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RTX 3070 vs RTX 2080 Ti

The RTX 3070 is about 16% faster at 1440p. Whether that is worth it depends on the rest of your build.

RTX 3070Faster
59/ 100 index at 1440p

$499 at launch

51/ 100 index at 1440p

$999 at launch

The gap changes with resolution.

Graphics card differences grow with resolution, because higher resolutions load the GPU harder.

ResolutionRTX 3070RTX 2080 TiDifference
1080p6148+27%
1440p5951+16%
4K5955+7%

In a real build with a Ryzen 5 9600X.

Specs alone don’t tell you which to buy. Here is what each one does when it’s actually paired up, at 1440p.

RTX 3070 + Ryzen 5 9600X

18% GPU-bound

GPU is the limit — the healthy case, with CPU headroom to spare.

Full verdict for this pairing →

RTX 2080 Ti + Ryzen 5 9600X

27% GPU-bound

GPU is the limit — the healthy case, with CPU headroom to spare.

Full verdict for this pairing →
Game (1440p, paired with the Ryzen 5 9600X)RTX 3070RTX 2080 Ti
League of Legends277 fps260 fps
Counter-Strike 2243 fps230 fps
Grand Theft Auto V114 fps106 fps
Elden Ring87 fps79 fps
Cyberpunk 207768 fps62 fps
Starfield69 fps64 fps

Modelled from benchmark data, not measured for every pairing. Our published error rate is 21.6% mean absolute error.

So which should you buy?

The RTX 3070 — it is 16% ahead at 1440p, and it holds that lead in the pairings above.

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Common questions.

Straight answers on the RTX 3070 versus the RTX 2080 Ti.

  • Is the RTX 3070 better than the RTX 2080 Ti?

    Yes, but by less than the spec sheet suggests. At 1440p the RTX 3070 scores 59 against 51 for the RTX 2080 Ti — roughly 16% faster.

  • Does the RTX 3070 or RTX 2080 Ti bottleneck a Ryzen 5 9600X?

    Paired with a Ryzen 5 9600X at 1440p, the RTX 3070 build comes out 18% GPU-bound, and the RTX 2080 Ti build comes out 27% GPU-bound. Being GPU-bound is the healthy outcome — it means the graphics card is the part working hardest.

  • Is it worth upgrading from the RTX 2080 Ti to the RTX 3070?

    Only if you are also lifting the rest of the build. The RTX 3070 is about 16% ahead at 1440p, and gaps like that shrink further at 4K where the GPU does more of the work. If you are upgrading from the RTX 2080 Ti purely for frames, check the pairing first.

  • Which is better value, the RTX 3070 or the RTX 2080 Ti?

    On performance per dollar at MSRP, the RTX 3070 wins. The RTX 3070 lists at $499 for an index of 59, and the RTX 2080 Ti at $999 for 51.

Check either one against your build.

Pick a GPU and its counterpart, and get a verdict at all three resolutions in under 30 seconds.