AMD Radeon RX 6700 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Mobile Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The direct comparison between the AMD Radeon RX 6700 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Mobile reveals a clear statistical victor, with the NVIDIA mobile part taking 7 of the 9 recorded benchmark wins. However, the margin of victory varies dramatically depending on the workload, and the AMD card claims two decisive wins in specific legacy and 2D scenarios.

The largest single delta between the two comes in the Geekbench Vulkan test. The RTX 4070 Mobile scores 108,367 against the RX 6700's 83,974, a 22.5% advantage. This is a substantial gap in a modern graphics API, suggesting the Ada Lovelace architecture is significantly more efficient at handling Vulkan's low-level draw calls and compute dispatch. The Geekbench OpenCL result also favors NVIDIA, with 109,197 versus 97,841, a 10.4% lead. This indicates that the RTX 4070 Mobile holds a solid edge in general-purpose compute tasks that leverage OpenCL.

In the DirectX 12 benchmark, the NVIDIA part again leads, scoring 85 versus 71 for the AMD card, a 16.5% difference. This is a notable result for modern gaming, as DirectX 12 is the primary API for current AAA titles. The DirectX 11 test shows a smaller but still NVIDIA-favorable gap: 179 versus 166, a 7.3% lead. The DirectX 10 test is essentially a tie, with the RTX 4070 Mobile scoring 116 against 115 for the RX 6700, a negligible 0.9% margin.

The PassMark G3D test, which is a composite gaming and graphics score, gives the RTX 4070 Mobile a 3.3% lead (19,587 versus 18,931). The PassMark GPU Compute test shows a similar but smaller NVIDIA advantage, 8,399 versus 8,240, a 1.9% delta. These two results are the closest of the NVIDIA wins, indicating that in raw rasterized throughput and general compute, the two cards are more comparable than the API-specific tests suggest.

The AMD Radeon RX 6700 wins decisively in two categories. The first is PassMark DirectX 9, where it scores 250 versus 223 for the RTX 4070 Mobile, a 12.1% lead. This is interesting as it suggests the older RDNA 2 architecture retains an advantage in legacy DirectX 9 workloads, possibly due to driver optimization or architectural quirks. The second AMD win is in PassMark G2D, a 2D graphics and desktop composition test, where the RX 6700 scores 936 against 763, a massive 22.7% lead. This indicates that the desktop card has significantly better raw 2D performance, likely due to its higher memory bandwidth and different display output path.

Where Each One Wins

The data paints a clear picture of two different usage profiles. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Mobile is the stronger choice for modern, API-heavy workloads. Its wins in Vulkan, OpenCL, and DirectX 12 make it the better candidate for current-generation gaming, especially titles that rely on Vulkan or DirectX 12 Ultimate features. The 22.5% lead in Vulkan is particularly significant for games like DOOM Eternal or Warhammer 40,000: Darktide, which are known for their Vulkan render paths. The 16.5% lead in DirectX 12 also positions it well for the latest AAA releases.

The AMD Radeon RX 6700 is the winner for legacy compatibility and 2D desktop work. Its 12.1% lead in DirectX 9 means it will run older games, particularly those from the early 2010s or late 2000s, at higher frame rates. The 22.7% lead in G2D is a clear indicator that for non-gaming, non-3D tasks such as photo editing in 2D, video playback, or multi-monitor desktop productivity, the RX 6700 is the faster card. This is a niche advantage, but for a user with a library of older titles or a heavy desktop workload, it matters.

The PassMark G3D and GPU Compute results, showing only a 3.3% and 1.9% NVIDIA lead respectively, suggest that in pure rasterization and general compute without a specific API overhead, the two cards are nearly equivalent. This means the choice between them for a user who primarily plays older DirectX 11 games or uses generic compute frameworks is less clear-cut, with the AMD card potentially offering a better price-to-performance ratio in that narrow band, although pricing is not part of this analysis.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD Radeon RX 6700 is built on the RDNA 2.0 architecture, using the Navi 22 chip on a 7 nm TSMC process. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Mobile uses the Ada Lovelace architecture with the AD106 chip on a more advanced 5 nm TSMC process. This process shrink allows NVIDIA to pack more transistors into a smaller space: the RTX 4070 Mobile has 22,900 million transistors on a 188 mm² die, resulting in a transistor density of 121.8M per mm². The RX 6700, by contrast, has 17,200 million transistors on a larger 335 mm² die, giving a density of only 51.3M per mm². This means the NVIDIA chip is more than twice as dense, a direct result of the newer manufacturing node.

The shader configuration also differs significantly. The RTX 4070 Mobile has 4,608 shading units, exactly double the 2,304 shading units on the RX 6700. Both have 144 texture mapping units, but the AMD card has 64 ROPs versus 48 on the NVIDIA part. Both have 36 ray tracing cores, but the RTX 4070 Mobile adds 144 tensor cores, which are absent from the RX 6700 (the field is null). This tensor core count is critical for NVIDIA's DLSS technology and AI-accelerated workloads, giving the mobile part a feature set the AMD card cannot match.

The memory subsystems differ as well. The RX 6700 has 10 GB of GDDR6 on a 160-bit bus, yielding 320.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The RTX 4070 Mobile has 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus, yielding 256.0 GB/s. The AMD card has a clear bandwidth advantage, which helps explain its stronger 2D and legacy performance. The NVIDIA part compensates with its higher shader count and tensor cores, but the memory deficit is a real limitation for high-resolution textures.

Clock speeds are also notable. The RX 6700 has a base clock of 1941 MHz and a boost of 2450 MHz, while the RTX 4070 Mobile runs at 1395 MHz base and 1695 MHz boost. The AMD card's much higher clocks contribute to its strong pixel rate of 156.8 GPixel/s versus 81.36 GPixel/s for NVIDIA. However, the RTX 4070 Mobile's higher FP32 throughput of 15.62 TFLOPS versus 11.29 TFLOPS for the AMD card shows that raw shader count matters more than clock speed in compute-heavy tasks.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ on nearly every key specification field. The RTX 4070 Mobile uses a 5 nm process, while the RX 6700 uses 7 nm. The NVIDIA chip is smaller at 188 mm² versus 335 mm², yet has more transistors at 22,900 million versus 17,200 million. Memory size differs: 8 GB versus 10 GB. Bus width differs: 128 bit versus 160 bit. Bandwidth differs: 256.0 GB/s versus 320.0 GB/s. Shading units differ: 4,608 versus 2,304. ROPs differ: 48 versus 64. FP32 performance differs: 15.62 TFLOPS versus 11.29 TFLOPS. The RTX 4070 Mobile has 144 tensor cores; the RX 6700 has none.

Power consumption is a major split. The RTX 4070 Mobile has a TDP of 115 W and uses no power connectors, being an integrated graphics package (IGP). The RX 6700 has a TDP of 175 W, requires a single 8-pin power connector, and is a dual-slot card. The NVIDIA part is also a mobile component with no fixed dimensions, while the AMD card is a desktop board measuring 267 mm in length, 110 mm in height, and 40 mm in width. The bus interface differs: PCIe 4.0 x16 for AMD versus PCIe 4.0 x8 for NVIDIA. Display outputs differ: the RX 6700 has 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a, while the RTX 4070 Mobile's outputs are described as "Portable Device Dependent."

The release dates are different, with the RX 6700 launching on 2021-06-08 and the RTX 4070 Mobile on 2023-01-02. The AMD card is marked as end-of-life, while the NVIDIA part is active. The predecessor and successor fields also differ, with the RX 6700 following Navi and preceding Navi III, while the RTX 4070 Mobile follows GeForce 30 Mobile and precedes GeForce 50 Mobile.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 6700 has a higher average benchmark score of 30,433, compared to 27,435 for the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Mobile. However, the head-to-head tests show the NVIDIA part winning 7 out of 9.

Q: Is the RTX 4070 Mobile faster in Vulkan?

A: Yes, significantly. In the Geekbench Vulkan test, the RTX 4070 Mobile scores 108,367 against 83,974 for the RX 6700, a 22.5% advantage.

Q: Does the RX 6700 have any benchmark wins?

A: Yes, it wins in PassMark DirectX 9 (250 versus 223, a 12.1% lead) and PassMark G2D (936 versus 763, a 22.7% lead).

Q: Which card has more memory bandwidth?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 6700 has 320.0 GB/s of bandwidth, while the RTX 4070 Mobile has 256.0 GB/s. The AMD card also has more memory at 10 GB versus 8 GB.

Q: What is the TDP difference?

A: The RX 6700 has a TDP of 175 W, while the RTX 4070 Mobile has a TDP of 115 W. The NVIDIA part is an integrated mobile GPU with no external power connectors.

Q: Which card has tensor cores?

A: Only the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Mobile has tensor cores, with 144 present. The AMD Radeon RX 6700 has no tensor cores (null in the database).

The Verdict

The data indicates that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Mobile is the superior GPU for modern gaming and compute workloads. Its wins in Vulkan, OpenCL, and DirectX 12, with margins ranging from 10.4% to 22.5%, make it the clear choice for current-generation titles. The 16.5% lead in DirectX 12 is particularly relevant for the latest releases. The presence of 144 tensor cores also gives it an exclusive feature set for AI-accelerated rendering, which the AMD card cannot offer.

The AMD Radeon RX 6700 is the better option for legacy software and 2D productivity. Its 12.1% lead in DirectX 9 and 22.7% lead in G2D make it the stronger card for older game libraries and desktop tasks. Its higher memory bandwidth (320.0 GB/s versus 256.0 GB/s) and larger memory pool (10 GB versus 8 GB) also make it more suitable for high-resolution texture workloads, even if its raw compute scores are lower.

The user should choose the RTX 4070 Mobile if they prioritize modern gaming performance, Vulkan-based titles, or any workload that can leverage tensor cores. The user should choose the RX 6700 if they have a heavy investment in older DirectX 9 games, spend significant time in 2D applications, or require more video memory for texture-heavy content. The average benchmark scores favor the AMD card (30,433 versus 27,435), but the head-to-head results favor NVIDIA 7 to 2, indicating that the average score is skewed by the AMD card's strong legacy wins.