GeForce RTX 3070 vs RADEON 9800 XT

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3070

2020Core: 1500 MHzBoost: 1725 MHz
RTX family
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VS
AMD

RADEON 9800 XT

2022Core: 1387 MHzBoost: 2394 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce RTX 3070 vs RADEON 9800 XT Performance Spectrum

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.

GeForce RTX 3070 vs RADEON 9800 XT FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

GeForce RTX 3070 vs RADEON 9800 XT: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

GeForce RTX 3070

2020

Why buy it

  • 18222.0% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Delivers 38798.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.4 vs 0.1 G3D/$ ($499 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • 3100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 256 MB).
  • Better long-term bet: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • 34.4% longer card at 242mm vs 180mm.

RADEON 9800 XT

2022

Why buy it

  • Measures 180mm instead of 242mm, a 62mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.
  • More future proof: RDNA 3.0 (2022−2026) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3070 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 256 MB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
  • GeForce RTX 3070 is the safer long-term pick here because the hardware is newer and the feature stack is stronger.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0.1 vs 44.4 G3D/$ ($499 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce RTX 3070 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 18222.0% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 38798.2% in PassMark G3D (22,172 vs 57), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 3070 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 8 GB vs 256 MB of VRAM. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce RTX 3070 makes the most sense to buy today. It is priced the same on MSRP at $499 vs $499, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 38798.2% (44.4 vs 0.1), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce RTX 3070 vs RADEON 9800 XT Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

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.

AMD

RADEON 9800 XT

The RADEON 9800 XT is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 3 2022. It features the RDNA 3.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1387 MHz to 2394 MHz. It has 5376 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 300W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 84 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 57 points. Launch price was $899.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3070 scores 22,172 versus the RADEON 9800 XT's 57 — the GeForce RTX 3070 leads by 38798.2%. The GeForce RTX 3070 is built on Ampere while the RADEON 9800 XT uses RDNA 3.0, both on 8 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 5,888 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 5,376 (RADEON 9800 XT). Raw compute: 20.31 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 51.48 TFLOPS (RADEON 9800 XT). Boost clocks: 1725 MHz vs 2394 MHz. Ray tracing: 46 RT cores (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 84 (RADEON 9800 XT) with 184 Tensor cores.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070RADEON 9800 XT
G3D Mark Score
22,172+38798%
57
Architecture
Ampere
RDNA 3.0
Process Node
8 nm
5 nm
Shading Units
5888+10%
5376
Compute (TFLOPS)
20.31 TFLOPS
51.48 TFLOPS+153%
Boost Clock
1725 MHz
2394 MHz+39%
ROPs
96
192+100%
TMUs
184
336+83%
L1 Cache
5.8 MB+93%
3 MB
L2 Cache
4 MB
6 MB+50%
Ray Tracing Cores
46
84+83%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3070 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The RADEON 9800 XT leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070RADEON 9800 XT
Upscaling Tech
DLSS 2 Super Resolution
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
AMD Anti-Lag
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 3070 has 8 GB of VRAM, while the RADEON 9800 XT carries 256 MB. GeForce RTX 3070 gives you 3100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 256-bit on the GeForce RTX 3070 and 64-bit on the RADEON 9800 XT. L2 Cache: 4 MB (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 6 MB (RADEON 9800 XT) — the RADEON 9800 XT has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070RADEON 9800 XT
VRAM Capacity
8 GB+3100%
0.25 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR5
Bus Width
256-bit+300%
64-bit
L2 Cache
4 MB
6 MB+50%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 9_0 (RADEON 9800 XT). Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 2.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070RADEON 9800 XT
DirectX
12 Ultimate+33%
9_0
Max Displays
4+100%
2
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3070 draws 220W versus the RADEON 9800 XT's 300W — a 30.8% difference. The GeForce RTX 3070 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 350W (RADEON 9800 XT). Power connectors: 8-pin vs Legacy. Card length: 242mm vs 180mm, occupying 2 vs 1 slots.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070RADEON 9800 XT
TDP
220W-27%
300W
Recommended PSU
650W
350W-46%
Power Connector
8-pin
Legacy
Length
242mm
180mm
Height
112mm
Slots
2
1-50%
Temp (Load)
75°C
Perf/Watt
100.8+50300%
0.2
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce RTX 3070 came in at $499, while the RADEON 9800 XT launched at $499. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 44.4 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 0.1 (RADEON 9800 XT) — the GeForce RTX 3070 offers 44300% better value. The newer card here is RADEON 9800 XT (2022 vs 2020).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070RADEON 9800 XT
MSRP
$499
$499
Performance per Dollar
44.4+44300%
0.1
Codename
GA104
Navi 31
Release
September 1 2020
November 3 2022
Ranking
#63
#21

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