Is the Nvidia RTX 3070 worth buying in 2024?

The Nvidia RTX 3070 is one of the most popular graphics cards of this time, according to Steam Hardware Survey charts. It was launched as a 1440p gaming GPU in the last generation and continues to deliver on that promise even over three years since its release. You might have to crank down some graphics settings in the most demanding titles, but getting a playable framerate is very possible.

However, in the backdrop of the new RTX 4060 and 4070 video cards, should you even consider the Ampere-based 3070? The answer depends on a bunch of factors, including pricing, performance, and your budget. Let's go over what the 3070 brings to the table to try and analyze this.

NOTE: Parts of this article are subjective and reflect the writer's opinion.

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The Nvidia RTX 3070 continues to be a powerful gaming GPU

The RTX 3070 is a capable 1440p gaming GPU. (Image via Nvidia)

The Nvidia RTX 3070 was launched in the last generation as a $499 1440p gaming powerhouse. Initially, it promised to run every video game at the highest settings. It has since been replaced by the RTX 4070, and even the 4060 matches its performance in some cases.

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Specs comparison

In terms of on-paper specs, the 3070 is a packed card. It is based on the Samsung 8nm process node, and bundles 5,888 CUDA cores, 46 RT cores, and 184 Tensor cores. In terms of VRAM, you get 8 GB of GDDR6 memory based on a 256-bit bus with a speed of 14 Gbps.

In the table below is a specs comparison of the 3070 with the latest 4060. Note that the 40 series card features newer CUDA cores, fourth-generation Tensor cores, and third-generation RT cores. Each one is more powerful than what's found on the last-gen GPUs.

	RTX 4060	RTX 3070
Manufacturing process node	TSMC 5nm	Samsung 8nm
CUDA cores	3072	5888
RT cores	24	46
VRAM size	8 GB	8 GB
VRAM type	128-bit GDDR6 17 Gbps	256-bit GDDR6 14 Gbps
Power draw	115W	220W
Price	$300	$500 new, $200-250 used

The RTX 3070 has been handsomely discounted following the launch of the newer graphics cards. You can find a used GPU for around $200-250 on eBay. This makes it much cheaper than the 4060. At this price point, the GPU provides superb value for money.

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Performance comparison

The RTX 3070 can play most AAA games at high FPS. (Image via Nvidia)

The RTX 3070 is theoretically more powerful than the 4060 and edges close to the 4060 Ti 8 GB. This is primarily because base rasterization performance hasn't gone up significantly with the new video cards. The older card can still deliver superb framerates across multiple video games.

The rendering prowess of the GPU particularly shows in competitive video games, where you can expect superb framerates at both 1080p and 1440p resolutions. Below is a comparison of the 3070 and 4060 in some of the most popular titles.

The numbers were sourced from the YouTube channel Overseer PC Hardware.

	Nvidia RTX 3070	Nvidia RTX 4060
Call of Duty: Warzone	165 FPS	148 FPS (-10%)
Apex Legends	206 FPS	195 FPS (-5.33%)
Fortnite	345 FPS	342 FPS (-0.8%)
Valorant	818 FPS	941 FPS (+14.9%)
PUBG	278 FPS	294 FPS (-5.44%)

In AAA titles, the RTX 3070 also commands a demanding lead over the newer RTX 4060. This is primarily because of the Ampere video card's better rasterization capabilities. We are looking at a framerate gain of about 20% across the board. The detailed framerate comparisons are as follows.

The numbers have been sourced from the YouTube channel Optimum Tech.

	Nvidia RTX 4060	Nvidia RTX 3070
DOOM Eternal	171	215 (+25.7%)
F1 22	148	193 (+30.4%)
Cyberpunk 2077	57	75 (+31.4%)
Shadow of the Tomb Raider	90	110 (+22.2%)
Horizon Zero Dawn	91	116 (+27.4%)
Forza Horizon 5	86	105 (+22.1%)
CoD: Modern Warfare 2	68	81 (+19.1%)
Red Dead Redemption 2	73	93 (+27.3%)
God of War	66	90 (+36.3%)
Control	66	89 (+34.8%)
Dying Light 2	57	76 (+33.3%)

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Both the RTX 4060 and 3070 are powerful graphics cards. However, the 3070 turns out to be the better option for rasterization performance. Do note the older GPU misses out on DLSS 3 frame generation, which can deliver solid framerate gains. However, given how limited that tech's supported game library is, you won't face a major problem.

Moreover, the 3070 is available at superb prices in the used market today. For about $200, this is the best graphics card you can get. So, yes, the RTX 3070 is worth buying in 2024. Just ensure you aren't being offloaded a GPU that has been mined on and runs at trash temperatures.