NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER AD102 Comparison
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970
GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER AD102
PERFORMANCE BENCHMARKS
Analysis: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER AD102
# Head-to-Head Benchmarks
The benchmark data presents a clear picture: the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER AD102 decisively outperforms the older NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 in the recorded tests. In the single head-to-head comparison available in the database, the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER AD102 scores 6269.5 points in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, while the GTX 970 manages only 369 points. That is a delta of -94.1%, meaning the GTX 970 trails by a substantial margin. This is not a close contest; the newer card wins the only direct comparison by a wide margin.
Across the broader benchmark suite, the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER AD102 holds a decisive advantage. The database shows zero wins for the GTX 970 in its head-to-head matchups, while the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER takes one win. The data indicates that the newer architecture simply outclasses the older one in every recorded test.
Architecture Differences
The architectural gap between these two GPUs is fundamental and explains the benchmark results. The GeForce GTX 970 is built on the Maxwell 2.0 architecture, using the GM204 chip. It features 1664 shading units, 104 texture mapping units, and 56 ROPs. It has a 256-bit memory bus with 4 GB of GDDR5 memory, delivering a bandwidth of 224.4 GB/s. Its base clock is 1050 MHz with a boost of 1178 MHz, and memory runs at 1753 MHz.
In stark contrast, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER AD102 is a much more modern design. It uses the Ada Lovelace architecture with the AD102 chip. The processing node is dramatically smaller at 5 nm versus 28 nm. It packs 76,300 million transistors onto a die that is 609 mm², resulting in a transistor density of 125.3 million per mm². The older chip has 5,200 million transistors on a 398 mm² die, for a density of 13.1 million per mm². The newer chip is more than an order of magnitude denser.
The RTX card has 8448 shading units, 264 texture mapping units, and 96 ROPs. It also includes 66 ray tracing cores and 264 tensor cores, features entirely absent from the GTX 970. Its memory system is significantly upgraded: 16 GB of GDDR6X on a 256-bit bus, delivering 672.3 GB/s of bandwidth. The memory clock runs at 1313 MHz, and the effective data rate is 21 Gbps. The GTX 970's older GDDR5 memory, by comparison, lacks the newer memory technology and bandwidth.
The Verdict
Based strictly on the recorded data, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER AD102 is the clear choice. It wins the only direct head-to-head benchmark and posts a score of 6269.5 versus the GTX 970's 369, a difference of -94.1%. The RTX card is the current-generation product, while the GTX 970 is an end-of-life product from an older family. The architecture, process node, memory type, and feature set are all decisively in favor of the newer card. Production status for the GTX 970 is listed as end-of-life, while the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER AD102 was released in 2024. For any workload where the highest performance is required, the data points to the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER AD102.
Specification Differences
The primary specifications where these two cards differ are extensive. The RTX 4070 Ti SUPER AD102 belongs to the GeForce 40-series, while the GTX 970 is from the GeForce 900-series. The newer card uses the AD102 chip, whereas the older uses the GM204. The architecture of the RTX card is Ada Lovelace, a major departure from the Maxwell 2.0 architecture of the GTX 970. The manufacturing process improved significantly to 5 nm from 28 nm.
The memory subsystem is also a major differentiator. The RTX 4070 Ti SUPER AD102 has 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, for a bandwidth of 672.3 GB/s. The GTX 970 has 4 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, providing 224.4 GB/s. The GTX 970 also uses a dual-slot cooler and requires two 6-pin power connectors, with a 300 W suggested PSU. The RTX card is a triple-slot cooler, uses one 16-pin power connector, and a 600 W PSU is suggested. The bus interface also improves to PCIe 4.0 x16. Display outputs are upgraded to 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a.
Q: What is the launch MSRP of these cards?
A: The GTX 970 had a launch MSRP of 329 USD. The RTX 4070 Ti SUPER AD102 had a launch MSRP of 799 USD.
Q: Which card has more ray tracing cores?
A: The RTX 4070 Ti SUPER AD102 has 264 tensor cores and 66 ray tracing cores. The GTX 970 has no tensor cores or ray tracing cores.
Q: What is the average benchmark score?
A: The RTX 4070 Ti SUPER AD102 has an average benchmark score of 6270. The GTX 970 averages 7157.
Q: Which card has a higher pixel rate?
A: The RTX card has a pixel rate of 250.6 GPixel/s, while the GTX 970 has 65.97 GPixel/s.
Q: How does the GTX 970 rank among all GPUs?
A: The GTX 970 is in the 39th percentile of all GPUs. The newer card is in the 36th percentile.
Q: What is the difference in transistor density?
A: The RTX has a density of 125.3 million transistors per square millimeter. The GTX has 13.1 million per square millimeter.