Key takeaways
- Either card + 65 W CPU: about 165-175 + 65 + 150 = 380-390 W, so a quality 450-550 W unit is fine.
- Either card + 125 W CPU: about 440-450 W, so 550 W is the comfortable target.
The Radeon RX 7600 is the better pick for most buyers. It is roughly 5-20% faster than the RTX 2070 in traditional rasterized games, uses slightly less power, is shorter, and is young enough to still be sold new with a warranty. The RTX 2070 makes more sense if you get one cheap on the used market and want DLSS upscaling or stronger ray tracing. It also suits older PCIe 3.0 systems, where its full x16 link avoids the RX 7600’s x8 penalty.
Our top picks
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XFX Speedster SWFT210 Radeon RX 7600 Graphics- Chipset: AMD RX 7600
- Memory: 8GB GDDR6
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Generations Apart, Same Price Bracket
The RTX 2070 launched in October 2018 at $499 and was one of Nvidia’s first RTX cards, built on Turing with first-generation RT and Tensor cores. The RX 7600 arrived in May 2023 at $269 as AMD’s RDNA 3 mainstream card for 1080p. Both have 8 GB of GDDR6. Today a used 2070 and a discounted or used RX 7600 often cost about the same, which is why people keep asking which one to buy.
Spec Comparison Table
| Spec | RTX 2070 | Radeon RX 7600 |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Turing | RDNA 3.0 |
| Release date | 17 October 2018 | 24 May 2023 |
| Launch MSRP | $499 | $269 |
| Shading units | 2304 CUDA cores | 2048 stream processors |
| Boost clock | 1620 MHz | 2655 MHz |
| Process | 12 nm | 6 nm |
| VRAM | 8 GB GDDR6 | 8 GB GDDR6 |
| Memory bus | 256-bit | 128-bit |
| Bandwidth | 448.0 GB/s | 288.0 GB/s |
| Cache | 4 MB L2 | 2 MB L2 + 32 MB Infinity Cache |
| TDP | 175 W | 165 W |
| Power connector | 1x 8-pin | 1x 8-pin |
| Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 4.0 x8 |
| Length / width | 229 mm, 2-slot | 204 mm, 2-slot |
| Outputs | 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0, 2x DP 1.4a, 1x USB-C | 1x HDMI 2.1a, 3x DP 2.1 |
Raster Gaming: RX 7600 Takes It
Every benchmark source checked agrees that the RX 7600 wins in standard rasterized games, but not on the margin. Aggregate databases that average results across many games put the RX 7600 roughly 15-21% ahead, and 3DMark Time Spy graphics scores show about a 20% lead. Comparison sites testing a smaller set of games at 1440p report a gap closer to 2-5%, and PassMark’s G3D results are close to a tie. Game-level results also vary. The RX 7600 leads by a wide margin in titles like Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Cyberpunk 2077 at 1080p, while the RTX 2070 wins some older DirectX 11 titles and higher-resolution runs where its 256-bit bus helps.
A sensible expectation is that the RX 7600 runs about 5-20% faster at 1080p and somewhat less at 1440p. At 1080p high settings, both cards typically run demanding modern games at around 50-90 fps, with the RX 7600 at the upper part of that range more often. Results vary with settings, CPU, and game patch.
Why the RTX 2070 catches up at higher resolutions
The RTX 2070 has 448 GB/s of memory bandwidth from a 256-bit bus. The RX 7600 has 288 GB/s from a 128-bit bus, offset by its 32 MB Infinity Cache. Cache works well at 1080p, where much of the working data fits. At 1440p and especially 4K, more traffic goes to memory and the 2070’s wider bus narrows the gap. In some 4K tests the 2070 even comes out ahead.
Ray Tracing and Upscaling
This is where the RTX 2070 holds its ground. With ray tracing enabled, Nvidia’s dedicated RT cores generally give the 2070 the lead over RDNA 3’s weaker ray-tracing hardware. Some comparisons show the 2070 well ahead in titles like DOOM Eternal with RT on, especially at 1440p. Neither card is a strong RT performer, and light RT effects at 1080p with upscaling is the realistic limit for both.
For upscaling, the 2070 supports DLSS super resolution, including the transformer-based DLSS 4 upscaling model Nvidia extended to all RTX cards. DLSS generally looks better than FSR 3 at the same internal resolution, especially at 1080p, where upscalers have the least data to work with. The 2070 does not support DLSS Frame Generation, which requires RTX 40 or newer.
The RX 7600 supports FSR 3.1 super resolution and FSR 3 frame generation, plus AMD Fluid Motion Frames, a driver-level frame generation that works in many games without developer support. AMD’s AI-based FSR 4 is officially aimed at the RX 9000 series, so do not plan around it on an RX 7600. FSR 3 frame generation also runs on the RTX 2070 in games that offer it, so neither card is locked out of frame generation.
VRAM: A Tie With a Catch
Both cards have 8 GB, so neither has an advantage in VRAM capacity. In 2026, 8 GB is workable at 1080p with high (not ultra) textures in most games, but some recent releases require compromises. The RX 7600 has one extra weakness. Its PCIe 4.0 x8 link drops to Gen 3 x8 bandwidth on older motherboards, and when VRAM fills up, the slower link makes the resulting stutter worse. The RTX 2070’s x16 link at PCIe 3.0 has twice the bandwidth on those same older boards.
Power, PSU, and Case Fit
Power draw is nearly identical: 175 W for the 2070 and 165 W for the RX 7600, each using a single 8-pin connector. PSU sizing using GPU TDP + CPU + about 150 W of headroom:
- Either card + 65 W CPU: about 165-175 + 65 + 150 = 380-390 W, so a quality 450-550 W unit is fine.
- Either card + 125 W CPU: about 440-450 W, so 550 W is the comfortable target.
The RX 7600 reference card is 204 mm long, compared with 229 mm for the 2070 reference design. Both are two slots wide and fit most mini-ITX cases, but check partner card lengths. On outputs, the RX 7600 has HDMI 2.1a and DisplayPort 2.1, while the 2070 has a DVI port that is useful for some older monitors and a USB-C VirtualLink port.
Used RTX 2070 Notes
Used RTX 2070 cards typically sell for around $120-$170. The RX 7600 usually goes for around $170-$220 used, more when new. At these prices the 2070 can offer good cost per frame if it is in good condition. A seven-to-eight-year-old card has drawbacks, though: fans and thermal paste may need service, there is no warranty, and Nvidia will eventually reduce driver focus on Turing. The RX 7600 is newer and should get driver support for longer.
Cost per Frame
At launch MSRP, $269 for the RX 7600 against $499 for the 2070, with the RX 7600 around 10-15% faster in raster, AMD’s card cost roughly half as much per frame. On the used market, a 2070 at about $150 against an RX 7600 at about $200 makes the 2070 roughly 15-25% cheaper per frame if the RX 7600 is 10% faster. The two end up much closer, and the decision comes down to features and condition.
Decision Guide
| You want… | Pick |
|---|---|
| Best raster speed at 1080p, new card with warranty | RX 7600 |
| DLSS image quality and some ray tracing | RTX 2070 |
| Lowest possible spend, used market | RTX 2070 |
| Older PCIe 3.0 motherboard | RTX 2070 (full x16 link) |
| Driver-level frame generation across many games | RX 7600 (AFMF) |
| Small case, modern monitor outputs | RX 7600 |
| Longest remaining driver support | RX 7600 |
If your budget can stretch further, current cards such as the Arc B580, RTX 5060, or RX 9060 XT outperform both and offer newer upscaling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the RX 7600 faster than the RTX 2070?
Yes, in most rasterized games. Estimates range from a near tie in some suites to around 20% in favour of the RX 7600 in large aggregate averages. The gap is widest at 1080p and narrows at higher resolutions.
Which card is better for ray tracing?
The RTX 2070 generally performs better with ray tracing enabled because of Nvidia’s dedicated RT cores, and DLSS helps make RT playable. Neither card handles heavy ray tracing well, so expect to use light effects and upscaling.
Can the RTX 2070 use DLSS 4?
The RTX 2070 supports DLSS super resolution, including the improved transformer-based model introduced with DLSS 4. It does not support DLSS Frame Generation or Multi Frame Generation, which need RTX 40 and RTX 50 series cards.
Do these cards need a big power supply?
No. Both are rated at around 165-175 W and use a single 8-pin connector. A quality 450-550 W power supply handles either card with a mainstream CPU.
Is 8 GB of VRAM enough on these cards?
For 1080p gaming with high texture settings, 8 GB works in most current games. Some of the newest titles need medium textures to avoid stutter. Neither card has more memory, so this limit applies to both.
