117 fps on the 3070 Ti and 107 fps on the 3070. So while the relative performance is similar, absolute frame rates take a big hit.
Power Consumption and Thermals
The RTX 3070 Ti has a significantly higher TDP rating of 290W, versus just 220W on the RTX 3070. In real-world gaming, this translates to about 30-50 additional watts of power consumption.
For example, when benchmarking Red Dead Redemption 2 at 4K settings, the RTX 3070 Ti FE model drew 283W while the RTX 3070 FE drew 236W (source).
This extra power draw produces more heat. Under load, the 3070 Ti generally reaches around 75-80°C, versus 70-75°C on the 3070 depending on the specific models.
Aftermarket models with beefier cooling can improve temperatures somewhat. But in general, expect the 3070 Ti to run 5-10°C hotter. It may require more aggressive fan curves as well.
Noise levels follow a similar trend, with the 3070 Ti producing 2-4 dbA higher noise during heavy gaming sessions. For example, 37 dbA on the 3070 Ti FE versus 34 dbA on the RTX 3070 FE at full load (source).
Power Supply Requirements
With its higher power consumption, Nvidia recommends a minimum 750W power supply for the RTX 3070 Ti. Most 3070 models only call for 650W.
So upgrading may require obtaining a new higher wattage power supply, adding to the overall upgrade cost. Fortunately quality 750W+ power supplies are quite affordable today.
Availability and Pricing
Both the RTX 3070 and RTX 3070 Ti can still be difficult to find in stock at reasonable prices currently. However, over the past couple months the 3070 Ti has seen slightly better general availability compared to the 3070.
The 3070 Ti currently sells for around $700-800 from most major retailers when in stock. The RTX 3070 sells for around $600 when available.
So expect to pay around $100-150 more for the 3070 Ti. Of course, prices can vary depending on brand, cooler design, factory overclocks, etc.
I recommend monitoring prices regularly and jumping on a deal when you can find one close to the MSRP. Buying from a lesser-known brand can sometimes get you better pricing too.
Resale Value Comparison
It‘s hard to predict future resale values, but the RTX 3070 Ti may hold its value a bit better over the next 2-3 years compared to the RTX 3070 when trying to resell it.
Looking at previous generation cards, more powerful models tend to retain value better. For example, the GTX 1080 Ti has sold for around 20-35% more than the GTX 1080 recently on the used market.
But with only a 10-15% performance difference between the 3070 and 3070 Ti, I wouldn‘t expect a huge resale value disparity between them. Much will depend on future market conditions and new product releases.
Closing Thoughts
To recap, the RTX 3070 Ti does provide a measurable performance improvement over the RTX 3070, especially at higher resolutions like 1440p. It‘s around 10-15% faster on average.
But for many gamers, it‘s tough to justify spending $100+ more for such a modest gain. I‘d only recommend upgrading if you really want to maximize frame rates above 100+ fps at 1440p resolution in demanding titles. Or if you find an amazing deal on a 3070 Ti.
Otherwise, the RTX 3070 remains the better value choice for the vast majority of gamers. It‘s still capable of 60+ fps at 1440p in any game.
I hope this detailed breakdown helps analyze whether upgrading to the 3070 Ti is right for your needs and budget! Let me know if you have any other questions.