NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER and RTX 5070 are two adjacent-generation graphics cards that occupy a similar performance class but achieve it through very different means. The 4070 SUPER relies on a larger, more fully-featured chip from the Ada Lovelace generation, while the 5070 uses a leaner Blackwell 2.0 design with significantly faster memory. Benchmark results show a split decision: the 5070 wins the modern DirectX 12 workload and several legacy DirectX tests, while the 4070 SUPER dominates in Vulkan, compute, and the older DirectX 9 API. The data presents a clear trade-off between raw compute throughput and architectural efficiency.

Where Each One Wins

The RTX 5070’s clearest victory comes in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, where it scores 5077 versus the 4070 SUPER’s 4627, a 8.9% advantage. This is the most modern and demanding workload in the comparison, and it indicates that the 5070’s Blackwell architecture handles current-generation rendering techniques more effectively. The 5070 also takes the PassMark DirectX 10 test (180 vs 167, 7.2% ahead) and DirectX 11 (277 vs 273, 1.4% ahead), plus the PassMark G2D test (1305 vs 1184, 9.3% ahead), which measures 2D graphics and general desktop acceleration. Its higher base clock of 2325 MHz and boost clock of 2512 MHz likely contribute to these wins.

The RTX 4070 SUPER counters with a much broader set of victories. It wins six of the ten head-to-head benchmarks, including the Geekbench Vulkan test by a substantial 14.9% margin (205624 vs 178923). It also leads in PassMark GPU Compute (17108 vs 15787, 8.4% ahead), PassMark DirectX 9 (344 vs 320, 7.5% ahead), PassMark G3D (29995 vs 29137, 2.9% ahead), Geekbench OpenCL (172795 vs 172660, a narrow 0.1% edge), and PassMark DirectX 12 (110 vs 108, 1.9% ahead). Notably, the 4070 SUPER has significantly more shading units (7168 vs 6144), more texture mapping units (224 vs 192), and more ray tracing cores (56 vs 48), which explains its compute-heavy wins. For users prioritizing Vulkan-based games, compute workloads, or legacy DirectX 9 titles, the 4070 SUPER is the stronger choice.

Architecture Differences

The two cards represent two distinct design philosophies. The 4070 SUPER uses the AD104 chip built on the Ada Lovelace architecture, fabricated on a 5 nm process at TSMC. It contains 35,800 million transistors on a 294 mm² die, resulting in a transistor density of 121.8M per mm². The 5070 uses the GB205 chip with Blackwell 2.0 architecture, also on a 5 nm TSMC process, but with fewer transistors: 31,100 million on a smaller 263 mm² die, giving a density of 118.3M per mm². Despite having fewer transistors, the 5070’s architecture is more efficient per unit of silicon.

Memory is where the generational leap is most apparent. The 4070 SUPER pairs 12 GB of GDDR6X with a 192-bit bus, delivering 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The 5070 also has 12 GB, but switches to GDDR7 memory on the same 192-bit bus, increasing bandwidth to 672.0 GB/s — a 33% improvement. This is the single largest specification gap between the two cards. The 5070’s memory clock is 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective) versus the 4070 SUPER’s 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective). The 5070 also upgrades the PCIe interface to 5.0 x16 from the 4070 SUPER’s PCIe 4.0 x16, and its display outputs include DisplayPort 2.1b versus the older card’s DisplayPort 1.4a.

Clock speeds favor the 5070, with a base clock of 2325 MHz and boost of 2512 MHz, compared to 1980 MHz base and 2475 MHz boost on the 4070 SUPER. However, the 4070 SUPER fights back with higher raw throughput: its FP32 performance is 35.48 TFLOPS versus 30.87 TFLOPS on the 5070, and its texture rate is 554.4 GTexel/s versus 482.3 GTexel/s. Pixel rates are nearly identical, with the 4070 SUPER at 198.0 GPixel/s and the 5070 at 201.0 GPixel/s. Power consumption also differs, with the 5070 rated at 250 W TDP and a 600 W suggested PSU, versus 220 W and 550 W for the 4070 SUPER. Both are dual-slot cards with a single 16-pin power connector.

The Verdict

The benchmark data splits users into two clear camps. If your priority is modern DirectX 12 gaming, particularly with ray tracing or other latest-generation features, the RTX 5070 is the better pick. Its 8.9% lead in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 is decisive, and it pairs this with wins in DirectX 10 and DirectX 11. The faster GDDR7 memory and higher clocks give it an edge in scenarios that are bandwidth-sensitive or that benefit from newer driver optimizations for Blackwell 2.0.

If your workload leans toward compute, Vulkan, or legacy APIs, the RTX 4070 SUPER is the stronger card. Its 14.9% Vulkan advantage and 8.4% compute lead are substantial, and it also wins in DirectX 9 and the overall G3D score. The higher shading unit count and FP32 throughput make it a better general-purpose compute device. The 4070 SUPER also carries a higher percentile ranking (83rd vs 82nd) and a higher average benchmark score (43223 vs 40377), though its nearest rivals are different: the 4070 SUPER sits near the RTX 4090 Mobile, while the 5070 is bracketed by AMD Radeon Pro cards and the RTX A500 Mobile.

The data does not declare one card universally superior — it declares them suited to different tasks. Choose the 5070 for forward-looking DX12 gaming and its faster memory subsystem. Choose the 4070 SUPER for compute-heavy applications and Vulkan-based titles where its architectural advantages translate into measurable gains.

FAQ

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

A: The RTX 5070 wins with a score of 5077 versus the 4070 SUPER’s 4627, a 8.9% advantage.

Q: Why does the RTX 4070 SUPER win in Vulkan?

A: The 4070 SUPER scores 205624 in Geekbench Vulkan versus 178923 for the 5070, a 14.9% lead. This is likely due to its higher shading unit count (7168 vs 6144) and greater FP32 throughput (35.48 vs 30.87 TFLOPS).

Q: Do both cards have 12 GB of memory?

A: Yes, both have 12 GB, but the 4070 SUPER uses GDDR6X with 504.2 GB/s bandwidth, while the 5070 uses GDDR7 with 672.0 GB/s bandwidth on the same 192-bit bus.

Q: What is the power consumption difference?

A: The 5070 has a 250 W TDP and requires a 600 W suggested PSU. The 4070 SUPER has a 220 W TDP and requires a 550 W suggested PSU.

Q: Which card has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The 4070 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 43223, compared to 40377 for the 5070. The 4070 SUPER also ranks in the 83rd percentile of all GPUs, versus the 82nd percentile for the 5070.

Q: How do the cards compare in compute performance?

A: The 4070 SUPER wins PassMark GPU Compute with 17108 versus 15787 for the 5070, an 8.4% margin. It also leads in FP32 TFLOPS (35.48 vs 30.87).

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The biggest win for the RTX 5070 is in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, where it scores 5077 against 4627 for the 4070 SUPER. This 8.9% delta is the largest margin in the entire comparison and represents a meaningful performance gap for modern games. The 5070 also shows strength in PassMark G2D, winning 1305 to 1184 (9.3% ahead), and in PassMark DirectX 10, winning 180 to 167 (7.2% ahead). Its DirectX 11 win is narrower at 277 to 273 (1.4%), but it still takes the test.

The RTX 4070 SUPER’s largest victory is in Geekbench Vulkan, where it posts 205624 versus 178923, a commanding 14.9% lead. This is the single most one-sided result in either direction. It follows up with an 8.4% win in PassMark GPU Compute (17108 vs 15787) and a 7.5% win in PassMark DirectX 9 (344 vs 320). The G3D test goes to the 4070 SUPER by 2.9% (29995 vs 29137), and it edges out the 5070 in Geekbench OpenCL by a hair (172795 vs 172660, 0.1%) and in PassMark DirectX 12 (110 vs 108, 1.9%).

Overall, the 5070 wins 4 benchmarks while the 4070 SUPER wins 6. The pattern is consistent: the 5070 dominates in the newest DX12 test and 2D/legacy DX10, while the 4070 SUPER sweeps the compute-oriented and Vulkan-based workloads. The average benchmark scores reflect this split, with the 4070 SUPER at 43223 and the 5070 at 40377, though the 5070’s closest rivals are different cards entirely, suggesting the two occupy slightly different performance neighborhoods despite their overlapping feature sets.

Specification Differences

| Specification | RTX 4070 SUPER | RTX 5070 |

|---|---|---|

| Chip | AD104 | GB205 |

| Architecture | Ada Lovelace | Blackwell 2.0 |

| Transistors | 35,800 million | 31,100 million |

| Die Size | 294 mm² | 263 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 121.8M / mm² | 118.3M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 1980 MHz | 2325 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 2475 MHz | 2512 MHz |

| Memory Clock | 1313 MHz (21 Gbps) | 1750 MHz (28 Gbps) |

| Memory Type | GDDR6X | GDDR7 |

| Memory Bandwidth | 504.2 GB/s | 672.0 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 7168 | 6144 |

| TMUs | 224 | 192 |

| RT Cores | 56 | 48 |

| Tensor Cores | 224 | 192 |

| Pixel Rate | 198.0 GPixel/s | 201.0 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 554.4 GTexel/s | 482.3 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 35.48 TFLOPS | 30.87 TFLOPS |

| FP16 | 35.48 TFLOPS | 30.87 TFLOPS |

| TDP | 220 W | 250 W |

| Suggested PSU | 550 W | 600 W |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 4.0 x16 | PCIe 5.0 x16 |

| Display Outputs | 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DP 1.4a | 1x HDMI 2.1b, 3x DP 2.1b |

| Length | 267 mm | 245 mm |

| Height | 112 mm | 115 mm |

| Width | 42 mm | 40 mm |

| Release Date | 2024-01-16 | 2025-03-03 |

| Production Status | End-of-life | Active |

| Launch MSRP | 599 USD | 549 USD |