GeForce RTX 4070 vs L40S

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4070

2023Core: 1920 MHzBoost: 2475 MHz

Popular choices:

VS

L40S

2022Core: 1110 MHzBoost: 2520 MHz

Popular choices:

RTX 4070

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 4070

2023

Why buy it

  • +34.4% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Costs $6,901 less on MSRP ($599 MSRP vs $7,500 MSRP).
  • Delivers 1583.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.9 vs 2.7 G3D/$ ($599 MSRP vs $7,500 MSRP).
  • Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
  • More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 12 GB vs 48 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 13.9% longer card at 304mm vs 267mm.

L40S

2022

Why buy it

  • 300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (48 GB vs 12 GB).
  • Measures 267mm instead of 304mm, a 37mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (20,023 vs 26,919).
  • No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
  • Weaker long-term outlook: GeForce RTX 4070 is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.
  • 1152.1% HIGHER MSRP
    $7,500 MSRPvs$599 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 2.7 vs 44.9 G3D/$ ($7,500 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 4070 better than L40S?
Yes. GeForce RTX 4070 is the better GPU overall here. You are getting 34.4% higher PassMark G3D performance and DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation. It also comes from 2023 instead of 2022, which helps its case as the more complete modern gaming card.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 4070 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2023 generation instead of 2022, 34.4% more raw performance headroom, and better upscaling support with DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution (2023) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack and better frame-generation support with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack. That broader feature stack should age better as more games lean on modern upscaling and frame-generation support.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?
GeForce RTX 4070 is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce RTX 4070 is about $6,901 cheaper on MSRP at $599 MSRP versus $7,500 MSRP, and you are getting 34.4% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 1583.3%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.
Is L40S still worth buying for gaming in 2026?
Yes. L40S is still a strong modern gaming GPU: it is excellent for 1080p, very strong for 1440p, and still capable at 4K with sensible settings or upscaling. It remains a good buy when you can get it meaningfully cheaper than the alternative around $7,500 MSRP, even if GeForce RTX 4070 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 4070L40S
1080p
low183 FPS287 FPS
medium167 FPS256 FPS
high151 FPS216 FPS
ultra131 FPS136 FPS
1440p
low150 FPS256 FPS
medium124 FPS214 FPS
high110 FPS158 FPS
ultra101 FPS98 FPS
4K
low92 FPS117 FPS
medium78 FPS98 FPS
high65 FPS68 FPS
ultra58 FPS59 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce RTX 4070L40S
1080p
low544 FPS784 FPS
medium454 FPS629 FPS
high353 FPS478 FPS
ultra299 FPS416 FPS
1440p
low351 FPS646 FPS
medium288 FPS528 FPS
high235 FPS411 FPS
ultra197 FPS332 FPS
4K
low172 FPS338 FPS
medium144 FPS273 FPS
high125 FPS240 FPS
ultra101 FPS201 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce RTX 4070L40S
1080p
low884 FPS901 FPS
medium713 FPS721 FPS
high643 FPS601 FPS
ultra569 FPS451 FPS
1440p
low684 FPS676 FPS
medium549 FPS541 FPS
high483 FPS451 FPS
ultra424 FPS338 FPS
4K
low467 FPS451 FPS
medium373 FPS360 FPS
high326 FPS300 FPS
ultra277 FPS225 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce RTX 4070L40S
1080p
low751 FPS483 FPS
medium612 FPS422 FPS
high536 FPS376 FPS
ultra497 FPS288 FPS
1440p
low615 FPS345 FPS
medium500 FPS312 FPS
high433 FPS274 FPS
ultra395 FPS209 FPS
4K
low384 FPS224 FPS
medium324 FPS193 FPS
high301 FPS153 FPS
ultra272 FPS117 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 4070 and L40S

NVIDIA

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.

NVIDIA

L40S

The L40S is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in October 13 2022. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 1110 MHz to 2520 MHz. It has 18176 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 300W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 142 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 20,023 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 4070 scores 26,919 versus the L40S's 20,023 — the GeForce RTX 4070 leads by 34.4%. The GeForce RTX 4070 is built on Ada Lovelace while the L40S uses Ada Lovelace, both on a 5 nm process. Shader units: 5,888 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 18,176 (L40S). Raw compute: 29.15 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 91.61 TFLOPS (L40S). Boost clocks: 2475 MHz vs 2520 MHz. Ray tracing: 46 RT cores (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 142 (L40S) with 184 Tensor cores vs 568.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070L40S
G3D Mark Score
26,919+34%
20,023
Architecture
Ada Lovelace
Ada Lovelace
Process Node
5 nm
5 nm
Shading Units
5888
18176+209%
Compute (TFLOPS)
29.15 TFLOPS
91.61 TFLOPS+214%
Boost Clock
2475 MHz
2520 MHz+2%
ROPs
64
192+200%
TMUs
184
568+209%
L1 Cache
5.8 MB
17.8 MB+207%
L2 Cache
36 MB
48 MB+33%
Ray Tracing Cores
46
142+209%
Tensor Cores
184
568+209%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the GeForce RTX 4070 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 L40S lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.The GeForce RTX 4070 gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The L40S relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070L40S
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
Standard
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 4070 comes with 12 GB of VRAM, while the L40S has 48 GB. The L40S offers 300% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 504 GB/s (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 960 GB/s (L40S) — a 90.5% advantage for the L40S. Bus width: 192-bit vs 384-bit. L2 Cache: 36 MB (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 48 MB (L40S) — the L40S has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070L40S
VRAM Capacity
12 GB
48 GB+300%
Memory Type
GDDR6X
GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth
504 GB/s
960 GB/s+90%
Bus Width
192-bit
384-bit+100%
L2 Cache
36 MB
48 MB+33%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.2 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 12.2 (L40S). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070L40S
DirectX
12.2
12.2
Vulkan
1.3
1.3
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: 8th Gen NVENC (2x) (GeForce RTX 4070) vs NVENC 8th Gen (L40S). Decoder: 5th Gen NVDEC vs NVDEC 5th Gen. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs H.264,H.265,AV1 (L40S).

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070L40S
Encoder
8th Gen NVENC (2x)
NVENC 8th Gen
Decoder
5th Gen NVDEC
NVDEC 5th Gen
Codecs
MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1
H.264,H.265,AV1
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 4070 draws 200W versus the L40S's 300W — a 40% difference. The GeForce RTX 4070 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 800W (L40S). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 16-pin. Card length: 304mm vs 267mm, occupying 3 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 85°C.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070L40S
TDP
200W-33%
300W
Recommended PSU
650W-19%
800W
Power Connector
8-pin
16-pin
Length
304mm
267mm
Height
137mm
111mm
Slots
3
2-33%
Temp (Load)
80°C-6%
85°C
Perf/Watt
134.6+102%
66.7
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 4070 launched at $599 MSRP, while the L40S launched at $7500. The GeForce RTX 4070 costs 92% less ($6901 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 44.9 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 2.7 (L40S) — the GeForce RTX 4070 offers 1563% better value. The GeForce RTX 4070 is the newer GPU (2023 vs 2022).

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070L40S
MSRP
$599-92%
$7500
Performance per Dollar
44.9+1563%
2.7
Codename
AD104
AD102
Release
April 12 2023
October 13 2022
Ranking
#32
#76