We take a look at the best RTX 3090 Ti GPU models on the market as well as some of the other choices that may be an alternative
Updated: Nov 13, 2023 8:23 pm
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The flagship of the Nvidia Ampere lineup, we take a look at which card takes the spot for the best RTX 3090 Ti graphics card in 2023. Taking point as the flagship it has the potential to take the spot for the best graphics card. With its top-range specs, it has some behemoth cooling to keep the temps under wraps.
Our commitment is to keep our buying guides updated with the latest products, ensuring you receive the most current recommendations. Below, we’ve highlighted our top three choices for those seeking a quick buy. For a deeper exploration of the market, explore our individual reviews covering all the products, along with the informational sections further down the page explaining the various features you need to consider. Our guides on the best RTX 3080 Ti, RTX 3090, RTX 4080, and RTX 4090 are also worth looking at Also, take a look at our Black Friday GPU deals guide for some great savings this month.
In several ways the RTX 3090 Ti was a test for the tech employed in the RTX 40 series. It was the first to utilize the 12VHPWR connector that all Ada series card features. So although it may be at the top end of the selection it is unlikely to be aimed at the average user.
With the limit pushes and surprising result of comparing the 3090 vs 3090 Ti there is only a few that may be interested. Especially with the extreme launch price set at $1,999/£1,879. However, with the RTX 4090 leading the flagship role, the price of the card is likely to fall and making it more worth it.
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Best RTX 3090 Ti GPU 2023: reviews
The best AIB overall
01
Asus GeForce RTX 3090 Ti ROG Strix LC OC
1560 MHz base, 1950 MHz boost
Card: 293 x 133 x 52mm, Rad: 272 x 121 x 54mm
Pros
- Excellent cooling
- Potential for higher overclocking
- Excellent performance
If you’re looking for the top of line performance, then the best RTX 3090 Ti is the Asus GeForce RTX 3090 Ti ROG Strix LC OC. ROG brings uncompromised performance to the table as usual. It makes sure that the card performs under all situations with its cooling solution and factory overclock.
To keep the 450W graphics processor under wraps and working well. As this is a lot of energy to dissipate away with insufficient cooling it may thermal throttle and lower the performance of the card. So while other brands opt for larger air cooling solutions this Strix card goes for integrated water cooling. This gives much more efficient cooling with much more capacity. While also moves the bulk of the cooling away from the card to prevent sagging and allows for better space management with the GPU taking up fewer slots.
Along with great cooling, it offers the top range of performance for the 3090 Ti. As it has the best out of the factory overclock. One of the only varying factors between custom board manufacturers is the clock rate and cooling solutions. So combining both good cooling and overclock it can easily outperform the competition. As the cooling will keep it from throttling and the overclock give it the extra boost in FPS.
Best air cooled option
02
MSI NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti SUPRIM X
1560 MHz base, 1950 MHz boost
Pros
- High quality and design
- Plenty of thermal capacity
- Stylistic design
For an air-cooled top-of-the-range card, we take a look at the MSI NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti SUPRIM X. It brings both great performances with the cooling solution provided. Although compared to water-cooled it does require a large heatsink which brings the thickness up to three and a half slots.
Even though it may not have the same efficient cooling it can still get the job done. Even though it may take up a lot more slots than a water-cooled option it can still keep the card cool. Although if you want to have any other add-in PCIe cards you may struggle to compete for space. The Tri Frozr 2S solution is what is required and along with three Torx fans, it can efficiently cool the GPU to ensure no drop in performance.
With the large scale, it also offers great performance, as along with the Strix it is factory clocked the highest. With a boost clock of 1,950MHz, it leads ahead with others as a high clock card. This gives it the edge in performance over the lower clocked choices.
Additionally, the design of the card is very stylish and different. With grey metal and dashes of RGB, it offers something else unique. While also giving personalization and support. As to keep up the stiffness and prevent the card from bending, the IO bracket has been extended to three slots. Which could help prevent the card from bending in the long term.
Best value RTX 3090 Ti
03
EVGA RTX 3090 Ti FTW3 Black
1560MHz base, 1860MHz boost
300 x 137 x 64mm (11.8″ x 5.4″ x 2.5″)
Pros
- Cheaper cooling solution
- Plenty of thermal capacity
- 12 heat pipes and vapor chamber for good heat transfer
Cons
- Cheaper design not suitable for everyone
For a cheaper option without the flashiness and extras, there is the EVGA RTX 3090 Ti FTW3 Black. With all the performance of the 3090 Ti and the already high cost, it might be enough to just get the entry option. EVGA offers a simple design and performance for the same price.
The FTW3 aims for simplicity, with a cheap and wavey design that doesn’t try anything flashy. With another three-and-a-half slot card it also has plenty of cooling capacity. With the three fans on the front bringing through plenty of air in to keep the temperatures down.
Although not overclocked out of the box it means that the performance compared to the other offerings is going to be lower. But with the several heat pipes and large heatsink, it does allow for good cooling, which may mean you can utilize it for some overclocking. As currently, the boost clock reaches the stock of 1,860MHz.
Best water cooled pick
04
Gigabyte Aorus RTX 3090 Ti XTREME Waterforce
1560MHz base, 1935MHz boost
238 x 141 x 40 mm (9.37″ x 5.55″ x 1.57″), radiator: 360mm
Pros
- Excellent cooling with 360mm radiator
- Good overclock with plenty more available
Cons
- More expensive option
- Requires large case to fit radiator
For even higher water cooling capacity you can get the Gigabyte Aorus RTX 3090 Ti XTREME Waterforce. With a larger water capacity, there is a lot to be gained in performance with this card. Even though it’s not the fastest out of the box it has plenty more potential.
Initially, it only reaches a boost clock of 1,935MHz which is 15 less than the top-end cards can achieve. However, with such a large cooling solution that is likely to be pushed further. As well as minimizing the size of the graphics card by moving away all the cooling from the card itself and leaving the cold plate to move the heat away.
However, the radiator installed into the card is a large 360mm one. This means it requires a lot more space to install and although you can fit more PCIe cards, the radiator may be harder to fit. Especially if you’re also planning on using an AIO on your CPU, fitting both into one case may prove a challenge. Or even channeling the cable through the right spaces can prove hard to achieve so may not be ideal for you.
Best budget RTX 3090 Ti
05
Zotac RTX 3090 Ti AMP Extreme Holo
1560MHz base, 1890MHz boost
355.9 x 149.7 x 63.9mm (14″ x 5.89″ x 2.52″)
Pros
- Sleek design
- Cheaper option
Cons
- Only 2 PCI covers so succeptible to GPU sag
Zotac RTX 3090 Ti AMP Extreme Holo offers a good entryway into the 3090 Ti space. An offering of sleek build and minimal design keeps costs down but performance up alongside it.
The Zotac option improves upon the reference boost by 2%, increasing it to 1,890MHz. The IceStorm 2 cooling design is utilized to keep the thermal capacity under wraps. It makes sure the performance is kept up even on the more budget-friendly option.
Although the card offers some color to it, the RGB patch on the side brings a highlight to the GPU. Although you have to be cautious with it, as it only has a 2 slot IO bracket. This may not sound too bad it could lead the card to bend over time with the sheer weight of it. So there could be a need for another bracket or solution to prevent that from occurring.
How do we choose the best RTX 3090 Ti?
When trying to pick the best RTX 3090 Ti, there are a lot of factors that influence the decision. With so many options time and effort have to be put into research and testing to ensure a good selection.
A key consideration is the cooling solution provided by the custom card. With such a high TDP we want to ensure that the performance can be kept up without issue. When possible we test the cards with stress testing to test how well they hold up under high loads. Or checking reviews and using expert knowledge to evaluate them.
Along with our historical knowledge, we evaluate how well the cards are likely to perform. We make sure that we only recommend the best choices of cards. Offers the best performance over time and is worth most for the money. As well as offering a range of choices for those looking for something specific.
How do we test?
When we get the opportunity to put a card through stress tests and benchmarks it helps us with the decision process. It’s important that the GPU performs as it should no matter what it’s put through. Quite important when the TDP reaches 450W, you want the performance to remain constant.
As well as offering better features than the rest of the selections. Offering features like RGB personalization, good build quality to last, and the aesthetics of the build are up to par. Along with bringing the capabilities of the GPU, each model offers different clocks that can affect performance.
Seeing how well each of those is affected we can evaluate which is the best choice out of the selection. Or which of them offers something for someone to appreciate.
Best RTX 3090 Ti: buying tips
When it comes to choosing which option is best for you there are multiple factors to consider. If it’s the cost of the card, which ecosystem it’s part of, or possibly its design of it. We find what may sway your decision.
Cooling
One of the biggest factors considering the best RTX 3090 Ti is the cooling of that hot and power-hungry card. With a TDP of 450W, there needs to be a good solution to keep it cool. While air cooling can get the job done, most of the offerings are up to 3.5 slots in thickness. Something that may be too much for some people.
At that point, you may consider a water-cooled option. An all-in-one solution slims down the actual size of the card but with the added challenge of installing a radiator. That may end up in the way or be hard to fit around the rest of your system. But you’ll know that it can handle the heat of the card.
Size
Another factor when considering your next best RTX 3090 Ti is the size of the card. If you’re aiming for a more compact build, you won’t be able to fit the 3 or 3.5-slot GPU into it. Or if you don’t want to choke it out you may need a smaller card.
That’s why the options for liquid-cooled cards may be a better solution. Cutting down the size to just 2 slots and moving the heat away gives your build more flexibility. As well as the potential for better cooling.
Budget
For the RTX 3090 Ti, the launch price was set to $1,999. However, custom solutions usually come at different prices. Especially if they come overclocked, they can add an additional $100-200.
As well as depending on what cooling solution is implemented onto the card. Water cooling adds to the cost price with much more parts to it. So in that case you can also balance your needs and budget.
What do the specifications mean
When looking at what a graphics card is made up of there is a lot of jargon to analyze. So we go through what some of them mean and which matter most when considering a 3090 Ti.
- Clock speed – Measured in MHz and also known as clock speed is how fast the information can be processed by the processor in the GPU. It is determined by the cycle rate of the silicon itself and how quickly it crunches the numbers. Although not the sole responsibility for performance it is the factor for overclocking to get the most out of your GPU.
- Base and boost – the clock speed can also be shown in two different varieties. The base clock will be the speed at which the card operates under normal use, not during gaming or anything. While the boost informs you the maximum speed it can achieve although not necessarily stay at that rate the whole time.
- VRAM – Memory of a GPU is used as a frame buffer and storage for textures. It reduces the latency between the CPU and GPU to provide a smooth experience. While also larger capacities allow for the use of larger resolutions which require more pixels to run.
- TDP – Thermal design power of a component is the maximum amount of energy it can use. This is usually at the heaviest utilization and a lot of that energy is given off as thermal energy. So it is a factor when considering the cooling solution used for the graphics card. With such a high TDP the 3090 Ti has to employ large air cooling or opt for water cooling to keep the card working well and prevent thermal throttling.
Final word
With the release of this BFGPU, there is a lot to consider. With the high launch price and power of the card, it might be a lot to go through first. So we have summarized the best RTX 3090 Ti selection. If you want the tip-top there is plenty of option especially with great cooling so you can find something to suit your needs.
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FAQs
What is the price of 3090 TI?
The RTX 3090 Ti has an MSRP of $1,999 USD/£1,879. Which is a very high price to pay for the flagship GPU. Especially considering the 3090 vs 3090 Ti. Although more recently, the price has been cut by Nvidia to get the stock moving as the newer and better cards have been released.
Is there any 3090 TI?
Yes, the 3090 Ti does exist. Part of the BFGPU lineup it leads Nvidia’s RTX 30 series lineup. Even though it might be more than one might ask for as the 3090 seemed a bit much. It may have come out as a test for the RTX 40 series lineup primarily.
