GeForce RTX 3070 vs GeForce RTX 4090 D

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3070

2020Core: 1500 MHzBoost: 1725 MHz

Popular choices:

VS
NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4090 D

2023Core: 2280 MHzBoost: 2520 MHz

Popular choices:

RTX 3070

Performance Spectrum - GPU

About G3D Mark

G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, raw graphics performance, VRAM, feature set, power efficiency, pricing context, and long-term value so you can see which GPU actually makes more sense.

GeForce RTX 3070

2020

Why buy it

  • Costs $1,100 less on MSRP ($499 MSRP vs $1,599 MSRP).
  • Delivers 131.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.4 vs 19.2 G3D/$ ($499 MSRP vs $1,599 MSRP).
  • Draws 220W instead of 425W, a 205W reduction.
  • Measures 242mm instead of 304mm, a 62mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 4090 D across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 8 GB vs 24 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
  • Weaker long-term outlook: GeForce RTX 4090 D is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.

GeForce RTX 4090 D

2023

Why buy it

  • 48.8% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
  • 200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (24 GB vs 8 GB).
  • More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • 220.4% HIGHER MSRP
    $1,599 MSRPvs$499 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 19.2 vs 44.4 G3D/$ ($1,599 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
  • 93.2% higher power demand at 425W vs 220W.
  • 25.6% longer card at 304mm vs 242mm.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 4090 D better than GeForce RTX 3070?
Yes. GeForce RTX 4090 D is clearly the better overall GPU here. GeForce RTX 4090 D averages 48.8% more FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 30,725 vs 22,172 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 4090 D is a 2023 card with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation, while GeForce RTX 3070 is a 2020 model from an older generation with DLSS Super Resolution. So this is not really a tight same-tier comparison. It is more a modern card against an older, weaker alternative.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 4090 D is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2023 generation instead of 2020, 38.6% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 24 GB instead of 8 GB, and better upscaling support with DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution (2023) instead of DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) and better frame-generation support with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023) instead of DLSS Super Resolution. That leaves it with more room for heavier textures, tougher ray tracing loads, and higher-end 1440p or 4K gaming over the next few years.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?
GeForce RTX 4090 D is about 220.4% more expensive on MSRP at $1,599 MSRP versus $499 MSRP, and you are getting 48.8% more estimated average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and 38.6% higher G3D Mark. GeForce RTX 3070 still holds the G3D-per-dollar lead, so the performance win comes with a real value premium. If you are comfortable paying the premium for the stronger gaming result, GeForce RTX 4090 D is the one to buy. If staying closer to budget matters more, GeForce RTX 3070 still makes more sense on price alone and remains capable enough for modern gaming.
Is GeForce RTX 3070 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?
Yes. GeForce RTX 3070 is still a strong gaming GPU in 2026: it is excellent for 1080p, very strong for 1440p, and still capable at 4K with sensible settings or upscaling. This mostly comes down to price. If you want to stay closer to $499 MSRP, it remains a strong choice; if you are comfortable paying more, GeForce RTX 4090 D earns that extra money with a clearly stronger gaming result and a more complete overall package.

Games Benchmarks

Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 9800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.

Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetGeForce RTX 3070GeForce RTX 4090 D
1080p
low158 FPS284 FPS
medium140 FPS263 FPS
high123 FPS225 FPS
ultra104 FPS197 FPS
1440p
low134 FPS262 FPS
medium109 FPS217 FPS
high96 FPS173 FPS
ultra86 FPS156 FPS
4K
low80 FPS180 FPS
medium67 FPS150 FPS
high52 FPS114 FPS
ultra45 FPS102 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce RTX 3070GeForce RTX 4090 D
1080p
low470 FPS841 FPS
medium405 FPS657 FPS
high327 FPS516 FPS
ultra277 FPS449 FPS
1440p
low294 FPS673 FPS
medium246 FPS548 FPS
high213 FPS443 FPS
ultra179 FPS364 FPS
4K
low141 FPS375 FPS
medium120 FPS314 FPS
high105 FPS286 FPS
ultra83 FPS240 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce RTX 3070GeForce RTX 4090 D
1080p
low885 FPS944 FPS
medium712 FPS772 FPS
high619 FPS699 FPS
ultra499 FPS604 FPS
1440p
low692 FPS731 FPS
medium557 FPS598 FPS
high473 FPS529 FPS
ultra374 FPS452 FPS
4K
low479 FPS506 FPS
medium388 FPS419 FPS
high330 FPS377 FPS
ultra249 FPS317 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce RTX 3070GeForce RTX 4090 D
1080p
low600 FPS999 FPS
medium527 FPS971 FPS
high433 FPS855 FPS
ultra385 FPS691 FPS
1440p
low489 FPS830 FPS
medium433 FPS728 FPS
high339 FPS641 FPS
ultra297 FPS518 FPS
4K
low292 FPS606 FPS
medium270 FPS538 FPS
high238 FPS461 FPS
ultra200 FPS346 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3070 and GeForce RTX 4090 D

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3070

The GeForce RTX 3070 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 1 2020. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1500 MHz to 1725 MHz. It has 5888 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 220W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 46 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 22,172 points. Launch price was $499.

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4090 D

The GeForce RTX 4090 D is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in December 28 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 2280 MHz to 2520 MHz. It has 14592 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 425W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 114 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 30,725 points. Launch price was $1,599.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3070 scores 22,172 versus the GeForce RTX 4090 D's 30,725 — the GeForce RTX 4090 D leads by 38.6%. The GeForce RTX 3070 is built on Ampere while the GeForce RTX 4090 D uses Ada Lovelace, both on 8 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 5,888 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 14,592 (GeForce RTX 4090 D). Raw compute: 20.31 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 73.54 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4090 D). Boost clocks: 1725 MHz vs 2520 MHz. Ray tracing: 46 RT cores (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 114 (GeForce RTX 4090 D) with 184 Tensor cores vs 456.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070GeForce RTX 4090 D
G3D Mark Score
22,172
30,725+39%
Architecture
Ampere
Ada Lovelace
Process Node
8 nm
5 nm
Shading Units
5888
14592+148%
Compute (TFLOPS)
20.31 TFLOPS
73.54 TFLOPS+262%
Boost Clock
1725 MHz
2520 MHz+46%
ROPs
96
176+83%
TMUs
184
456+148%
L1 Cache
5.8 MB
14.3 MB+147%
L2 Cache
4 MB
72 MB+1700%
Ray Tracing Cores
46
114+148%
Tensor Cores
184
456+148%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the GeForce RTX 4090 D is support for DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation. This allows it to generate entire frames using AI/Algorithms, essentially doubling the frame rate in CPU-bound scenarios or heavy ray-tracing titles. The GeForce RTX 3070 lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.The GeForce RTX 4090 D supports the newer DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce RTX 3070 is capped at DLSS 2 Super Resolution.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070GeForce RTX 4090 D
Upscaling Tech
DLSS 2 Super Resolution
DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution
Frame Generation
Not Supported
DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation
Ray Reconstruction
No
Yes (DLSS 3.5)
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
NVIDIA Reflex
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 3070 comes with 8 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 4090 D has 24 GB. The GeForce RTX 4090 D offers 200% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 448 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 1008 GB/s (GeForce RTX 4090 D) — a 125% advantage for the GeForce RTX 4090 D. Bus width: 256-bit vs 384-bit. L2 Cache: 4 MB (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 72 MB (GeForce RTX 4090 D) — the GeForce RTX 4090 D has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070GeForce RTX 4090 D
VRAM Capacity
8 GB
24 GB+200%
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR6X
Memory Bandwidth
448 GB/s
1008 GB/s+125%
Bus Width
256-bit
384-bit+50%
L2 Cache
4 MB
72 MB+1700%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 4090 D). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070GeForce RTX 4090 D
DirectX
12 Ultimate
12 Ultimate
Vulkan
1.4
1.4
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th gen (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 2x NVENC (8th Gen) (GeForce RTX 4090 D). Decoder: NVDEC 5th gen vs NVDEC (5th Gen). Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs H.264,HEVC,AV1,VP9 (GeForce RTX 4090 D).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070GeForce RTX 4090 D
Encoder
NVENC 7th gen
2x NVENC (8th Gen)
Decoder
NVDEC 5th gen
NVDEC (5th Gen)
Codecs
H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1,VP9
H.264,HEVC,AV1,VP9
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3070 draws 220W versus the GeForce RTX 4090 D's 425W — a 63.6% difference. The GeForce RTX 3070 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 850W (GeForce RTX 4090 D). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 16-pin. Card length: 242mm vs 304mm, occupying 2 vs 3 slots. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 78°C.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070GeForce RTX 4090 D
TDP
220W-48%
425W
Recommended PSU
650W-24%
850W
Power Connector
8-pin
16-pin
Length
242mm
304mm
Height
112mm
137mm
Slots
2-33%
3
Temp (Load)
75°C-4%
78°C
Perf/Watt
100.8+39%
72.3
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3070 launched at $499 MSRP, while the GeForce RTX 4090 D launched at $1599. The GeForce RTX 3070 costs 68.8% less ($1100 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 44.4 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 19.2 (GeForce RTX 4090 D) — the GeForce RTX 3070 offers 131.3% better value. The GeForce RTX 4090 D is the newer GPU (2023 vs 2020).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070GeForce RTX 4090 D
MSRP
$499-69%
$1599
Performance per Dollar
44.4+131%
19.2
Codename
GA104
AD102
Release
September 1 2020
December 28 2023
Ranking
#63
#14