For hardcore PC gaming enthusiasts or computing professionals, few pieces of hardware carry as much allure as NVIDIA‘s line of Titan graphics cards. Known for no-compromise performance and eye-watering price tags, Titan GPUs sit firmly in the "I want the absolute best" category for those with exceedingly deep pockets.
In the current era, NVIDIA‘s two most powerful and coveted graphics cards remain the Titan RTX built on their Turing architecture, and the RTX 3090 powered by Ampere. Both push the limits of technological muscle for gaming and creative applications.
But when pitted head-to-head in real-world testing, which of these pixel-crushing behemoths come out on top? And how do they compare across the key specs that matter most?
I‘ll answer those questions and more in this comprehensive Titan RTX versus RTX 3090 comparison. By taking an in-depth look across areas like architecture, memory, cores, clock speeds and gaming benchmarks, you‘ll have the knowledge to decide which card better fits your needs.
Let‘s dive in…
What Are the Titan RTX and RTX 3090 Cards? A Brief Explainer
Before jumping into the nitty-gritty comparisons, let me provide some quick context on what these graphics cards actually are under the hood.
The Titan RTX launched in late 2018 as NVIDIA‘s new flagship prosumer card of the Turing generation. Built using the full TU102 GPU die and packing 24GB of blazing-fast GDDR6 memory, it delivered earth-shattering performance for 4K gaming, creative workloads, machine learning and more.
However, with an initial MSRP of $2,499, access to the Titan RTX and its boundary-pushing power has never come cheap. As the successor to previous Titan cards like the Titan X Pascal, the Titan RTX represented the pinnacle of no-compromises graphical horsepower at any cost.
Fast forward two years later to September 2020 when NVIDIA took the wraps off their GeForce RTX 3090 graphics card. Retaining the “90” naming convention of previous top-tier models like the GTX 1080 Ti and RTX 2080 Ti, this new Ampere-powered GPU slotted in as the fresh ultra-enthusiast replacement.
It matched the gargantuan 24GB frame buffer of the Titan RTX, while upgrading to next-generation GDDR6X memory modules offering better bandwidth. The RTX 3090 also leverages architectural improvements in Ampere to unlock more efficiency and performance per CUDA processing core compared to first-gen RTX Turing chips.
Now as both the Titan RTX and RTX 3090 near the latter stages of relevancy before their eventual replacements arrive, how do they size up against each other in 2023? I’ll examine the nitty-gritty details across a range of key areas shortly.
First though, let‘s recap the battle lines…
| NVIDIA Titan RTX | NVIDIA RTX 3090 |
| Launch Date: December 2018 | Launch Date: September 2020 |
| GPU Architecture: Turing | GPU Architecture: Ampere |
| CUDA Processing Cores: 4608 | CUDA Processing Cores: 10496 |
| Boost Clock Speed: 1770MHz | Boost Clock Speed: 1695MHz |
Now let‘s see how these pixel-pushing powerhouses from Team Green compare and contrast in more detail across some key metrics…
Comparing Architectural Differences: Turing vs. Ampere
Kicking things off, we have the foundational GPU architectures that underline each card.
The Titan RTX leverages NVIDIA‘s Turing architecture first introduced alongside their GeForce 20-series graphics cards. For its time, Turing brought forward-looking innovations like dedicated RT cores for ray tracing and Tensor cores designed to accelerate AI and neural network-powered effects.
By comparison, the RTX 3090 runs on NVIDIA’s second-generation Ampere architecture. Building off the technologies pioneered in Turing, Ampere focused on optimizing energy efficiency and extracting more performance per CUDA core while enhancing features like ray tracing.
According to NVIDIA‘s own internal testing, the RTX 3090 can deliver upwards of 50% higher frame rates in popular games compared to the Titan RTX. Independent benchmarks I‘ll share later confirm Ampere‘s architectural upgrades translate to major real-world performance gains.
Before getting to gaming tests, it‘s also worth considering the radically different manufacturing processes leveraged by each GPU line…
The Titan RTX leverages a 12nm FinFET node laying the groundwork for significant throughput via its full TU102 chip.
Comparatively, the GeForce RTX 3090 harnesses the might of Samsung’s 8nm custom process allowingAmpere GPUs like the GA102 to scale new performance heights.
The combination of a Density, Performance and Area optimized 8nm process combined with Ampere architectural optimizations hands the RTX 3090 noticeable advantages in transistor density, power efficiency and clock speeds from the start.
Memory Specs and Bandwidth Comparison
Shifting focus to memory, both the Titan RTX and RTX 3090 come equipped with an enormous 24GB frame buffer to chew through large assets. For today‘s games and creative applications, that level of VRAM provides ample future-proofed headroom.
However, an important distinction lies in the memory technology itself…
The GeForce RTX 3090 utilizes cutting-edge GDDR6X memory modules providing better memory bandwidth and power efficiency over the GDDR6 chips found on the Titan RTX.
GDDR6X represents a key upgrade for Ampere, hitting over 1TB/s bandwidth in the 3090 model. It also operates at higher memory clocks to push more data. Think 21 Gbps speeds out of the gate, with enthusiast RTX 3090 samples able to hit upwards of 22 Gbps depending on silicon lottery luck.
Both cards sport a wide 384-bit memory bus to feed their pool of VRAM. When combined with its next-gen memory clocks however, the RTX 3090 enjoys a substantial bandwidth advantage hitting 936 GB/s peak versus the 760 GB/s limit found on even heavily overclocked Titan RTX configurations.
For gaming, content creation and data-centric computing tasks leveraging high resolution textures or large datasets, all that extra memory throughput better future-proofs the 3090.
Core Count and Frequency Comparison
Next up, let’s examine the all important processing cores that give these pixels powerhouses their gaming prowess…
The Titan RTX houses a full implementation of NVIDIA’s Turing TU102 GPU, equipped with 4608 CUDA processing cores. This remains an extremely high count that underscores the no-compromises silicon present even on 2018’s top-shelf graphics hardware.
Here’s where Ampere‘s architectural enhancements really shine though – the RTX 3090’s GA102 GPU and 10496 CUDA cores deliver substantially higher instructions per clock (IPC) compared to first-gen Turing.
In basic terms, Ampere enhances work done per cycle leading to big gaming performance uplifts. So despite having over 2000 fewer cores, the RTX 3090 routinely surpasses or matches the Titan RTX even in brutally taxing games.
Let’s also examine clock speeds which dictate overall throughput…
The Titan RTX specifies a maximum boost clock of 1770MHz at stock settings. That seems plenty quick, though GPU Boost frequencies always depend heavily on power limits, thermal headroom and the natural voltage/frequency curve that varies chip-to-chip.
Impressively enough, NVIDIA’s own Founders Edition RTX 3090 isn’t far behind with its official boost clock of 1695MHz. Meeting or exceeding this speed will again come down to cooler and chip quality. However, custom RTX 3090 models often see 1800MHz out of the box making them clock-for-clock matches against the Titan RTX.
Real-World Gaming Benchmarks and Performance
Alright, let’s move to the most definitive barometer of relative gaming performance – direct gameplay benchmarks!
Reviewers at Hot Hardware pitted both GPUs head-to-head in a range of demanding games running maxed-out visual settings at 4K screen resolution:
| Game Title | Titan RTX Avg FPS | RTX 3090 Avg FPS | Performance Uplift |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horizon Zero Dawn | 84 fps | 108 fps | 29% Faster |
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | 65 fps | 73 fps | 12% Faster |
| Borderlands 3 | 65 fps | 82 fps | 26% Faster |
Based on these results across a spread of modern AAA titles, Ampere and the RTX 3090 provide unambiguous frame rate improvements over Turing.
The performance uplifts range from 12% up to 29% faster at graphically intense 4K settings.
Closing in on the 120 fps mark in Horizon Zero Dawn proves quite attainable with Ampere‘s power. For the flagship card of its generation, the RTX 3090 sets a new level even the legendary Titan RTX can‘t quite reach.
According to additional testing, shrinking back resolutions to 1440p or 1080p does close the performance deltas some. But when pushing into more GPU-bound scenarios, Ampere still stretches its legs better.
Stepping briefly away from games, the RTX 3090 also posts excellent gains for creators. Puget Systems testing observed a noteworthy 29% speedup in 8K footage playback within DaVinci Resolve versus their Titan RTX reference machine. Similar benefits emerge across Adobe and CAD apps.
No matter what the workload, leveraging Samsung‘s cutting-edge 8nm process gives this newer generation GPU a leg up. Ampere enhances what Turing started while gaining an edge from its robust foundation.
Comparing Pricing, Availability and Overall Value
Any buying decision also demands weighing upfront cost against projected usefulness. So for a final focal point, let‘s break down pricing and value factors.
Upon launch over four years ago, the Titan RTX demanded an eye-watering $2499. Even today, used examples still command $1100-$1500 for GTX models and $1600+ for later RTX refreshed variants.
By contrast, the RTX 3090 first sold for $1499 in Founders Edition trim. Its average street price climbed closer to $1900 as supply constraints, tariffs and inflated demand took hold.
Currently though, 3090 inventory exists in healthy supply. Used prices now sit between $1100-$1300 depending on exact model.
Comparing apples-to-apples for like-new cards, the RTX 3090 delivers around 20%+ faster performance for over 40% less money. The value angle shines even brighter for new buyers getting full warranty coverage.
Frankly, even laying out $1600 for a pristine Titan RTX seems questionable as faster and more efficient Ampere options occupy similar pricing territory. The 3090 remains unrivaled in its combination of 4K gaming speed, professional workload competency and future-looking platform support.
For the invested cost spread of a single Titan RTX, you could buy both the 3090 and high core count CPU like AMD‘s 16-core Ryzen 9 7950X for a new machine build. Going Turing instead of Ampere leaves too much raw performance and savings left on the table.
Closing Thoughts and Key Takeaways
The preceding Titan RTX vs RTX 3090 analysis makes evident which card delivers superior price-to-performance in 2023. But to recap…
Despite entering its fourth year since launch, there’s no denying the Titan RTX retains heavyweight gaming brawn. It keeps frame rates well above 60 fps at demanding 4K settings in modern titles. For compute-hungry workloads as well, its Turing Tensor and RT cores still hold relevance when paired with gobs of on-board memory.
However, as seen across architectural improvements, memory upgrades, benchmark results and value-added features like PCIe 4.0 support, NVIDIA’s RTX 3090 simply brings profoundly better performance per dollar.
If buying used, 3090 savings intensify the value proposition further still. And if purchasing brand new, only the most devoted GPU enthusiasts should feel any temptation to hunt down the Titan RTX unicorn.
So for hardcore gamers, content creators and developers seeking uncompromising 4K gaming power, AI/ML acceleration or GPU compute at sensible pricing, the GeForce RTX 3090 easily assumes the Titan’s former crown. Feel free to reach out or leave a comment if you have any other questions!
