GeForce RTX 4070 vs Maxwell GPU Surface Book

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4070

2023Core: 1920 MHzBoost: 2475 MHz
RTX family
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VS

Maxwell GPU Surface Book

2015Core: 954 MHzBoost: 993 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce RTX 4070 vs Maxwell GPU Surface Book 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 Maxwell GPU Surface Book: 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

2023

Why buy it

  • +713% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Delivers 103.6% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.9 vs 22.1 G3D/$ ($599 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
  • Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
  • 500% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 2 GB).
  • Better long-term bet: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • 566.7% higher power demand at 200W vs 30W.

Maxwell GPU Surface Book

2015

Why buy it

  • Costs $449 less on MSRP ($150 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
  • Draws 30W instead of 200W, a 170W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (3,311 vs 26,919).
  • Less VRAM, with 2 GB 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 2 GB 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 22.1 vs 44.9 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce RTX 4070 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 713% in PassMark G3D (26,919 vs 3,311), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 4070 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 12 GB vs 2 GB of VRAM, the newer feature stack, with DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution (2023) and DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023), while Maxwell GPU Surface Book is limited to no meaningful modern upscaling stack and no comparable frame-generation support, a 5nm process instead of 28nm, and 46 vs 0 ray-tracing units. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce RTX 4070 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $449 more expensive on MSRP at $599 vs $150, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 103.6% (44.9 vs 22.1), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce RTX 4070 vs Maxwell GPU Surface Book Technical Specifications

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

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.

Maxwell GPU Surface Book

The Maxwell GPU Surface Book is manufactured by an unknown manufacturer. It was released in October 1 2015. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 954 MHz to 993 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 30W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,311 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 4070 scores 26,919 versus the Maxwell GPU Surface Book's 3,311 — the GeForce RTX 4070 leads by 713%. The GeForce RTX 4070 is built on Ada Lovelace while the Maxwell GPU Surface Book uses Maxwell, both on 5 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 5,888 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 384 (Maxwell GPU Surface Book). Boost clocks: 2475 MHz vs 993 MHz.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070Maxwell GPU Surface Book
G3D Mark Score
26,919+713%
3,311
Architecture
Ada Lovelace
Maxwell
Process Node
5 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
5888+1433%
384
Boost Clock
2475 MHz+149%
993 MHz

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 Maxwell GPU Surface Book does not have comparable native support in the same tier.The GeForce RTX 4070 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Maxwell GPU Surface Book leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070Maxwell GPU Surface Book
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 has 12 GB of VRAM, while the Maxwell GPU Surface Book carries 2 GB. GeForce RTX 4070 gives you 500% 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 128-bit on the Maxwell GPU Surface Book.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070Maxwell GPU Surface Book
VRAM Capacity
12 GB+500%
2 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6X
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
504 GB/s
Unknown
Bus Width
192-bit+50%
128-bit
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.2 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 12 (11_0) (Maxwell GPU Surface Book). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.1. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 3.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070Maxwell GPU Surface Book
DirectX
12.2+2%
12 (11_0)
Vulkan
1.3+18%
1.1
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4+33%
3
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: 8th Gen NVENC (2x) (GeForce RTX 4070) vs None (Maxwell GPU Surface Book). Decoder: 5th Gen NVDEC vs PureVideo VP6. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (Maxwell GPU Surface Book).

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070Maxwell GPU Surface Book
Encoder
8th Gen NVENC (2x)
None
Decoder
5th Gen NVDEC
PureVideo VP6
Codecs
MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1
H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 4070 draws 200W versus the Maxwell GPU Surface Book's 30W — a 147.8% difference. The Maxwell GPU Surface Book is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 350W (Maxwell GPU Surface Book). Power connectors: 8-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 304mm vs 0mm, occupying 3 vs 0 slots. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 85.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070Maxwell GPU Surface Book
TDP
200W
30W-85%
Recommended PSU
650W
350W-46%
Power Connector
8-pin
PCIe-powered
Length
304mm
0mm
Height
137mm
0mm
Slots
3
0-100%
Temp (Load)
80°C-6%
85
Perf/Watt
134.6+22%
110.4
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce RTX 4070 came in at $599, while the Maxwell GPU Surface Book launched at $150. On MSRP, Maxwell GPU Surface Book was 75% cheaper ($449 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 44.9 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 22.1 (Maxwell GPU Surface Book) — the GeForce RTX 4070 offers 103.2% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 4070 (2023 vs 2015).

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070Maxwell GPU Surface Book
MSRP
$599
$150-75%
Performance per Dollar
44.9+103%
22.1
Codename
AD104
Surface Book
Release
April 12 2023
October 1 2015
Ranking
#32
#779

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