Key takeaways
- 1080p high, modern AAA: RTX 3070 around 90-140 fps; RX 5700 XT around 65-100 fps.
- 1440p high: RTX 3070 around 65-100 fps; RX 5700 XT around 45-70 fps.
- 4K: the RTX 3070 is usable with DLSS in many games; the 5700 XT generally needs medium settings and FSR.
The RTX 3070 is the stronger card by a wide margin, roughly 35-50 percent faster than the RX 5700 XT at 1440p with full ray tracing and DLSS support, so it is the pick for 1440p gaming; the RX 5700 XT only makes sense as a low-cost used card for 1080p raster gaming when the price gap between the two is large.
The RX 5700 XT launched in July 2019 at $399 and was AMD’s top RDNA 1 card. The RTX 3070 launched in 2020 at $499 and was pitched as RTX 2080 Ti-class performance at half the price. Both have 8 GB of VRAM, both are now old enough to be bought mainly used, and both have been overtaken by the RTX 5060 Ti, RTX 5070, RX 9060 XT and RX 9070. The question is whether the RTX 3070’s extra speed and features justify its higher used price.
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Head-to-Head Specs
| Specification | Radeon RX 5700 XT | GeForce RTX 3070 |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | RDNA 1.0 | Ampere |
| Release date | 7 July 2019 | 1 September 2020 |
| Launch price (MSRP) | $399 | $499 |
| Shader units | 2,560 stream processors | 5,888 CUDA cores |
| Boost clock | 1,905 MHz | 1,725 MHz |
| Process | 7 nm | 8 nm |
| Board power (TDP) | 225 W | 220 W |
| Memory | 8 GB GDDR6 | 8 GB GDDR6 |
| Memory bus / bandwidth | 256-bit / 448.0 GB/s | 256-bit / 448.0 GB/s |
| L2 cache | 4 MB | 4 MB |
| Interface | PCIe 4.0 x16 | PCIe 4.0 x16 |
| Power connectors | 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin | 1x 12-pin (Founders Edition) |
| Length (reference) | 272 mm | 242 mm |
| Width | 2-slot | 2-slot |
| Outputs | 1x HDMI 2.0b, 3x DP 1.4a | 1x HDMI, 3x DisplayPort |
The memory subsystems are identical on paper: 8 GB on a 256-bit bus at 448 GB/s. The gap comes from the compute side. Ampere’s doubled FP32 throughput and second-generation RT and Tensor cores give the RTX 3070 much more horsepower at nearly the same power rating.
On the connector: the 12-pin plug listed for the RTX 3070 applies to NVIDIA’s Founders Edition, which ships with an adapter. Most partner RTX 3070 cards use standard PCIe plugs, typically 8-pin plus 6-pin or two 8-pins.
Rasterized Performance
Published comparisons consistently put the RTX 3070 well ahead. Aggregated results show the 3070 roughly 38-54 percent faster than the RX 5700 XT, with the larger figures at 1440p, and 3DMark Time Spy shows a similar gap of about 44 percent. Hardware Unboxed’s reviews on TechSpot have also shown the RX 6750 XT landing close to the RTX 3070 at 1440p, while the RX 5700 XT sat near the RX 6600 XT and 6650 XT in later testing. That places the RX 5700 XT about one full performance tier below the 3070.
Approximate frame rates, which vary with settings, CPU, game patch and driver:
- 1080p high, modern AAA: RTX 3070 around 90-140 fps; RX 5700 XT around 65-100 fps.
- 1440p high: RTX 3070 around 65-100 fps; RX 5700 XT around 45-70 fps.
- 4K: the RTX 3070 is usable with DLSS in many games; the 5700 XT generally needs medium settings and FSR.
At 1080p with a midrange CPU, part of the 3070’s advantage disappears into CPU limits, so the visible gap is often smaller than at 1440p.
Ray Tracing and Upscaling
The RX 5700 XT has no hardware ray tracing at all and lacks DirectX 12 Ultimate features such as mesh shaders. That rules it out of ray-traced settings and puts it at risk with the small but growing list of games that require DX12 Ultimate hardware.
The RTX 3070 runs moderate ray tracing at 1080p and 1440p, especially paired with DLSS. It supports DLSS Super Resolution, including the DLSS 4 transformer model, plus Ray Reconstruction. It does not support DLSS Frame Generation or Multi Frame Generation, which require RTX 40 and RTX 50 cards, but it can use FSR 3 frame generation in games that offer it.
The RX 5700 XT is limited to FSR 2 and FSR 3; AMD’s FSR 4 is designed for RX 9000 cards. AMD also moved RX 5000 and RX 6000 cards onto a separate maintenance-mode driver branch in late 2025, later clarifying that game support, optimizations and fixes would continue there.
The Shared 8 GB Limit
Both cards share the same weakness: 8 GB of VRAM. The RTX 3070 in particular has been criticized for having more GPU power than its memory can feed in some recent games at 1440p with high textures and ray tracing. Practical guidance:
- 1080p high: 8 GB is fine in nearly all games.
- 1440p high textures: 8 GB is workable in most titles; some newer games need textures lowered one step.
- 1440p with ray tracing and ultra textures: 8 GB often runs short; DLSS lowers memory use somewhat.
Power, PSU and Physical Size
Power ratings are nearly identical, 225 W for the 5700 XT and 220 W for the 3070, so the RTX 3070 delivers far more performance per watt.
PSU worked example (GPU + CPU + about 150 W headroom) with a 105 W CPU:
- RX 5700 XT: 225 + 105 + 150 = 480 W.
- RTX 3070: 220 + 105 + 150 = 475 W.
A quality 550-650 W unit suits either card. The reference RTX 3070 is 242 mm long versus 272 mm for the reference 5700 XT, though partner cards of both often run longer. The reference RX 5700 XT’s blower cooler was loud under load, so partner models with open-air coolers are the better used buy.
Streaming, Creative Work and Software
For streamers, the RTX 3070’s NVENC encoder is a practical advantage: it produces clean H.264 and HEVC streams with little performance cost, and it works with NVIDIA Broadcast for noise removal and camera effects. The RX 5700 XT’s encoder handles H.264 and HEVC, but its H.264 quality at low bitrates was generally considered weaker at the time. Neither card supports AV1 encoding. For 3D rendering, video effects and AI tools that rely on CUDA, the RTX 3070 is also the far more compatible choice, although its 8 GB limits larger AI models.
Value Then and Now
At launch, the RTX 3070 cost $100 more ($499 vs $399), 25 percent more money for roughly 35-50 percent more performance. Its launch cost per unit of RX 5700 XT performance was about $499 / 1.4 ≈ $356, against $399 for the AMD card.
Used, the RX 5700 XT typically sells around $110-$160, while the RTX 3070 usually sells in the $220-$300 range. At those prices the 5700 XT offers good raster value at 1080p, but the RTX 3070 adds ray tracing, DLSS and DX12 Ultimate support that keep it relevant for longer. Inspect used cards for mining wear, fan noise and memory temperatures.
Pick X If, Pick Y If
| If you… | Choose |
|---|---|
| Game at 1440p and want high settings | RTX 3070 |
| Want ray tracing or DLSS | RTX 3070 |
| Play esports and older games at 1080p on a strict budget | RX 5700 XT |
| Need DX12 Ultimate for newer releases | RTX 3070 |
| Find both at similar used prices | RTX 3070, clearly |
| Need more than 8 GB of VRAM | Neither; look at an RX 6750 XT, RTX 5060 Ti 16 GB or RX 9060 XT 16 GB |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much faster is the RTX 3070 than the RX 5700 XT?
Published comparisons put the RTX 3070 roughly 35-50 percent faster at 1440p, with a smaller gap at 1080p when the CPU limits frame rates. Individual games range from around 25 percent to over 50 percent. With ray tracing enabled, the 5700 XT cannot compete because it lacks RT hardware.
Does the RTX 3070 need a 12-pin power connector?
Only the Founders Edition uses NVIDIA’s 12-pin plug, and it includes an adapter for standard 8-pin cables. Most partner RTX 3070 cards use standard 8-pin and 6-pin connectors. Check the specific model before buying.
Can the RX 5700 XT run games that require ray tracing?
No, the RX 5700 XT has no ray tracing hardware and does not support DirectX 12 Ultimate. Games that require these features may not launch or may run through slow fallback paths. This is the biggest long-term risk of buying one today.
Is 8 GB of VRAM a problem on the RTX 3070?
At 1080p it is rarely an issue. At 1440p with high textures and ray tracing, some recent games exceed 8 GB and stutter unless textures are lowered. DLSS reduces memory use somewhat.
What power supply suits an RTX 3070 or RX 5700 XT?
Both cards draw around 220-225 W. With a 105 W CPU and 150 W headroom, the total comes to about 480 W. A quality 550-650 W unit is a safe choice for either.
