RTX 5070 Ti vs. RX 9070 XT: Battle of GPUs

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 may dominate the graphics card market with its top-tier performance, but its hefty $1,999+ price tag is a barrier for many gamers. Fortunately, you don't need to break the bank to enjoy stunning 4K gaming. Both the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti and the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT offer compelling alternatives, delivering exceptional 4K gaming experiences at more accessible price points.

Currently, the market faces elevated prices due to high demand and limited supply following their launch. However, the RTX 5070 Ti and RX 9070 XT remain the go-to choices for those seeking high-end gaming without the premium cost.

AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT – Photos

4 ImagesRTX 5070 Ti vs. RX 9070 XT: Specs

Comparing the specs of graphics cards from Nvidia and AMD can be complex due to their different architectures. Nvidia's CUDA cores and AMD's Shading Units, though similar in purpose, are fundamentally different, making direct comparisons challenging.

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT boasts 64 RDNA 4 compute units, each with 64 shader units, totaling 4,096. These units are enhanced with 128 AI Accelerators and 64 RT Accelerators, paired with 16GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus. This configuration is well-suited for modern games, though it may be stretched at 4K resolutions in the future.

In contrast, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti also features 16GB of VRAM, but utilizes the faster GDDR7 memory on a 256-bit bus, offering higher bandwidth. It includes 70 Streaming Multiprocessors with 8,960 CUDA Cores. Although Nvidia has more Shader Units per Compute Unit, this doesn't necessarily translate to double the performance.

Winner: Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti

AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT & 9070 – Benchmarks

11 ImagesRTX 5070 Ti vs. RX 9070 XT: Performance

Despite the RTX 5070 Ti's superior specs on paper, real-world performance tells a different story. Both cards excel as entry-level options for 4K gaming and are among the top choices for 1440p gaming.

During my review of the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT, I anticipated it would be close to the RTX 5070 Ti but fall behind in ray tracing-heavy games. Surprisingly, even in titles like Cyberpunk 2077, the AMD card stayed within a few frames of the pricier Nvidia counterpart.

While the RTX 5070 Ti does lead in some games, such as Total War: Warhammer 3, achieving 87fps at 4K compared to the 9070 XT's 76fps, the AMD card averages 2% faster overall. This slight advantage is significant, especially considering the 9070 XT's lower price.

Winner: AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti – Photos

6 ImagesRTX 5070 Ti vs. RX 9070 XT: Software and Features

Choosing the right graphics card involves more than just hardware specs; software features play a crucial role. Nvidia's RTX 5070 Ti stands out with its DLSS suite, including AI upscaling and Frame Generation. The latest DLSS 4 introduces multi-frame generation, creating three AI-generated frames for each rendered frame, significantly boosting frame rates, albeit with a slight latency increase mitigated by Nvidia Reflex. This feature is ideal for those already achieving at least 45fps, preferably over 60fps.

AMD's Radeon RX 9070 XT also supports Frame Generation but is limited to one interpolated frame per rendered frame. The significant advancement for AMD is FSR 4, introducing AI upscaling to their cards for the first time. FSR 4 uses the 9070 XT's AI accelerators for machine learning-based upscaling, providing more accurate visuals compared to the previous temporal upscaling method, though it's not as fast.

It's worth noting that AMD's AI upscaler is in its first generation, 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 due to supply and demand imbalances. Both Nvidia and AMD suggest retail prices, but actual market prices can vary widely due to retailer and third-party manufacturer decisions. Hopefully, prices will stabilize as supply improves.

At its launch price of $599, the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is a stellar choice for 4K gaming, especially when paired with the new FSR 4 AI upscaler. This pricing is reminiscent of the more reasonable launch prices of flagship cards before Nvidia's price escalation starting with the RTX 2080 Ti.

Conversely, the Nvidia RTX 5070 Ti, while comparable in performance, carries a base price of $749—a $150 increase over the 9070 XT. The additional features like Multi-Frame Generation may justify the cost for some, depending on their gaming needs and monitor capabilities.

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 outstanding choices for high-end 1440p and 4K gaming. However, the RX 9070 XT's ability to deliver similar performance at a significantly lower price makes it the clear winner. If you're building a gaming PC and aiming for top-tier performance without the top-tier price, the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is an unbeatable option. While it lacks multi-frame generation, most gamers won't miss it unless they're using high-refresh 4K monitors.