RTX 4070 Vs RX 7900 XT: Our Recommendation

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Abde Manaf

At Tech4Gamers, I began as a comparison writer, analyzing GPU and CPU performance. Now, I focus on writing reviews and contributing to the best-ofs section, sharing personal insights after hands-on testing.

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With the introduction of the RTX 4070, consumers have gotten an option that gives a decent budget option, at least in the current market. On the other hand, AMD has recently given a price cut to its second to the best offering, making it a fantastic deal. This article will compare the RTX 4070 vs RX 7900 XT to see which graphics card is best for you.

Key Takeaways

• We highly recommend the RX 7900 XT for gamers seeking top-notch performance. Based on our hands-on experience and extensive testing, this graphics card outshines the RTX 4070 with an impressive 40% lead in average FPS, making it a fantastic choice.
• During our testing, we observed that the RTX 4070 is exceptionally power-efficient. On average, it consumed approximately 41% less power, making the RTX 4070 an excellent option for energy-conscious users without compromising on gaming performance.
• When it comes to thermals, our tests demonstrated that both the RX 7900 XT and RTX 4070 exhibited nearly identical temperature management. This means that users can enjoy comparable thermal performance regardless of which card they choose.

Comparison Table

Architectural Differences

1. Process Node: The RX 7900 XT and RTX 4070 both utilize a 5nm process node, signifying advanced semiconductor manufacturing technology.
2. Clock Speed: The RX 7900 XT boasts a 1500 MHz Base Clock and 2394 MHz Boost Clock, offering competitive clock speeds, whereas the RTX 4070 has a 1920 MHz Base Clock and 2475 MHz Boost Clock, providing slightly higher out-of-the-box performance.
3. VRAM: In terms of VRAM, the RX 7900 XT features a generous 20GB of GDDR6 VRAM, outpacing the RTX 4070 with its 12GB of GDDR6X VRAM, indicating the AMD card’s advantage in memory capacity.
4. TDP: The RX 7900 XT carries a 300W TDP (Thermal Design Power), which is notably higher than the RTX 4070’s 200W TDP, demonstrating a power efficiency difference between the two cards.
5. Supported Technologies: Both cards come equipped with their respective advanced technologies, with the RX 7900 XT featuring FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR), while the RTX 4070 offers NVIDIA’s Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) for enhanced gaming experiences.

RX 7900 XT Vs RTX 4070: Gaming Benchmarks

In this comparison section, we will compare the RTX 4070 vs RX 7900 XT in various real-world gaming tests, all performed at a resolution of 2160p and the highest available settings for each game. We conducted all of these tests in a controlled environment using a test bench, and we list its specifications below.

• CPU: Core i9 13900K
• Operating System: Windows 11  
• Motherboard: ASUS TUF Gaming Z690-Plus 
• RAM: G.Skill Trident Z5 RGB 32GB DDR5-6600 CL34
• SSD: Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus 1TB NVMe SSD
• Cooler: Xigmatek Aurora 360mm Cooler
• Power Supply: ENERMAX REVOLUTION D.F. X 1050W

Hitman 3

• In the first game of our tests, the RX 7900 XT massively outperformed the RTX 4070 in average framerates. The RX 7900 XT had an average of about 133 FPS compared to 90 FPS on the RTX 4070.
• 1% lows followed suit, with the RTX 4070 having 1% lows of 72 FPS and the RX 7900 XT having 106 FPS.
• Temperatures were equal on both cards in Hitman 3, 63°C.
• This game had the RTX 4070 exceeding its TGP, drawing about 207 Watts over the advertised 200 Watts it was supposed to draw. Meanwhile, the RX 7900 XT drew about 267 Watts of power.

Cyberpunk 2077

• Nvidia RX 7900 XT again outperformed the RTX 4070 in our testing, giving an average framerate of 66 FPS, while the RTX 4070 kept the average framerate at a sub-par 40 FPS.
• The low 1% framerates on the Nvidia RX 7900 XT were recorded at 54 FPS, which was once again higher than the 1% lows from the RTX 4070 during our benchmarking, which came out to about 31 FPS.
• In Cyberpunk 2077, the RTX 4070 surprisingly had a higher peak temperature than the RX 7900 XT, with a peak of 67°C compared to 64°C.
• Once again, we saw the RTX 4070 exceeded its power target by drawing 201 Watts from the wall, while the RX 7900 XT drew 293 Watts.

God Of War

• In our God of War gameplay, the RX 7900 XT delivered an average of 103 FPS, while the RTX 4070 delivered about 78 FPS. Once again, a significant win for AMD.
• The Nvidia RX 7900 XT showed a minimum 1% frame rate of 82 FPS, surpassing the 1% lows of the RTX 4070, which were around 56 FPS.
• Once more, we noticed that the RTX 4070 exhibited a higher maximum temperature than the RX 7900 XT, peaking at 67°C, while the latter peaked at 65°C.
• The RTX 4070 finally remained within its power target by consuming 199 Watts from the wall, in contrast to the RX 7900 XT, which drew 292 Watts.

Horizon Zero Dawn

• While we were benchmarking Horizon Zero Dawn, the RTX 4070 had an average of about 83 FPS, whereas the 7900 XT had an average of 113 FPS.
• The 1% lows of the RX 7900 XT exceeded the averages of the RTX 4070 in this game, with the RX 7900 XT having 1% lows of 84 FPS compared to the 55 FPS of the RTX 4070.
• Temperatures were higher on the RX 7900 XT in our gameplay, with the card having a peak temperature of 67°C compared to the RTX 4070 at 63°C.
• The power draw was much less on the RTX 4070, drawing only about 180 Watts compared to the 280 Watts drawn by the RX 7900 XT.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

• Being a more challenging title, the RTX 4070 managed to pump out 72 FPS on average in our Assassin’s Creed Valhalla test, whereas the RX 7900 XT had an average of 97 FPS.
• The 1% lows were better again on the RX 7900 XT, about 88 FPS, compared to the RTX 4070’s 62 FPS.
• Temperatures were better again on the RTX 4070 in our test. The RTX peaked at about 62°C, whereas the Radeon card peaked at about 64°C.
• The power draw for the RTX 4070 was about 193 Watts compared to the 288 Watts on the RX 7900 XT.

Marvel’s Spiderman Remastered

• Cranking up all the settings to the max in Spiderman allowed us to have an average framerate of 76 FPS on the RX 7900 XT compared to the mere 44 FPS on the RTX 4070.
• The 1% lows on the RTX 4070 were console cinematic, to put it lightly. The RTX 4070 had lows of about 31 FPS compared to 57 FPS on the RX 7900 XT.
• The RTX 4070 was once again cooler during our test, having a peak temperature of 62°C compared to 66°C on the RX 7900 XT.
• The power draw of the RTX 4070 once again exceeded its rated TGP with a draw of 205 Watts compared to 286 Watts on the RX 7900 XT.

Forza Horizon 5

• Forza Horizon 5 had the RTX 4070, giving us exceptional performance by delivering 111 FPS, but this still fell short of the RX 7900 XT with an average of 139 FPS.
• The 1% lows in this game also showed how well-optimized it is, with the RTX 4070 having 1% lows of 75 FPS, whereas the RX 7900 XT had 1% lows closer to 102 FPS.
• In our last game, the RTX 4070 again ran hotter than the RX 7900 XT, with a peak of 57°C compared to the RX 7900 XT’s 55°C.
• Lastly, the RTX 4070 again exceeded its TGP by utilizing 207 Watts, whereas the RX 7900 XT utilized 276 Watts.

RTX 4070 Vs RX 7900 XT: Overall Gaming Analysis

In this comparison section, we will examine every aspect of our RTX 4070 vs RX 7900 XT gaming tests in more detail.

Frame Rates

• In our tests, the RX 7900 XT outperformed the RTX 4070, averaging 104 FPS compared to the RTX 4070’s 74 FPS across all tested games.
• When it comes to 1% lows, which help assess gameplay smoothness, the RX 7900 XT also had an advantage with 81 FPS, while the RTX 4070 lagged behind at 55 FPS.

Power Consumption

• The RTX 4070 and ADA Lovelace GPUs stand out for their remarkable performance per watt, attributed to their utilization of smaller processing nodes.
• In our tests, the RTX 4070 exhibited an average power consumption of about 199W, whereas the RX 7900 XT drew an average of around 282W. As a result, the RTX 4070 emerged as the more power-efficient choice, while the RX 7900 XT offered superior performance at the cost of higher power consumption.

Thermals

• In our RTX 4070 vs RX 7900 XT tests, the RTX 4070 showcased exceptional thermal management, maintaining cool temperatures despite its smaller form factor.
• The RX 7900 XT also demonstrated commendable thermal performance, showing significant improvements over its predecessor while delivering outstanding performance.
• Moreover, the RTX 4070 maintained an average temperature of 63.3°C, while the RX 7900 XT averaged 63.7°C.

To ensure your graphics card doesn’t overheat, read our article on safe idle GPU temperatures.

Price And Availability

• As per our research, the RTX 4070 boasts a launch MSRP of $599, offering a more budget-friendly option for gamers.
• In contrast, the RX 7900 XT comes with a higher launch MSRP of approximately $899, making it a more premium choice.
• Finally, the RTX 4070, although not as popular as some other series, should still be readily available at both brick-and-mortar and online stores for interested consumers.

RX 7900 XT Vs RTX 4070: Which One Would We Recommend?

• Considering your gaming priorities and budget constraints, we recommend the RTX 4070 for a balanced gaming experience. It offers a competitive average FPS of 74 in all tested games with an appealing $599 MSRP. 
• On the other hand, the RX 7900 XT, while more powerful with an average FPS of 104, comes at a premium price of approximately $899. It offers great performance but comes with a higher price tag.
• Both GPUs maintain similar thermal performance, with the RTX 4070 averaging 63.3°C and the RX 7900 XT averaging 63.7°C.

In conclusion, for a budget-friendly gaming experience, the RTX 4070 provides a compelling option, whereas the RX 7900 XT caters to those who are willing to invest more for top-tier performance. Make your choice accordingly.

Pros And Cons

More From RX 7900 XT:

• RX 7800 XT Vs RX 7900 XT
• RX 7900 GRE Vs RX 7900 XT
• RTX 3090 Ti Vs RX 7900 XT

More From RTX 4070:

• RX 7700 XT Vs RTX 4070
• RTX 4070 Vs RX 6950 XT
• RX 7900 GRE Vs RTX 4070

Abde Manaf

[Comparisons Expert]

Abdemanaf is a skilled creative writer who has been honing his craft since 2011. While initially working in different fields, he found a passion for technology and has been exploring the tech world since early 2015. Over the years, he has developed an in-depth knowledge of the latest tech trends and product offerings by various companies.

Abdemanaf’s writing reflects his analytical mindset and ability to think critically. He has a knack for breaking down complex technical information into easily digestible pieces, making his articles engaging and accessible to readers from all backgrounds. In February 2022, he joined Tech4Gamers as a blog and product comparison writer, where he has been able to hone his skills further.

As a writer, Abdemanaf is dedicated to staying up-to-date with the latest technological advancements and trends, enabling him to provide readers with the most relevant and accurate information. He is always eager to learn more and is constantly seeking new challenges to improve his skills.

Get In Touch: manaf@old.tech4gamers.com