NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 AD103 vs NVIDIA L4 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded database contains benchmark scores for the NVIDIA L4, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 AD103 has no benchmark entries in the current dataset. This asymmetry shapes the comparison. The L4 delivers an average benchmark score of 131,072 across its tested workloads. In Geekbench OpenCL, the L4 scores 140,838, and in Geekbench Vulkan, it scores 121,306. These results place the L4 at the 95th percentile among all GPUs tracked in the database. The RTX 4070 AD103, by contrast, holds a 50th percentile ranking with an average benchmark score of zero, meaning no measured data exists for direct numerical comparison.

The L4's nearest rivals provide context for its performance tier. The GeForce RTX 3090 Ti averages 131,938, which is 0.7% higher than the L4's score. The RTX 4000 Ada Generation averages 135,218, putting it 3.1% ahead of the L4. The A10M also averages 135,230, another 3.1% advantage for that card. The AMD Radeon PRO W6800 averages 135,396, which is 3.2% ahead of the L4. These delta values show that the L4 sits within a narrow competitive band, trailing the nearest alternatives by less than one to just over three percentage points.

Because the RTX 4070 AD103 has no benchmark scores, the head-to-head comparison relies on specification-level differences rather than measured performance deltas. The L4's FP32 compute is 30.29 TFLOPS, while the RTX 4070 AD103 delivers 29.15 TFLOPS. That gives the L4 a 3.9% advantage in raw single-precision floating-point throughput. The L4 also leads in pixel rate at 163.2 GPixel/s versus 158.4 GPixel/s for the RTX 4070 AD103, a 3.0% edge. Texture rate favors the L4 as well, with 489.6 GTexel/s compared to 455.4 GTexel/s, a 7.5% advantage.

The RTX 4070 AD103 counters in memory bandwidth. Its GDDR6X memory provides 504.2 GB/s, substantially higher than the L4's 300.1 GB/s from GDDR6. That is a 68% bandwidth advantage for the RTX 4070 AD103. The L4 compensates with double the memory capacity: 24 GB versus 12 GB. Clock speeds also differ meaningfully. The RTX 4070 AD103 has a base clock of 1920 MHz and a boost clock of 2475 MHz, while the L4 runs at 795 MHz base and 2040 MHz boost. The RTX 4070 AD103's boost clock is 21.3% higher.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher FP32 compute throughput?

A: The NVIDIA L4 achieves 30.29 TFLOPS in FP32, while the GeForce RTX 4070 AD103 reaches 29.15 TFLOPS. The L4 leads by 3.9%.

Q: How do the memory subsystems compare?

A: The RTX 4070 AD103 uses 12 GB of GDDR6X with a 192-bit bus and 504.2 GB/s bandwidth. The L4 uses 24 GB of GDDR6, also on a 192-bit bus, but with 300.1 GB/s bandwidth. The RTX 4070 AD103 has 68% more bandwidth; the L4 has double the capacity.

Q: What is the L4's benchmark score relative to its closest rival?

A: The L4 averages 131,072 across its benchmarks. The GeForce RTX 3090 Ti averages 131,938, which is 0.7% higher. The RTX 4000 Ada Generation, A10M, and Radeon PRO W6800 are each roughly 3.1% to 3.2% higher.

Q: Which card has more shading units?

A: The L4 has 7,424 shading units, while the RTX 4070 AD103 has 5,888. The L4 also has 240 texture mapping units versus 184, and 80 ROPs versus 64.

Q: Do the two cards use the same architecture?

A: Yes, both are based on Ada Lovelace architecture and are manufactured by TSMC on a 5 nm process. The RTX 4070 AD103 uses the AD103 chip, while the L4 uses the AD104 chip.

Q: What are the power requirements?

A: The RTX 4070 AD103 has a TDP of 200 W and requires a 550 W power supply. The L4 has a TDP of 72 W and suggests a 250 W power supply. The L4 draws 64% less power.

Architecture Differences

Both GPUs share the Ada Lovelace architecture and the 5 nm TSMC process node, but they diverge in chip design and resource allocation. The RTX 4070 AD103 uses the AD103 die, which contains 45,900 million transistors across a 379 mm² area, yielding a transistor density of 121.1 million per square millimeter. The L4 uses the AD104 die, with 35,800 million transistors on 294 mm², giving a density of 121.8 million per square millimeter. The AD103 is physically larger and packs 28% more transistors, while the AD104 achieves a marginally higher packing density.

Ray tracing and tensor core counts also differ. The RTX 4070 AD103 includes 46 RT cores and 184 tensor cores. The L4 scales those up to 60 RT cores and 240 tensor cores. That represents a 30% increase in RT cores and the same 30% increase in tensor cores. The shading units follow a similar pattern: the L4 has 7,424 versus 5,888 for the RTX 4070 AD103, a 26% advantage. Texture mapping units number 240 on the L4 versus 184, and ROPs number 80 versus 64. Despite having fewer resources, the RTX 4070 AD103 runs at significantly higher clocks, which narrows the performance gap in several compute metrics.

The memory architecture differs in type and capacity. The RTX 4070 AD103 uses GDDR6X memory running at 1313 MHz with 21 Gbps effective speed. The L4 uses GDDR6 at 1563 MHz with 12.5 Gbps effective speed. Both use a 192-bit memory bus, but the faster GDDR6X on the RTX 4070 AD103 produces 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth, while the L4 achieves 300.1 GB/s. The L4's 24 GB capacity is better suited for large model residency, whereas the RTX 4070 AD103's 12 GB is more limited.

The L4 is a server-oriented product with no display outputs, while the RTX 4070 AD103 includes 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a. Both support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The L4's generation is listed as "Server Ada (Lxx)", while the RTX 4070 AD103 belongs to the GeForce 40 series. The L4's predecessor is Server Ampere and its successor is Server Hopper, while the RTX 4070 AD103 succeeds the GeForce 30 and precedes the GeForce 50.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ across nearly every measurable specification. The RTX 4070 AD103 has a base clock of 1920 MHz and a boost clock of 2475 MHz. The L4 has a base clock of 795 MHz and a boost clock of 2040 MHz. The RTX 4070 AD103's boost clock is 435 MHz higher. Memory type differs: GDDR6X on the RTX 4070 AD103 versus GDDR6 on the L4. Memory capacity is 12 GB versus 24 GB. Bandwidth is 504.2 GB/s versus 300.1 GB/s.

Shading units, TMUs, and ROPs all favor the L4: 7,424 versus 5,888 shading units, 240 versus 184 TMUs, and 80 versus 64 ROPs. RT cores are 60 versus 46, and tensor cores are 240 versus 184. Pixel rate is 163.2 GPixel/s versus 158.4 GPixel/s. Texture rate is 489.6 GTexel/s versus 455.4 GTexel/s. FP32 and FP16 both measure 30.29 TFLOPS on the L4 and 29.15 TFLOPS on the RTX 4070 AD103.

Power and physical design diverge sharply. The RTX 4070 AD103 has a 200 W TDP, a dual-slot cooler, a 1x 16-pin power connector, and a 550 W suggested PSU. The L4 has a 72 W TDP, a single-slot cooler, no power connector, and a 250 W suggested PSU. Dimensions differ: the RTX 4070 AD103 measures 240 mm by 110 mm by 40 mm, while the L4 measures 169 mm by 56 mm with no listed width. The RTX 4070 AD103 is longer and taller by 71 mm and 54 mm respectively.

The RTX 4070 AD103 has display outputs, while the L4 has none. The RTX 4070 AD103 is end-of-life, released on 2024-02-29, with a launch MSRP of 599 USD. The L4 is active, released on 2023-03-20, with no launch MSRP recorded. The RTX 4070 AD103's chip is AD103, the L4's is AD104. Transistor counts are 45,900 million versus 35,800 million, and die sizes are 379 mm² versus 294 mm².

The Verdict

The data indicates that the NVIDIA L4 is the stronger compute performer in raw throughput. It leads in FP32, FP16, pixel rate, and texture rate, and it carries more shading units, RT cores, tensor cores, and memory capacity. Its 24 GB of GDDR6 memory supports larger workloads than the RTX 4070 AD103's 12 GB. The L4's average benchmark score of 131,072 places it at the 95th percentile, while the RTX 4070 AD103 has no recorded scores.

The RTX 4070 AD103 wins decisively in memory bandwidth, delivering 504.2 GB/s versus 300.1 GB/s. It also has much higher clock speeds, with a boost clock of 2475 MHz compared to 2040 MHz. These factors favor workloads that are bandwidth-sensitive or benefit from higher clock rates. However, without benchmark data for the RTX 4070 AD103, the database cannot confirm how these advantages translate into measured performance.

The L4's power efficiency is notable. At 72 W TDP, it consumes 128 W less than the RTX 4070 AD103's 200 W, and it suggests a 250 W PSU versus 550 W. For environments where power draw and cooling are constrained, the L4's single-slot, no-connector design is advantageous. The RTX 4070 AD103 requires a dual-slot footprint and a 16-pin power connector.

The verdict depends on the use case. For compute-heavy tasks with large memory footprints, the L4 is the better choice based on its 24 GB capacity, higher core counts, and superior FP32, FP16, pixel, and texture rates. For workloads that demand high memory bandwidth or higher clock speeds, the RTX 4070 AD103 offers clear specification-level advantages. The L4's 95th percentile ranking indicates strong overall performance, while the RTX 4070 AD103's lack of benchmark data leaves its standing undefined in the database.

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA L4 wins in scenarios that prioritize raw compute throughput and memory capacity. Its 30.29 TFLOPS FP32 and FP16 performance exceeds the RTX 4070 AD103's 29.15 TFLOPS. Its 489.6 GTexel/s texture rate and 163.2 GPixel/s pixel rate are both higher. The 24 GB memory capacity is double that of the RTX 4070 AD103, making it suitable for large datasets or models that exceed 12 GB. The L4 also has more shading units, TMUs, ROPs, RT cores, and tensor cores, which benefits parallel workloads.

The L4 wins on power efficiency and physical footprint. Its 72 W TDP and 250 W suggested PSU compare favorably to 200 W and 550 W for the RTX 4070 AD103. The single-slot design with no power connector suits dense server installations. Its 169 mm length and 56 mm height are smaller than the RTX 4070 AD103's 240 mm and 110 mm. The L4's active production status and 95th percentile benchmark ranking further reinforce its position as a current, high-performing server GPU.

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 AD103 wins in memory bandwidth, at 504.2 GB/s, which is 68% higher than the L4's 300.1 GB/s. This matters for memory-bound tasks where data transfer speed is the limiting factor. Its GDDR6X memory and higher effective speed of 21 Gbps versus 12.5 Gbps give it a clear edge in this metric. The RTX 4070 AD103 also has much higher clock speeds: 1920 MHz base and 2475 MHz boost versus 795 MHz and 2040 MHz. Higher clocks can reduce latency in single-threaded or lightly parallel operations.

The RTX 4070 AD103 wins on display connectivity. It includes 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a outputs, while the L4 has no outputs. This makes the RTX 4070 AD103 suitable for graphics workloads that require display output. Its end-of-life status and launch MSRP of 599 USD are noted in the database, but the L4 has no launch MSRP recorded. The RTX 4070 AD103's larger die, 379 mm² versus 294 mm², and higher transistor count, 45,900 million versus 35,800 million, indicate a more complex chip despite its lower core counts.