Graphics cards are not only expensive, but they’re just as confusing. Today, you’ll find that one graphics card model will have different names or suffixes, making it difficult for you to select which one’s actually the one you need.
One of the most popular and confusing suffixes is “Ti”, a designation that goes along with Nvidia graphics cards. But what does Ti stand for in GPU and what exactly do they tell us about a particular model?
What Does Ti Mean in a GPU?
Ti means Titanium and is a suffix or designation that’s specific to the Nvidia line of graphics cards. The Ti label is part of their naming scheme and is used to indicate that a given graphics card is upgraded or a better version of the regular counterpart.
Simply put, a Ti variant performs better than a non Ti version.
For example, let’s look at one of the most popular RTX graphics cards: the GeForce RTX 3080 and the GeForce RTX 3080Ti. Both of these GPUs have the same features and specs, but the 3080Ti currently has more upgrades than the regular 3080. The 3080Ti has 10,240 CUDA cores while the 3080 only has 8,704. In terms of memory, the 3080Ti has 12GB while the 3080 only has 10GB.
Nvidia GPUs will also follow the same features. Ti models will have more CUDA cores and may have higher memory than the non Ti counterparts.
Does It Really Matter If The Nvidia GPU is Labeled as Ti?
Well, the answer is both YES and NO. If cost is an issue, then non TI counterparts are relatively cheaper than the Ti versions. For example, a Zotac Gaming Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 will cost you about $369, while the Zotac Gaming Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060Ti will cost you $459. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 used as an example in the previous paragraph will cost you about $699 while the 3080Ti hovers at about $1,199 to $1,499.
But if pricing is not an issue and you want the best bang for your buck, you’ll definitely want to go for the Ti graphics card. Additional power and performance always come in handy, but it will depend on the graphics card. Getting the latest Ti GPU is the best thing to do.]
Ti Graphics Cards vs Non Ti Graphics Cards
Okay, now that we understand what a Ti graphics processing unit is and why they’re so different from the non Ti versions, let’s take a closer look at some of the latest Nvidia cards.
First we look at the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090, the cream of the crop of Nvidia graphics cards.
- CUDA Core Count — 10496
- Boost Clock (GHz) — 1.7
- Base Clock (GHz) — 1.4
- VRAM — 24GB GDDR6X
- Memory Interface Width — 384-bit
- Graphics Card Power (W) — 350
- CUDA Core Count — 10752
- Boost Clock (GHz) — 1.86
- Base Clock (GHz) — 1.67
- VRAM — 24GB GDDR6X
- Memory Interface Width — 384-bit
- Graphics Card Power (W) — 450
The comparison shows us at first glance that the GeForce RTX 3090Ti has more CUDA cores than the regular 3090. We’re talking about 10,496 CUDA cores for the regular version and 10,752 CUDA cores for the TI version.
Base and boost clock speeds are also different, with the TI version packing more than the non Ti version.
The VRAM for both Ti and non Ti GPUs are equal at 24GB, and other specs such as memory interface, ray tracing cores and tensor cores, and architecture are similar. But the 3090Ti does draw in more power at 450 watts as opposed to the regular 3090’s 350 watts.
Simply put, game titles run on the 3090Ti will probably result in better performance, but not really that much. For example, running the Witcher 3 on ultra settings and with ray tracing on (thanks to their latest December update) on a 3090Ti will probably get you a few more FPS than the regular 3090. But at that point, it’d already be moot considering that anything past 60FPS is barely noticeable to the human eye.
As you can see, the discrepancy between an RTX 3090 and RTX 3090Ti is a good example of the marginal difference in terms of performance. But there are other graphics cards from Nvidia that show us something else.
For the next model, we have the GeForce RTX 3060 and the GeForce RTX 3060Ti with their specs below:
GeForce RTX 3060
- CUDA Cores — 3584
- Boost Clock (GHz) — 1.78
- Base Clock (GHz) — 1.32
- VRAM — 12GB
- Memory Interface Width — 192-bit
- Graphic Card Power (W) — 170
GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
- CUDA Cores — 4864
- Boost Clock(GHz) — 1.67
- Base Clock (GHz) — 1.41
- VRAM — 8GB
- Memory Interface Width — 256-bit
- Graphic Card Power (W) — 200
CUDA core count for the 3060Ti is at 4,864 while the regular 3060 sits at 3,584. But this is where it gets interesting. The 3060Ti has a slower boost clock than the regular 3060, but the base speed of the 3060Ti is faster.
The 3060’s VRAM sits at 12GB of GDDR6, while 3060Ti sits at 8GB. Power consumption is similar to the 3090. The 3060Ti consumes more power but the discrepancy isn’t that huge compared to the 3090/3090Ti comparison.
But according to some benchmarks found online, the regular 3060 is marginally slower than the 3060Ti (roughly at 35%).
But why did Nvidia have a lower VRAM for the 3060Ti than the 3060? Well, no one really knows. All that’s important is that performance-wise, 3060Ti is far more powerful version than the regular counterpart.
The Wrap Up!
Ti graphics cards will get you that extra performance that you need, but at a cost. Literally. Ti variants are far more expensive than the regular variants. You’re looking at spending a few hundred dollars more for a Ti GPU.
Ti graphics cards don’t really have a more superior technical improvement but the difference in performance is marginal to say the least.
If you want to save money on buying a new GPU, a regular variant will give you everything that you need. Investing in a Ti variant or a Super variant even is considered an upgrade from the regular variant, so that’s something to consider.