The Nvidia RTX 3060 Ti is one of the most affordable 30-Series graphics cards available right now, offering solid ray tracing performance at 1080p. But, how does it compare to the similarly priced AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT?
The RX 6700 XT launched earlier this year, and is currently the cheapest RDNA 2 graphics card in AMD’s lineup. It targets a slightly higher 1440p resolution and features ray tracing, but is also noticeably more expensive than the RTX 3060 Ti.
So, how does the RX 6700 XT compare with the RTX 3060 Ti? Read on to discover what the two graphics cards have in common – and how they differ from each other.
Price and availability
The RTX 3060 Ti has the lower RRP of the two GPUs at £369 to the RX 6700 XT’s £419.99 price. That makes the RTX 3060 Ti just £50 cheaper.
However, you’ll likely struggle to find these graphics cards at their original prices due to the current silicon shortage. Many models are sold out, reselling at higher prices, so you may find the AMD card for less depending on availability.
Specs and features
The RX 6700 XT is based on AMD’s RDNA 2 architecture, which is the latest offering from the brand and supports features such as ray tracing. The RTX 3060 Ti, on the other hand, is based on Nvidia’s Ampere architecture.
The RX 6700 XT has a boost frequency of 2.6GHz and a base frequency of 2.3GHz. The RTX 3060 Ti has a boost clock speed of 1.67GHz and a base clock speed of 1.41GHz, making the AMD GPU noticeably faster here.
However, the RX 6700 XT also has a higher recommended system power of 650W when compared to the RTX 3060 Ti’s 600W. The AMD card also features 12GB GDDR6 memory, while the RTX 3060 Ti sports 8GB GDDR6 memory.
When it comes to features, the RTX 3060 Ti offers support for both ray tracing and DLSS. The former is a light-rendering technology that creates more realistic light, reflections and shadows, while the latter can boost frame rates and improve image quality using AI.
The RX 6700 XT also supports ray tracing, but won’t work with DLSS since it’s an Nvidia technology. However, it will work with FSR (Fidelity FX Super Resolution) instead, which does a very similar job.
Performance
As far as performance is concerned, the RX 6700 XT is designed for Quad HD and Full HD gaming, which means it isn’t quite powerful enough to handle modern AAA games in 4K.
We found the AMD GPU performed well in Horizon Zero Dawn, reaching 116fps in Full HD and 94fps in Quad HD; but it dropped to 49fps in 4K. While running The Division 2, the GPU managed to reach 126fps in Full HD, 84fps in Quad HD and 43fps in 4K.
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Meanwhile, the RTX 3060 Ti is designed to support 1080p Full HD gaming for those who aren’t interested in paying for 4K support.
To compare the RTX 3060 Ti with the RX 6700 XT directly, the GPU hit 101fps in Full HD, 86fps in Quad HD and 54fps in 4K for Horizon Zero Dawn. And for The Division 2, the Nvidia GPU can hit 128fps in Full HD, 87fps in Quad HD and 46fps in 4K running The Division 2.
There really isn’t much difference between these two graphics cards in terms of performance, although the RX 6700 XT does seem to have the edge for games such as Borderlands 3 and Doom Eternal. You can see the full breakdown by checking out our AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT review.
Verdict
The Radeon RX 6700 XT and Nvidia RTX 3060 Ti are both great graphics cards, excelling at Full HD and Quad HD resolutions, while also being able to hit 4K with less demanding games.
The Radeon RX 6700 XT seems to have a slight advantage in terms of performance power, with slightly better results in our gaming benchmarks. But the RTX 3060 Ti features DLSS which can close the gap without compromising on visual quality with select games.
Ultimately, it comes down to what price you’re able to buy the graphics card for. The RTX 3060 Ti has the cheaper RRP, making it a better value option, but it may well be the case that the AMD is cheaper due to the price fluctuations caused by the silicon shortage.
You can find the RTX 3060 Ti and other GPUs in our guide to the best graphics cards.
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We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
