Key takeaways
- 1080p high/ultra: the RX 6700 often runs roughly 70-110 fps in mainstream titles, while the RTX 2070 tends to sit about a fifth to a third lower.
- 1440p: the RX 6700 can hold around 50-75 fps at high settings in many games, which makes it a reasonable entry 1440p card; the 2070 more often needs medium settings or upscaling to stay above 60 fps in recent releases.
The RX 6700 is the better buy for most gamers today because it is meaningfully faster in standard rasterized games and carries 10 GB of VRAM instead of 8 GB, while the RTX 2070 only wins for players who lean on DLSS upscaling and light ray tracing and can get it noticeably cheaper. Both are older cards sold mostly used now, so condition and price matter as much as the benchmark gap.
Nvidia’s RTX 2070 launched in October 2018 at $499 as one of the first Turing cards with RT and Tensor cores. AMD’s RX 6700 arrived much later, in June 2021, as a quieter, partner-led RDNA 2 model positioned just under the RX 6700 XT; it never had a widely publicized MSRP, and Tom’s Hardware’s review covered a Sapphire version selling at $299 in late 2022.
Our top picks
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Spec Comparison
| Specification | GeForce RTX 2070 | Radeon RX 6700 |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Turing | RDNA 2.0 |
| Release date | 17 October 2018 | 9 June 2021 |
| Launch MSRP | $499 | Not listed |
| Shaders | 2304 CUDA cores | 2304 stream processors |
| Boost clock | 1620 MHz | 2450 MHz |
| Process | 12 nm | 7 nm |
| TDP | 175 W | 175 W |
| Memory | 8 GB GDDR6 | 10 GB GDDR6 |
| Bus width | 256-bit | 160-bit |
| Bandwidth | 448.0 GB/s | 320.0 GB/s |
| Cache | 4 MB L2 | 3 MB L2 + 80 MB Infinity Cache (L3) |
| Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 4.0 x16 |
| Power connectors | 1x 8-pin | 1x 8-pin |
| Length | 229 mm (reference) | 267 mm |
| Width | 2-slot | 2-slot |
| Outputs | 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0, 2x DP 1.4a, 1x USB-C | 1x HDMI 2.1, 2x DP 1.4a, 1x USB-C |
The shader counts match exactly, the TDP matches exactly and both use a single 8-pin plug, so this is unusually even on paper. The difference comes from clock speed and architecture: the RX 6700 boosts roughly 800 MHz higher, and its 80 MB Infinity Cache offsets the narrower 160-bit bus. The RTX 2070 has more raw bandwidth but an older, lower-clocked design.
Rasterized Gaming: The RX 6700 Pulls Ahead
Tom’s Hardware’s review of the Sapphire RX 6700 10GB found it around 25% faster than the RTX 3060 at 1080p ultra and only a few percent behind the RTX 3060 Ti. The RTX 2070 generally lands close to the RTX 3060 in review averages, so the RX 6700 is roughly 20-35% faster than the 2070 in traditional rasterized games, with the larger margins in newer titles that benefit from RDNA 2’s higher clocks. PCGamesHardware’s data, as reported in enthusiast discussion, put the RX 6700 about 8% ahead of the RX 6650 XT, which is consistent with that placement.
Typical results, which vary with settings, CPU and patch:
- 1080p high/ultra: the RX 6700 often runs roughly 70-110 fps in mainstream titles, while the RTX 2070 tends to sit about a fifth to a third lower.
- 1440p: the RX 6700 can hold around 50-75 fps at high settings in many games, which makes it a reasonable entry 1440p card; the 2070 more often needs medium settings or upscaling to stay above 60 fps in recent releases.
Ray Tracing Narrows the Gap
Ray tracing is the RTX 2070’s comeback route. Tom’s Hardware’s ray tracing tests showed the RX 6700 trailing even Intel’s Arc A750 by around 19% with DXR enabled, which illustrates how weak RDNA 2 is with heavy RT. The RTX 2070’s first-generation RT cores are also modest, so neither card is a good ray tracing choice, but in heavier RT workloads the gap between them closes to roughly even or tips toward the 2070, especially once DLSS is used to recover frame rate. Some newer games require ray tracing hardware; both cards support it and can run those titles at reduced settings.
Upscaling and Frame Generation
- RTX 2070: supports DLSS 4 super resolution with the transformer model and DLSS ray reconstruction, which deliver excellent image quality at Performance and Balanced modes. It does not support DLSS frame generation, which needs RTX 40 or newer. FSR 3.1 frame generation works in games that offer it.
- RX 6700: supports FSR 2 and FSR 3.1 upscaling, FSR 3 frame generation, and AMD Fluid Motion Frames 2 at the driver level, which can generate frames in almost any DirectX 11 or 12 game. FSR 4 targets RDNA 4 and is not officially supported on RDNA 2.
This creates a real trade-off. DLSS upscaling on the 2070 produces a cleaner image than FSR 3.1 at the same internal resolution, which can close much of the raw speed gap. The RX 6700, however, has the broader frame generation options thanks to AFMF 2. Buyers who care most about image quality at 1440p with upscaling may find the cards closer than raster charts suggest.
VRAM: 10 GB vs 8 GB
The RX 6700’s extra 2 GB is a practical advantage in 2026. A rough guide to texture budgets in modern games:
- 1080p: 8 GB handles high textures in most games; some new releases want more at ultra.
- 1440p: 10 GB gives comfortable room for high textures and often ultra; 8 GB frequently forces texture reductions in recent titles.
- 4K: neither card is suited to native 4K in demanding games.
Running out of VRAM causes stutter and texture pop-in rather than just lower averages, so the 6700’s buffer translates into smoother play in memory-hungry games.
Power, PSU, Size and Platform
With identical 175 W TDPs and the same single 8-pin connector, the power story is a tie. A simple PSU estimate adds TDP, CPU power and about 150 W of headroom: 175 + 105 (typical gaming CPU) + 150 = 430 W, so a quality 500-550 W unit covers either card.
Size differs slightly. The reference RTX 2070 is 229 mm long, while the RX 6700 is listed at 267 mm, so very compact cases may favor the 2070. Both are 2-slot designs.
Platform matters too: the RTX 2070 uses PCIe 3.0 x16, and the RX 6700 uses PCIe 4.0 x16. Either runs fine in a PCIe 3.0 board because both use the full sixteen lanes. The RX 6700 benefits from AMD Smart Access Memory (Resizable BAR) where supported, but does not depend on it the way Intel Arc cards do. The 2070 still offers a DVI port, useful for an old monitor, while the RX 6700 brings HDMI 2.1 for modern TVs.
Pick X If, Pick Y If
| Your situation | Pick |
|---|---|
| 1080p high refresh in rasterized games | RX 6700 |
| Entry 1440p with high textures | RX 6700 (10 GB) |
| Upscaling-heavy play where image quality matters | RTX 2070 (DLSS) |
| Light ray tracing with upscaling | RTX 2070, narrowly |
| Frame generation in many games | RX 6700 (AFMF 2 plus FSR 3) |
| Very short case or DVI monitor | RTX 2070 |
| Streaming with Nvidia’s encoder or CUDA apps | RTX 2070 |
Used Prices and Value
Both cards are mostly bought used in 2026. The RTX 2070 usually sells roughly in the $130-$180 range, while the RX 6700 tends to trade around $170-$230, partly because it is newer and has more VRAM. A quick cost-per-performance check, using the 2070 as 100 and the RX 6700 as about 125:
- RTX 2070 at $155: about $1.55 per performance point.
- RX 6700 at $200: about $1.60 per performance point.
Value is close, so the RX 6700 is worth the modest premium for its extra VRAM and newer architecture. If the 2070 drops well below that range, it becomes the stronger bargain for 1080p. With any used card, check fan condition, thermal performance under load and whether the seller can show it running stable.
Driver support is a long-term consideration. Nvidia still includes Turing in its game-ready drivers and DLSS 4 updates. AMD has concentrated its newest features on RDNA 3 and RDNA 4, though RDNA 2 still receives driver updates. Current cards such as the RX 9060 XT, RTX 5060 and Arc B580 outperform both, so if the budget stretches to new hardware, compare those first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the RX 6700 faster than the RTX 2070?
Yes, in standard rasterized games. Review data from Tom’s Hardware places the RX 6700 about 25% ahead of the RTX 3060, which generally performs close to the RTX 2070, so the RX 6700 is roughly 20-35% faster depending on the game. In heavy ray tracing the gap mostly disappears.
Can the RTX 2070 use DLSS 4?
The RTX 2070 supports DLSS 4 super resolution with the transformer model and ray reconstruction. It does not support DLSS frame generation or multi frame generation, which require RTX 40 and RTX 50 cards respectively. It can still use FSR 3.1 frame generation in supported games.
Is 10 GB of VRAM a real advantage over 8 GB?
Yes, especially at 1440p. Several recent games exceed 8 GB at high or ultra textures, causing stutter on 8 GB cards. The RX 6700’s 10 GB buffer lets it keep higher texture settings without hitching.
What power supply do I need for either card?
Both cards have a 175 W TDP and use a single 8-pin connector. A quality 500-550 W power supply is enough for either with a typical gaming CPU. Older or lower-quality units should be replaced rather than pushed to their limit.
Does the RX 6700 work in a PCIe 3.0 motherboard?
Yes. The RX 6700 uses a full x16 link, so running at PCIe 3.0 speeds has only a minimal effect on gaming performance. This makes it a sensible upgrade for older Intel and AMD platforms.
