What does “Ti” mean in NVIDIA’s RTX graphics cards lineup?

NVIDIA has been a leader in graphics processing for years, and their latest RTX series is no exception. This newest line of NVIDIA RTX graphics cards comes in regular RTX and RTX Ti, but is there really a difference or an advantage in choosing one over the other?

In this article, we’ll be tackling the meaning of the term “Ti” in NVIDIA’s GPU lineup, what is it for, why some gamers or professionals prefer it, or if this title matters to casual computer desktop users. These pieces of information are up in the next sections so read on to learn more!   

What does Ti mean in RTX GPUs?

The “Ti” in NVIDIA’s line of RTX GPU literally means Titanium. It is a suffix label for video cards succeeding a regular RTX video card. RTX Tis are preferred by some over the RTX cards because of the upgraded cores and memory bus, delivering faster and more lifelike image renders.

Brief Background

Some customers say that the word “Ti” for the RTX cards could stand for “technical improvement”. However, a public introductory tweet from NVIDIA in 2015 directly states that it refers to titanium, which is one of the atomic symbols we see in the periodic table of elements.

Are RTX Ti cards infused with titanium?

While the phrase “Infused with titanium” sounds really promising, it is not to be taken literally. If RTX Ti video cards were indeed manufactured with titanium, the regular RTX must have it as well, since the difference in the overall performance between the two cards is not that far from each other.

Let’s Compare: Regular RTX vs. RTX Ti

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 series family is a high-end graphics card designed for gamers, creatives, and professionals who want to experience near real-time ray tracing in their games.

If you're not sure whether or not a regular RTX or an RTX Ti is worth it, this section will help you learn more. We are going to compare here the graphics cards’ main specifications, explain what they are, how you can use them, and which is better for certain purposes.

NVIDIA CUDA Cores

The CUDA is an application programming interface and a parallel computing platform that enables the use of graphics processing units. CUDA cores are data processors that calculate massive amounts of digits that results in each of the final pixel displayed on-screen.

Similar to the CPU that is referred to as a dual- or a quad-core device, the NVIDIA GPUs on the other hand, contain hundreds up to thousands number of cores.

These are the number of CUDA cores present in RTX GPUs:

With 35% more shader processing cores, the RTX 3060 Ti has the most amount of cores among all other graphics cards with a regular RTX counterpart. Looking at the other two, the RTX 3080 Ti and RTX 3070 Ti have 18% and 4% more cores, respectively.

The more shader cores a video card has, the smoother the imaging data transfer and calculations execution so for this attribute, the RTX 3080 Ti wins.

Boost Clock

A graphics card’s boost clock is the maximum clock speed that the GPU can reach without overclocking. This specification is often higher than the base clock value and the recommended power supply is commonly used up as the device attains top clock speeds. 

Here are the boost clock values of the RTX graphics cards:

Checking the overclocking speeds, the values do not vary largely when set side by side, and both the clock boosts of RTX 3080 Ti and RTX 3060 Ti are a bit less than their regular RTXs.

The greater the clock boost value, the faster and more seamless the frame rates unfold on a compatible display such as an LED TV screen, computer monitor, or VR headset. For this category, the RTX 3070 Ti is the best choice.

Memory Size

The memory size, which can also be referred to as video RAM or VRAM, pertains to the data storage capacity installed in a GPU that can be readily accessed by a computer’s processor during its operation.

While having a high VRAM is a good indication of a quality video card, it does not entail great performance. As long as you don’t use up and exceed their capacity by playing games or professional software, any GPU with different memory sizes will work just fine.

Listed below are the RTX GPUs’ available memory sizes:

Seeing the memory capacities of the RTX 30 family in contrast with each of their TI versions, the comparisons have different cases. 

It is a sudden drop of 4 GB for RTX 3060 Ti. On the other hand, the RTX 3080 Ti’s VRAM has increased by 2 GB. Lastly, for RTX 3070 Ti, there are no changes as the memory capacity of 8GB is maintained.

The greater the video RAM or memory, the better capacity a GPU can offer for processing graphics-intensive titles. At 12 GB VRAM, both the RTX 3080 Ti and RTX 3060 take home first place.

Memory Type

The memory type describes the type of random-access memory or RAM that is applied to a video card. The most recent NVIDIA graphics cards are made with GDDR6 and GDDR6X, and both of them are engineered for general imaging purposes.

The memory types of the RTX 30 series GPUs are the following:

The GDDR6 is a synchronous RAM or SGRAM that is developed solely for processing even the most graphics demanding gaming and professional software. GDDR6 provides better heat and energy than its predecessors.

Likewise, the GDDR6X is built for heavy graphics rendering. However, as this memory type performs faster than a GDDR6, the overall power consumption is expected to be relatively higher.

Since the GDDR6X is the newer memory type designed for graphics processing, it is the more favorable specification to have in any video card. With this detail, the RTX 3080 Ti, RTX 3080, and RTX 3070 Ti are the victors.

Testing a GPU’s performance

There are several graphics cards models and versions available on the market right now, that’s why it is difficult to decide what model will best suit your personalized needs. 

This current situation combined with the launch of the RTX Tis makes purchasing a new GPU more challenging than ever before.

So to help you in your quest to find your perfect match, we have garnered here the easiest ways to test and verify if there is a noticeable performance upgrade between an RTX Ti and its regular RTX counterpart.

Here are the most common ways used to gauge the aforementioned video cards’ capabilities:

• Synthetic Gaming Benchmarks
• Application Software Benchmarks
• YouTube Gameplay Reviews
• Online Review Websites

Synthetic Gaming Benchmarks

In the case of testing GPUs, performance testing and comparison for various models are done by playing one or more gaming software as a standard and setting a customized scoring system that includes all the essential aspects applicable for all the graphics cards. 

The scores are calculated for each video card, and of course, the higher the yielded score, the better the card’s performance on a given gaming software benchmark.

Application Software Benchmarks

For application software benchmarks, a program is utilized to check the overall performance of a system. The testing program simulates how the component, such as a graphics card, is commonly operated in a gaming or a professional software setting.

Similar to the synthetic gaming benchmarks, the GPUs’ response and performance are recorded and then rated for comparison.   

YouTube Gameplay Reviews

A smart way to gauge if a GPU suits your intended use without delving into too much technical stuff is by watching YouTube videos for gameplay reviews. These helpful media uploads let you experience the performance of cards as they are being tested and displayed on-screen.  

With the increasing number of video card review uploads, you can just browse through the number of graphics cards available before deciding on searching and buying one. 

Online Review Websites

Another simpler method to have practical knowledge of the video card you are planning to invest on is by checking out online review websites like us, the Digital Advisor. 

In our blogs, we collect the GPU manufacturers’ features, updates, and improvements, combine them with the recent buyers’ and users’ comments, and sum them up so you can have an informative product selection at a glance.

People Also Ask

What is the difference between RTX and Ti?

NVIDIA’s RTX and Ti graphics cards are similar in terms of providing the best performance in providing photorealistic image processing and lifelike global illumination for gaming, creative, and professional software.

The main difference between the two high-quality GPUs is that the RTX Ti has more shader processors and a greater memory width interface which allows the card to calculate and crunch massive amounts of data that in turn becomes one pixel the user sees on the video screen output.

Is RTX Ti better than an RTX Super?

Since RTX Ti cards are released later in the market than RTX Super cards, the RTX Ti cards are the better version of graphics cards.

While the RTX Ti is the most impressive video card right now, it has some caveats. It is generally a bit expensive than its regular RTX counterparts and draws more power compared to other NVIDIA video cards.

Is an RTX 3070 Ti better than an RTX 3070?

According to NVIDIA, the RTX 3070 Ti can provide a nearly 10% performance upgrade than an RTX 3070, so an RTX 3070 Ti is a better option only if the already powerful RTX 3070 still can’t match your personalized needs.

The RTX 3070 is already a great card, however, if you are handling graphics-intensive activities requiring higher clock boost, memory type, and CUDA cores, the RTX 3070 Ti might be the perfect component for your computer rig. 

What is the difference between an RTX 3080 and an RTX 3080 Ti?

As mentioned in the first FAQ, the main differences between RTX Tis and their regular counterparts are their memory interface width and the number of available shader processing cores.

In this case, the RTX 3080 Ti has 2 GB more VRAM than an RTX 3080. The Ti version also offers 1,536 more CUDA cores. These features enable better handling of both the DLSS and real-time ray tracing.

Does RTX 3080 Ti has LHR?

Yes, the RTX 3080 Ti has LHR.

Apart from the RTX 3090 and RTX 3080 video cards released by NVIDIA recently, the RTX 3080 Ti comes with an LHR. 

The acronym LHR means Low Hash Rate, and it is an attribute that is included in RTX 3080 Ti that discourages the GPU’s use for cryptocurrency mining activities. 

Is LHR bad for gaming?

No. The LHR or Low Hash Rate feature in GPUs may be a bad feature for crypto miners, but thankfully has no significant effect on gamers, creatives, and professionals. 

This attribute is added to the video cards in order to limit their massive data processing capability hindering cryptocurrency mining tasks. Recent buyers need not worry because it does not affect applications such as gaming, video editing, and other professional software.

NVIDIA has implemented this LHR inclusion to keep the graphics cards in the gaming enthusiasts’ hands preventing crypto miners from hoarding and controlling the price hike of the scarce yet in-demand computer components.

Are all RTX LHR?

No, not all graphics cards are LHR.

However, as stated on NVIDIA’s page, starting from May 2021 all RTX 3060, RTX 3070 Ti, and RTX 3080 Ti releases will always be manufactured with low hash rates, so crypto miners should be aware of these changes to the video card models.

Does it matter if your GPU or graphics card is labeled as Ti?

It does not really matter whether your graphics card is labeled Ti or not, as long as these GPUs perform well and meet your expectations and individualized requirements.  

If the hefty price tag is one of your main considerations, the regular RTX cards should be your go-to video card investment.

On the other hand, if this purchase decision is well-thought-of and with a sufficient budget to back it up, it is good to choose the RTX Ti cards.

Which is the best Ti graphics card?

As of writing, the RTX 3080 Ti is the best Ti GPU in the latest generation lineup.

This is quite expected by loyal NVIDIA users because the former RTX 20 series’ RTX 2080 Ti was reported to dominate the market for two years in a row when first launched.

For the RTX 30 series, the RTX 3080 Ti is the best bet to take the RTX 2080 Ti’s place for a few years to come.

Conclusion

The NVIDIA RTX Ti graphics cards are the preferred choice for most gamers, creatives, and professionals. It has hundreds of more CUDA cores and a higher memory bus than its regular counterparts, delivering greater frame rates and photorealistic images and scenes for 4K displays and up. 

However, the video card users might need to upgrade their power supply in order to make sure they have enough juice! If you are looking for some recommendations on what GPU is best suited for your needs, check out our previous posts about reviewing the different RTX models!