It’s been some time since Nvidia’s RTX 3000 and AMD’s RX 6000 series were released. Initially, it was quite challenging for PC enthusiasts to get their hands on these high-end graphics cards since all of them were mostly out of stock. But, now that the dust has settled and these cards are mostly back in the stock, you can easily get a card for your dream PC build. The graphics cards from Nvidia’s RTX 3000 series like the RTX 3090 and RTX 3080 are quite expensive, as almost all of them cost more than $1000, but for people who’re looking for a slightly affordable option, the RTX 3060 Ti is the best choice. Despite being the most affordable option out of the RTX 3000 series, the 3060 Ti, which is based on the Ampere architecture, offers comparable performance to any of the previously released high-end cards by Nvidia, even the RTX 2080 Super, and the RTX 2080 Ti. It’s also true that the prices of the RTX 3060 Ti’s have gone up since launch, and it’s near impossible to find the card at launch price today. But still, we’ve put together this list to help you know which variant of the RTX 3060 Ti you should be looking for and which RTX 3060 Ti would be the best for you.
How we choose The Best RTX 3060 Ti Graphics Cards
The Nvidia Ampere RTX 3060 Ti is an excellent mid-range card from the RTX 3000 series, and selecting its best variants is not an easy task. We had to keep in mind several things while selecting the best RTX 3060 Ti graphic cards. One thing we had to focus on was the overall aesthetic and design of the GPU. There were many plain-looking 3060 Ti’s out there, with only a few cards standing out with their looks and performance. We also had to keep in mind the overclocking capacity of these cards. As we know, Nvidia’s cards usually offer a far bigger boost than their advertised boost clock. It is the same for RTX 3060 Ti, but still, there was a big difference between the overclocking ability of some cards compared to the others. Cooling was also an essential factor. We had to check the temperature of these graphics cards under load to get a taste of the cooling capabilities of a 3060 Ti. Most 3060 Ti cards were generally quiet, but a few AIBs made more noise than their competitors. We’d also like to mention that most cards in this list are LHR versions. It’s not an issue for your gaming performance and overall GPU usage unless you’re looking for a 3060 Ti specifically for mining. It’s no news that the modern Nvidia and AMD cards are massive in size. The same goes for 3060 Ti. But, you’ll notice that a few AIBs have managed to cut down the size by reducing the cooling factor. The dual-fan variants of the 3060 Ti are much smaller and quieter, but they offer lower performance compared to the triple fan AIBs. It is also important to note that the triple fan variants of the 3060 Ti tends to make more noise, but these manufacturing companies have adopted 3D active fan, Axial-tech fan design, and many other similar technologies to reduce the overall noise of your PC. That being said, we’ve listed down what we considered the top 3060 Ti variants. However, no card is absolutely perfect. You’ll notice that each of the following cards excels at one thing and is mediocre at something else. But, all in all, this list will give you an idea about what you should go for and what you should expect when looking for a 3060 Ti. And, if you want to upgrade to a better high-end card, you can check out our guide on the best RTX 3080 graphics card. If you’re looking for the best RTX 3060 Ti, then the ASUS ROG Strix RTX 3060 Ti OC Edition is the ideal choice for you. However, it is also one of the most expensive 3060 Ti’s out there, as you can easily get an RTX 3080 for almost the same price.
Despite being extremely expensive, it does offer the highest custom overclock for a 3060 Ti. The card is also exceptionally quiet, and the temperature is also pretty good compared to the other variants. One other thing that makes this card stand out is how it looks. This GPU offers a lot of RGB for RGB enthusiasts out there. This gaming GPU itself looks pretty sturdy, with lots of metal features standing out. The side panel also looks excellent, so if you have a transparent or glass tempered case, then this GPU will add to its beauty of it. In terms of overclocking, this RTX 3060 Ti is advertised to reach 1890 Mhz, but you can push this GPU up to 2100+ MHz with the right settings, which should give you about 7-8% of a performance boost. The card features the Axial-tech fan design, where the central fan spins in the opposite direction of the other two. This allows the fans to spin with reduced air turbulence. Despite having triple fans, this GPU is relatively quiet, even at 1400 RPM. The max temperature under load should be around 61 °C. Keep in mind that you can further lower the temperature by tweaking the fan speed. Note that this card is huge with 16 x 9.2 x 3.5 inches dimensions, so you won’t be able to fit it in small micro-ITX cases. Overall, it’s a great card if you’re looking for something that stays with you for years and offers excellent performance while also looking good with the rest of your PC. The GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is a bit different from other variants for the same card as it uses a 1x 8-pin connector and 1x 6-pin connector to power up, which makes this 3060 Ti fall behind in terms of heavy overclocking. However, it is one of the best-looking 3060 Ti’s that you could find out there.
This card is about 11.4 inches long and is equipped with some RGB LEDs that offer up to 16.7 million possible color options and effects for you to customize. This 3060 Ti uses the WINDFORCE 3X Cooling System and the Axial-tech fan design, where the middle fan spins in the opposite direction from the rest. Keep in mind that the fans of this GPU only start spinning under load or whenever the temperature goes above 46-47 °C. It happens so the card doesn’t make much noise during idle, which is a decent feature in general, but the stopped fans make this card look a little less beautiful. You can also set the fans on silent running mode, but you’ll have to switch it on manually as the card comes with overclocked mode by default. The card has five copper heat pipes and an extended heatsink for temperature regulation. This 256-bit RTX 3060 Ti comes with a 4-year warranty, but you’ll have to register it online on their site after buying. Overall, the neo-punk style of this GPU makes it stand out a lot compared to the other 3060 Ti’s. It is designed to last for years due to its durability. You can also monitor everything, including clock speed, voltage, and fan speed, by using the AORUS ENGINE. While the MSI GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Ventus 3x OC might not be the cheapest option on this list, it does offer excellent value for money. The card offers a fantastic metallic look with subtle RGB lighting.
The sharp edges on this card’s design and the overall metallic theme of this GPU fit very well for gamers. In terms of temperature regulation, this card features a triple fan following MSI’s award-winning TORX Fan 3.0 technology that allows the fan blades to alternate between traditional and dispersion modes for better airflow. The card also uses ZERO FROZR technology that shuts the fans down if it is below a certain temperature and starts it again as the card heats up. The unique heatsink design and several thermal pads on the PCB of this GPU all add up to reducing the temperature during load. The card uses a single 8-pin connector, drastically limiting its overclocking potential. It is advertised to reach 1695 MHz on OC, but it’s recommended that you don’t push the overclocking too hard on this GPU. Unlike other variants of the 3060 Ti, this GPU only features one HDMI 2.1 video output port which can be an issue for people who use multiple screens. The build quality of this GPU is excellent. It features an attractive-looking reinforcing backplate and is designed in such a way that it will never bend because of its own weight. You can also use the support bracket that comes with the GPU for additional reinforcement. The ZOTAC GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Twin Edge was one of the cheapest 3060 Ti’s out there. Despite being affordable, this card does offer excellent performance, even if it looks pretty basic.
The fan of this 3060 Ti graphics card utilizes the 11-blade IceStorm 2.0 cooling solution, which ensures that the temperature always remains under control. Despite all that, it can hit up to 70 °C during overclocks. This is a smaller card, so it can easily fit inside your micro-ATX case. It uses a 1x 8-pin connector, but it’s reasonable considering the size of this GPU, but a single 8-pin connector indeed brings this card down on the overclocking charts. It will be a better idea to go for some other option on this list if your main goal is overclocking since this is a budget 3060 Ti and has a lower overclocking capacity than the other 3060 Ti’s. Even if it does provide a big boost, the card won’t be able to keep it stable for long since it is lacking in cooling capacity. Note that this 3060 Ti doesn’t feature any RGB lighting other than the ZOTAC logo that glows up at startup. The card also doesn’t support Nvidia SLI and features only one HDMI port. Overall, it is an excellent option for smaller form factor builds. If you have a limited budget and want a solid 3060 Ti for 1080p gaming, then go for this card, as it won’t disappoint. EVGA is a well-known brand when it comes to high-end GPUs, and their GeForce RTX 3060 Ti FTW3 Ultra is nothing less than a piece of art. It is an excellent GPU and an excellent choice for anyone looking for an overall good card that is comparable to the RTX 3070 but at a reasonable price.
It is a pretty big card that’s about 11.23 inches long, so you’ll need an ATX or EATX PC case to install it. The all-black shroud with a minimal ARGB LED logo makes it look good in some PC cases. Despite being advertised with an 1800 boost clock, this 3060 Ti also can reach the highest factory boost clock settings out of all 3060 Ti’s, as it can hit up to 2000+ MHz. The GPU features an increased power limit, so you can further tweak it to reach even higher overclocking numbers, but don’t expect much as the card’s factory boost is so great that manual tweaking won’t give you that big of an increase. The card uses the EVGA iCX3 Cooling technology, which keeps your PC cool. It can hit up to 68 °C at maximum load. It is a quiet card, even if it has triple fans. One thing we didn’t like about this GPU is that despite being so feature-packed and large, it only has one HDMI port which can be an issue for people using multiple HDMI screens. It is a great GPU with excellent framerates in many AAA titles at 4K resolution compared to any other 3060 Ti. If you’re looking for a card that is durable, stylish with minimal RGB, and can run games at 4K resolution consistently, then this card is the perfect choice for you. It wouldn’t be a lie if we said the ASUS TUF GeForce RTX 3060 Ti OC Edition is TUF’s one of the best cards ever. They certainly outdid themselves with all the things this card has to offer. It also has the best cooling features out of all 3060 Ti variants out there.
The card features a TUF cooler along with Axial-tech fan design technology. The triple fans are also quite durable due to the dual ball fan bearings it offers. The card has massive heatsinks that make sure all the heat efficiently dissipates out of it, keeping the card temperatures always under the limit. This 3060 Ti features no RGB options besides the glowing TUF GAMING logo, but the all-aluminum shroud makes the card look beautiful even without any RGB. The card utilizes what few RGB options it has to provide you with a wide variety of color options as well as unique effects. Another unique part of this GPU is its metal backplate. You won’t find any thermal pads here, but they left a little vent for better airflow. The card may be lacking in terms of overclocking since it only requires a single 8-pin connector, and the power limit is set to 200. You can reach higher numbers than the advertised boost clock if you increase the power limit manually. The ASUS TUF GeForce RTX 3060 Ti OC Edition can hit around 58 to 60 °C during heaving gaming, which makes this card one of the coolest ones. The low overall temperature of this card also results in the fan spinning at a low RPM, which reduces the system noise and keeps the PC quiet. If you’re looking for a high-end 3060 Ti for your white-themed PC, or are just genuinely looking for a good-looking GPU, then the GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Vision is the perfect choice for you.
The looks aren’t the only defining feature of this GPU, as it is perfectly capable in terms of performance as well. This card comes with the WINDFORCE 3x Cooling System, along with Axial-tech fan design technology to keep your GPU’s temperatures under control. Like most other modern GIGABYTE cards, this one also features the 3D Active Fan technology. The 3D Active Fan technology makes sure that the fans only start spinning if the GPU heats up a bit. This RTX 3060 Ti also features an extended heatsink which provides much better heat dissipation than regular heatsinks. It also has the RGB FUSION 2.0, which lets you customize the color and effects of the GIGABYTE logo on the side. You can also choose to synchronize the lighting if you have any other AORUS devices installed on your PC. The overclocking capacity of this GPU is mediocre. Like other RTX 3060 Ti’s, you can get the numbers much higher than the advertised value, but it still won’t be as good as some other variants on this list. This is a fairly big card at 11.06 inches in length, so you’ll need a big enough PC case to accommodate it. The design and construction of this graphics card are also quite good. It will fit perfectly well with a white PC case and will last for years if you take care of this card.
Buyers Guide
If you’re looking to buy a 3060 Ti, you need to know which AIB you should go for. There are many different variants of the 3060 Ti available in the market, but some of them are much better than others. You also have to know what you’re looking for if you want to figure out which 3060 Ti would be the best for you. There are a lot of things that you have to consider before buying an RTX 3060 Ti. But, we’re here to help you with your decision. We’ve discussed some of the important factors below that the buyer should know before picking out a 3060 Ti.
Price:
The cards from the RTX 3000 series all come with a hefty price tag. However, the 3060 Ti is one of the mid-range options from the RTX 3000 series. It still costs a lot. Most GPUs in our list aren’t that far apart in terms of price. We’ve also included a budget and a value option for people who’re either short on their budget or want a good value card for their money. Keep in mind that the budget cards are no way near the premium ones when it comes to performance and gaming benchmarks despite costing only $50 less than other more effective AIBs. It would be better to just save up and spend that extra money on a better quality 3060 Ti since the price gap isn’t that huge, and a GPU is like a one-time investment for the next 4-5 years. Now, in case you have the budget and want an enthusiast-grade high-end card, then we suggest you check out our list of the best AMD RX 6800 Graphics cards and the best RTX 3090 Graphics cards.
Cooling:
Each manufacturing company features a different cooling solution in their AIBs listed in this guide. You’d want your 3060 Ti to have excellent cooling capability since the card holds great overclocking potential, and you wouldn’t want your card to heat up 5 minutes into overclocking. It is also important to note that running a GPU at a high temperature and without a proper cooling solution can reduce the life of your graphics card and can even ultimately damage it in some cases. If your card doesn’t feature good cooling solutions, you’ll have to use a PC case with good airflow to make up for the cooling requirements. Luckily, all 3060 Ti AIBs in this list are equipped with efficient cooling techniques and technologies to ensure that the card’s temperatures remain under control. Other than that, you might have to make a choice between a double-fan setup and a triple-fan setup. If you have a small PC chassis, then you should go for a double-fan setup. But, in almost every other case, the triple-fan setup is a better option.
Size and dimensions:
Most 3060 Ti variants that you’ll find in this list are massive in size with about 11.23 inches in length. We’ve also included some smaller options for people with smaller form factor PC cases. Overall, you’ll have to check if the card will even fit inside your PC case before buying. If you’re going for a triple-fan version of the card, you’ll get improved cooling but increased size, weight, and noise coming from the GPU. The 3060 Ti AIBs feature unique triple-fan technologies and silent modes that allow you to reduce the fan noise drastically. But, there are still not many options that can help you deal with the size of the card, except getting a bigger PC case. A smaller card will easily fit inside any PC, but the two-fan setup AIBs usually have mediocre cooling capabilities and might not be able to offer as good performance as their three-fan set up counterparts.
Overclocking Capacity:
The RTX 3060 Ti holds great overclocking potential. It has a base clock of 1410 MHz, but some AIBs can push it far beyond 2000+ MHz. The overclocking capability is different for each variant of the card. The cards also feature a factory boost clock count that helps you figure out how far that GPU can push beyond the base clock while staying stable at factory overclock. The overclocking capacity is also proportional to the cooling capabilities of your GPU, as well as the power limit. If your 3060 Ti uses 2x 8-pin connectors, it will have better overclocking potential than a 3060 Ti AIB that uses a single 8-pin connector since a 2x 8-pin connector can draw much more power from the PSU. On the topic of power supply, the RTX 3000 series is fairly demanding and power-hungry. Fortunately, we’ve listed some of the best PSUs for Nvidia RTX 3000 series. Pairing your GPU with a good power supply will ensure the longevity, performance, and reliability of your GPU, as well as increase its overclocking potential.
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