GeForce GTX 1070 vs GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1070

2016Core: 1506 MHzBoost: 1683 MHz

Popular choices:

VS
NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

2022Core: 1515 MHzBoost: 1755 MHz

Popular choices:

Performance Spectrum - GPU

About G3D Mark

G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, raw graphics performance, VRAM, feature set, power efficiency, pricing context, and long-term value so you can see which GPU actually makes more sense.

GeForce GTX 1070

2016

Why buy it

  • 3.7% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.

Trade-offs

  • No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
  • Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 8 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
  • 52.2% HIGHER MSRP
    $379 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 35.6 vs 47.8 G3D/$ ($379 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
  • 15.4% higher power demand at 150W vs 130W.

GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

2022

Why buy it

  • Costs $130 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $379 MSRP).
  • Delivers 34% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 47.8 vs 35.6 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $379 MSRP).
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
  • Draws 130W instead of 150W, a 20W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1070 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce GTX 1070 better than GeForce RTX 3050 OEM?
Yes. GeForce GTX 1070 is clearly the better overall GPU here. GeForce GTX 1070 averages 3.7% more FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 13,507 vs 11,892 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce GTX 1070 is a 2016 card with no meaningful modern upscaling stack, while GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is a 2022 model from an older generation with DLSS Super Resolution. So this is not really a tight same-tier comparison. It is more a modern card against an older, weaker alternative.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2022 generation instead of 2016, better upscaling support with DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, and a 8nm process instead of 16nm. That broader feature stack should age better as more games lean on modern upscaling and frame-generation support.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?
GeForce GTX 1070 is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce GTX 1070 is about 52.2% more expensive on MSRP at $379 MSRP versus $249 MSRP, and you are getting 3.7% more estimated average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and 13.6% higher G3D Mark. GeForce RTX 3050 OEM really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.
When does GeForce RTX 3050 OEM make more sense than GeForce GTX 1070?
Yes. GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is still an excellent gaming GPU in 2026: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It makes more sense if your priority is newer architecture, lower power draw (130W vs 150W), future-proofing, and staying closer to $249 MSRP more than squeezing out the extra headroom of GeForce GTX 1070. The trade-off is that GeForce GTX 1070 currently gives you 13.6% higher G3D Mark and 3.7% more estimated average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. GeForce RTX 3050 OEM still holds the G3D-per-dollar lead, so the performance win comes with a real value premium.

Games Benchmarks

Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 9800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.

Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetGeForce GTX 1070GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
1080p
low143 FPS130 FPS
medium128 FPS113 FPS
high111 FPS99 FPS
ultra93 FPS83 FPS
1440p
low123 FPS119 FPS
medium103 FPS96 FPS
high89 FPS81 FPS
ultra78 FPS69 FPS
4K
low65 FPS64 FPS
medium57 FPS57 FPS
high39 FPS39 FPS
ultra33 FPS33 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce GTX 1070GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
1080p
low210 FPS239 FPS
medium176 FPS206 FPS
high145 FPS164 FPS
ultra110 FPS128 FPS
1440p
low132 FPS163 FPS
medium106 FPS135 FPS
high86 FPS112 FPS
ultra67 FPS92 FPS
4K
low61 FPS88 FPS
medium51 FPS74 FPS
high48 FPS62 FPS
ultra41 FPS49 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce GTX 1070GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
1080p
low608 FPS535 FPS
medium486 FPS428 FPS
high405 FPS357 FPS
ultra304 FPS268 FPS
1440p
low456 FPS401 FPS
medium365 FPS321 FPS
high304 FPS268 FPS
ultra228 FPS201 FPS
4K
low304 FPS268 FPS
medium243 FPS214 FPS
high203 FPS178 FPS
ultra152 FPS134 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce GTX 1070GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
1080p
low395 FPS467 FPS
medium332 FPS414 FPS
high278 FPS335 FPS
ultra237 FPS268 FPS
1440p
low328 FPS372 FPS
medium275 FPS321 FPS
high217 FPS236 FPS
ultra178 FPS197 FPS
4K
low177 FPS199 FPS
medium139 FPS175 FPS
high127 FPS150 FPS
ultra104 FPS125 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1070 and GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1070

The GeForce GTX 1070 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in June 10 2016. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1506 MHz to 1683 MHz. It has 1920 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 13,507 points. Launch price was $379.

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

The GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 4 2022. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1515 MHz to 1755 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 130W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 20 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 11,892 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1070 scores 13,507 versus the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM's 11,892 — the GeForce GTX 1070 leads by 13.6%. The GeForce GTX 1070 is built on Pascal while the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM uses Ampere, both on 16 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 1,920 (GeForce GTX 1070) vs 2,560 (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM). Raw compute: 6.463 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1070) vs 8.986 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM). Boost clocks: 1683 MHz vs 1755 MHz.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1070GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
G3D Mark Score
13,507+14%
11,892
Architecture
Pascal
Ampere
Process Node
16 nm
8 nm
Shading Units
1920
2560+33%
Compute (TFLOPS)
6.463 TFLOPS
8.986 TFLOPS+39%
Boost Clock
1683 MHz
1755 MHz+4%
ROPs
64+100%
32
TMUs
120+50%
80
L1 Cache
0.7 MB
2.5 MB+257%
L2 Cache
2 MB
2 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3050 OEM supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 1070 is capped at Upscaling support.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1070GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
DLSS 2 Super Resolution
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
NVIDIA Reflex
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

Both cards feature 8 GB of video memory. Memory bandwidth: 256 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1070) vs 224 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM) — a 14.3% advantage for the GeForce GTX 1070. Bus width: 256-bit vs 128-bit.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1070GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
VRAM Capacity
8 GB
8 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth
256 GB/s+14%
224 GB/s
Bus Width
256-bit+100%
128-bit
L2 Cache
2 MB
2 MB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 1070) vs 12.2 (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1070GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
DirectX
12.1
12.2
Vulkan
1.4+8%
1.3
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 6th gen (GeForce GTX 1070) vs 8th Gen NVENC (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM). Decoder: NVDEC 3rd gen vs 5th Gen NVDEC. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP8,VP9,MPEG-2,VC-1 (GeForce GTX 1070) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (Decode) (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1070GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
Encoder
NVENC 6th gen
8th Gen NVENC
Decoder
NVDEC 3rd gen
5th Gen NVDEC
Codecs
H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP8,VP9,MPEG-2,VC-1
MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (Decode)
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1070 draws 150W versus the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM's 130W — a 14.3% difference. The GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce GTX 1070) vs 450W (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 8-pin. Card length: 267mm vs 235mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 75°C.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1070GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
TDP
150W
130W-13%
Recommended PSU
500W
450W-10%
Power Connector
8-pin
8-pin
Length
267mm
235mm
Height
112mm
124mm
Slots
2
2
Temp (Load)
75°C
75°C
Perf/Watt
90.0
91.5+2%
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 1070 launched at $379 MSRP, while the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM launched at $249. The GeForce RTX 3050 OEM costs 34.3% less ($130 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 35.6 (GeForce GTX 1070) vs 47.8 (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM) — the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM offers 34.3% better value. The GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is the newer GPU (2022 vs 2016).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1070GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
MSRP
$379
$249-34%
Performance per Dollar
35.6
47.8+34%
Codename
GP104
GA106
Release
June 10 2016
January 4 2022
Ranking
#185
#224