AMD Radeon RX 9070 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data splits evenly at five wins apiece, but the margins tell a more nuanced story. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 dominates in compute-oriented and legacy DirectX workloads, while the AMD Radeon RX 9070 counters with modern API and 2D performance.

The largest single delta in the entire comparison belongs to the RTX 3090 in PassMark DirectX 12, where it scores 110 against the RX 9070's 74, a 48.6% advantage. This is a substantial gap and indicates that the older Ampere architecture retains strong low-level DirectX 12 optimization. Similarly, in PassMark DirectX 10, the RTX 3090 posts 182 versus 141, a 29.1% lead. The Geekbench OpenCL result reinforces this pattern: the RTX 3090 scores 172,758 against 131,539, a 31.3% margin. PassMark G3D also favors NVIDIA, with 26,645 versus 25,381, a 5% edge, and PassMark GPU Compute adds a smaller 4.2% win (15,356 vs. 14,737).

The RX 9070's victories are concentrated in newer API paths and 2D workloads. In 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, the RX 9070 scores 6,290 versus 5,118, a decisive 18.6% win. Geekbench Vulkan shows a narrower but meaningful 8.1% advantage (58,705 vs. 53,927). The older DirectX 9 test also goes to AMD, 343 versus 268, a 21.9% margin, and DirectX 11 follows with 281 versus 220, a 21.7% lead. The PassMark G2D result is a clear AMD win: 1,280 versus 1,063, a 17% difference.

The average benchmark scores reflect these splits. The RTX 3090 holds an average of 27,565, placing it at the 73rd percentile of all GPUs. The RX 9070 averages 23,877, at the 69th percentile. The RTX 3090's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Mobile at 27,435 (0.5% lower) and AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT at 27,425 (0.5% lower). The RX 9070's nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN Z at 23,736 (0.6% lower) and AMD Radeon RX 6800S at 24,063 (0.8% higher). This places the two cards in different performance tiers despite the split win count.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two is generational and fundamental. The RTX 3090 uses the GA102 chip on Samsung's 8 nm process, with 28,300 million transistors on a 628 mm² die, yielding a density of 45.1 million transistors per mm². The RX 9070 uses the Navi 48 chip on TSMC's 4 nm node, packing 53,900 million transistors into a 357 mm² die, a density of 151.0 million per mm². The process advantage is stark: the RX 9070 fits nearly twice the transistor count into roughly half the silicon area.

Shader configuration diverges sharply. The RTX 3090 has 10,496 shading units, 328 texture mapping units, and 112 ROPs. The RX 9070 has 3,584 shading units, 224 TMUs, and 128 ROPs. Despite having fewer shaders, the RX 9070 achieves comparable FP32 throughput: 36.13 TFLOPS versus 35.58 TFLOPS for the RTX 3090. Both deliver FP16 at a 1:1 ratio with FP32.

Ray tracing hardware also differs. The RTX 3090 carries 82 RT cores and 328 tensor cores, while the RX 9070 has 56 RT cores and no tensor cores. The RX 9070 compensates with higher clock rates: a 2,520 MHz boost versus 1,695 MHz for the RTX 3090, and a 2,070 MHz game clock. The base clocks are closer, with the RTX 3090 at 1,395 MHz and the RX 9070 at 1,330 MHz.

Memory subsystems reflect different design priorities. The RTX 3090 uses 24 GB of GDDR6X on a 384-bit bus, delivering 936.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The RX 9070 uses 16 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, providing 644.6 GB/s. The RX 9070's memory runs at 2,518 MHz (20.1 Gbps effective) versus 1,219 MHz (19.5 Gbps effective) for the RTX 3090. The RTX 3090's pixel rate is 189.8 GPixel/s, while the RX 9070 reaches 322.6 GPixel/s, a direct result of its higher ROP count and clocks. Texture rates are nearly identical: 556.0 GTexel/s for NVIDIA versus 564.5 GTexel/s for AMD.

Power and physical specifications lean heavily toward the RX 9070. The RTX 3090 has a 350 W TDP, requires a 750 W PSU, uses a triple-slot cooler, and a single 12-pin connector. The RX 9070 has a 220 W TDP, a 550 W PSU recommendation, dual-slot design, and two 8-pin connectors. The RTX 3090 is 336 mm long, while the RX 9070's dimensions are not recorded. Interface support also differs: the RTX 3090 uses PCIe 4.0 x16, the RX 9070 uses PCIe 5.0 x16. Display outputs are modern on both, with the RTX 3090 offering HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4a, while the RX 9070 offers HDMI 2.1b and DisplayPort 2.1a.

Where Each One Wins

The RTX 3090 is the choice for compute-heavy and legacy API workloads. Its Geekbench OpenCL score of 172,758 is 31.3% higher, making it the stronger option for OpenCL-based compute tasks such as scientific simulations or certain rendering pipelines. The PassMark DirectX 12 result (110 vs. 74, a 48.6% gap) suggests better optimization for applications that still rely on DirectX 12's lower-level features. For older DirectX 10 titles or workloads, the 29.1% lead (182 vs. 141) is decisive. The overall G3D score (26,645 vs. 25,381) and GPU Compute score (15,356 vs. 14,737) both favor NVIDIA, giving it a general-purpose edge in mixed workloads.

The RX 9070 wins in modern gaming scenarios. Its 18.6% lead in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 (6,290 vs. 5,118) indicates stronger performance in contemporary game engines that leverage DX12's full feature set. The Vulkan advantage of 8.1% (58,705 vs. 53,927) extends this to Vulkan-based titles. For older DirectX 9 and DirectX 11 games, the RX 9070 leads by 21.9% (343 vs. 268) and 21.7% (281 vs. 220) respectively, which is unexpected for a modern architecture but clearly recorded. The PassMark G2D score of 1,280 versus 1,063 is a 17% win, indicating faster 2D desktop compositing and window management.

The power efficiency data points to a clear use-case split. The RX 9070 delivers comparable or better modern gaming performance at a 220 W TDP versus 350 W for the RTX 3090. The RX 9070 also requires a 550 W PSU versus 750 W. This makes the RX 9070 suitable for compact dual-slot builds, while the RTX 3090 needs the triple-slot footprint and larger power supply. The production status also differs: the RX 9070 is active, the RTX 3090 is end-of-life.

FAQ

Q: Which card has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 averages 27,565, which is 15.4% higher than the RX 9070's 23,877. The RTX 3090 also ranks at the 73rd percentile of all GPUs, versus the 69th percentile for the RX 9070.

Q: Does the RX 9070 win any major modern benchmark?

A: Yes, the RX 9070 wins 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 with a score of 6,290 versus 5,118, an 18.6% margin. It also wins Geekbench Vulkan with 58,705 versus 53,927, an 8.1% lead.

Q: Where does the RTX 3090 have its largest advantage?

A: The largest advantage is in PassMark DirectX 12, where the RTX 3090 scores 110 versus 74, a 48.6% lead. It also holds a 31.3% lead in Geekbench OpenCL (172,758 vs. 131,539).

Q: How do the memory sizes compare?

A: The RTX 3090 has 24 GB of GDDR6X on a 384-bit bus with 936.2 GB/s bandwidth. The RX 9070 has 16 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus with 644.6 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Which card has better power efficiency?

A: The RX 9070 has a 220 W TDP and requires a 550 W PSU, while the RTX 3090 has a 350 W TDP and requires a 750 W PSU. The RX 9070 also uses a dual-slot cooler versus the RTX 3090's triple-slot design.

Q: Are these cards from the same generation?

A: No. The RTX 3090 is from the GeForce 30-series on Ampere architecture, released in 2020. The RX 9070 is from the Radeon RX 9000 series on RDNA 4.0 architecture, released in 2025. The RTX 3090 is end-of-life, while the RX 9070 is active.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear split based on workload. If the priority is raw compute throughput in OpenCL, legacy DirectX 10 or 12 optimization, or maximum memory capacity, the RTX 3090 is the stronger card. Its 24 GB frame buffer and 936.2 GB/s bandwidth are unmatched by the RX 9070's 16 GB and 644.6 GB/s. The RTX 3090's 31.3% OpenCL lead and 48.6% DirectX 12 advantage make it the choice for compute-oriented tasks that can use those APIs.

For modern gaming, the RX 9070 is the better pick. The 18.6% win in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 is the most relevant modern gaming metric in the dataset, and the Vulkan lead of 8.1% adds weight. The RX 9070 also wins DirectX 9, DirectX 11, and G2D tests, showing broad compatibility. Its 220 W TDP, dual-slot design, and 550 W PSU requirement make it far easier to integrate into a system. The RX 9070's 4 nm process and 151.0 million transistors per mm² density represent a modern design that achieves similar FP32 throughput (36.13 vs. 35.58 TFLOPS) with fewer shaders.

The average benchmark scores favor the RTX 3090, but the RX 9070's wins in current-generation APIs suggest that the gap narrows or reverses in modern game engines. The production status is decisive for new purchases: the RTX 3090 is end-of-life, the RX 9070 is active. The RTX 3090's launch MSRP was 1,499 USD, while the RX 9070's launch MSRP was 549 USD. The RTX 3090's successor is the GeForce 40 series, while the RX 9070 has no successor listed. For a new build targeting contemporary titles, the RX 9070 is the logical choice. For compute-heavy legacy workloads or scenarios requiring maximum VRAM, the RTX 3090 remains competitive.

Specification Differences

| Specification | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 | AMD Radeon RX 9070 |

|---|---|---|

| Architecture | Ampere | RDNA 4.0 |

| Process Node | 8 nm | 4 nm |

| Foundry | Samsung | TSMC |

| Transistors | 28,300 million | 53,900 million |

| Die Size | 628 mm² | 357 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 45.1M / mm² | 151.0M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 1395 MHz | 1330 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 1695 MHz | 2520 MHz |

| Game Clock | N/A | 2070 MHz |

| Memory Size | 24 GB | 16 GB |

| Memory Type | GDDR6X | GDDR6 |

| Memory Bus | 384 bit | 256 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 936.2 GB/s | 644.6 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 10496 | 3584 |

| TMUs | 328 | 224 |

| ROPs | 112 | 128 |

| RT Cores | 82 | 56 |

| Tensor Cores | 328 | N/A |

| Pixel Rate | 189.8 GPixel/s | 322.6 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 556.0 GTexel/s | 564.5 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 35.58 TFLOPS | 36.13 TFLOPS |

| TDP | 350 W | 220 W |

| Slot Width | Triple-slot | Dual-slot |

| Power Connectors | 1x 12-pin | 2x 8-pin |

| Suggested PSU | 750 W | 550 W |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 4.0 x16 | PCIe 5.0 x16 |

| Display Outputs | 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a | 1x HDMI 2.1b, 3x DisplayPort 2.1a |

| Length | 336 mm | Not recorded |

| Production Status | End-of-life | Active |

| Release Date | 2020-08-31 | 2025-03-05 |

| Launch MSRP | 1,499 USD | 549 USD |