BuildRanked · GPU compare
RTX 5070 vs RX 9070 XT
The defining 1440p matchup of early 2026: NVIDIA’s DLSS/RT stack versus AMD’s raster value and 16 GB VRAM—same price class, different strengths.
1440p build
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At a glance
Spec comparison
| Specification | GeForce RTX 5070 | Radeon RX 9070 XT |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Blackwell | RDNA 4 |
| CUDA / Compute | 6,144 CUDA cores | 64 CUs (4,096 SP) |
| VRAM | 12 GB GDDR7 | 16 GB GDDR6 |
| Memory bus | 192-bit | 256-bit |
| Boost clock (ref) | ~2.51 GHz | ~2.40 GHz |
| TDP (board power) | 220 W | 260 W |
| Street price (est.) | ~$549 | ~$599 |
| Upsampling | DLSS 4 + Multi Frame Gen | FSR 4 + frame gen |
| Ray tracing | RT cores gen 4 | Improved RT, still behind NVIDIA in heavy RT |
Selected titles
Gaming benchmarks
| Game | Settings | RTX 5070 | RX 9070 XT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 1440p RT Ultra | 62 FPS (DLSS Q) | 58 FPS (FSR Q) |
| Starfield | 1440p Ultra | 98 FPS | 104 FPS |
| Black Myth: Wukong | 1440p Very High | 88 FPS | 92 FPS |
| Fortnite | 1080p Performance | 285 FPS | 270 FPS |
| Horizon Forbidden West | 4K High | 52 FPS (DLSS) | 48 FPS (FSR) |
By resolution
1080p, 1440p, and 4K
1080p
Both cards are overkill for 1080p60. At 1080p 240 Hz, the RTX 5070 leads in RT-heavy esports with DLSS; the 9070 XT trades blows in pure raster. Buy neither if this is your only target—save money with RTX 5060 Ti.
1440p
This is the purchase resolution. The 9070 XT wins many raster benchmarks; the 5070 pulls ahead when RT ultra and DLSS Multi Frame Gen are enabled. See our 1440p build template.
4K
Both want upscaling for modern AAA. The 5070’s DLSS implementation is more consistent today; 16 GB on the 9070 XT helps texture-heavy native 4K less than you might hope without FSR.
Upscaling & frame gen
DLSS 4 vs FSR 4
DLSS 4 (RTX 5070) includes Multi Frame Generation in supported titles—large effective FPS gains with manageable latency on 1440p displays. Quality mode is the default recommendation for single-player AAA.
FSR 4 on RDNA 4 improves temporal stability over FSR 3. Cross-vendor support means some games let you run FSR on NVIDIA, but you buy RTX for DLSS-native titles, not FSR alone.
RT performance
Ray tracing
In path-traced or RT ultra modes, the RTX 5070 typically leads by a wider margin than in raster. If you toggle RT off anyway, lean AMD; if you leave RT on in Cyberpunk, Alan Wake 2, and similar, lean NVIDIA.
12 GB vs 16 GB
VRAM
The 9070 XT’s 16 GB is meaningful for modded textures and some 4K scenarios. The 5070’s faster GDDR7 on a narrower bus still delivers bandwidth for 1440p. Neither card is wrong on VRAM for mainstream 1440p in 2026.
PSU & thermals
Power efficiency
Reference-class RTX 5070 boards draw less power than 9070 XT designs (~220 W vs ~260 W). Perf-per-watt favors NVIDIA in our efficiency score. Real noise depends on AIB cooler—compare specific models on Thermal browser.
Plan a 750 W Gold PSU for either GPU with a modern 8-core CPU; 650 W works only with lower-power CPUs and quality units.
Who should buy which
Best use cases
- Buy RTX 5070 if: you use RT, prefer DLSS, or need CUDA/NVENC for creation.
- Buy RX 9070 XT if: raster FPS per dollar and 16 GB VRAM matter more than RT leadership.
Summary
Winner by category
| Category | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Pure raster @ 1440p | RX 9070 XT | Often 3–8% ahead in non-RT titles at similar power—VRAM margin helps texture-heavy games. |
| Ray tracing | RTX 5070 | NVIDIA still leads in path-traced modes; DLSS frame gen recovers more lost frames. |
| 4K gaming | Tie → slight RTX 5070 | Both need upscaling; 5070’s DLSS 4 is more mature in supported titles. |
| Value at street price | RX 9070 XT | Extra VRAM and raster perf per dollar—unless you need CUDA or NVENC. |
| Power efficiency | RTX 5070 | Lower board power and better perf-per-watt in our efficiency score. |
| Content creation | RTX 5070 | NVENC AV1, CUDA apps, and broader Adobe/3D tool acceleration. |
Frequently asked questions
- Is 12 GB enough on the RTX 5070 vs 16 GB on the 9070 XT?
- At 1440p, both are fine today. Modded textures, 4K, and future RT-heavy patches favor 16 GB—factor that into hold time.
- Which card is quieter?
- Depends on AIB model, not chip alone. Compare specific SKUs; our thermal browser has limit context for many catalog entries.
- Can I use FSR on NVIDIA or DLSS on AMD?
- FSR often works cross-vendor in supported games. DLSS is NVIDIA-only. Pick the ecosystem you will actually use.
Related on BuildRanked
Related comparisons
Product pages: RTX 5070 on RankedGPU · RX 9070 XT on RankedGPU