NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Mobile vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which GPU wins more head-to-head benchmarks?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile wins 7 of the 10 head-to-head benchmark comparisons, while the RTX 3070 Ti Mobile wins 3.

Q: How large is the performance gap in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test?

A: The RTX 5060 Mobile scores 3013.5, which is 14.7% higher than the RTX 3070 Ti Mobile's 2572.

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The RTX 3070 Ti Mobile has an average benchmark score of 23518, compared to the RTX 5060 Mobile's 22435.

Q: Do the GPUs use the same memory type?

A: No. The RTX 3070 Ti Mobile uses 8 GB of GDDR6 memory with a 256-bit bus, while the RTX 5060 Mobile uses 8 GB of GDDR7 memory with a 128-bit bus.

Q: What is the process node difference between the two?

A: The RTX 3070 Ti Mobile is built on Samsung's 8 nm process, while the RTX 5060 Mobile is built on TSMC's 5 nm process.

Q: Which GPU has the lower thermal design power (TDP)?

A: The RTX 5060 Mobile has a TDP of 45 W, compared to the RTX 3070 Ti Mobile's 115 W.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two mobile GPUs is substantial. The RTX 3070 Ti Mobile is built on the Ampere architecture with the GA104 chip, fabricated by Samsung on an 8 nm process. The RTX 5060 Mobile, meanwhile, uses the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with the GB206 chip, fabricated by TSMC on a 5 nm process. This node shrink allows the newer chip to pack 21,900 million transistors into a 181 mm² die, whereas the older chip contains 17,400 million transistors across a much larger 392 mm² die. The transistor density tells the story clearly: the RTX 5060 Mobile reaches 121.0M transistors per mm², nearly three times the 44.4M / mm² of the RTX 3070 Ti Mobile.

The core configurations differ dramatically. The RTX 3070 Ti Mobile fields 5888 shading units, 184 TMUs, 96 ROPs, 46 RT cores, and 184 tensor cores. The RTX 5060 Mobile counters with 3328 shading units, 104 TMUs, 48 ROPs, 26 RT cores, and 104 tensor cores. That is a significant reduction in raw compute resources for the newer part. The FP32 throughput reflects this: the RTX 3070 Ti Mobile delivers 16.60 TFLOPS, while the RTX 5060 Mobile delivers 9.684 TFLOPS. Both GPUs support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

Memory architecture also diverges. The RTX 3070 Ti Mobile uses 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, achieving 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The RTX 5060 Mobile uses 8 GB of GDDR7 on a 128-bit bus, achieving 384.0 GB/s. Despite the newer memory type, the narrower bus results in lower peak bandwidth. The PCIe interface has been upgraded: the RTX 3070 Ti Mobile uses PCIe 4.0 x16, while the RTX 5060 Mobile uses PCIe 5.0 x16. The power envelope is a stark contrast, with the RTX 3070 Ti Mobile rated at 115 W TDP versus the RTX 5060 Mobile's 45 W TDP, and the newer part is classified as an IGP (integrated graphics processor) in terms of slot width.

The Verdict

The data presents a nuanced picture that defies a simple generational narrative. The RTX 5060 Mobile wins the majority of head-to-head tests, including the modern 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 benchmark by 14.7%, and the PassMark DirectX 12 test by 16.1%. It also leads in PassMark G3D by 6%, PassMark G2D by 10.6%, PassMark DirectX 11 by 8.9%, and PassMark DirectX 9 by 3.4%. For users prioritizing current-generation API performance, particularly DirectX 12 workloads and the newest 3DMark suite, the RTX 5060 Mobile is the stronger choice.

However, the RTX 3070 Ti Mobile is not obsolete. It wins the Geekbench OpenCL test by 9.3% (106022 vs 96969) and the Geekbench Vulkan test by 3.7% (100027 vs 96451). It also edges out the newer part in PassMark DirectX 10 by 4.2%. Its average benchmark score of 23518 is 4.8% higher than the RTX 5060 Mobile's 22435, and it sits at the 69th percentile of all GPUs compared to the RTX 5060 Mobile's 67th percentile. For compute-heavy workloads, particularly OpenCL, the older Ampere part still holds a measurable advantage.

The choice depends on workload. The RTX 5060 Mobile is the pick for DirectX-centric gaming and modern benchmark suites, offering better performance at less than half the TDP (45 W vs 115 W). The RTX 3070 Ti Mobile is the pick for raw compute throughput and legacy API performance, where its larger core count and higher bandwidth deliver tangible benefits. The data does not support a blanket recommendation; it supports a workload-specific one.

Specification Differences

| Specification | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Mobile | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile |

|---|---|---|

| Architecture | Ampere | Blackwell 2.0 |

| Process Node | 8 nm (Samsung) | 5 nm (TSMC) |

| Transistors | 17,400 million | 21,900 million |

| Die Size | 392 mm² | 181 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 44.4M / mm² | 121.0M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 915 MHz | 952 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 1410 MHz | 1455 MHz |

| Memory Clock | 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective) | 1500 MHz (24 Gbps effective) |

| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR7 |

| Memory Bus Width | 256 bit | 128 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 448.0 GB/s | 384.0 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 5888 | 3328 |

| TMUs | 184 | 104 |

| ROPs | 96 | 48 |

| RT Cores | 46 | 26 |

| Tensor Cores | 184 | 104 |

| Pixel Rate | 135.4 GPixel/s | 69.84 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 259.4 GTexel/s | 151.3 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 16.60 TFLOPS | 9.684 TFLOPS |

| FP16 | 16.60 TFLOPS (1:1) | 9.684 TFLOPS (1:1) |

| TDP | 115 W | 45 W |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 4.0 x16 | PCIe 5.0 x16 |

| Release Date | 2022-01-03 | 2025-05-19 |

| Production Status | End-of-life | Active |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test delivers the clearest signal of the newer architecture's strength. The RTX 5060 Mobile scores 3013.5, beating the RTX 3070 Ti Mobile's 2572 by 14.7%. This is the largest win for the Blackwell part and suggests that modern DX12 workloads are where the newer architecture shines despite having fewer cores.

The PassMark DirectX 12 test reinforces this trend. The RTX 5060 Mobile scores 87, a 16.1% improvement over the RTX 3070 Ti Mobile's 73. This is the second-largest margin of victory for the RTX 5060 Mobile. The DirectX 11 test also favors the newer part, with a score of 168 versus 153, an 8.9% lead. Even in the older DirectX 9 test, the RTX 5060 Mobile wins 203 to 196, a 3.4% edge.

The RTX 3070 Ti Mobile's victories are concentrated in compute and legacy tests. The Geekbench OpenCL score of 106022 represents a 9.3% advantage over the RTX 5060 Mobile's 96969. The Geekbench Vulkan score of 100027 beats 96451 by 3.7%. In PassMark DirectX 10, the older part wins 124 to 119, a 4.2% margin. These results indicate that the Ampere architecture's larger core count still provides an edge in compute-oriented workloads.

The PassMark G3D test is a notable middle ground. The RTX 5060 Mobile wins 18852 to 17727, a 6% advantage. The PassMark G2D test shows an even larger gap, with the RTX 5060 Mobile winning 876 to 783, a 10.6% margin. The PassMark GPU Compute test is nearly a tie, with the RTX 5060 Mobile winning 7607 to 7504, a slim 1.4% margin. The overall win count of 7-3 in favor of the RTX 5060 Mobile understates how close several of these tests are, but the magnitude of the DX12 and Steel Nomad wins makes the newer part the more compelling choice for forward-looking workloads.