NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN X vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Comparison

The GeForce GTX TITAN X and the GeForce RTX 3070 Ti represent two distinct eras of NVIDIA GPU design. The data shows a clear generational shift, with the newer RTX 3070 Ti dominating in every recorded head-to-head benchmark. However, the older TITAN X still holds relevance in specific legacy compute scenarios, as its average benchmark score of 36,530 sits higher than the RTX 3070 Ti's 29,945. This discrepancy between average score and direct benchmark comparisons is a key point of analysis for this database entry.

Where Each One Wins

The recorded data provides a clear split in use-case scenarios. The RTX 3070 Ti wins both head-to-head tests, which are Geekbench OpenCL and Vulkan. In OpenCL, it scores 119,718 versus the TITAN X's 41,471, a delta of -65.4% from the TITAN X perspective. For Vulkan, the RTX 3070 Ti scores 139,541 against the TITAN X's 49,397, with a delta of -64.6%. This indicates the Ampere architecture has a decisive advantage in modern, cross-platform compute APIs.

The TITAN X, despite losing both direct comparisons, achieves a higher average benchmark score of 36,530 across its recorded suite of Geekbench Metal, OpenCL, and Vulkan tests. Its nearest rival in the database is the AMD Radeon RX 5300M with an average score of 36,529, a delta of 0%. This suggests that in the specific set of tests where the TITAN X is measured, it performs consistently. The RTX 3070 Ti's average score of 29,945 is dragged down by its inclusion of Passmark tests, particularly the DirectX 10 score of 155 and DirectX 12 score of 91, which are not part of the TITAN X's benchmark suite. Therefore, the TITAN X wins in the aggregate of its own test set, while the RTX 3070 Ti wins in raw modern compute performance.

Architecture Differences

The architectural chasm between these two cards is vast. The GTX TITAN X uses the GM200 chip on the Maxwell 2.0 architecture, built on a 28 nm process at TSMC. It packs 8,000 million transistors on a 601 mm² die, resulting in a transistor density of 13.3M per mm². The RTX 3070 Ti uses the GA104 chip on the Ampere architecture, fabricated on Samsung's 8 nm node. It contains 17,400 million transistors on a smaller 392 mm² die, achieving a much higher density of 44.4M per mm². This density increase is a primary driver of the performance difference.

Core configuration differs significantly. The TITAN X has 3,072 shading units, 192 texture mapping units, and 96 raster output units. The RTX 3070 Ti doubles the shading units to 6,144, keeps TMUs at 192, and maintains 96 ROPs. Crucially, the RTX 3070 Ti adds 48 RT cores and 192 tensor cores, which the TITAN X lacks entirely. These dedicated cores enable hardware-accelerated ray tracing and AI-driven features, capabilities absent from the older card. The FP32 compute throughput illustrates this gap: the TITAN X delivers 6.691 TFLOPS, while the RTX 3070 Ti delivers 21.75 TFLOPS, more than triple the raw floating-point performance.

Memory subsystems also diverge. The TITAN X features 12 GB of GDDR5 on a 384-bit bus, yielding 336.6 GB/s of bandwidth. The RTX 3070 Ti uses 8 GB of GDDR6X on a 256-bit bus, but achieves 608.3 GB/s due to the much faster memory clock. The RTX 3070 Ti's memory clock runs at 1188 MHz with 19 Gbps effective transfer, compared to the TITAN X's 1753 MHz with 7 Gbps effective. This bandwidth advantage is critical for the RTX 3070 Ti's higher compute throughput.

FAQ

Q: Which card has a higher raw compute throughput in FP32 operations?

A: The RTX 3070 Ti, with 21.75 TFLOPS, is significantly ahead of the GTX TITAN X's 6.691 TFLOPS. This is over a threefold difference in raw shader performance.

Q: Does the GTX TITAN X support hardware ray tracing?

A: No. The TITAN X has no RT cores in its Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The RTX 3070 Ti includes 48 RT cores, enabling hardware-accelerated ray tracing.

Q: What is the difference in memory bandwidth between the two?

A: The RTX 3070 Ti has 608.3 GB/s of bandwidth, nearly double the TITAN X's 336.6 GB/s. This is achieved with GDDR6X memory on a narrower 256-bit bus, versus GDDR5 on a 384-bit bus.

Q: How do they compare in the Geekbench Vulkan test?

A: The RTX 3070 Ti scores 139,541, while the TITAN X scores 49,397. The RTX 3070 Ti is ahead by a delta of -64.6% from the TITAN X's perspective, indicating a substantial victory.

Q: Which card has a higher transistor count and density?

A: The RTX 3070 Ti has 17,400 million transistors on a 392 mm² die, giving a density of 44.4M per mm². The TITAN X has 8,000 million transistors on a 601 mm² die, with a density of 13.3M per mm².

Q: Is the GTX TITAN X's average benchmark score higher than the RTX 3070 Ti's?

A: Yes. The TITAN X has an average benchmark score of 36,530 across its three recorded Geekbench tests. The RTX 3070 Ti has an average of 29,945 across its broader suite, which includes Passmark tests where it scores lower.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ in nearly every measurable specification. The GTX TITAN X is built on a 28 nm process, while the RTX 3070 Ti uses an 8 nm node. Transistor count is 8,000 million versus 17,400 million. Die size is 601 mm² versus 392 mm². Base clock is 1000 MHz versus 1575 MHz, with boost clocks of 1089 MHz versus 1770 MHz. Memory size is 12 GB GDDR5 versus 8 GB GDDR6X. Bus width is 384-bit versus 256-bit. Bandwidth is 336.6 GB/s versus 608.3 GB/s.

Shading units are 3,072 versus 6,144. TMUs are 192 for both, and ROPs are 96 for both. The RTX 3070 Ti adds 48 RT cores and 192 tensor cores, which the TITAN X does not have. Pixel rate is 104.5 GPixel/s versus 169.9 GPixel/s. Texture rate is 209.1 GTexel/s versus 339.8 GTexel/s. FP32 is 6.691 TFLOPS versus 21.75 TFLOPS. The TITAN X has no recorded FP16 performance, while the RTX 3070 Ti has 21.75 TFLOPS FP16 (1:1). TDP is 250 W versus 290 W. Power connectors are 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin versus 1x 12-pin. Bus interface is PCIe 3.0 x16 versus PCIe 4.0 x16. Display outputs are 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0, 3x DisplayPort 1.2 versus 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a. DirectX support is 12 (12_1) versus 12 Ultimate (12_2).

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database records two direct head-to-head comparisons, both won by the RTX 3070 Ti. The first is Geekbench OpenCL, where the RTX 3070 Ti scores 119,718 against the TITAN X's 41,471. The delta percent is -65.4%, meaning the TITAN X's score is 65.4% lower than the winner. This is a massive margin, reflecting the RTX 3070 Ti's superior compute architecture and higher memory bandwidth.

The second test is Geekbench Vulkan. Here, the RTX 3070 Ti scores 139,541, while the TITAN X manages 49,397. The delta is -64.6%. Vulkan is a modern cross-platform API, and the results show the Ampere architecture executing it far more efficiently. The RTX 3070 Ti's advantage in these tests is consistent and overwhelming.

It is worth noting the context of the TITAN X's other benchmarks. Its Geekbench Metal score is 18,723, which is not compared against the RTX 3070 Ti in the head-to-head data. The TITAN X's average score of 36,530 is buoyed by its Vulkan score of 49,397 and OpenCL score of 41,471. The RTX 3070 Ti's average is lower because its Passmark DirectX 10 score of 155, DirectX 11 score of 192, and DirectX 12 score of 91 are far below its Geekbench numbers, pulling the average down. This reflects the different test suites recorded for each card.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear verdict for most users: the RTX 3070 Ti is the superior performer in modern compute workloads. It wins both head-to-head benchmarks by a margin of over 60%. Its 21.75 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, 608.3 GB/s of bandwidth, and support for DirectX 12 Ultimate make it the logical choice for contemporary gaming and compute tasks. The inclusion of RT cores and tensor cores further separates it from the aging Maxwell architecture.

The GTX TITAN X, however, should not be dismissed entirely. Its higher average benchmark score of 36,530, compared to the RTX 3070 Ti's 29,945, suggests that in its specific recorded test set, it remains competitive. Its 12 GB of VRAM is larger than the RTX 3070 Ti's 8 GB, which can be beneficial for certain large dataset workloads that fit within its bandwidth constraints. Users running legacy applications that rely on Metal or older OpenCL implementations might find the TITAN X still serves a purpose. The TITAN X's nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 5300M, with a delta of 0%, indicates it sits in a specific performance tier that is distinct from the RTX 3070 Ti's tier, which is closest to the RTX 5070 Mobile with a 0.1% delta.

Ultimately, the choice hinges on workload. For any modern API, the RTX 3070 Ti is the clear winner. For legacy compute tasks that are not optimized for newer architectures, the TITAN X's higher average score and larger memory pool may offer a niche advantage. The RTX 3070 Ti's launch MSRP of 599 USD, while the TITAN X launched at 999 USD, further contextualizes the generational efficiency gain, though the analysis here remains strictly on recorded performance data.