AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER Comparison

The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER represent two very different moments in GPU design. One is a 2017 flagship built on a 14 nm process, while the other is a 2024 release on a 5 nm node. The database contains a single direct benchmark comparison for these two cards, but the full specification sheets and average score data reveal a clear story about generational progress. This analysis draws strictly on the recorded measurements and technical details for both parts.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark comparison in the database is the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test. In this test, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER scored 5569, while the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 scored 1501. The delta is recorded as -73%, meaning the AMD card trails by 73% in this particular workload. That is a massive gap. The NVIDIA card delivers more than three and a half times the raw score of the AMD card in this modern DirectX 12 test.

This single result dominates the head-to-head picture. The RTX 4070 Ti SUPER wins the only recorded benchmark, and it does so by a wide margin. The AMD card has zero wins in the database, while the NVIDIA card has one. The 3DMark Steel Nomad test is a demanding, recent workload, and it heavily favors the newer architecture. The difference is not marginal; it is a generational leap in performance.

Beyond the direct comparison, the average benchmark scores across all recorded tests tell a similar story. The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 has an average benchmark score of 37507. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER has an average benchmark score of 31087. This is interesting because the average score pulls from different sets of tests for each card. The AMD card's average is actually higher than the NVIDIA card's average, despite losing the direct head-to-head. This is because the AMD card's recorded tests include a Geekbench Metal result of 73512, which is a strong score for that specific workload. The NVIDIA card's average is weighed down by several low PassMark scores, including a 119 in DirectX 12 and a 181 in DirectX 10.

The percentile rankings also differ. The AMD card sits in the 81st percentile of all GPUs, while the NVIDIA card sits in the 76th percentile. This might seem contradictory given the NVIDIA card's clear win in the direct test, but it reflects the different benchmark suites used for each card. The AMD card's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Tesla P4 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070, with average scores of 37628 and 37648 respectively. The NVIDIA card's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Quadro M5000 and the NVIDIA GRID M60-1Q, with average scores of 31206 and 31220. The AMD card is effectively tied with the RTX 4070 in its average score, while the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER sits near the TITAN RTX in its own average pool.

The data shows that for the specific Steel Nomad workload, the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER is in a different class. For other workloads, particularly Metal-based tests, the Vega 56 holds its own. The 3DMark result is the most direct apples-to-apples comparison available, and it heavily favors NVIDIA.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two cards is enormous. The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 uses the Vega 10 chip, built on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. It is based on the GCN 5.0 architecture. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER uses the AD103 chip, built on a 5 nm process at TSMC, and it uses the Ada Lovelace architecture.

The transistor counts reflect the process and design differences. The AMD card has 12,500 million transistors on a die size of 495 mm². This gives a transistor density of 25.3 million per mm². The NVIDIA card has 45,900 million transistors on a smaller die of 379 mm². This gives a transistor density of 121.1 million per mm². The NVIDIA chip packs nearly four times the transistors into a smaller physical area. This is a direct result of the 5 nm process versus the 14 nm process.

Memory configurations are also fundamentally different. The AMD card uses 8 GB of HBM2 memory on a 2048-bit bus, providing 409.6 GB/s of bandwidth. The NVIDIA card uses 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 672.3 GB/s of bandwidth. The NVIDIA card has double the memory capacity and significantly more bandwidth, despite the narrower bus. This is due to the much higher effective memory speed of GDDR6X.

The compute resources differ substantially. The AMD card has 3584 shading units, 224 texture mapping units, and 64 render output units. The NVIDIA card has 8448 shading units, 264 TMUs, and 96 ROPs. The NVIDIA card has more than double the shading units and significantly more TMUs and ROPs. The NVIDIA card also has 66 ray tracing cores and 264 tensor cores, which the AMD card lacks entirely. These are dedicated hardware units for ray tracing and AI workloads.

Clock speeds show a similar generational shift. The AMD card has a base clock of 1156 MHz and a boost clock of 1471 MHz. The NVIDIA card has a base clock of 2340 MHz and a boost clock of 2610 MHz. The NVIDIA card runs at nearly double the clock speed, which, combined with the higher core count, explains the massive performance difference in compute-heavy tasks.

The AMD card's FP32 throughput is 10.54 TFLOPS, while its FP16 throughput is 21.09 TFLOPS at a 2:1 ratio. The NVIDIA card's FP32 throughput is 44.10 TFLOPS, and its FP16 throughput is also 44.10 TFLOPS at a 1:1 ratio. The NVIDIA card has more than four times the FP32 performance and double the FP16 performance, with the added benefit of full-rate FP16.

The pixel and texture rates follow the same pattern. The AMD card has a pixel rate of 94.14 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 329.5 GTexel/s. The NVIDIA card has a pixel rate of 250.6 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 689.0 GTexel/s. The NVIDIA card is roughly 2.5 to 3 times faster in these rasterization metrics.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 wins in the database's average benchmark score category. Its average score of 37507 is higher than the NVIDIA card's average of 31087. This is driven primarily by its Geekbench Metal score of 73512. For applications that rely on Metal, the Vega 56 is competitive. It also has a lower power draw at 210 W versus the NVIDIA card's 285 W, making it a more power-efficient option for some workloads.

The AMD card also holds the advantage in terms of its physical footprint. It is a dual-slot card with a length of 280 mm, a height of 111 mm, and a width of 40 mm. The NVIDIA card is a triple-slot card with a length of 310 mm, a height of 140 mm, and a width of 61 mm. The AMD card will fit in smaller cases and leaves more room for other components.

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER wins the only direct benchmark, and it wins by a massive margin. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 result shows a 73% lead for NVIDIA. This indicates that for modern DirectX 12 gaming and compute workloads, the NVIDIA card is far superior. The NVIDIA card also has dedicated ray tracing cores and tensor cores, which enable features like ray-traced lighting and DLSS. These are not present on the AMD card, so any workload that uses these features will only run on the NVIDIA card.

The NVIDIA card has 16 GB of VRAM compared to the AMD card's 8 GB. For large texture sets, high-resolution rendering, or AI model workloads, the extra memory is a decisive advantage. The NVIDIA card also supports PCIe 4.0, while the AMD card is limited to PCIe 3.0. This gives the NVIDIA card a bandwidth advantage for data transfer between the CPU and GPU.

The NVIDIA card also has a newer API support set. It supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4, while the AMD card supports DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.3. This means the NVIDIA card is ready for the latest graphics features and standards.

The Verdict

The data points to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER as the clear winner for anyone seeking maximum performance in modern workloads. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 result is a decisive victory, with the NVIDIA card scoring 5569 against the AMD card's 1501. This is a 73% difference, which is an enormous gap. For gaming, 3D rendering, or any DirectX 12-heavy task, the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER is the obvious choice.

The NVIDIA card also wins on memory capacity, bandwidth, compute throughput, and feature set. It has 16 GB of GDDR6X memory versus 8 GB of HBM2, and its 44.10 TFLOPS of FP32 performance dwarfs the AMD card's 10.54 TFLOPS. The presence of ray tracing and tensor cores adds functionality that the Vega 56 simply cannot offer.

The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 is not without merit, but its advantages are narrower. It has a higher average benchmark score, driven by a strong Geekbench Metal result. It consumes less power at 210 W versus 285 W. It is physically smaller, making it easier to fit in compact builds. For users who exclusively use Metal-based software on a compatible platform, the Vega 56 remains a viable option.

For a new build or an upgrade, the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER is the card to choose. The performance difference in the direct benchmark is too large to ignore. The AMD card is an older design, and the data shows it is outclassed in modern workloads. The launch MSRP for the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER is 799 USD, and for the Vega 56 it is 399 USD, but the performance gap far exceeds the price gap. The verdict is straightforward: pick the NVIDIA card unless your specific workload is Metal-based and you need lower power consumption.

FAQ

Q: Which card is faster in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER is faster. It scored 5569, while the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 scored 1501, a 73% difference in favor of NVIDIA.

Q: Does the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 have a higher or lower average benchmark score?

A: The AMD card has a higher average benchmark score. Its average is 37507, while the NVIDIA card's average is 31087. This is due to different test suites, including a strong Geekbench Metal score for the AMD card.

Q: How much VRAM does each card have?

A: The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 has 8 GB of HBM2 memory. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER has 16 GB of GDDR6X memory.

Q: What is the difference in memory bandwidth?

A: The AMD card has a memory bandwidth of 409.6 GB/s. The NVIDIA card has a memory bandwidth of 672.3 GB/s, which is significantly higher.

Q: Does the NVIDIA card support ray tracing?

A: Yes, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER has 66 ray tracing cores and 264 tensor cores. The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 has no ray tracing or tensor cores.

Q: Which card has a higher boost clock speed?

A: The NVIDIA card has a boost clock of 2610 MHz. The AMD card has a boost clock of 1471 MHz.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ in nearly every major specification category. The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 uses a 14 nm process with 12,500 million transistors on a 495 mm² die. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER uses a 5 nm process with 45,900 million transistors on a 379 mm² die. The NVIDIA card has more shading units (8448 vs 3584), more TMUs (264 vs 224), and more ROPs (96 vs 64). The clock speeds differ, with the NVIDIA card having a base clock of 2340 MHz and a boost clock of 2610 MHz, compared to the AMD card's 1156 MHz base and 1471 MHz boost. Memory capacity is 16 GB versus 8 GB, with the NVIDIA card using GDDR6X on a 256-bit bus and the AMD card using HBM2 on a 2048-bit bus. Bandwidth is 672.3 GB/s for NVIDIA and 409.6 GB/s for AMD. The NVIDIA card has FP32 throughput of 44.10 TFLOPS and FP16 of 44.10 TFLOPS, while the AMD card has 10.54 TFLOPS FP32 and 21.09 TFLOPS FP16. Power draw is 285 W for NVIDIA and 210 W for AMD. The NVIDIA card is triple-slot with a 16-pin connector, while the AMD card is dual-slot with two 8-pin connectors. The NVIDIA card uses PCIe 4.0, while the AMD card uses PCIe 3.0. Display outputs are similar, with one HDMI and three DisplayPort, but the NVIDIA card supports HDMI 2.1. The NVIDIA card supports DirectX 12 Ultimate and Vulkan 1.4, while the AMD card supports DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.3.