Nvidia RTX 5070 Ti vs. AMD RX 9070 XT: Battle of Graphics Cards

For those passionate about high-resolution gaming but deterred by the lofty $1,999+ price of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090, there's good news. You don't need to splurge on the top-tier graphics card to enjoy 4K gaming. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti and the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT offer compelling alternatives that are much more budget-friendly, delivering a robust 4K gaming experience.

Despite the current high prices due to the surge in demand and limited supply typical of new GPU launches, the RTX 5070 Ti and RX 9070 XT stand out as the best choices for gamers seeking a high-end experience without breaking the bank.

AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT – Photos

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RTX 5070 Ti vs. RX 9070 XT: Specs

Comparing the specs of graphics cards from Nvidia and AMD can be tricky due to their differing architectures. Nvidia's CUDA cores and AMD's Shading Units, though similar in function, aren't directly comparable just by numbers.

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT boasts 64 RDNA 4 compute units, totaling 4,096 shader units, along with 128 AI Accelerators and 64 RT Accelerators. It's equipped with 16GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, ideal for current games, though it might face challenges at 4K in the future.

On the other hand, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti also features 16GB of VRAM, but it uses the faster GDDR7 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing higher bandwidth. It contains 70 Streaming Multiprocessors with 8,960 CUDA Cores. Despite the higher count of shader units, this doesn't translate to double the performance.

Winner: Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti

AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT & 9070 – Benchmarks

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RTX 5070 Ti vs. RX 9070 XT: Performance

Although the RTX 5070 Ti might look superior on paper, real-world performance tells a different story. Both cards excel for 4K and 1440p gaming, making them top contenders in their class.

In my review of the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT, I anticipated it would lag behind the RTX 5070 Ti, especially in ray-traced games. Surprisingly, in titles like Cyberpunk 2077, the AMD card stayed close, within a few frames of the more expensive RTX 5070 Ti.

While the RTX 5070 Ti does lead in some games, such as Total War: Warhammer 3 (87fps vs. 76fps at 4K), the RX 9070 XT averaged 2% faster overall. This slight edge is significant, especially considering the RX 9070 XT's lower price point.

Winner: AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti – Photos

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RTX 5070 Ti vs. RX 9070 XT: Software and Features

Choosing a graphics card today involves more than just hardware specs. Both Nvidia and AMD provide comprehensive software suites that enhance the card's capabilities.

The RTX 5070 Ti's key feature is Nvidia's DLSS technology, which now includes AI upscaling and multi-frame generation. With the RTX 5000 series, Nvidia introduced a method to generate three frames per rendered frame, significantly boosting frame rates with minimal latency increase, thanks to Nvidia Reflex. This feature is most beneficial if your base frame rate is at least 45fps, ideally above 60fps.

AMD also offers Frame Generation but is limited to one interpolated frame per rendered frame. The major update is FSR 4, bringing AI upscaling to AMD GPUs for the first time. This replaces the previous temporal upscaling method, providing more accurate image quality, although it's not as fast as its predecessor. Remember, this is AMD's first venture into AI upscaling, while Nvidia has been refining DLSS for seven years.

Winner: Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti

RTX 5070 Ti vs. RX 9070 XT: Price

The current GPU market is fraught with high prices and sold-out stocks. Both Nvidia and AMD suggest retail prices, but actual prices can vary widely due to retailers and third-party manufacturers.

At launch, the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT was priced at a competitive $599, making it an excellent choice for 4K gaming, especially when paired with the new FSR 4 AI upscaler. This pricing harks back to when flagship cards launched at more reasonable prices.

In contrast, the Nvidia RTX 5070 Ti starts at $749, a $150 premium over the RX 9070 XT, despite similar performance. The additional cost may be justified for some by Nvidia's features like Multi-Frame Generation, but it's a significant difference to consider.

Winner: AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT

The Winner Is… the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT

Both the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT and Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti are stellar options for 1440p and 4K gaming. However, AMD's ability to deliver comparable performance at a lower price point makes the RX 9070 XT the clear winner.

If you're building a gaming PC aimed at high-end 1440p or 4K gaming, the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is currently one of the best graphics cards to consider. While it lacks multi-frame generation, this feature is less crucial for most gamers without high-refresh 4K monitors.