GeForce RTX 3070 vs GeForce RTX 5090 D

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3070

2020Core: 1500 MHzBoost: 1725 MHz

Popular choices:

VS
NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 5090 D

2025Core: 2017 MHzBoost: 2407 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 $1,500 less on MSRP ($499 MSRP vs $1,999 MSRP).
  • Delivers 116.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.4 vs 20.5 G3D/$ ($499 MSRP vs $1,999 MSRP).
  • Draws 220W instead of 575W, a 355W reduction.
  • Measures 242mm instead of 304mm, a 62mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (22,172 vs 41,059).
  • Less VRAM, with 8 GB vs 32 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation (2025).
  • Weaker long-term outlook: GeForce RTX 5090 D is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.

GeForce RTX 5090 D

2025

Why buy it

  • +85.2% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation (2025).
  • 300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (32 GB vs 8 GB).
  • More future proof: Blackwell 2.0 (2025−2026) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • 300.6% HIGHER MSRP
    $1,999 MSRPvs$499 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 20.5 vs 44.4 G3D/$ ($1,999 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
  • 161.4% higher power demand at 575W vs 220W.
  • 25.6% longer card at 304mm vs 242mm.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 5090 D better than GeForce RTX 3070?
Yes. GeForce RTX 5090 D is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 41,059 vs 22,172 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 5090 D is a 2025 card with DLSS 4 + Multi Frame Gen, 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 5090 D is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2025 generation instead of 2020, 85.2% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 32 GB instead of 8 GB, and better upscaling support with DLSS 4 Super Resolution (2025) instead of DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) and better frame-generation support with DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation (2025) 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 5090 D is about 300.6% more expensive on MSRP at $1,999 MSRP versus $499 MSRP, and you are getting 85.2% 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 5090 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 5090 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 5090 D
1080p
low158 FPS276 FPS
medium140 FPS257 FPS
high123 FPS219 FPS
ultra104 FPS192 FPS
1440p
low134 FPS260 FPS
medium109 FPS217 FPS
high96 FPS172 FPS
ultra86 FPS155 FPS
4K
low80 FPS179 FPS
medium67 FPS149 FPS
high52 FPS112 FPS
ultra45 FPS100 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce RTX 3070GeForce RTX 5090 D
1080p
low470 FPS880 FPS
medium405 FPS713 FPS
high327 FPS561 FPS
ultra277 FPS474 FPS
1440p
low294 FPS697 FPS
medium246 FPS591 FPS
high213 FPS483 FPS
ultra179 FPS383 FPS
4K
low141 FPS383 FPS
medium120 FPS328 FPS
high105 FPS305 FPS
ultra83 FPS263 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce RTX 3070GeForce RTX 5090 D
1080p
low885 FPS944 FPS
medium712 FPS772 FPS
high619 FPS698 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 FPS316 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce RTX 3070GeForce RTX 5090 D
1080p
low600 FPS999 FPS
medium527 FPS999 FPS
high433 FPS977 FPS
ultra385 FPS866 FPS
1440p
low489 FPS943 FPS
medium433 FPS832 FPS
high339 FPS724 FPS
ultra297 FPS619 FPS
4K
low292 FPS682 FPS
medium270 FPS609 FPS
high238 FPS536 FPS
ultra200 FPS460 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3070 and GeForce RTX 5090 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 5090 D

The GeForce RTX 5090 D is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 30 2025. It features the Blackwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 2017 MHz to 2407 MHz. It has 21760 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 575W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 170 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 41,059 points. Launch price was $2,299.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3070 scores 22,172 versus the GeForce RTX 5090 D's 41,059 — the GeForce RTX 5090 D leads by 85.2%. The GeForce RTX 3070 is built on Ampere while the GeForce RTX 5090 D uses Blackwell 2.0, both on 8 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 5,888 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 21,760 (GeForce RTX 5090 D). Raw compute: 20.31 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 104.8 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 5090 D). Boost clocks: 1725 MHz vs 2407 MHz. Ray tracing: 46 RT cores (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 170 (GeForce RTX 5090 D) with 184 Tensor cores vs 680.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070GeForce RTX 5090 D
G3D Mark Score
22,172
41,059+85%
Architecture
Ampere
Blackwell 2.0
Process Node
8 nm
5 nm
Shading Units
5888
21760+270%
Compute (TFLOPS)
20.31 TFLOPS
104.8 TFLOPS+416%
Boost Clock
1725 MHz
2407 MHz+40%
ROPs
96
176+83%
TMUs
184
680+270%
L1 Cache
5.8 MB
21.3 MB+267%
L2 Cache
4 MB
96 MB+2300%
Ray Tracing Cores
46
170+270%
Tensor Cores
184
680+270%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the GeForce RTX 5090 D is support for DLSS 4 Multi 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 5090 D supports the newer DLSS 4 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce RTX 3070 is capped at DLSS 2 Super Resolution.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070GeForce RTX 5090 D
Upscaling Tech
DLSS 2 Super Resolution
DLSS 4 Super Resolution
Frame Generation
Not Supported
DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation
Ray Reconstruction
No
Yes (DLSS 4)
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
NVIDIA Reflex
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 3070 comes with 8 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 5090 D has 32 GB. The GeForce RTX 5090 D offers 300% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 448 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 1792 GB/s (GeForce RTX 5090 D) — a 300% advantage for the GeForce RTX 5090 D. Bus width: 256-bit vs 512-bit. L2 Cache: 4 MB (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 96 MB (GeForce RTX 5090 D) — the GeForce RTX 5090 D has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070GeForce RTX 5090 D
VRAM Capacity
8 GB
32 GB+300%
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR7
Memory Bandwidth
448 GB/s
1792 GB/s+300%
Bus Width
256-bit
512-bit+100%
L2 Cache
4 MB
96 MB+2300%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 5090 D). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070GeForce RTX 5090 D
DirectX
12 Ultimate
12 Ultimate
Vulkan
1.4+8%
1.3
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th gen (GeForce RTX 3070) vs NVENC 9th Gen (GeForce RTX 5090 D). Decoder: NVDEC 5th gen vs NVDEC 8th Gen. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs H.264,H.265,AV1,VP9 (GeForce RTX 5090 D).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070GeForce RTX 5090 D
Encoder
NVENC 7th gen
NVENC 9th Gen
Decoder
NVDEC 5th gen
NVDEC 8th Gen
Codecs
H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1,VP9
H.264,H.265,AV1,VP9
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3070 draws 220W versus the GeForce RTX 5090 D's 575W — a 89.3% difference. The GeForce RTX 3070 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 1000W (GeForce RTX 5090 D). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 16-pin. Card length: 242mm vs 304mm, occupying 2 vs 3 slots. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 85.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070GeForce RTX 5090 D
TDP
220W-62%
575W
Recommended PSU
650W-35%
1000W
Power Connector
8-pin
16-pin
Length
242mm
304mm
Height
112mm
137mm
Slots
2-33%
3
Temp (Load)
75°C-12%
85
Perf/Watt
100.8+41%
71.4
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3070 launched at $499 MSRP, while the GeForce RTX 5090 D launched at $1999. The GeForce RTX 3070 costs 75% less ($1500 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 44.4 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 20.5 (GeForce RTX 5090 D) — the GeForce RTX 3070 offers 116.6% better value. The GeForce RTX 5090 D is the newer GPU (2025 vs 2020).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070GeForce RTX 5090 D
MSRP
$499-75%
$1999
Performance per Dollar
44.4+117%
20.5
Codename
GA104
GB202
Release
September 1 2020
January 30 2025
Ranking
#63
#1