RTX 4060 Ti vs RTX 3060 Ti – is newer better for you?

The next GPU from Nvidia might be the firm's most exciting entry yet as the RTX 4060 Ti gains traction

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The GPU market is constantly evolving, and the rumors surrounding Nvidia and AMD’s new offerings never fail to generate excitement. In this regard, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Ti, with its now officially announced specs, has certainly stirred up the gaming world. This article aims to dissect these rumors and compare the RTX 4060 Ti with its older sibling and predecessor among Ti graphics cards, the RTX 3060 Ti.

Whether you’re looking to upgrade your motherboard or are just curious, we’re here to help. For starters, our RTX 4060 Ti review goes over the newer GPU’s performance, features, price, and design to help you make an informed purchasing decision.

While the Ampere architecture has proven its worth in the gaming and professional graphics world, the RTX 4060 Ti may well prove to be a worthy upgrade for many gamers. Let’s delve into the RTX 4060 Ti vs RTX 3060 Ti bout and find out how much of a leap Nvidia’s newest card might feature.

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RTX 4060 Ti vs RTX 3060 Ti: Specs comparison

The premium RTX 4060 Ti will leverage the AD106 architecture, compared to the GA104 architecture of the RTX 3060 Ti. This suggests potential improvements in efficiency and performance benchmarks, with a jump in total graphics power.

In terms of the core count, the RTX 3060 Ti has more cores (4864 cores) than the RTX 4060 Ti’s rumored 4352 cores. However, the RTX 4060 Ti will have a higher base clock speed (2310 MHz) and boost clock speed (2535 MHz) compared to the RTX 3060 Ti’s 1410 MHz base clock and 1665 MHz boost clock, which could potentially offset the lower core count.

SpecsRTX 4060 TiRTX 3060 Ti
Architecture AD106GA104
CUDA Cores4352    4864
Texture Units160      152
Raytracing Cores3rd Gen, 51 TFLOPs38
Base Clock2310 MHz       1410 MHz
Boost Clock2535 MHz       1665 MHz
Memory8 GB GDDR6 / 16GB GDDR68 GB GDDR6X
Memory Interface128-bit256-bit
TDP160W  200W
Price$399 8GB / $499 16GB$399
RTX 4060 Ti vs RTX 3060 Ti specs comparison

The memory bandwidth is the same in terms of quantity, with both GPUs reportedly having 8 GB of memory, but the RTX 3060 Ti uses a faster GDDR6X memory, while the 4060 Ti is expected to use GDDR6 memory. However, the 3060 Ti has a wider memory interface (256-bit) than the rumored 128-bit of the 4060 Ti. The new graphics card is also reputed to have 32MB of L2 cache.

The power consumption of the 4060 Ti is rumored to be lower, with a 160W TDP compared to the 3060 Ti’s 200W. This could make the 4060 Ti a more energy-efficient variant.

RTX 4060 Ti vs RTX 3060 Ti: Price

The RTX 3060 Ti had an MSRP of $399 at launch. However, due to high demand and supply chain issues, the current market price of the RTX 3060 Ti is hovering around $420, a slight increase from its initial price.

On the other hand, the RTX 4060 Ti will have two different pricing, with an 8GB model costing $399 and a 16GB going for $499. This price is slightly higher than that of the RTX 3060 Ti. So, if this expected MSRP is to be kept, for a very similar price, buyers will be able to get a newer GPU with a faster clock speed better ray tracing technology, and improved core architecture.

RTX 4060 Ti vs RTX 3060 Ti: Performance

Looking at the potential offerings of the RTX 4060 Ti, it becomes clear that this upcoming GPU might cater to those who prioritize advanced features such as Ray Tracing and DLSS 3. Not every game supports DLSS 3, but for those that do, it can significantly enhance the gaming experience, allowing for smooth 4K gameplay without hampering the frame rate.

Another enticing aspect to consider is the relationship between the 4060 Ti and mid-tier CPUs. The speculated DLSS 3 support in the 4060 Ti could alleviate some of the load on your CPU, reducing the risk of a GPU-induced bottleneck.

While 4K performance may still prove challenging for the 4060 Ti, we anticipate that it will excel at 1440p. Once released, the RTX 4060 Ti could be a strong contender among the best 1440p graphics cards available.

RTX 4060 Ti vs RTX 3060 Ti: Final thoughts

The best thing about the RTX 4060 Ti is Its potential synergistic relationship with new-age mid-tier CPUs could offer consumers the balanced, high-performing gaming PC they’ve long aspired for. This new addition to the Ada Lovelace architecture lineup might well be one of the best graphics cards to debut in quite some time. 

Looking back, the RTX 3060 Ti attempted to fill this niche but fell short due to limited improvements in its Ti specifications. However, Nvidia appears to have learned from this and is now on the cusp of delivering a more refined, higher-resolution, and performance-oriented solution with the RTX 4060 Ti. We expect the new GPU late June or July.

FAQ

Will the RTX 4060 Ti be a good choice for 4K gaming?

Based on rumored specs, the RTX 4060 Ti is expected to offer decent performance at 4K but will truly excel at 1440p resolutions.

How much will the RTX 4060 Ti cost?

The RTX 4060 Ti is rumored to be priced slightly higher than the RTX 3060 Ti’s launch price at $450, but it offers improved features and potentially better performance, which could justify the cost difference.

Now Read: Where to buy RTX 4060 Ti and expected retailers

Camilo is a contributor for PC Guide. He's been into tech since he was a teen, surfing through the web and local stores trying to find the cheapest way to play the latest Half-Life on his old Windows