GeForce RTX 3070 vs GRID P40-12Q

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3070

2020Core: 1500 MHzBoost: 1725 MHz

Popular choices:

VS

GRID P40-12Q

2015Core: 557 MHzBoost: 1178 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

  • +300.2% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Costs $5,200 less on MSRP ($499 MSRP vs $5,699 MSRP).
  • Delivers 4470.8% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.4 vs 1.0 G3D/$ ($499 MSRP vs $5,699 MSRP).
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 4 GB).

Trade-offs

  • Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.

GRID P40-12Q

2015

Why buy it

  • Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (5,540 vs 22,172).
  • Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
  • Very weak future-proofing: 2015-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
  • 1042.1% HIGHER MSRP
    $5,699 MSRPvs$499 MSRP

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3070 better than GRID P40-12Q?
Yes. GeForce RTX 3070 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 22,172 vs 5,540 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3070 is a 2020 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while GRID P40-12Q is a 2015 model from an older generation with no meaningful modern upscaling stack. 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 3070 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2020 generation instead of 2015, 300.2% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 8 GB instead of 4 GB, and better upscaling support with DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack. 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 3070 is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce RTX 3070 is about $5,200 cheaper on MSRP at $499 MSRP versus $5,699 MSRP, and you are getting 300.2% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 4470.8%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.
Is GRID P40-12Q still worth buying for gaming in 2026?
Yes. GRID P40-12Q is still a strong modern gaming GPU: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It remains a good buy when you can get it meaningfully cheaper than the alternative around $5,699 MSRP, even if GeForce RTX 3070 is still the cleaner recommendation on overall value today.

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 3070GRID P40-12Q
1080p
low158 FPS104 FPS
medium140 FPS90 FPS
high123 FPS73 FPS
ultra104 FPS44 FPS
1440p
low134 FPS91 FPS
medium109 FPS80 FPS
high96 FPS58 FPS
ultra86 FPS33 FPS
4K
low80 FPS29 FPS
medium67 FPS27 FPS
high52 FPS18 FPS
ultra45 FPS16 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce RTX 3070GRID P40-12Q
1080p
low470 FPS162 FPS
medium405 FPS128 FPS
high327 FPS94 FPS
ultra277 FPS75 FPS
1440p
low294 FPS119 FPS
medium246 FPS92 FPS
high213 FPS74 FPS
ultra179 FPS57 FPS
4K
low141 FPS68 FPS
medium120 FPS52 FPS
high105 FPS43 FPS
ultra83 FPS32 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce RTX 3070GRID P40-12Q
1080p
low885 FPS249 FPS
medium712 FPS199 FPS
high619 FPS166 FPS
ultra499 FPS125 FPS
1440p
low692 FPS187 FPS
medium557 FPS150 FPS
high473 FPS125 FPS
ultra374 FPS93 FPS
4K
low479 FPS125 FPS
medium388 FPS100 FPS
high330 FPS83 FPS
ultra249 FPS62 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce RTX 3070GRID P40-12Q
1080p
low600 FPS182 FPS
medium527 FPS148 FPS
high433 FPS133 FPS
ultra385 FPS103 FPS
1440p
low489 FPS132 FPS
medium433 FPS110 FPS
high339 FPS99 FPS
ultra297 FPS77 FPS
4K
low292 FPS77 FPS
medium270 FPS60 FPS
high238 FPS49 FPS
ultra200 FPS36 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3070 and GRID P40-12Q

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

GRID P40-12Q

The GRID P40-12Q is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 30 2015. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 557 MHz to 1178 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 225W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,540 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3070 scores 22,172 versus the GRID P40-12Q's 5,540 — the GeForce RTX 3070 leads by 300.2%. The GeForce RTX 3070 is built on Ampere while the GRID P40-12Q uses Maxwell 2.0, both on 8 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 5,888 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 2,048 (GRID P40-12Q). Raw compute: 20.31 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 4.825 TFLOPS (GRID P40-12Q). Boost clocks: 1725 MHz vs 1178 MHz.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070GRID P40-12Q
G3D Mark Score
22,172+300%
5,540
Architecture
Ampere
Maxwell 2.0
Process Node
8 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
5888+188%
2048
Compute (TFLOPS)
20.31 TFLOPS+321%
4.825 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
1725 MHz+46%
1178 MHz
ROPs
96+50%
64
TMUs
184+44%
128
L1 Cache
5.8 MB+673%
0.75 MB
L2 Cache
4 MB+100%
2 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3070 gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The GRID P40-12Q relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070GRID P40-12Q
Upscaling Tech
DLSS 2 Super Resolution
Upscaling support
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
Standard
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 3070 comes with 8 GB of VRAM, while the GRID P40-12Q has 4 GB. The GeForce RTX 3070 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 256-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 4 MB (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 2 MB (GRID P40-12Q) — the GeForce RTX 3070 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070GRID P40-12Q
VRAM Capacity
8 GB+100%
4 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR6
Bus Width
256-bit+100%
128-bit
L2 Cache
4 MB+100%
2 MB
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3070 draws 220W versus the GRID P40-12Q's 225W — a 2.2% difference. The GeForce RTX 3070 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 350W (GRID P40-12Q). Power connectors: 8-pin vs PCIe-powered.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070GRID P40-12Q
TDP
220W-2%
225W
Recommended PSU
650W
350W-46%
Power Connector
8-pin
PCIe-powered
Length
242mm
Height
112mm
Slots
2
Temp (Load)
75°C
Perf/Watt
100.8+310%
24.6
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3070 launched at $499 MSRP, while the GRID P40-12Q launched at $5699. The GeForce RTX 3070 costs 91.2% less ($5200 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 44.4 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 1.0 (GRID P40-12Q) — the GeForce RTX 3070 offers 4340% better value. The GeForce RTX 3070 is the newer GPU (2020 vs 2015).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070GRID P40-12Q
MSRP
$499-91%
$5699
Performance per Dollar
44.4+4340%
1.0
Codename
GA104
GM204
Release
September 1 2020
August 30 2015
Ranking
#63
#433