NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 SUPER vs NVIDIA RTX 5880 Ada Generation Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The recorded data splits these two cards into entirely different performance classes. The NVIDIA RTX 5880 Ada Generation holds a decisive advantage across every benchmark category where both have recorded scores. Its average benchmark score sits at 45,972, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 SUPER averages 2,690. That is a 1,709% gap in average score, placing the RTX 5880 Ada in the 85th percentile of all GPUs in the database, whereas the RTX 5070 SUPER ranks in the 18th percentile.

The RTX 5880 Ada Generation wins outright in compute-heavy workloads. Its PassMark GPU Compute score of 14,208 and Geekbench OpenCL score of 326,898 demonstrate strong parallel processing capability. The RTX 5070 SUPER has only a single recorded benchmark, 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 at 2,690, which places it near the NVIDIA Quadro K1100M (2,664, 1% behind) and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 1030 (2,662, 1.1% behind). This suggests the RTX 5070 SUPER is positioned for lighter, entry-level DirectX 12 workloads, not for sustained compute or professional rendering tasks.

The RTX 5880 Ada Generation also wins in legacy DirectX tests. Its PassMark DirectX 9 score of 335 and DirectX 10 score of 167 show it handles older API workloads comfortably. The DirectX 11 score of 228 and DirectX 12 score of 70 indicate a different profile: strong in legacy paths, weaker in the newest API, which is typical for a workstation-oriented card. The RTX 5070 SUPER, with only the Steel Nomad DX12 result, appears optimized for modern API efficiency rather than backward compatibility.

The use-case split is clear. For users running professional compute, OpenCL workloads, or legacy DirectX titles, the RTX 5880 Ada Generation is the only viable choice from this data. For users targeting modern DirectX 12 gaming or lightweight 3D workloads, the RTX 5070 SUPER has a recorded result, though its percentile ranking suggests it is not a high-end contender.

Architecture Differences

The two cards come from different architectural generations. The RTX 5070 SUPER uses the GB205 chip built on Blackwell 2.0 architecture, fabricated by TSMC on a 5 nm process. The RTX 5880 Ada Generation uses the AD102 chip on Ada Lovelace architecture, also TSMC 5 nm. Both share the same foundry and process node, but the chip designs diverge substantially.

The RTX 5880 Ada Generation packs 76,300 million transistors on a 609 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 125.3M per mm². The RTX 5070 SUPER contains 31,100 million transistors on a 263 mm² die, with a density of 118.3M per mm². The Ada chip is nearly 2.5 times larger in die area and holds over twice the transistor count, which explains its much higher shading unit count of 14,080 versus 6,400 on the Blackwell part.

Memory architecture differs completely. The RTX 5070 SUPER uses 18 GB of GDDR7 on a 192-bit bus, delivering 672.0 GB/s bandwidth. The RTX 5880 Ada Generation uses 48 GB of GDDR6 on a 384-bit bus, delivering 864.0 GB/s. The Ada card offers 2.7 times the memory capacity and 29% more bandwidth, despite using the older GDDR6 memory type. The GDDR7 on the Blackwell card runs at 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective), while the GDDR6 on the Ada card runs at 2250 MHz (18 Gbps effective).

The compute resources follow the same pattern. The RTX 5880 Ada Generation has 440 texture mapping units, 176 raster output pipelines, 110 ray tracing cores, and 440 tensor cores. The RTX 5070 SUPER has 200 TMUs, 80 ROPs, 50 RT cores, and 200 tensor cores. In every category, the Ada card has more than double the resources. The pixel rate tells the story: 433.0 GPixel/s on the Ada card versus 201.0 GPixel/s on the Blackwell card. Texture rate is 1,082.4 GTexel/s versus 502.4 GTexel/s. FP32 and FP16 compute both sit at 69.27 TFLOPS on the Ada card, versus 32.15 TFLOPS on the Blackwell card.

Clock speeds show a different trend. The RTX 5070 SUPER has a base clock of 2325 MHz and boost of 2512 MHz. The RTX 5880 Ada Generation has a much lower base clock of 975 MHz but a boost of 2460 MHz. The Ada card relies on its massive parallel resources rather than raw clock speed. The power draw is similar: 275 W for the Blackwell card, 285 W for the Ada card. Both use a single 16-pin power connector and are dual-slot designs.

The bus interface differs. The RTX 5070 SUPER uses PCIe 5.0 x16, while the RTX 5880 Ada Generation uses PCIe 4.0 x16. Display outputs also differ: the Blackwell card has one HDMI 2.1b and three DisplayPort 2.1b outputs, while the Ada card has four DisplayPort 1.4a outputs with no HDMI. The Ada card is longer at 267 mm versus 245 mm, and slightly shorter in height at 112 mm versus 115 mm.

The Verdict

The data indicates these are not competing products. The RTX 5880 Ada Generation outperforms the RTX 5070 SUPER in every recorded metric, with an average benchmark score 17 times higher. The 85th percentile ranking versus 18th percentile confirms the Ada card belongs to a different performance tier entirely.

Users who need maximum compute throughput should select the RTX 5880 Ada Generation. Its 69.27 TFLOPS FP32 performance, 864.0 GB/s bandwidth, and 48 GB memory capacity make it suitable for large datasets, professional rendering, and compute-heavy workloads. The 110 RT cores and 440 tensor cores provide substantial acceleration for ray tracing and AI workloads. The 285 W power draw is modest relative to the compute delivered.

Users who prioritize modern connectivity and a compact form factor should consider the RTX 5070 SUPER. It offers PCIe 5.0 x16, DisplayPort 2.1b outputs, GDDR7 memory, and a smaller 245 mm length. Its 275 W power draw is slightly lower than the Ada card. However, the benchmark data shows it delivers a fraction of the compute performance, and its 18th percentile ranking places it near entry-level GPUs like the GT 1030 and GT 440.

The RTX 5880 Ada Generation was released in January 2024 with a predecessor in Workstation Ampere and a successor in Blackwell PRO W. The RTX 5070 SUPER was released later, in December 2025, and belongs to the GeForce 50-series. The Ada card has a suggested PSU of 600 W; the Blackwell card has no recorded suggested PSU.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has higher raw compute performance?

A: The RTX 5880 Ada Generation delivers 69.27 TFLOPS FP32 and FP16, while the RTX 5070 SUPER delivers 32.15 TFLOPS in both. The Ada card has more than double the compute throughput.

Q: How do their memory configurations compare?

A: The RTX 5880 Ada Generation has 48 GB of GDDR6 on a 384-bit bus with 864.0 GB/s bandwidth. The RTX 5070 SUPER has 18 GB of GDDR7 on a 192-bit bus with 672.0 GB/s bandwidth. The Ada card offers more capacity and bandwidth.

Q: What is the performance percentile ranking for each GPU?

A: The RTX 5880 Ada Generation ranks in the 85th percentile of all GPUs in the database. The RTX 5070 SUPER ranks in the 18th percentile.

Q: Which card uses the newer PCIe standard?

A: The RTX 5070 SUPER uses PCIe 5.0 x16, while the RTX 5880 Ada Generation uses PCIe 4.0 x16. The Blackwell card supports the newer interface.

Q: Do both cards use the same manufacturing process?

A: Yes, both are fabricated by TSMC on a 5 nm process. However, the RTX 5880 Ada Generation uses 76,300 million transistors on a 609 mm² die, while the RTX 5070 SUPER uses 31,100 million transistors on a 263 mm² die.

Q: Which GPU has more ray tracing cores?

A: The RTX 5880 Ada Generation has 110 RT cores, while the RTX 5070 SUPER has 50 RT cores. The Ada card also has 440 tensor cores versus 200 on the Blackwell card.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The direct comparison is limited because the two cards were tested with different benchmark suites. The RTX 5070 SUPER has one recorded score: 2,690 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12. The RTX 5880 Ada Generation has eight recorded scores across Geekbench and PassMark tests. No shared test exists in the database, so the head-to-head comparison relies on the aggregate average.

The RTX 5880 Ada Generation's average benchmark score of 45,972 puts it within 0.2% of the NVIDIA RTX A2000 (46,043) and 0.8% ahead of the Intel Arc A730M (45,592). It sits 1.3% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro 5500 XT (45,384) and 1.4% behind the AMD Radeon RX 5600M (46,601). These are close margins, indicating the Ada card performs consistently with mid-range workstation and mobile GPUs.

The RTX 5070 SUPER's average score of 2,690 places it 1% ahead of the NVIDIA Quadro K1100M (2,664), 1.1% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 1030 (2,662), 1.1% ahead of the Intel Arc Pro B50 (2,660), and 1.7% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 440 (2,645). These rivals are all entry-level or legacy parts, confirming the Blackwell card's low placement in the performance hierarchy.

The largest single recorded score in the database belongs to the RTX 5880 Ada Generation in Geekbench OpenCL at 326,898. Its PassMark G3D score of 25,096 and GPU Compute score of 14,208 reinforce the compute-oriented profile. The DirectX 12 score of 70 is notably lower than the DirectX 9 score of 335, suggesting the Ada card is not tuned for the newest gaming API.

The RTX 5070 SUPER's single result of 2,690 in Steel Nomad DX12 cannot be directly compared to any Ada card result, but the overall average score gap of 43,282 points leaves no ambiguity about which card delivers more performance. The Ada card wins every category where comparison is possible.

Specification Differences

The specification table shows divergence in nearly every field. The RTX 5880 Ada Generation uses the AD102 chip with Ada Lovelace architecture, while the RTX 5070 SUPER uses the GB205 chip with Blackwell 2.0. Both are TSMC 5 nm, but the Ada die is 609 mm² versus 263 mm², with 76,300 million transistors versus 31,100 million.

Memory differs in size, type, bus width, and bandwidth. The Ada card has 48 GB GDDR6 on a 384-bit bus at 864.0 GB/s. The Blackwell card has 18 GB GDDR7 on a 192-bit bus at 672.0 GB/s. Memory clock is 2250 MHz (18 Gbps effective) on the Ada card versus 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective) on the Blackwell card.

Compute resources favor the Ada card across the board: 14,080 shading units versus 6,400, 440 TMUs versus 200, 176 ROPs versus 80, 110 RT cores versus 50, and 440 tensor cores versus 200. Pixel rate is 433.0 GPixel/s versus 201.0 GPixel/s, and texture rate is 1,082.4 GTexel/s versus 502.4 GTexel/s. FP32 and FP16 are both 69.27 TFLOPS on Ada versus 32.15 TFLOPS on Blackwell.

Clock speeds favor the Blackwell card. Base clock is 2325 MHz versus 975 MHz, and boost is 2512 MHz versus 2460 MHz. Power draw is close: 275 W for the RTX 5070 SUPER and 285 W for the RTX 5880 Ada Generation. The Ada card has a suggested PSU of 600 W; the Blackwell card has none recorded.

Bus interface and display outputs differ. The Blackwell card uses PCIe 5.0 x16 with one HDMI 2.1b and three DisplayPort 2.1b. The Ada card uses PCIe 4.0 x16 with four DisplayPort 1.4a. Physical dimensions: the Blackwell card is 245 mm long, 115 mm tall, and 40 mm wide. The Ada card is 267 mm long and 112 mm tall, with no recorded width. Both are dual-slot and use a single 16-pin power connector.

API support is identical: DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4 on both cards. Release dates differ, with the Ada card launching in January 2024 and the Blackwell card in December 2025. Both are listed as Active in production status.