GeForce RTX 4070 vs Radeon Steam Deck 8CU

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4070

2023Core: 1920 MHzBoost: 2475 MHz
RTX family
·······
VS
AMD

Radeon Steam Deck 8CU

2023Boost: 1900 MHz

GeForce RTX 4070 vs Radeon Steam Deck 8CU 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 Radeon Steam Deck 8CU 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 4070 vs Radeon Steam Deck 8CU: 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

  • 290.9% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.9 vs 0 G3D/$ ($599 MSRP vs Unknown 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.
  • 30300% longer card at 304mm vs 1mm.

Radeon Steam Deck 8CU

2023

Why buy it

  • Draws 30W instead of 200W, a 170W reduction.
  • Measures 1mm instead of 304mm, a 303mm 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 2 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
  • GeForce RTX 4070 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 vs 44.9 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $599 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce RTX 4070 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 290.9% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 797.3% in PassMark G3D (26,919 vs 3,000), so the answer here is pretty clean.
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, native frame generation with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023), while Radeon Steam Deck 8CU has no comparable frame-generation support, a 5nm process instead of 6nm, 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 today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

GeForce RTX 4070 vs Radeon Steam Deck 8CU 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.

AMD

Radeon Steam Deck 8CU

The Radeon Steam Deck 8CU is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 9 2023. It features the RDNA 2 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1900 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 30W. Manufactured using 6 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,000 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 4070 scores 26,919 versus the Radeon Steam Deck 8CU's 3,000 — the GeForce RTX 4070 leads by 797.3%. The GeForce RTX 4070 is built on Ada Lovelace while the Radeon Steam Deck 8CU uses RDNA 2, both on 5 nm vs 6 nm. Shader units: 5,888 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 512 (Radeon Steam Deck 8CU). Boost clocks: 2475 MHz vs 1900 MHz.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070Radeon Steam Deck 8CU
G3D Mark Score
26,919+797%
3,000
Architecture
Ada Lovelace
RDNA 2
Process Node
5 nm
6 nm
Shading Units
5888+1050%
512
Boost Clock
2475 MHz+30%
1900 MHz
L1 Cache
5.8 MB+1060%
0.5 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 Radeon Steam Deck 8CU 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 Radeon Steam Deck 8CU leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070Radeon Steam Deck 8CU
Upscaling Tech
DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation
DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
Yes (DLSS 3.5)
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
AMD Anti-Lag
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 4070 has 12 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon Steam Deck 8CU 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 64-bit on the Radeon Steam Deck 8CU. L2 Cache: 36 MB (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 1 MB (Radeon Steam Deck 8CU) — the GeForce RTX 4070 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070Radeon Steam Deck 8CU
VRAM Capacity
12 GB+500%
2 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 12_0 (Radeon Steam Deck 8CU). Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 0.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070Radeon Steam Deck 8CU
DirectX
12.2+2%
12_0
Max Displays
4
0
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: 8th Gen NVENC (2x) (GeForce RTX 4070) vs VCN 3.0 (Radeon Steam Deck 8CU). Decoder: 5th Gen NVDEC vs VCN 3.0.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070Radeon Steam Deck 8CU
Encoder
8th Gen NVENC (2x)
VCN 3.0
Decoder
5th Gen NVDEC
VCN 3.0
Codecs
MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 4070 draws 200W versus the Radeon Steam Deck 8CU's 30W — a 147.8% difference. The Radeon Steam Deck 8CU is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 350W (Radeon Steam Deck 8CU). Power connectors: 8-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 304mm vs 1mm, occupying 3 vs 0 slots.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070Radeon Steam Deck 8CU
TDP
200W
30W-85%
Recommended PSU
650W
350W-46%
Power Connector
8-pin
PCIe-powered
Length
304mm
1mm
Height
137mm
Slots
3
0-100%
Temp (Load)
80°C
Perf/Watt
134.6+35%
100.0
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce RTX 4070 came in at $599, while the Radeon Steam Deck 8CU launched at $0. On MSRP, Radeon Steam Deck 8CU was 100+% cheaper ($599 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 44.9 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs Infinity (Radeon Steam Deck 8CU) — the Radeon Steam Deck 8CU offers Infinity% better value.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070Radeon Steam Deck 8CU
MSRP
$599
$0-100%
Performance per Dollar
44.9
Infinity
Codename
AD104
RDNA 2 Sephiroth
Release
April 12 2023
November 9 2023
Ranking
#32
#480

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