GeForce RTX 4090 vs GeForce RTX 3070
GeForce RTX 4090
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GeForce RTX 3070
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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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar GeForce RTX 4090
Performance Per Dollar GeForce RTX 3070
Why is GeForce RTX 4090 better than GeForce RTX 3070?
Comparing the GeForce RTX 3070 Ti and the flagship GeForce RTX 4090 illustrates the massive gulf between previous-generation entry-high-end and modern absolute supremacy. The RTX 4090 is roughly 150% to 200% faster than the 3070 Ti in raw gaming benchmarks at 4K resolution. While the 3070 Ti remains a solid 1440p card, the RTX 4090 is in a league of its own, mastering path-traced games and 8K video projects that would be entirely unmanageable for the older hardware.
The technical gap is enormous. The RTX 4090 features 24GB of hyper-fast GDDR6X VRAM on a 384-bit bus, triple the 8GB found on the 3070 Ti. This difference is critical for high-resolution assets and future-proofing. Furthermore, the 4090 supports DLSS 3 Frame Generation, which can significantly boost visuals beyond what the 30-series architecture is capable of. The 3070 Ti is also limited by a much tighter power envelop and core count, making it a "mid-tier" card compared to the "industrial-strength" 4090.
The GeForce RTX 4090 is the undisputed winner in every category. It provides the absolute highest level of immersion and speed currently available on the market. The RTX 3070 Ti is still a capable card for 1440p gaming, but it cannot compete with the sheer rendering muscle and futuristic feature set of the 4090. For any enthusiast who wants the definitive gaming and creative experience in 2026, the GeForce RTX 4090 is the undisputed champion by an overwhelming margin.
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The GeForce RTX 4090 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 71.9% higher G3D Mark score and 200% more VRAM (24 GB vs 8 GB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the GeForce RTX 3070.
| Insight | GeForce RTX 4090 | GeForce RTX 3070 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+71.9%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-71.9%) |
| Longevity | 🏆Elite Architecture (Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) / 5nm) | 🔮Strong Longevity (Ampere (2020−2025) / 8nm) |
| Ecosystem | ✨ DLSS 3/4 + Frame Gen Support | ✨ DLSS 2 Upscaling |
| VRAM | 🎮 High Capacity (24 GB) | 🎮 High Capacity (8 GB) |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | Standard Size (304mm) | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
The GeForce RTX 3070 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. Priced at $200 versus $1,649 for the GeForce RTX 4090, it costs 88% less. While it maintains lower overall performance, this results in a 379.7% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | GeForce RTX 4090 | GeForce RTX 3070 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌Lower cost efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+379.7%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($1,649) | ✅More affordable ($200) |
Performance Check
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 7800X3D 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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 4090 and GeForce RTX 3070
GeForce RTX 4090
The GeForce RTX 4090 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 20 2022. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 2235 MHz to 2520 MHz. It has 16384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 450W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 128 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 38,112 points. Launch price was $1,599.
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.
Graphics Performance
In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 4090 scores 38,112 versus the GeForce RTX 3070's 22,172 — the GeForce RTX 4090 leads by 71.9%. The GeForce RTX 4090 is built on Ada Lovelace while the GeForce RTX 3070 uses Ampere, both on 5 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 16,384 (GeForce RTX 4090) vs 5,888 (GeForce RTX 3070). Raw compute: 82.58 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4090) vs 20.31 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3070). Boost clocks: 2520 MHz vs 1725 MHz. Ray tracing: 128 RT cores (GeForce RTX 4090) vs 46 (GeForce RTX 3070) with 512 Tensor cores vs 184.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 4090 | GeForce RTX 3070 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 38,112+72% | 22,172 |
| Architecture | Ada Lovelace | Ampere |
| Process Node | 5 nm | 8 nm |
| Shading Units | 16384+178% | 5888 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 82.58 TFLOPS+307% | 20.31 TFLOPS |
| Boost Clock | 2520 MHz+46% | 1725 MHz |
| ROPs | 176+83% | 96 |
| TMUs | 512+178% | 184 |
| L1 Cache | 16 MB+176% | 5.8 MB |
| L2 Cache | 72 MB+1700% | 4 MB |
| Ray Tracing Cores | 128+178% | 46 |
| Tensor Cores | 512+178% | 184 |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
A critical advantage for the GeForce RTX 4090 is support for DLSS 3 Frame Gen. 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 GeForce RTX 3070 lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.The GeForce RTX 4090 supports the newer DLSS 3.5 (including Frame Gen/Ray Reconstruction), whereas the GeForce RTX 3070 is capped at DLSS 2.0.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 4090 | GeForce RTX 3070 |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | DLSS 3.5 | DLSS 2.0 |
| Frame Generation | DLSS 3.0 (Native) | FSR 3 / AFMF (Compatible) |
| Ray Reconstruction | Yes (DLSS 3.5) | No |
| Low Latency | NVIDIA Reflex | NVIDIA Reflex |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The GeForce RTX 4090 comes with 24 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3070 has 8 GB. The GeForce RTX 4090 offers 200% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 1008 GB/s (GeForce RTX 4090) vs 448 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3070) — a 125% advantage for the GeForce RTX 4090. Bus width: 384-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 72 MB (GeForce RTX 4090) vs 4 MB (GeForce RTX 3070) — the GeForce RTX 4090 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 4090 | GeForce RTX 3070 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 24 GB+200% | 8 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR6X | GDDR6 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 1008 GB/s+125% | 448 GB/s |
| Bus Width | 384-bit+50% | 256-bit |
| L2 Cache | 72 MB+1700% | 4 MB |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12.2 (GeForce RTX 4090) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3070). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 4090 | GeForce RTX 3070 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12.2+2% | 12 Ultimate |
| Vulkan | 1.3 | 1.4+8% |
| OpenGL | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| Max Displays | 4 | 4 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: 8th Gen NVENC (2x) (GeForce RTX 4090) vs NVENC 7th gen (GeForce RTX 3070). Decoder: 5th Gen NVDEC vs NVDEC 5th gen. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (GeForce RTX 4090) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3070).
| Feature | GeForce RTX 4090 | GeForce RTX 3070 |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | 8th Gen NVENC (2x) | NVENC 7th gen |
| Decoder | 5th Gen NVDEC | NVDEC 5th gen |
| Codecs | MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 | H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1,VP9 |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce RTX 4090 draws 450W versus the GeForce RTX 3070's 220W — a 68.7% difference. The GeForce RTX 3070 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 1000W (GeForce RTX 4090) vs 650W (GeForce RTX 3070). Power connectors: 16-pin (12VHPWR) vs 8-pin. Card length: 304mm vs 242mm, occupying 3 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 75°C.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 4090 | GeForce RTX 3070 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 450W | 220W-51% |
| Recommended PSU | 1000W | 650W-35% |
| Power Connector | 16-pin (12VHPWR) | 8-pin |
| Length | 304mm | 242mm |
| Height | 137mm | 112mm |
| Slots | 3 | 2-33% |
| Temp (Load) | 80°C | 75°C-6% |
| Perf/Watt | 84.7 | 100.8+19% |
Value Analysis
The GeForce RTX 4090 launched at $1599 MSRP and currently averages $1649, while the GeForce RTX 3070 launched at $499 and now averages $200. The GeForce RTX 3070 costs 87.9% less ($1449 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 23.1 (GeForce RTX 4090) vs 110.9 (GeForce RTX 3070) — the GeForce RTX 3070 offers 380.1% better value. The GeForce RTX 4090 is the newer GPU (2022 vs 2020).
| Feature | GeForce RTX 4090 | GeForce RTX 3070 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $1599 | $499-69% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $1649 | $200-88% |
| Performance per Dollar | 23.1 | 110.9+380% |
| Codename | AD102 | GA104 |
| Release | September 20 2022 | September 1 2020 |
| Ranking | #4 | #63 |
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