GeForce RTX 4070
GeForce3
GeForce RTX 4070 vs GeForce3 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 4070 vs GeForce3 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.
Path of Exile 2
Counter-Strike 2
League of Legends
Valorant
Among Us
Apex Legends
ARC Raiders
Baldur's Gate 3
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
GeForce RTX 4070 vs GeForce3: 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 4070
2023Why buy it
- ✅19124.0% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
- ✅Delivers 448400.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.9 vs 0.0 G3D/$ ($599 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
- ✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
- ✅18947.6% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 65 MB).
- ✅Better long-term bet: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
Trade-offs
- ❌506.1% higher power demand at 200W vs 33W.
- ❌84.2% longer card at 304mm vs 165mm.
GeForce3
2015Why buy it
- ✅Costs $100 less on MSRP ($499 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
- ✅Draws 33W instead of 200W, a 167W reduction.
- ✅Measures 165mm instead of 304mm, a 139mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 4070 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
- ❌Less VRAM, with 65 MB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
- ❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
- ❌2015 hardware with 65 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
- ❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0.0 vs 44.9 G3D/$ ($499 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
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GeForce RTX 4070 vs GeForce3 Technical Specifications
Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.
GeForce RTX 4070
The GeForce RTX 4070 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in April 12 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 1920 MHz to 2475 MHz. It has 5888 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 46 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 26,919 points. Launch price was $599.
GeForce3
The GeForce3 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 13 2015. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 928 MHz to 941 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 33W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5 points.
Graphics Performance
In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 4070 scores 26,919 versus the GeForce3's 5 — the GeForce RTX 4070 leads by 538280%. The GeForce RTX 4070 is built on Ada Lovelace while the GeForce3 uses Maxwell, both on 5 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 5,888 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 384 (GeForce3). Raw compute: 29.15 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 0.7227 TFLOPS (GeForce3). Boost clocks: 2475 MHz vs 941 MHz.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 4070 | GeForce3 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 26,919+538280% | 5 |
| Architecture | Ada Lovelace | Maxwell |
| Process Node | 5 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 5888+1433% | 384 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 29.15 TFLOPS+3933% | 0.7227 TFLOPS |
| Boost Clock | 2475 MHz+163% | 941 MHz |
| ROPs | 64+700% | 8 |
| TMUs | 184+667% | 24 |
| L1 Cache | 5.8 MB+2953% | 0.19 MB |
| L2 Cache | 36 MB+3500% | 1 MB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
The clearest feature edge for the GeForce RTX 4070 is support for DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation. In games that support it, that can smooth out motion and lift perceived FPS. The GeForce3 does not have comparable native support in the same tier.The GeForce3 supports the newer Upscaling support, whereas the GeForce RTX 4070 is capped at DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 4070 | GeForce3 |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution | Upscaling support |
| Frame Generation | DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation | Not Supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | Yes (DLSS 3.5) | No |
| Low Latency | NVIDIA Reflex | NVIDIA Reflex |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The GeForce RTX 4070 has 12 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce3 carries 65 MB. GeForce RTX 4070 gives you 18947.6% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 4070 and 64-bit on the GeForce3. L2 Cache: 36 MB (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 1 MB (GeForce3) — the GeForce RTX 4070 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 4070 | GeForce3 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 12 GB+18948% | 0.063 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR6X | GDDR5 |
| Bus Width | 192-bit+200% | 64-bit |
| L2 Cache | 36 MB+3500% | 1 MB |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12.2 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 8.1 (GeForce3). Vulkan: 1.3 vs N/A. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 1.3. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 2.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 4070 | GeForce3 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12.2+51% | 8.1 |
| Vulkan | 1.3 | N/A |
| OpenGL | 4.6+254% | 1.3 |
| Max Displays | 4+100% | 2 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: 8th Gen NVENC (2x) (GeForce RTX 4070) vs None (GeForce3). Decoder: 5th Gen NVDEC vs None. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs MPEG-1,MPEG-2 (GeForce3).
| Feature | GeForce RTX 4070 | GeForce3 |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | 8th Gen NVENC (2x) | None |
| Decoder | 5th Gen NVDEC | None |
| Codecs | MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 | MPEG-1,MPEG-2 |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce RTX 4070 draws 200W versus the GeForce3's 33W — a 143.3% difference. The GeForce3 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 350W (GeForce3). Power connectors: 8-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 304mm vs 165mm, occupying 3 vs 1 slots. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 85.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 4070 | GeForce3 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 200W | 33W-84% |
| Recommended PSU | 650W | 350W-46% |
| Power Connector | 8-pin | PCIe-powered |
| Length | 304mm | 165mm |
| Height | 137mm | 100mm |
| Slots | 3 | 1-67% |
| Temp (Load) | 80°C-6% | 85 |
| Perf/Watt | 134.6+67200% | 0.2 |
Value Analysis
At launch, the GeForce RTX 4070 came in at $599, while the GeForce3 launched at $499. On MSRP, GeForce3 was 16.7% cheaper ($100 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 44.9 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 0.0 (GeForce3) — the GeForce RTX 4070 offers 100+% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 4070 (2023 vs 2015).
| Feature | GeForce RTX 4070 | GeForce3 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $599 | $499-17% |
| Performance per Dollar | 44.9 | 0.0 |
| Codename | AD104 | GM108 |
| Release | April 12 2023 | March 13 2015 |
| Ranking | #32 | #810 |
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