NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 AD103 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile Comparison

Both GPUs share the same AD103 chip and Ada Lovelace architecture, but they are configured for entirely different roles. The RTX 4070 AD103 is a desktop card with a 200 W power target and dual-slot cooling, while the RTX 4090 Mobile is an integrated GPU for laptops with a 120 W power envelope. The recorded data shows that the mobile part delivers substantially higher raw compute throughput, whereas the desktop part counters with higher clock speeds and a more mature production status. The following analysis relies exclusively on the database entries for these two products.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The RTX 4090 Mobile holds a decisive advantage in the recorded benchmark suite. In Geekbench OpenCL, it scores 180,831 points, while in Geekbench Vulkan it reaches 170,774. These are the only two synthetic compute scores in the database for either product, and they establish the mobile GPU as the clear leader in general-purpose and graphics API workloads. The desktop RTX 4070 AD103 has no recorded benchmark scores in the database, so the comparison relies entirely on the mobile part's measured performance.

The RTX 4090 Mobile also posts a PassMark G3D score of 27,212, which places it in the 84th percentile among all GPUs in the database. Its average benchmark score across all tests is 43,667. The nearest rivals in the database are the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 with an average score of 43,301 (0.8% lower), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 Mobile at 43,268 (0.9% lower), the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 24 GB at 43,262 (0.9% lower), and the NVIDIA RTX A6000 at 44,075 (0.9% higher). This clustering indicates that the RTX 4090 Mobile sits in a tight performance band, slightly behind the RTX A6000 but ahead of the M6000 variants and the RTX 5050 Mobile.

In DirectX-specific PassMark tests, the RTX 4090 Mobile shows varying results. It scores 310 in DirectX 9, 262 in DirectX 11, 173 in DirectX 10, and 107 in DirectX 12. The compute-oriented PassMark GPU compute test yields 12,347 points, while the 2D graphics test reaches 984. These figures show that the mobile GPU handles legacy APIs better than newer ones, with DirectX 9 performance nearly three times the DirectX 12 score. The desktop RTX 4070 AD103 has no comparable data, so no direct head-to-head benchmark comparison is possible from the database.

The FP32 compute figures support the mobile part's lead. The RTX 4090 Mobile delivers 32.98 TFLOPS, while the RTX 4070 AD103 provides 29.15 TFLOPS. This represents a 13.1% advantage for the mobile GPU in single-precision floating-point throughput. The FP16 figures mirror this exactly, with both parts offering 1:1 FP16 to FP32 ratios, so the mobile GPU again leads at 32.98 TFLOPS versus 29.15 TFLOPS.

Architecture Differences

Both GPUs use the AD103 chip fabricated on TSMC's 5 nm process, with 45,900 million transistors on a 379 mm² die, resulting in a transistor density of 121.1M per mm². The architecture is Ada Lovelace for both, and they share the same API support: DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The bus interface is PCIe 4.0 x16 for both.

The core configurations diverge significantly. The RTX 4070 AD103 has 5,888 shading units, 184 TMUs, 64 ROPs, 46 RT cores, and 184 tensor cores. The RTX 4090 Mobile has 9,728 shading units, 304 TMUs, 112 ROPs, 76 RT cores, and 304 tensor cores. The mobile part therefore has 65% more shading units, 65% more TMUs, 75% more ROPs, 65% more RT cores, and 65% more tensor cores. This explains its higher compute throughput despite much lower clock speeds.

Clock speeds tell the opposite story. The RTX 4070 AD103 runs at a base clock of 1920 MHz and a boost clock of 2475 MHz. The RTX 4090 Mobile runs at 1335 MHz base and 1695 MHz boost. The desktop part's boost clock is 46% higher than the mobile part's boost clock. Memory clocks also differ: the desktop uses 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective) while the mobile uses 2250 MHz (18 Gbps effective). The mobile memory runs at a higher physical frequency but with lower effective data rate due to the different memory type.

The memory subsystem is a major differentiator. The RTX 4070 AD103 has 12 GB of GDDR6X on a 192-bit bus, yielding 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The RTX 4090 Mobile has 16 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, yielding 576.0 GB/s. The mobile part offers 33% more memory capacity and 14.2% more bandwidth, despite using the slower GDDR6 standard. The desktop part's narrower bus limits its bandwidth potential.

Pixel and texture rates follow the core counts. The RTX 4070 AD103 achieves 158.4 GPixel/s and 455.4 GTexel/s. The RTX 4090 Mobile achieves 189.8 GPixel/s and 515.3 GTexel/s. The mobile GPU leads by 19.8% in pixel throughput and 13.2% in texture throughput. These figures align with the higher ROP and TMU counts on the mobile part.

Power and physical characteristics differ sharply. The RTX 4070 AD103 has a TDP of 200 W, requires a 550 W suggested PSU, uses a 1x 16-pin power connector, and is dual-slot with dimensions of 240 mm length, 110 mm height, and 40 mm width. The RTX 4090 Mobile has a TDP of 120 W, no power connectors, and is classified as an IGP (integrated graphics processor) with no listed dimensions. The desktop part consumes 67% more power, which is expected given its higher clocks and discrete card design.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has higher raw compute performance?

A: The RTX 4090 Mobile leads with 32.98 TFLOPS FP32 and FP16, compared to 29.15 TFLOPS for the RTX 4070 AD103, a 13.1% advantage.

Q: How do memory capacities compare?

A: The RTX 4090 Mobile has 16 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, while the RTX 4070 AD103 has 12 GB of GDDR6X on a 192-bit bus. The mobile part also has higher bandwidth at 576.0 GB/s versus 504.2 GB/s.

Q: What is the production status of each GPU?

A: The RTX 4070 AD103 is end-of-life, while the RTX 4090 Mobile is active and still in production.

Q: Do both GPUs use the same chip?

A: Yes, both use the AD103 chip on TSMC's 5 nm process, with 45,900 million transistors on a 379 mm² die.

Q: Which GPU has higher clock speeds?

A: The RTX 4070 AD103 has higher clocks at 1920 MHz base and 2475 MHz boost, versus 1335 MHz base and 1695 MHz boost for the RTX 4090 Mobile.

Q: How does the RTX 4090 Mobile perform relative to its nearest rivals?

A: Its average benchmark score of 43,667 places it 0.8% above the Quadro M6000, 0.9% above the RTX 5050 Mobile, 0.9% above the Quadro M6000 24 GB, and 0.9% below the RTX A6000.

The Verdict

The data indicates that the RTX 4090 Mobile is the stronger performer in every measured compute category. It wins on FP32 throughput, FP16 throughput, pixel rate, texture rate, memory capacity, and memory bandwidth. Its benchmark scores place it in the 84th percentile among all GPUs, with an average score of 43,667. The RTX 4070 AD103 has no recorded benchmark scores and sits at the 50th percentile with an average score of 0, which reflects the absence of data rather than actual hardware capability.

The RTX 4070 AD103 does hold advantages in clock speeds, with a boost clock 46% higher, and in power efficiency relative to its performance class, given its higher power draw. It also has a defined launch MSRP of 599 USD, which the database records for this desktop card. The RTX 4090 Mobile has no launch MSRP in the database.

For users requiring maximum compute throughput in a portable form factor, the RTX 4090 Mobile is the clear choice based on the recorded data. Its 16 GB memory and 576.0 GB/s bandwidth support larger datasets and higher-resolution textures. The RTX 4070 AD103 remains relevant for desktop builds where the dual-slot form factor and 200 W power target fit the system design, and where the higher clock speeds may benefit certain workloads. The database shows no benchmark wins for the desktop part, so the mobile GPU dominates the measured performance landscape.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ in the following recorded specifications:

• Shading units: 5,888 (RTX 4070 AD103) vs 9,728 (RTX 4090 Mobile)
• TMUs: 184 vs 304
• ROPs: 64 vs 112
• RT cores: 46 vs 76
• Tensor cores: 184 vs 304
• Base clock: 1920 MHz vs 1335 MHz
• Boost clock: 2475 MHz vs 1695 MHz
• Memory clock: 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective) vs 2250 MHz (18 Gbps effective)
• Memory size: 12 GB vs 16 GB
• Memory type: GDDR6X vs GDDR6
• Memory bus: 192 bit vs 256 bit
• Memory bandwidth: 504.2 GB/s vs 576.0 GB/s
• Pixel rate: 158.4 GPixel/s vs 189.8 GPixel/s
• Texture rate: 455.4 GTexel/s vs 515.3 GTexel/s
• FP32: 29.15 TFLOPS vs 32.98 TFLOPS
• FP16: 29.15 TFLOPS vs 32.98 TFLOPS
• TDP: 200 W vs 120 W
• Slot width: Dual-slot vs IGP
• Power connectors: 1x 16-pin vs None
• Suggested PSU: 550 W vs None
• Display outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a vs Portable Device Dependent
• Dimensions: 240 mm x 110 mm x 40 mm vs None listed
• Production status: End-of-life vs Active
• Release date: 2024-02-29 vs 2023-01-02
• Predecessor: GeForce 30 vs GeForce 30 Mobile
• Successor: GeForce 50 vs GeForce 50 Mobile
• Launch MSRP: 599 USD vs None

Where Each One Wins

The RTX 4090 Mobile wins in compute-heavy workloads. Its 32.98 TFLOPS FP32 output and 515.3 GTexel/s texture rate make it suitable for rendering tasks and GPU compute applications. The Geekbench OpenCL score of 180,831 and Vulkan score of 170,774 confirm strong performance in cross-platform compute and graphics APIs. The 16 GB memory capacity and 256-bit bus support larger working sets than the desktop part.

The RTX 4070 AD103 wins on clock speed dominance and desktop integration. Its 2475 MHz boost clock is the highest among the two, which can benefit latency-sensitive workloads that depend on single-threaded shader execution. The dual-slot design with 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a outputs provides direct multi-monitor connectivity, whereas the mobile part's display outputs are portable device dependent. The desktop card also has a defined launch MSRP of 599 USD, making its market position explicit in the database.

The mobile GPU wins on power efficiency in the sense that it delivers higher performance at 120 W, which is 60% of the desktop part's 200 W TDP. The desktop part wins on repairability and upgradeability by virtue of being a discrete card with standard dimensions and connectors. The database shows no benchmark wins for the RTX 4070 AD103, so all measured performance categories favor the RTX 4090 Mobile.