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

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 may be the pinnacle of graphics card performance, but its steep price of $1,999+ is out of reach 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 at a more budget-friendly price point, delivering exceptional 4K gaming experiences without the exorbitant cost.

Currently, due to high demand and limited supply, the prices of these GPUs are elevated post-launch. However, the RTX 5070 Ti and RX 9070 XT stand out as the best choices for those seeking a high-end gaming experience without overspending.

AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT – Photos

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RTX 5070 Ti vs. RX 9070 XT: Specs

Comparing the specs of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti and the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is complex due to their different architectures. While Nvidia's CUDA cores and AMD's Shading Units have similar functions, a direct comparison based solely on numbers is not straightforward.

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT features 64 RDNA 4 compute units, each with 64 shader units, totaling 4,096 shader units. Additionally, each compute unit includes two AI Accelerators and one RT Accelerator, resulting in 128 and 64, respectively. It is equipped with 16GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, which is well-suited for current games, though it may face challenges with future titles at 4K resolutions.

On the other hand, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti also boasts 16GB of memory, but uses the newer GDDR7, which offers higher speeds and bandwidth. It features 70 Streaming Multiprocessors, containing a total of 8,960 CUDA Cores. Despite having twice as many shader units per compute unit, this does not necessarily 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 Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti appears superior on paper, real-world performance shows that both cards are excellent for 4K gaming and top-tier for 1440p gaming. My review of the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT revealed it to be surprisingly competitive, even in ray tracing-heavy games like Cyberpunk 2077, where it stayed close to the RTX 5070 Ti.

In some games, the RTX 5070 Ti does outperform, such as Total War: Warhammer 3, where it achieves 87fps at 4K compared to the RX 9070 XT's 76fps. However, the Radeon RX 9070 XT averaged 2% faster overall, a notable achievement considering its lower price, which is theoretically 21% less than the RTX 5070 Ti.

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 involves more than just hardware specs. Both Nvidia and AMD provide extensive software features that enhance the capabilities of their GPUs.

Nvidia's RTX 5070 Ti benefits from the DLSS suite, which includes AI upscaling and Frame Generation. With DLSS 4, Nvidia introduces multi-frame generation, capable of generating three AI frames for every naturally rendered frame, significantly boosting frame rates with a minor latency increase, mitigated by Nvidia Reflex. This feature is best used when already achieving at least 45fps, ideally over 60fps.

AMD's Radeon RX 9070 XT also supports Frame Generation, though it's limited to one interpolated frame per rendered frame. The significant advancement is FSR 4, which introduces AI upscaling to AMD GPUs for the first time. Unlike previous versions, FSR 4 uses machine learning to upscale images, offering more accurate results, though it's slightly slower than FSR 3. As this is AMD's first AI upscaler, it's worth noting that Nvidia has refined DLSS over seven years.

Winner: Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti

RTX 5070 Ti vs. RX 9070 XT: Price

GPU pricing is currently a contentious topic due to widespread sell-outs and price inflation. Both Nvidia and AMD suggest retail prices, but actual market prices can vary significantly. Hopefully, as supply increases, prices will fall closer to MSRP.

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT, priced at $599 at launch, is an outstanding value for a 4K graphics card, especially with the new FSR 4 AI upscaler. This pricing reflects a return to more reasonable launch prices before Nvidia's upward price adjustments starting with the RTX 2080 Ti.

Conversely, the Nvidia RTX 5070 Ti, with a base price of $749, is $150 more expensive despite similar performance to the RX 9070 XT. Nvidia's card offers additional features like Multi-Frame Generation, but whether these justify the price hike depends on individual gaming needs and preferences.

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 excel in 1440p gaming and can handle 4K with ease. However, the RX 9070 XT's ability to match the RTX 5070 Ti's performance at a significantly lower price makes it the clear winner, especially if GPU prices return to normal levels.

For those building a gaming PC aimed at high-end 1440p or 4K gaming, the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is an unbeatable choice. While it lacks multi-frame generation, this feature is less critical for gamers without high-refresh 4K monitors.