NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 AD103 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 GDDR6 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database records no direct head-to-head benchmark entries for the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 AD103 versus the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 GDDR6. This absence of paired test data means a direct score-by-score comparison cannot be constructed from the recorded measurements. However, the available specification and benchmark data for the GDDR6 variant, along with the full architectural details for both cards, allows for a meaningful analysis of where each product stands.

The RTX 4070 GDDR6 has one recorded benchmark result in the database: a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 4334.5. This places the card at the 25th percentile among all GPUs tracked by the database. Its nearest rivals in the recorded data are all significantly lower-end products, which is an unusual positioning for a card of this class. The closest competitor, the NVIDIA GeForce 930M, scores 4388, which is 1.2% higher than the RTX 4070 GDDR6. The Intel Iris Pro Graphics 5200 scores 4360, sitting 0.6% above the RTX 4070 GDDR6. On the lower side, the AMD FirePro W2100 scores 4295, which is 0.9% below, and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M scores 4282, coming in 1.2% below.

These delta percentages are remarkably small, ranging from -1.2% to +1.2%. The RTX 4070 GDDR6 essentially trades blows with integrated and legacy mobile graphics solutions in this specific test, which is counterintuitive given its specifications. The average benchmark score for the RTX 4070 GDDR6 is recorded as 4335, rounding the single Steel Nomad result. The percentile ranking of 25 indicates that the recorded performance places this card in the lower quarter of all GPUs in the database, a position that does not align with its intended market segment.

For the RTX 4070 AD103, the database contains no benchmark scores, no percentile ranking, and no nearest rivals. Its average benchmark score is listed as 0, and its percentile versus all GPUs is 50. This means the AD103 variant has no recorded performance data to compare directly against the GDDR6 variant. The head-to-head benchmark list is empty, and neither card records any wins in direct competition.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the recorded data, the RTX 4070 GDDR6 is the only variant with actual benchmark measurements. Its single Steel Nomad score of 4334.5, while modest in the context of its nearest rivals, does confirm functional operation. The RTX 4070 AD103 has no performance data recorded, so no verdict on its measured capabilities can be offered. The database shows the AD103 at the 50th percentile among all GPUs, but with a zero average score, this percentile appears to be a placeholder rather than a measured result.

For users selecting between these two cards, the data indicates that both share identical core configurations. The GDDR6 variant has verifiable benchmark output, while the AD103 does not. The GDDR6 card's nearest rivals in the database are low-performance products, suggesting that either the benchmark test is not representative of the card's full capabilities or the recorded data is anomalous. The percentile of 25 for the GDDR6 variant versus 50 for the AD103 variant does not reflect any measured difference, as the AD103 has no scores.

The production status for both cards is end-of-life, and both share the same launch MSRP of 599 USD. The release dates differ, with the AD103 launching on 2024-02-29 and the GDDR6 on 2024-08-19. The data shows the GDDR6 as a later release, but no performance advantage can be attributed to this timing based on recorded benchmarks.

FAQ

Q: Which card has a higher recorded benchmark score?

A: Only the RTX 4070 GDDR6 has a recorded benchmark score, which is 4334.5 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12. The RTX 4070 AD103 has no benchmark scores recorded in the database.

Q: How does the RTX 4070 GDDR6 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The nearest rival is the Intel Iris Pro Graphics 5200 with an average score of 4360, which is 0.6% higher. The AMD FirePro W2100 scores 4295, which is 0.9% lower. The NVIDIA GeForce 930M scores 4388, which is 1.2% higher, and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M scores 4282, which is 1.2% lower.

Q: What is the percentile ranking for each card?

A: The RTX 4070 AD103 is at the 50th percentile among all GPUs, while the RTX 4070 GDDR6 is at the 25th percentile. The AD103 has no benchmark scores, so this percentile does not reflect measured performance.

Q: Do the two cards have the same memory capacity?

A: Yes, both cards have 12 GB of memory. The AD103 uses GDDR6X memory, while the GDDR6 variant uses GDDR6 memory.

Q: What are the release dates for these cards?

A: The RTX 4070 AD103 was released on 2024-02-29, and the RTX 4070 GDDR6 was released on 2024-08-19. Both are marked as end-of-life production status.

Q: Are the core specifications identical between the two cards?

A: Yes, both cards have 5888 shading units, 184 TMUs, 64 ROPs, 46 RT cores, and 184 tensor cores. The base clock is 1920 MHz and the boost clock is 2475 MHz for both.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ in several specification fields, despite sharing many core parameters. The chip designations are different: the AD103 variant uses the AD103 chip, while the GDDR6 variant uses the AD104 chip. This chip difference leads to variations in physical characteristics. The AD103 chip contains 45,900 million transistors on a 379 mm² die, while the AD104 chip contains 35,800 million transistors on a 294 mm² die. The transistor density is nearly identical, with the AD103 at 121.1M per mm² and the AD104 at 121.8M per mm².

Memory specifications show clear differences. The AD103 uses GDDR6X memory, while the GDDR6 variant uses GDDR6 memory. The memory clock is recorded as 1313 MHz with 21 Gbps effective for the AD103, while the GDDR6 variant runs at 2500 MHz with 20 Gbps effective. Memory bandwidth differs accordingly: the AD103 delivers 504.2 GB/s, while the GDDR6 variant delivers 480.0 GB/s. Both cards use a 192-bit memory bus and have 12 GB of memory capacity.

All other measured specifications are identical. Both cards have a 5 nm process node from TSMC, a base clock of 1920 MHz, a boost clock of 2475 MHz, 5888 shading units, 184 TMUs, 64 ROPs, 46 RT cores, and 184 tensor cores. The pixel rate is 158.4 GPixel/s for both, and the texture rate is 455.4 GTexel/s for both. FP32 and FP16 performance are both recorded as 29.15 TFLOPS with a 1:1 ratio. The TDP is 200 W for both, with a dual-slot form factor, a single 16-pin power connector, and a suggested PSU of 550 W. Both use PCIe 4.0 x16, have identical display outputs of 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a, and share the same dimensions of 240 mm length, 110 mm height, and 40 mm width. Both support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

Architecture Differences

The architectural differences between the two cards center on the GPU chip and memory subsystem. The AD103 variant uses the AD103 chip, which is the larger physical implementation with 45,900 million transistors and a 379 mm² die size. The GDDR6 variant uses the AD104 chip, which is smaller at 35,800 million transistors and 294 mm². Both chips are built on the Ada Lovelace architecture using TSMC's 5 nm process, and both belong to the GeForce 40 generation.

The memory architecture differs in the type of VRAM used. The AD103 employs GDDR6X, which achieves a higher effective data rate of 21 Gbps compared to the GDDR6 variant's 20 Gbps. This results in a bandwidth advantage for the AD103, with 504.2 GB/s versus 480.0 GB/s for the GDDR6 card. The memory clock speeds are recorded differently: the AD103 runs at 1313 MHz, while the GDDR6 variant runs at 2500 MHz, but these figures represent different measurement points given the different memory types.

The core compute architecture is identical between the two cards. Both have the same number of shading units, TMUs, ROPs, RT cores, and tensor cores. The clock speeds are the same, and therefore the compute throughput measures are identical. The FP32 performance is 29.15 TFLOPS for both, and the texture and pixel rates match exactly. The architectural difference is therefore limited to the physical chip size and the memory type, with the compute pipeline being a direct match.

Where Each One Wins

The RTX 4070 AD103 holds advantages in memory bandwidth and physical chip size. Its GDDR6X memory delivers 504.2 GB/s, which is 24.2 GB/s higher than the GDDR6 variant's 480.0 GB/s. This bandwidth advantage could benefit memory-intensive workloads, though no benchmark data confirms this in practice. The AD103 also has a larger die with more transistors, which may indicate higher manufacturing complexity but does not translate to higher compute performance based on the identical core counts and clock speeds.

The RTX 4070 GDDR6 has the advantage of recorded benchmark data. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 4334.5 provides a concrete performance data point, whereas the AD103 has no measured scores. The GDDR6 variant also has a later release date of 2024-08-19 compared to the AD103's 2024-02-29, which could indicate a newer production batch, though the data does not show any performance benefit from this timing.

In terms of measured wins, neither card records any wins in the head-to-head benchmark data because that field is empty. The GDDR6 variant's benchmark score places it at the 25th percentile, while the AD103 sits at the 50th percentile, but the AD103's percentile is not supported by any actual benchmark result. For users who prioritize memory bandwidth and the larger chip, the AD103 offers the specification advantage. For users who require verified performance data, the GDDR6 variant is the only option with recorded measurements. Both cards share the same compute specifications, TDP, dimensions, and power requirements, so the practical differences come down to memory type and the presence of benchmark data.