For gamers who desire an immersive gaming experience, a GPU is essential and indispensable to their setup.
Among the most popular and affordable graphics cards in the market today are the NVIDIA GTX 1070 and the RTX 3060. These two GPUs are known for their powerful performance and exceptional features, which make them the top choices for gamers and professionals.
This guide will provide you with a side-by-side comparison of these GPUs, exploring their specs and key differences to help you make an informed decision when choosing between the GTX 1070 and RTX 3060.
NVIDIA GTX 1070 vs. RTX 3060: Side-by-Side Comparison
| GTX 1070 | RTX 3060 | |
|---|---|---|
| Graphics Processor | Pascal | Ampere |
| Memory | 8GB GDDR5 | 12GB GDDR6 |
| CUDA Cores | 1,920 | 3,584 |
| TMUs | 120 | 112 |
| ROPs | 64 | 48 |
| Base Clock Speed | 1,506 MHz | 1,320 MHz |
| Boost Clock Speed | 1,683 MHz | 1,777 MHz |
| Texture Fill Rate | 181 GTexel/s | 199 GTexel/s |
| Single-Precision Computing Performance | 6.5 TFLOPS | 12 TFLOPS |
| MSRP at Launch | $329 | $379 |
- New Pascal architecture
- 8GB 256-bit GDDR5
- Virtual reality ready, 4K Gaming
- 1x Dual-link DVI-I, 3x DisplayPort (version 1.4), 1x HDMI
- Boost Clock 1683 MHz
Please Note: As of July 19, 2023, the Nvidia Founders Edition GeForce GTX 1070 is currently unavailable on Amazon. If you are unable to locate this product elsewhere, please check back later.
- Boosts frame rates with uncompromised image quality using the dedicated AI processing Tensor Cores on GeForce RTX
- Low latency
- Fast responsiveness
- AI acceleration
- Backed by the NVIDIA Studio platform of dedicated drivers and exclusive tools
NVIDIA GTX 1070 vs. RTX 3060: What’s the Difference?
Graphics Processor
One of the biggest differences between the NVIDIA GTX 1070 and RTX 3060 is the graphics processor design. The GTX 1070 uses the powerful NVIDIA Pascal architecture (GP104), while the RTX 3060 is powered by the newer NVIDIA Ampere architecture (GA106). The Pascal architecture is a workhorse that comes packed with features such as NVIDIA Ansel, NVIDIA G-Sync, and NVIDIA SLI, which make for a smooth and seamless gaming experience.
On the other hand, the RTX 3060 is powered by the more robust NVIDIA Ampere architecture, which supports more memory, more efficient memory use, and allows for faster data transfer. And, like all cards in the RTX series, the 3060 also includes features such as NVIDIA DLSS and NVIDIA Reflex, which make your gaming experience all the more immersive and responsive.
Memory
The amount of video memory a graphics card packs is crucial for its performance. On the VRAM capacity front, the GTX 1070 and the RTX 3060 are somewhat worlds apart. The GTX 1070 has 8GB of GDDR5 memory and a 256-bit bus width, which is more than enough for most gaming purposes. On the flip side, the RTX 3060 boasts an impressive 12GB of GDDR6 memory and a 192-bit memory interface, which is a significant upgrade.
But it’s not just about the quantity of memory, it’s also about the quality. The RTX 3060’s GDDR6 VRAM is a next-generation memory type that offers higher bandwidth and faster speeds than GDDR5. This means that the RTX 3060 can handle larger textures and more complex scenes with ease, making it an excellent choice for gamers who want to push their systems to the limit.
The increased memory capacity of the RTX 3060 also allows for better performance at higher resolutions. While the GTX 1070 can handle most games at 1080p, the RTX 3060 can handle games at 1440p and even 4K with ease, thanks to its powerful GPU and increased memory bandwidth. So, if you’re looking to somewhat future-proof your gaming rig without going over budget, the RTX 3060’s 12GB of GDDR6 memory is definitely worth considering.
CUDA Cores
As far as CUDA cores go, the RTX 3060 takes the cake with 3,584 of them, compared to the GTX 1070’s 1,920 CUDA cores.
CUDA cores work together to process graphics and carry out complex computations, and the more of them you have, the better your GPU will perform. This means that the RTX 3060 is better equipped to handle high-demand graphics applications like video editing and gaming, providing smoother gameplay and faster processing times.
With 67% more CUDA cores than the GTX 1070, the RTX 3060 is a powerhouse GPU that can handle just about anything. Nonetheless, you would be mistaken to count out the GTX on this basis alone, as it is still a capable graphics card that can handle most modern games with ease. However, if you’re looking for top-of-the-line performance between the two, you can bet on the RTX 3060.
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TMUs and ROPs
Another difference we’ll consider is the number of texture mapping units (TMUs) and render output processors (ROPs). The GTX 1070 boasts 120 TMUs and 64 ROPs, while the RTX 3060 has 112 TMUs and 48 ROPs. While the GTX 1070 has more TMUs and ROPs, this doesn’t necessarily mean it’s better than the RTX 3060.
The RTX 3060’s lower number of TMUs and ROPs is balanced out by its improved architecture, allowing it to process textures and render images more efficiently. As a result, the RTX 3060 can offer better overall performance. The RTX 3060’s improved anti-aliasing capabilities make for smoother and crisper graphics. While the GTX 1070 may have more TMUs and ROPs on paper, the RTX 3060’s improved architecture makes up for that.
Clock Speeds
The RTX 3060 has a lower base clock speed than the GTX 1070 at 1,320MHz and 1,506MHz, respectively. However, it makes up for its higher boost clock speed (1,777MHz against the 1070’s 1,683MHz), allowing it to operate faster when needed.
This essentially means that the RTX 3060 has a higher potential clock speed than the GTX 1070, which can lead to improved performance when running demanding games or applications.
While clock speeds are an essential factor in a GPU’s performance, the actual clock speeds achieved by either of them may differ depending on such factors as the power delivery and temperature. As such, while the GTX 1070 appears to have near-comparable clock speeds with the RTX 3060 on paper, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it will always be faster than the 3060 in real-world applications.
Texture Fill Rate
Texture fill rate is the measure of how quickly the GPU can apply textures to a 3D model. A higher texture fill rate means that the GPU can render textures more quickly, resulting in smoother and more detailed graphics. With a texture fill rate of 180.7 GTexel/s, the GTX 1070 is already a decent card, but it falls short compared to the RTX 3060, which has a texture fill rate of 199.02 GTexel/s.
This means that the RTX 3060 can handle more complex textures and render them more efficiently, resulting in smoother, more realistic-looking graphics. If you’re a gamer who likes to play the latest games at high resolutions or use VR technology, the RTX 3060’s texture fill rate can make a real difference in the level of immersion you experience.
Single-Precision Computing Performance
The RTX 3060 takes a leap forward with a staggering 12.8 TFLOPS, compared to the GTX 1070’s respectable 6.5 TFLOPS. But what does that actually mean for the average user? Well, TFLOPS stands for Trillions of Floating-Point Operations Per Second, which is essentially a measure of how quickly a GPU can perform complex calculations.
A higher TFLOPS score can translate to faster processing times for tasks like video editing, 3D rendering, and scientific simulations. So, if you’re a professional in one of these fields or simply someone who wants the best performance for their money, the RTX 3060’s superior single-precision computing performance could make it the better choice for you.
Cost Comparison
On this front, the RTX 3060 emerges as the winner on a value-for-money basis. With a launch price of $329, it was significantly cheaper than the GTX 1070 at the time, which had an MSRP of $379 when it first hit the market (even if launched nearly 5 years apart).
- New Pascal architecture
- 8GB 256-bit GDDR5
- Virtual reality ready, 4K Gaming
- 1x Dual-link DVI-I, 3x DisplayPort (version 1.4), 1x HDMI
- Boost Clock 1683 MHz
- Boosts frame rates with uncompromised image quality using the dedicated AI processing Tensor Cores on GeForce RTX
- Low latency
- Fast responsiveness
- AI acceleration
- Backed by the NVIDIA Studio platform of dedicated drivers and exclusive tools
NVIDIA GTX 1070 vs. RTX 3060: Which One is Best for You?
While the GTX 1070 may be available at a lower price nowadays, the fact remains that the RTX 3060 offers better value for money.
With its superior performance across the board, the RTX 3060 is a great choice for gamers who want the best bang for their buck. Plus, with the latest games requiring more and more GPU juice, investing in the RTX 3060 could prove to be the wiser choice in the long run if it came down to choosing one between these two.
