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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchFor most 1440p gaming, the Radeon RX 9070 has a small average advantage in the cited review suites, while the RTX 5070 can be the better fit if you prioritize NVIDIA’s DLSS 4.5 and Multi Frame Generation features or its stronger baseline ray tracing in Tom’s Hardware’s 2026 guide. The RX 9070’s 16 GB of VRAM also gives it more capacity headroom than the RTX 5070’s 12 GB, particularly for high-resolution textures and native 4K. Neither card is a universal winner: compare the games and features you use, then check the prices of specific cards where you live.
How much faster is the RX 9070 in games?
In Tom’s Hardware’s 2025 testing, the RX 9070 led the RTX 5070 by 8.2% in a 15-game 1440p rasterization geomean. TechSpot’s 2025 suite of 18 mostly rasterized games found a smaller 4% RX 9070 lead at 1440p. These are averages from different test suites and setups, not a promise of a fixed advantage in every game.
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Ray tracing results were much closer in Tom’s Hardware’s comparison: its 1440p ray-tracing geomean put the RX 9070 just 0.23% ahead. The same publication found the RX 9070 led by 11% at 4K across its three geomeans. Results can shift with the game, preset, driver, and whether upscaling or frame generation is enabled. See Tom’s Hardware’s RTX 5070 vs. RX 9070 test results and TechSpot’s RX 9070 review.
Individual games can reverse the average
In Tom’s Hardware’s tests, the RTX 5070 led by 28.2% in Space Marine 2 at 1080p. At 4K, the RX 9070 led by 31.5% in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, 31.6% in The Last of Us Part I, and 41.4% in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. If a few specific games dominate your playtime, check results for those titles and the resolution and settings you actually use rather than relying on a suite-wide average.
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- Powered by the NVIDIA Blackwell architecture and DLSS 4
- Powered by GeForce RTX 5070
- Integrated with 12GB GDDR7 192bit memory interface
- PCIe 5.0
- NVIDIA SFF ready
Does 16 GB of VRAM matter more than 12 GB?
The RX 9070 has 16 GB of GDDR6, while the RTX 5070 has 12 GB of GDDR7. More capacity can provide additional headroom as resolution, texture quality, and a game’s memory use increase; it does not automatically translate into higher frame rates. The larger capacity makes the RX 9070 the more comfortable choice if you expect to push demanding texture settings or play at native 4K.
The cards also differ in memory bandwidth. Tom’s Hardware lists 640 GB/s for the RX 9070 and 672 GB/s for the RTX 5070. AMD specifies the RX 9070’s 256-bit memory interface and memory speed of up to 20 Gbps on its official product page. Capacity and bandwidth describe different aspects of memory performance; neither figure alone determines how fast a card will be in a particular game.
Which card is better for ray tracing and upscaling?
For ray tracing, Tom’s Hardware’s 2026 buying guide favors the RTX 5070 for its higher measured baseline ray-tracing performance and NVIDIA’s DLSS 4.5 and Multi Frame Generation options. That recommendation is about the combination of features and results in the guide, not a guarantee that the RTX 5070 wins every ray-traced game.
The RX 9070 supports AMD’s FSR 4 ecosystem. A practical choice depends on which features your games support and whether you prefer the image quality and responsiveness you get from your chosen upscaling or frame-generation mode. Native rendering, upscaling, and generated frames are not interchangeable benchmark conditions, so compare like-for-like results where possible. Tom’s Hardware’s 2026 GPU buying guide lays out its feature-based recommendation.
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How do power specifications compare?
AMD rates the RX 9070 at 220 W typical board power and recommends a minimum 650 W power supply. Tom’s Hardware lists the RTX 5070 at 250 W board power. These are specifications, not direct measurements of total system power. In TechSpot’s testing, the RX 9070 used anywhere from a few extra watts to as much as 20% more power than the RTX 5070, depending on the game. Actual system draw varies with the rest of the PC and the workload.
Check the power supply requirement for the specific card model you plan to buy, as board designs can vary. AMD’s published RX 9070 figures are on its official specifications page; the card-to-card power comparison and test context are in TechSpot’s review.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which card is better value?
Both cards launched at a $549 MSRP in 2025, but launch prices do not tell you which is the better buy now. Model, retailer, stock, and region affect the actual price. As a dated UK example, PC Gamer’s tracker listed RX 9070 models at £589.98 and RTX 5070 listings at £609.99 and £649.99 on October 1, 2026. Those retailer listings are a snapshot, not a current market average or a guarantee of availability.
Compare the checkout prices of the exact cards available to you, including shipping and tax. Also consider each board’s cooler and noise, warranty, seller, and return terms. The UK price snapshot is from PC Gamer’s graphics-card price watch; the launch MSRPs are reported in Tom’s Hardware’s RTX 5070 review and RX 9070 review.
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Which GPU should you choose for your setup?
- Choose the RX 9070 for raster-focused 1440p or more VRAM headroom. It had the modest average advantage in the cited 1440p raster suites, and its 16 GB capacity is the stronger fit if high-resolution textures or native 4K are priorities.
- Consider the RTX 5070 if NVIDIA’s features are central to your games. It is the better match if you value DLSS 4.5 and Multi Frame Generation, or if the games you play favor its ray-tracing performance.
- Let your own game list and local prices break a close decision. Per-game results vary substantially, while the cards’ launch MSRPs were equal. A lower price on a specific model can change the value calculation.
- Check the full system fit before ordering. Confirm the PSU guidance for your chosen board, case clearance, seller, warranty, and return policy.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
