GeForce RTX 3060, RTX 3060 Ti Listings Allegedly Point to $450 Price Tag and November Launch

By Zhiye Liu
published

Budget Ampere awaits

Shutterstock GPU image
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

If the new Taobao listings (via Twitter user Avery78) are to be trusted, Nvidia's budget GeForce RTX 3060 and RTX 3060 Ti might be closer than we think. Until proven otherwise, the pre-orders could be mere placeholders, in which case we suggest you approach the information with plenty of caution.

One Taobao seller listed the GeForce RTX 3060 and RTX 3060 Ti for between 1,499 and 2,998 yuan (~$224 and $447). However, another merchant highlighted that the payment does not correspond to the actual price of the graphics card. Instead, it's just a deposit to get dibs on one. Depending on the Ampere-based graphics card's final pricing, the buyer may be refunded or have to pay the difference. In any event, the price range looks at least plausible, considering that the GeForce RTX 3070 is priced at $499.

Both the GeForce RTX 3080 and RTX 3090 suffered from low stock. The GeForce RTX 3070 was initially scheduled to go on sale on October 15, but Nvidia pushed it to October 29 so that the GeForce RTX 3070 doesn't endure the same fate as the brethren before it.

According to the Taobao postings, the estimated time of arrival for the GeForce RTX 3060 and RTX 3060 Ti is after November, meaning that Nvidia would have to reveal the budget graphics cards sometime during next month.

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GeForce RTX 3060 & GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
GeForce RTX 3060 & GeForce RTX 3060 Ti (Image credit: Taobao)

Neither Taobao sellers shared any significant information about the GeForce RTX 3060 or RTX 3060 Ti, except that the latter could arrive with 8GB of memory. Given that both graphics card would be positioned under the GeForce RTX 3070, we expect them to feature GDDR6 memory. Nvidia equipped the previous-generation GeForce RTX 2060 with 6GB of GDDR6 memory, so adding another 2GB on GeForce RTX 3060 Ti sounds feasible. If that's the case, then the GeForce RTX 3060 might remain at 6 GB like its antecessor.

Believe it or not, the rumor mill for the GeForce RTX 3060 and RTX 3060 Ti has mostly been inactive. The rumored specifications put the first around 3,840 CUDA cores, while the latter could check in with 4,864 CUDA cores. Nvidia claims that the GeForce RTX 3070 with its 5,888 CUDA cores performs like a GeForce RTX 2080 Ti. We've seen a glimpse of the GeForce RTX 3070's potential in Ashes of the Singularity that lends credence to Nvidia's promise.

As a result, the GeForce RTX 3060 might offer performance along the lines of a GeForce RTX 2070 Super or RTX 2080, while the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti's performance is probably right up the alley with the GeForce RTX 2080 Super.

AMD will reveal the Radeon RX 6000-series of graphics cards on October 28. Nvidia is surely waiting to see what the Radeon team has up its sleeves before making its next move.

Zhiye Liu
Zhiye Liu
RAM Reviewer and News Editor

Zhiye Liu is a Freelance News Writer at Tom’s Hardware US. Although he loves everything that’s hardware, he has a soft spot for CPUs, GPUs, and RAM.

24 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Shadowclash10
    In any event, the price range looks at least plausible, considering that the GeForce RTX 3070 is priced at $499.

    Actually, I think that isn't plausible. If they had many, many SKUs, one for every $50 segment from say $200-$500, then sure. But that wouldn't happen. They aren't gonna have a 3060 Ti just $50 below a 3070. I mean, the current 2060 Super is $400, and they haven't done any price hikes this-gen besides the 3090.
    Reply
  • nofanneeded
    It is $399 exactly , you need to take out 13% China VAT from it.
    Reply
  • Endymio
    Shadowclash10 said:
    Actually, I think that isn't plausible. If they had many, many SKUs, one for every $50 segment from say $200-$500, then sure. But that wouldn't happen. They aren't gonna have a 3060 Ti just $50 below a 3070. I mean, the current 2060 Super is $400, and they haven't done any price hikes this-gen besides the 3090.
    If one assumes the 3060 comes in at $400, $450 for the Ti isn't wholly implausible. Personally, I'd guess them spaced a bit further apart than that ($350 & $420?) but NVidia's being driven on this more by yields I think than pure marketing strategy.
    Reply
  • digitalgriffin
    Remember when 60 series were $250 and $300 (960 and 1060)?

    $400 isn't exactly mainstream value. Work em over AMD!
    Reply
  • Endymio
    digitalgriffin said:
    Remember when 60 series were $250 and $300 (960 and 1060)?
    $250 to $350 is a 20% differential. $450 to $500 is only an 11% difference.
    Reply
  • agentbb007
    Admin said:
    GeForce RTX 3060, RTX 3060 Ti Listings Allegedly Point to $450 Price Tag and November Launch : Read more
    Nice, a November launch. So you should be able to buy one about May or June of next year, nice.
    Reply
  • digitalgriffin
    Endymio said:
    $250 to $350 is a 20% differential. $450 to $500 is only an 11% difference.

    960->1060 $250->$300 20% increase
    1060->2060 $300 -> $350 16% increase
    2060->3060 $350-> $400 15% increase

    Those are some big price hikes compared to inflation.

    I can't wait till AMD makes them eat crow. Bring on competition.
    Reply
  • Giroro
    There isn't much or any evidence that Nvidia is going to continue the 'Ti' branding.
    It wouldn't even make much sense now that the Titan has been renamed 3090. And the "2080 Ti" equivalent is the 3080.
    Reply
  • Endymio
    digitalgriffin said:
    Those are some big price hikes compared to inflation.
    Inflation is averaging under 2% a year.

    When NVidia releases a new generation card only 2% faster than the old one, they can charge a normal inflationary increase.
    Reply
  • Nightseer
    Personally I would put my bets on 400USD 3060Ti and 350USD 3060. Like 450 feels bit too close to 3070 at least I don't think nVidis wants to squish lineup as much from the get go, like they usually have bigger gaps, untill they fill then with Supers and Tis after whole lineup is out. And that requires bit of room between prices, especially if they need to react to RDNA2. So I expect seller here is overshooting a bit, since people will likely be happier if they get done money back, instead of having to pay extra. Then again low price feels a bit of undershoot... perhaps room for haggling and potentially getting people on board by having them to invest and playing psychology of invested people being more likely to invest further. Then again, I am purely guessing, since I got no idea how market works there.
    Reply