RTX 3070 vs RTX 4060 vs RTX 4070: Power Efficiency and Performance Breakdown

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 stands out as a highly efficient GPU, delivering exceptional performance while consuming less power. At 4K resolution, it averages just 122.5W across 12 tested games, making it 33% more efficient than AMD's RX 7600. For ray-traced games at 1440p, the RTX 4060 achieves over twice the efficiency of the RX 7600. Its power consumption efficiency rating of 65 far surpasses the RTX 3070's rating of 36, highlighting its superior energy optimization. This balance of efficiency and performance makes the RTX 4060 a compelling choice for gamers and creators alike.

Key Takeaways

• The RTX 4060 uses the least power, averaging 122.5W while gaming. This makes it great for gamers who want to save money.

• For 1080p gaming, the RTX 4060 is better than the RTX 3070. It gets 148 fps on average, while the RTX 3070 gets 134 fps.

• At 1440p, the RTX 4060 reaches 99 fps, much higher than the RTX 3070's 65 fps. It’s a good pick for sharper graphics.

• The RTX 4070 is best for 4K gaming, with 63 fps on average. The RTX 3070 only gets 38 fps, so the 4070 is better for high-end gaming.

• For video editing, the RTX 4070 is the best. Its extra VRAM and faster memory make it great for professionals.

• The RTX 4060 gives the most value for its price. It’s 74% better than the RTX 3070 for gaming performance.

• Both the RTX 4060 and RTX 4070 have DLSS 3.0. This boosts frame rates and makes games look better.

• Think about what you need: the RTX 4060 is great for 1080p gaming, while the RTX 4070 works well for 4K and work tasks.

Performance Comparison

Gaming Performance

1080p Gaming

If you prioritize smooth gameplay at 1080p resolution, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 delivers exceptional results. It achieves an average fps of 148, surpassing the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070, which averages 134 fps. This makes the RTX 4060 a strong contender for competitive gaming. Titles like Shadow of the Tomb Raider run at 110 fps on max settings, showcasing its ability to handle demanding games. The RTX 3070, while slightly behind in efficiency, still provides solid performance for 1080p gaming.

1440p Gaming

At 1440p, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 continues to shine with an average fps of 99, outperforming the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070's 65 fps. This makes it a better choice for gamers seeking higher resolution without sacrificing frame rates. Games like Callisto Protocol see significant improvements, with the RTX 4060 offering up to 168% better performance compared to older GPUs. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070, however, takes the lead in this category, making it ideal for those who demand the best gaming performance at this resolution.

4K Gaming

For 4K gaming, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 stands out as the top performer. It handles high-resolution textures and ray tracing with ease, making it the go-to choice for enthusiasts. The RTX 4060, while capable, averages 63 fps, which is still a significant improvement over the RTX 3070's 38 fps. If you aim for a balance between performance and cost, the RTX 4060 offers a compelling option for casual 4K gaming.

Workstation Performance

Video Editing and Rendering

When it comes to video editing, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 excels due to its higher VRAM capacity and faster memory bandwidth. It handles 4K and even 8K video rendering tasks efficiently, making it a favorite among content creators. The RTX 4060, with its energy-efficient design, also performs well for 1080p and 1440p video editing. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070, while slightly older, remains a reliable choice for mid-level editing tasks.

3D Modeling and Simulation

For 3D modeling and simulation, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 again takes the lead. Its Ada Lovelace architecture ensures faster rendering times and smoother workflows. The RTX 4060 offers a budget-friendly alternative, suitable for less demanding projects. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070, with its Ampere architecture, still holds its ground for basic modeling tasks but may struggle with complex simulations.

Synthetic Benchmarks

3DMark Scores

Synthetic benchmarks like 3DMark reveal key differences in performance. The RTX 4060 scores 10,688 in the Steel Nomad Lite test, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 achieves a higher score of 14,141. This indicates that the RTX 3070 still has an edge in raw computational power, despite its lower efficiency.

Blender and Other Benchmark Tools

In Blender, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 demonstrates superior rendering speeds, making it the best choice for professionals. The RTX 4060, with its optimized power consumption, performs admirably in less intensive tasks. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070, though slightly behind in efficiency, remains a solid option for general-purpose workloads.

Power Efficiency

Energy Consumption

Average Power Draw During Gaming

When gaming, the power draw of your GPU directly impacts energy costs and system heat. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 shines in this area, consuming an average of just 122.5 watts during gaming. This makes it one of the most energy-efficient GPUs in its class. In comparison, the GeForce RTX 3070 draws significantly more power, averaging 220 watts under similar conditions. The RTX 4070, with its Ada Lovelace architecture, balances performance and power consumption, averaging around 200 watts during gaming sessions.

The power demand measurements in this study are specific to the particular combination of IT and cooling hardware in the tested system configuration, which may limit the generalizability of the findings. GPUs are constant within a product specification, but the supporting memory, supervisory CPUs, interconnect, and fan components vary between vendors.

This highlights how system configurations can influence power consumption. However, the RTX 4060 consistently demonstrates superior efficiency across various setups, making it ideal for gamers who value cost-effectiveness evaluation.

Idle Power Consumption

Idle power consumption is another critical factor, especially if you leave your PC running for extended periods. The RTX 4060 consumes just 7 watts when idle, showcasing its energy-efficient design. The RTX 3070, on the other hand, uses approximately 15 watts in idle mode, which is more than double the RTX 4060's consumption. The RTX 4070 falls in between, consuming around 10 watts. These differences may seem small, but they add up over time, especially for users who prioritize energy savings.

Thermal Design Power (TDP)

TDP Comparison

Thermal Design Power (TDP) indicates the maximum amount of heat a GPU generates under load. This metric helps you understand the cooling requirements of each card. The GeForce RTX 3070 has a TDP of 220 watts, reflecting its higher power consumption and performance potential. In contrast, the RTX 4060 boasts a much lower TDP of 115 watts, aligning with its energy-efficient design. The RTX 4070 also features a TDP of 115 watts, making it comparable to the RTX 4060 in terms of heat generation.

Cooling and Thermal Performance

Efficient cooling is essential to maintain GPU performance and longevity. The RTX 4060 and RTX 4070, with their lower TDPs, generate less heat, making them easier to cool. This translates to quieter operation and reduced reliance on high-performance cooling systems. The RTX 3070, with its higher TDP, requires more robust cooling solutions. If you plan to use the RTX 3070, ensure your system has adequate airflow to prevent thermal throttling. For most users, the RTX 4060 offers the best balance of cooling efficiency and performance.

This paper describes the first thorough evaluation of performance and power-efficiency variations in GPUs. Specifically, we execute 48 CUDA kernels on 856 devices selected from three generations of NVIDIA GPUs (P100, V100, and A100), and analyze the impact of differences in both the CUDA kernels and GPU generation on performance and power-efficiency. Our analysis shows that there are non-negligible variations in both performance and power-efficiency, and that these variations are strongly affected by both the kernels that are running and the GPU generation.

This underscores the importance of GPU generation in determining both performance and power efficiency. The RTX 4060 and RTX 4070, built on NVIDIA's Ada Lovelace architecture, clearly benefit from these advancements.

Specifications Breakdown

GPU Architecture

Ampere (RTX 3070) vs Ada Lovelace (RTX 4060 and RTX 4070)

Understanding the differences in GPU architecture helps you choose the right card for your needs. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 is built on the Ampere architecture, while the RTX 4060 and RTX 4070 use the newer Ada Lovelace architecture. Ampere relies on an 8 nm manufacturing process, whereas Ada Lovelace uses a more advanced 5 nm process. This improvement allows the RTX 4060 and RTX 4070 to deliver better power efficiency and higher clock speeds.

The Ada Lovelace architecture also introduces improved ray tracing and DLSS 3.0 technology, making the RTX 4060 and RTX 4070 better suited for modern gaming and creative tasks. If you prioritize efficiency and cutting-edge features, the Ada Lovelace GPUs are the way to go.

VRAM and Memory Bandwidth

VRAM Capacity Comparison

VRAM capacity determines how well your GPU handles high-resolution textures and large datasets. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 and RTX 4060 both come with 8 GB of VRAM, which is sufficient for most gaming and creative tasks at 1080p and 1440p resolutions. However, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 offers 12 GB of VRAM, making it a better choice for 4K gaming and demanding workstation tasks.

Memory Bandwidth and Type

Memory bandwidth plays a crucial role in determining how quickly your GPU can access and process data. The RTX 3070 features a 256-bit memory bus and a bandwidth of 448 GB/s, making it faster than the RTX 4060, which has a 128-bit bus and 272 GB/s bandwidth. However, the RTX 4070 surpasses both with a bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s, ensuring smoother performance in memory-intensive applications. If you need a GPU for high-resolution gaming or professional workloads, the RTX 4070 is the best option.

Clock Speeds

Base and Boost Clock Speeds

Clock speeds directly impact your GPU's performance. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 boasts a base clock speed of 1830 MHz and a boost clock speed of 2460 MHz, making it faster than the RTX 3070, which has a base clock of 1500 MHz and a boost clock of 1725 MHz. The RTX 4070 shares similar clock speeds with the RTX 4060, ensuring excellent performance in both gaming and creative tasks.

Higher clock speeds in the RTX 4060 and RTX 4070 translate to better frame rates and faster rendering times. These GPUs also benefit from the Ada Lovelace architecture, which optimizes performance without increasing power consumption. If you want a GPU with high clock speeds and energy efficiency, the RTX 4060 and RTX 4070 are excellent choices.

Other Features

Ray Tracing and DLSS Performance

Ray tracing and DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) are two standout features that elevate gaming and creative experiences. Ray tracing simulates realistic lighting, shadows, and reflections, making games look more lifelike. DLSS, on the other hand, uses AI to upscale lower-resolution images, delivering higher frame rates without sacrificing visual quality.

The RTX 4060 and RTX 4070, built on NVIDIA's Ada Lovelace architecture, excel in these areas. They support DLSS 3.0, which introduces frame generation technology for smoother gameplay. The RTX 3070, while still capable, relies on DLSS 2.0, which lacks some of the advanced features found in the newer version. If you enjoy visually stunning games like Cyberpunk 2077 or Control, the RTX 4060 and RTX 4070 provide a noticeable improvement in both performance and visuals.

Tip: Enabling DLSS can significantly boost frame rates in demanding games, especially at higher resolutions like 1440p and 4K.

To illustrate the advancements in ray tracing and DLSS, consider the following comparison:

The RTX 4060 and RTX 4070 deliver faster ray tracing speeds and better DLSS performance, making them ideal for gamers and creators who demand cutting-edge technology.

PCIe Version and Connectivity

The PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) version determines how quickly your GPU communicates with the rest of your system. The RTX 4060 and RTX 4070 use PCIe 4.0, while the RTX 3070 also supports this standard. PCIe 4.0 doubles the bandwidth of PCIe 3.0, ensuring faster data transfer and reduced latency.

If your motherboard supports PCIe 4.0, you can fully utilize the capabilities of these GPUs. However, even on PCIe 3.0 systems, the performance difference is minimal for most gaming and creative tasks.

In terms of connectivity, all three GPUs offer similar options, including HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4a. These ports support high refresh rates and resolutions, making them suitable for modern monitors. If you plan to use multiple displays or high-resolution setups, these GPUs provide the flexibility you need.

Note: Ensure your motherboard and monitor support the latest standards to maximize your GPU's potential.

The RTX 4060 and RTX 4070 stand out with their advanced features and efficiency, making them excellent choices for future-proofing your system.

Cost-Effectiveness

Performance-to-Price Ratio

Gaming Performance per Dollar

When evaluating gaming performance, the RTX 4060 provides the best cost per frame. It delivers a 74% better value compared to the RTX 3070. This makes it an excellent choice if you want to maximize your budget. For example, in performance tests at 1080p, the RTX 4060 achieves 148 fps on average while maintaining a lower launch price. The RTX 4070, while more expensive, offers superior raw performance, especially at higher resolutions like 4K. However, its cost per frame is less competitive than the RTX 4060 for budget-conscious gamers.

Workstation Performance per Dollar

For workstation tasks, the RTX 4060 again stands out with its cost per frame advantage. It handles video editing and 3D modeling efficiently, making it a great option for creators on a budget. The RTX 4070, with its higher VRAM and memory bandwidth, excels in demanding tasks like 4K rendering. If you prioritize raw performance for professional workloads, the RTX 4070 justifies its higher price. The RTX 3070, while still capable, offers less value compared to the newer Ada Lovelace GPUs.

Current Market Prices

MSRP vs Actual Market Prices

The RTX 4060 launched with an MSRP of $299, making it the most affordable option among the three GPUs. However, actual market prices can vary due to demand and availability. Recent market analyses highlight how pricing trends are influenced by factors like supply chain disruptions and new graphics card releases. For instance, the RTX 3070, originally priced at $499, often sells for higher due to its popularity. The RTX 4070, with a launch price of $599, remains closer to its MSRP, reflecting its position as a premium option.

Availability and Discounts

Availability plays a crucial role in determining the cost-effectiveness of these GPUs. The RTX 4060 is widely available, often with discounts that make it even more appealing. The RTX 3070, being an older model, can be harder to find at reasonable prices. The RTX 4070, while newer, is less likely to see significant discounts due to its high demand. If you’re looking for the best deal, keeping an eye on seasonal sales and promotions can help you secure a better price.

Tip: Consider the total cost of ownership, including energy efficiency, when comparing GPUs. The RTX 4060’s lower power consumption can save you money in the long run.

Key Differences and Use Cases

Unique Advantages of Each GPU

RTX 3070: Best for 1440p gaming and higher aggregate performance

The RTX 3070 excels in raw computational power, making it a strong choice for gamers who prioritize performance at 1440p resolution. Its higher shading units and tensor cores allow for better rendering and AI-driven tasks. Benchmarks like 3DMark Steel Nomad Lite show the RTX 3070 scoring 14,141, which is 32% higher than the RTX 4060. Similarly, its memory bandwidth of 448 GB/s outpaces the RTX 4060 by 65%. These advantages make the RTX 3070 ideal for users who demand higher aggregate performance across gaming and workstation tasks.

RTX 4060: Best for energy efficiency and 1080p gaming

The RTX 4060 stands out for its energy-efficient design and affordability. It consumes significantly less power while maintaining excellent performance for 1080p gaming. With a boost clock speed of 2460 MHz, it ensures smooth gameplay in competitive titles. Its Ada Lovelace architecture also supports DLSS 3.0, enhancing frame rates without compromising visual quality. If you value cost savings and energy efficiency, the RTX 4060 is the best option for your needs.

RTX 4070: Best for high-end gaming and demanding workstation tasks

The RTX 4070 offers the best performance for high-end gaming and professional workloads. Its 12 GB of VRAM and 504.2 GB/s memory bandwidth make it perfect for 4K gaming and tasks like 3D modeling or video editing. The Ada Lovelace architecture ensures superior ray tracing and DLSS 3.0 performance. If you need a GPU that can handle demanding applications with ease, the RTX 4070 is the top choice.

The RTX 4060 excels in energy efficiency, making it the best choice for budget-conscious users and 1080p gamers. The RTX 4070, with its superior performance, is ideal for high-end gaming and demanding creative tasks. Retrospective analyses highlight the importance of balancing power efficiency and performance to achieve strategic goals. You can rely on the RTX 4060 for cost-effective gaming or the RTX 4070 for professional workloads. If you need a versatile option, the RTX 4060 offers the best value without compromising modern features like DLSS 3.0 and ray tracing.

FAQ

What is the main difference between the RTX 4060 and RTX 4070?

The RTX 4060 focuses on energy efficiency and affordability, making it ideal for 1080p gaming. The RTX 4070, with its higher VRAM and memory bandwidth, excels in 4K gaming and demanding workstation tasks. Choose based on your performance needs and budget.

Is the RTX 3070 still a good choice in 2023?

Yes, the RTX 3070 remains a solid option for 1440p gaming and mid-level workstation tasks. However, newer GPUs like the RTX 4060 and RTX 4070 offer better power efficiency and advanced features like DLSS 3.0, making them more future-proof.

Which GPU is best for budget-conscious gamers?

The RTX 4060 offers the best value for budget-conscious gamers. It delivers excellent 1080p performance, consumes less power, and supports modern features like DLSS 3.0. Its lower price and energy efficiency make it a cost-effective choice.

Can the RTX 4060 handle 4K gaming?

Yes, the RTX 4060 can handle 4K gaming, but it performs best in less demanding titles. For a smoother experience in AAA games at 4K, the RTX 4070 is a better option due to its higher VRAM and memory bandwidth.

How does DLSS improve gaming performance?

DLSS uses AI to upscale lower-resolution images, boosting frame rates while maintaining visual quality. The RTX 4060 and RTX 4070 support DLSS 3.0, which includes frame generation for even smoother gameplay. This feature enhances performance in demanding games.

What should you consider when choosing a GPU?

Consider your gaming resolution, budget, and power consumption needs. For 1080p gaming, the RTX 4060 is ideal. For 1440p or 4K gaming, the RTX 4070 offers better performance. If you need raw power, the RTX 3070 is still a viable option.

Are the RTX 4060 and RTX 4070 future-proof?

Yes, both GPUs are built on NVIDIA’s Ada Lovelace architecture, which supports advanced features like DLSS 3.0 and ray tracing. Their energy-efficient design and PCIe 4.0 compatibility ensure they remain relevant for years to come.

How does power efficiency impact your choice?

Power efficiency reduces energy costs and heat generation. The RTX 4060 excels in this area, consuming less power during gaming and idle states. If you prioritize long-term savings and quieter operation, the RTX 4060 is the best choice.

See Also

The Collaboration of GPU, CPU, and Video RAM Explained

Choosing Between DDR4 and DDR5 RAM: A Guide

Comparing eMMC and SSD: Speed and Performance Insights

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