The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 is built on NVIDIA’s Ampere—2nd generation RTX architecture, allowing you to play modern and high graphics PC games. It performs incredibly with high-speed G6 memory. It features new streaming multiprocessors, Tensor Cores, and Ray Tracing Cores.
Both GeForce RTX 3060 and GeForce RTX 2070 are manufactured by NVIDIA. Many often ask whether or not the RTX 3060 is any better than RTX 2070. Well, the RTX 3060 is absolutely superior to the RTX 2070 in terms of performance, especially for PC gaming.
There are some significant differences between GeForce RTX 3060 and GeForce RTX 2070. The RTX 2070 was released in October 2018, and the RTX 3060 was launched in January 2021. Apart from being released at different times, both models have different architectures too.
Architecture
The significant difference between NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 GPU and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 GPU is the architecture they are based on. It builds the basic framework for how well the GPU’s components perform and how they are optimized to work for the visuals and graphics.
The GeForce RTX 2070 is based on the Turing architecture, a TU106-400A version. While GeForce RTX 3060 is built on the Ampere architecture, a GA106-300 variant. GeForce RTX 3060 is based on Samsungs 8 nm process, and GeForce RTX 2070 is built with TSMC 12 nm process.
NVIDIA manufactured both GPU models. So, they feature billions of transistors. However, the GeForce RTX 2070 creates a die of 445 mm² n size whilst the RTX 3060 makes a 276 mm² die.
The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 has a brilliant cooling system and RGB lighting. However, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 has a premium new-generation design and outstanding built quality. Moreover, it has an incredibly efficient cooling set-up with an axial-tech fan design.
Specifications
Core clock and Boost clock speeds determine gaming performance; higher is definitely better. If thermals and power supply allow, the GPU can increase its core clock for more performance and better outcomes. Moreover, a faster core clock speed can lead to a greater thermal design power (TDP).
Memory is deemed necessary for high graphics, resolution, and visuals in gaming, such as of you are playing a game at 4K or 8K, it will require a high memory. Not enough memory will end up causing stuttering and instability when the GPU transfers data and information into memory.
To put it another way, more throughput ensures the graphics card will not have to wait too long for memory access to be completed before rendering the next frame on the display screen, and the graphics card memory can be accessed easily.
However, the memory bandwidth is impacted by the memory bus width even if it has no significant impact on the performance of the system. It determines the amount of data and information that can be transferred to and from memory simultaneously.
To compare the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 GPU and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 GPU, we must also look at all these essential components and features of these two graphics cards.
VRAM
When using a graphics card, the video memory is used as a frame buffer, bitmap, and pixel storage. In this way, the graphics cards can be used in a much more efficient way. Also, higher resolutions perform effectively with the greater pixel counts.
Capacity and speeds improve gaming and performance. These two graphics cards share the same GDDR6 memory. However, they vary in capacity and speed, with the GeForce RTX 2070 using 8 GB while RTX 3060 has 12 GB.
Despite this, Turing’s 256-bit bus runs at 14 Gbps, giving it a maximum capacity of 448 GB/s. While the Ampere GPU has a 192-bit clocked at 15 Gbps providing 360 GB/s of capacity.
Die Cores
Die cores are the fundamental building blocks of the GPU’s core structure. Depending on the architecture, the different parts function together to create the graphics and visuals users see on the computer screen with effects on lighting, shadows, coloring, and textures.
Real-time ray tracing is performed using RT cores, whereas TMUs create bitmap 3D models. When comparing the RTX 2070 and 3060, we explore vast differences in performance because of the different build and architecture of the two graphics cards. The RTX 2070 has 36 RT Cores, while the RTX 3060 has 28 RT Cores.
Clock Speeds
The rate during which silicon crystals flip, generally known as the clock rate or frequency, determines how fast a computer runs. To put it differently, it’s a measure of how promptly your graphics card can process the given instructions and do its functions.
Although it does not primarily influence the performance, it’s a standard overclocking option. It’s possible to see differences in the speed of the two cards by comparing their outputs about how fast they can run.
The latest GPU has the ability to go much further than the older one. To sum it up, the RTX 3060 is powered by two cores, one base clock at 1,320MHz and the other boost clock at 1,777MHz. As for the RTX 2070 features a base clock speed of 1,410 MHz and a boost clock rate of 1,620 MHz.
Thermal Design Power (TDP)
Thermal Design Power (TDP) is a measure of energy that is lost as heat while a GPU is constantly operating. Thus, it impacts the temperature of the system temperatures. GPUs have a built-in mechanism to protect themselves from overheating.
If temperature increases above a certain level, the GPU will reduce its performance to protect the chip. Enough cooling is required for the GPU to work at its best and perform effectively.
When you compare two GPUs, you need to choose a cooler GPU because it works quicker for longer. The TDP of a graphics card is its maximum power consumption to use at its total capacity.
It shows what amount of power is used to run it and how much heat it will emit out of the system. The TDP difference between GeForce RTX 3060 and RTX 2070 is just 5 watts. The TDP of RTX 3060 is 170 W, while the TDP of RTX 2070 is 175 W.
Card Bus
PCIe is an interface between a motherboard and a GPU that connects both. Generational differences can impact PCI express. When it comes to different generations, they all have different speeds that increase with every new generation.
Therefore, it changes from Generation 3 to Generation 4 between RTX 2070 and RTX 3060. The newer card will be able to perform at a higher level because of this increase in throughput from 15.754 GB/s to 31.508 GB/s.
Conclusion:
A better graphics card performs better and allows the users to play on high graphics settings. Everything about a GPU model, from its size to design, sets it apart from its predecessors and competitors.
If you want to buy a GPU for PC gaming, then we recommend you choose RTX 3060. GeForce RTX 3060 is way better than GeForce RTX 2070 in terms of performance and efficiency. With its Ampere—2nd generation RTX architecture, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 allows the computer to run modern applications and high-end PC games.
GeForce RTX 2070 has a higher clock speed at which the graphics core runs. However, a chip that can reach RTX 3060 has a higher clock frequency. If you’re looking for an immense increase in GPU memory, the GeForce RTX 3060 has 12 GiB of memory which is more memory than the RTX 2070 has.
Having a lot of RAM is advantageous when playing at high resolutions or with multiple screens. The GeForce RTX 3060 outperforms the GeForce RTX 2070 when it comes to gaming performance. The GeForce RTX 3060 is definitely an ideal choice — especially for PC gaming and incredible gameplay.
