Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060
Rated: 8/10
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070
Rated: 6/10
Pros & Cons
| GPU | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| RTX 3060 | ✅ Better performance. ✅ Excellent price for its performance. | ❌ Unimpressive thermal performance. |
| GTX 1070 | ✅ Less power consuming. ✅ Budget-friendly when purchased used. | ❌ Very outdated. ❌ Higher price for new card. ❌ No DLSS or Ray Tracing support |
- About performance, the RTX 3060 performed 41.1% faster than the GTX 1070 in my 1080P gaming benchmarks.
- We observed that the GTX 1070 proved to be 2.2% more power efficient than the RTX 3060 across the nine games.
- We also noticed that the GTX 1070 is 32.7% more thermally efficient than the RTX 3060 in 1080P gaming.
- We recommend the RTX 3060 over the GTX 1070 because of its higher performance, better price, and future-proofing.
RTX 3060 Vs GTX 1070: Comparison Table
| GPU | RTX 3060 | GTX 1070 |
|---|---|---|
| Launch Date | Jan 12th, 2021 | Jun 10th, 2016 |
| No. of Tensor Cores | 112 | - |
| No. of RT Cores | 28 | - |
| Shading Units | 3584 | 1920 |
| No. of TMUs | 112 | 120 |
| No. of ROPs | 48 | 64 |
| Memory Clock | 15 Gbps | 8 Gbps |
| L2 Cache | 3MB | 2MB |
| Suggested PSU | 450 W | 450 W |
| Best Variants | Best RTX 3060 Graphic Cards | - |
Architectural Differences
- Process Node: The RTX 3060 leaps forward, utilizing Samsung’s 8nm process node, a refinement over the older GTX 1070, using TSMC’s 16nm process. This advancement indicates a denser, potentially more efficient chip in the RTX 3060.
- Clock Speeds: When it comes to clock speeds, the GTX 1070 boasts a base and boost clock of 1506 MHz and 1683 MHz, respectively. On the other hand, the RTX 3060 starts at a lower base clock of 1320 MHz but stretches its legs to reach a higher boost clock of 1777 MHz.
- Memory Bus & Bandwidth: With a wider 256-bit bus width, the GTX 1070 enjoys a substantial memory bandwidth of 256.3 GB/s. In contrast, the RTX 3060, despite its narrower 192-bit bus, impressively achieves a higher memory bandwidth of 360.0 GB/s, thanks to advancements in-memory technology.
- VRAM: Memory-wise, the GTX 1070 is equipped with 8GB of GDDR5 VRAM. The RTX 3060, however, steps up the game with 12GB of faster GDDR6 memory, providing not only more capacity but also improved speed for demanding applications and games.
- TDP: Finally, the RTX 3060 draws 170W, indicating a higher demand for power and possibly higher heat output, in contrast to the more modest 150W TDP of the GTX 1070. This difference underscores the RTX 3060’s increased performance capabilities, albeit at the cost of efficiency.
If we jump back in time, the GTX 1070 was Nvidia’s popular mid-to-high range option a few years back. Today, we’re comparing the RTX 3060 vs GTX 1070 to see how much difference the two-generation gap has made between these mid-range cards.
RTX 3060 Vs GTX 1070: Benchmarks At 1080p
Let’s put these two cards to the test in gaming. We’ll compare their performance across 9 games at 1080P resolution.
- OS: Windows 10 pro
- CPU: Intel Core i9-13900KS
- Motherboard: MSI MPG Z790 Carbon WiFi II
- GPU: GIGABYTE RTX 4090 Gaming OC 24G
- RAM: Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB 32GB DDR5 6000MHz RAM
- SSD: XPG GAMMIX S70 BLADE 2TB NVMe
- PSU: be quiet! Dark Power Pro 13 1300W
- Cooler: Cosair ICUE H150I Elite
Hogwarts Legacy
- Kicking off the benchmarks with the 2023 action RPG Hogwarts Legacy, we analyzed that the RTX 3060 averages 66 FPS over 47 FPS of the GeForce GTX 1070.
- The gap between the two GPUs is reduced when it comes to the %1 low, as the RTX 3060 keeps a 16.6% lead.
Elden Ring
- Next up is Elden Ring. Here, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 maintains its lead in our benchmarks, averaging 73 FPS. In reply, the GTX 1070 scores 62 FPS.
- Moving on to the %1 lows, the GTX 1070, with a score of 44 FPS, narrowly outscores the RTX 3060 owning a score of 42 FPS, in terms of the %1 low FPS.
Dead Space (2023)
- In the 2023 remake of Dead Space, we see a massive contrast in average FPS. The RTX 3060 racks up 70 FPS while the GTX 1070 gets 38 FPS – 84.2% higher than the 1070.
- Both GPUs take further dips in %1 lows as the RTX 3060 comes out with 38 FPS while the GTX 1070 manages 26 FPS.
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
- Moving on to Spider-Man: Miles Morales, the GeForce RTX 3060 closes in on the 100 FPS mark with 96 FPS. Conversely, the GTX 1070 only manages 63 FPS.
- The RTX 3060 scores 66 FPS compared to 50 FPS of the GTX 1070 as far as the %1 lows are concerned.
A Plague Tale: Requiem
- Next, we’re testing the sequel to A Plague Tale: Innocence. In this title, the RTX 3060 averages 57 FPS in comparison to the 43 FPS of the Pascal GTX 1070.
- As for the %1 low, we got our expected results as the RTX 3060 outscores the GTX 1070 by 22.2%.
God of War
- In our God Of War benchmarks, the RTX 3060 continues its lead as it records 89 FPS on average. On the other hand, the GTX 1070 scores 64 FPS.
- We further see a similar difference between the two cards concerning %1 FPS as the GTX 1070 trails by 30.3%.
Cyberpunk 2077
- Running at Cyberpunk 2077 at the high preset proves to be a struggle for the GTX 1070 as it averaged 42 FPS – trailing the RTX 3060 by 66.6% which obtained 70 FPS.
- The RTX 3060 takes a dip to 57 FPS in terms of the %1 low FPS but remains ahead by 78.1%.
Red Dead Redemption 2
- The RTX 3060 led the way with 69 FPS on average in our Red Dead Redemption 2 benchmarks, as the GTX 1070 followed much behind with 42 FPS.
- Moving on, the GTX 1070 only musters a mere 36 FPS in terms of %1 low and keeps trailing the RTX 3060’s 54 FPS.
Far Cry 6
- In our last test, we can see the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 continuing its reign – averaging 92 FPS over 61 FPS of the GTX 1070.
- Meanwhile, the %1 low figures clearly show us the RTX 3060 managing 65 FPS with an 85.7% lead over its rival, embossing its dominance easily.
RTX 3060 vs GTX 1070: Overall Gaming Performance
| GPU | Average FPS | 1% Lows |
|---|---|---|
| RTX 3060 | 📈 72.4 | 📉 52.7 |
| GTX 1070 | 📈 51.3 | 📉 38.2 |
| Winner: RTX 3060 | ||
We consistently observed the RTX 3060 outperforming the GeForce GTX 1070, with an average higher score. In conclusion, for 1080p gaming, we found that the RTX 3060 exhibits a 41.1% speed advantage over the GTX 1070. Additionally, when considering %1 low FPS, we noted that the RTX 3060 maintains its lead, boasting a similar 37.9% difference.
Power Consumption
| Values | RTX 3060 (W) | GTX 1070 (W) |
|---|---|---|
| Average Power Consumption | 153.8⚡️ | 150.4⚡️ |
| Winner: GTX 1070 | ||
Regarding power draws, we saw that the RTX 3060 consumed just a touch higher power than that of the GTX 1070. So, the GTX 1070 is only 2.26% more power-efficient than the RTX 3060 in 1080P gaming. The result might seem ideal for the GTX 1070 in hindsight, but it’s a win for the RTX 3060 as it consumed much less power in 1080P gaming.
Thermal Performance
| Values | RTX 3060 (°C) | GTX 1070 (°C) |
|---|---|---|
| Average Thermal Capacity | 67.3 🌡️ | 50.7 🌡️ |
| Winner: GTX 1070 | ||
We observed that the thermal performance results favour the GTX 1070, which proved to be 32.7% more thermally efficient than the RTX 3060. Despite drawing nearly the same amount of power and showing more FPS, it’s clear that the RTX 3060 was thermally challenged in 1080P gaming.
Price & Value
| GPU | MSRP | Current Price |
|---|---|---|
| RTX 3060 | 💲329 | 💲306 |
| GTX 1070 | 💲379 | 💲579 |
| Price Difference | 14.1% | 61.6% |
With the MSRP difference being only 14.1%, the difference in the current price of these GPUs is quite different. The MSRP prices were close to each other but have increased by 41.7% for the GTX 1070 and decreased by 7.2% for the RTX 3060. This makes the RTX 3060 61.6% cheaper than the older GTX 1070.
Final Thoughts – Which One Would We Recommend?
RTX 3060: In our opinion, the RTX 3060 has a clear edge when it comes to the performance, the price, and the future-proofing aspect. These things count and we recommend getting the newer generation graphic cards instead of the older ones. Which means the RTX gets our preference.
GTX 1070: Meanwhile, if you currently have a GTX 1070 and are looking to upgrade, then the RTX 3060 is a great upgrade as we found it performing much better than the GTX 1070 in the latest triple AAA titles at 1080P. However, it still lags a good deal behind the RTX 3060.
Having discussed all the differences, Both cards have pros and cons, but we think that the RTX 3060 is a better option. Given the price-to-performance ratio, the GTX 1070 doesn’t seem like a reasonable purchase. However, a used GTX 1070 is a good option if you have a limited budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
The RTX 3060 performed 41.1% better than the GTX 1070 in the 1080P gaming benchmarks.
The RTX 3060 has specialized Tensor Cores and Ray Tracing Cores, which the GTX 1070 does not. Also, the RTX 3060 has much faster GDDR6 memory.
Upgrading to the RTX 3060 is a great choice as it’s much faster and more future-proof. It supports ray tracing, and Nvidia DLSS, which can give you an additional boost in supported games.
More From RTX 3060:
More From GTX 1070:
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[Comparisons Expert]
Ali Tauseef is an experienced writer and computer enthusiast with a passion for graphics cards and processors. With a wealth of knowledge in the field of computer technology, he regularly publishes blogs and in-depth comparisons on Tech4Gamers.
