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

✅Costs $120 less on MSRP ($379 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Draws 150W instead of 220W, a 70W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3070 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌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.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 35.6 vs 44.4 G3D/$ ($379 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
❌10.3% longer card at 267mm vs 242mm.

GeForce RTX 3070

2020

Why buy it

✅62.1% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 24.7% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.4 vs 35.6 G3D/$ ($499 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.
✅Measures 242mm instead of 267mm, a 25mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌46.7% higher power demand at 220W vs 150W.

GeForce GTX 1070

2016

GeForce RTX 3070

2020

Why buy it

✅Costs $120 less on MSRP ($379 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Draws 150W instead of 220W, a 70W reduction.

Why buy it

✅62.1% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 24.7% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.4 vs 35.6 G3D/$ ($499 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.
✅Measures 242mm instead of 267mm, a 25mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3070 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌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.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 35.6 vs 44.4 G3D/$ ($379 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
❌10.3% longer card at 267mm vs 242mm.

Trade-offs

❌46.7% higher power demand at 220W vs 150W.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3070 better than GeForce GTX 1070?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3070 is clearly the better overall GPU here. GeForce RTX 3070 averages 62.1% more FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 22,172 vs 13,507 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3070 is a 2020 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while GeForce GTX 1070 is a 2016 model from an older generation with no meaningful modern upscaling stack. 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 3070 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2020 generation instead of 2016, 64.2% more raw performance headroom, 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 RTX 3070 is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce RTX 3070 is about 31.7% more expensive on MSRP at $499 MSRP versus $379 MSRP, and you are getting 62.1% more estimated average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and 64.2% higher G3D Mark. GeForce GTX 1070 really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.

Is GeForce GTX 1070 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

No, not for a fresh gaming build. GeForce GTX 1070 is 2016 hardware with 8 GB of VRAM, 13,507 in G3D Mark, and no meaningful modern upscaling stack. That is simply too far behind to be an easy modern recommendation.

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.

GeForce GTX 1070 Benchmark Check

GeForce RTX 3070 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1070	GeForce RTX 3070
1080p
low	143 FPS	158 FPS
medium	128 FPS	140 FPS
high	111 FPS	123 FPS
ultra	93 FPS	104 FPS
1440p
low	123 FPS	134 FPS
medium	103 FPS	109 FPS
high	89 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	78 FPS	86 FPS
4K
low	65 FPS	80 FPS
medium	57 FPS	67 FPS
high	39 FPS	52 FPS
ultra	33 FPS	45 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1070 Open GeForce RTX 3070

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1070	GeForce RTX 3070
1080p
low	210 FPS	470 FPS
medium	176 FPS	405 FPS
high	145 FPS	327 FPS
ultra	110 FPS	277 FPS
1440p
low	132 FPS	294 FPS
medium	106 FPS	246 FPS
high	86 FPS	213 FPS
ultra	67 FPS	179 FPS
4K
low	61 FPS	141 FPS
medium	51 FPS	120 FPS
high	48 FPS	105 FPS
ultra	41 FPS	83 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1070 Open GeForce RTX 3070

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 1070	GeForce RTX 3070
1080p
low	608 FPS	885 FPS
medium	486 FPS	712 FPS
high	405 FPS	619 FPS
ultra	304 FPS	499 FPS
1440p
low	456 FPS	692 FPS
medium	365 FPS	557 FPS
high	304 FPS	473 FPS
ultra	228 FPS	374 FPS
4K
low	304 FPS	479 FPS
medium	243 FPS	388 FPS
high	203 FPS	330 FPS
ultra	152 FPS	249 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1070 Open GeForce RTX 3070

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 1070	GeForce RTX 3070
1080p
low	395 FPS	600 FPS
medium	332 FPS	527 FPS
high	278 FPS	433 FPS
ultra	237 FPS	385 FPS
1440p
low	328 FPS	489 FPS
medium	275 FPS	433 FPS
high	217 FPS	339 FPS
ultra	178 FPS	297 FPS
4K
low	177 FPS	292 FPS
medium	139 FPS	270 FPS
high	127 FPS	238 FPS
ultra	104 FPS	200 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1070 Open GeForce RTX 3070

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1070 and GeForce RTX 3070

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.

GeForce RTX 3070

The GeForce RTX 3070 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 1 2020. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1500 MHz to 1725 MHz. It has 5888 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 220W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 46 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 22,172 points. Launch price was $499.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1070 scores 13,507 versus the GeForce RTX 3070's 22,172 — the GeForce RTX 3070 leads by 64.2%. The GeForce GTX 1070 is built on Pascal while the GeForce RTX 3070 uses Ampere, both on 16 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 1,920 (GeForce GTX 1070) vs 5,888 (GeForce RTX 3070). Raw compute: 6.463 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1070) vs 20.31 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3070). Boost clocks: 1683 MHz vs 1725 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1070	GeForce RTX 3070
G3D Mark Score	13,507	22,172+64%
Architecture	Pascal	Ampere
Process Node	16 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	1920	5888+207%
Compute (TFLOPS)	6.463 TFLOPS	20.31 TFLOPS+214%
Boost Clock	1683 MHz	1725 MHz+2%
ROPs	64	96+50%
TMUs	120	184+53%
L1 Cache	0.7 MB	5.8 MB+729%
L2 Cache	2 MB	4 MB+100%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3070 supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 1070 is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1070	GeForce RTX 3070
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 448 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3070) — a 75% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3070. Bus width: 256-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1070) vs 4 MB (GeForce RTX 3070) — the GeForce RTX 3070 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1070	GeForce RTX 3070
VRAM Capacity	8 GB	8 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	256 GB/s	448 GB/s+75%
Bus Width	256-bit	256-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB	4 MB+100%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 1070) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3070). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1070	GeForce RTX 3070
DirectX	12.1	12 Ultimate
Vulkan	1.4	1.4
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 6th gen (GeForce GTX 1070) vs NVENC 7th gen (GeForce RTX 3070). Decoder: NVDEC 3rd gen vs NVDEC 5th gen. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP8,VP9,MPEG-2,VC-1 (GeForce GTX 1070) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3070).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1070	GeForce RTX 3070
Encoder	NVENC 6th gen	NVENC 7th gen
Decoder	NVDEC 3rd gen	NVDEC 5th gen
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP8,VP9,MPEG-2,VC-1	H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1,VP9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1070 draws 150W versus the GeForce RTX 3070's 220W — a 37.8% difference. The GeForce GTX 1070 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce GTX 1070) vs 650W (GeForce RTX 3070). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 8-pin. Card length: 267mm vs 242mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 75°C.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1070	GeForce RTX 3070
TDP	150W-32%	220W
Recommended PSU	500W-23%	650W
Power Connector	8-pin	8-pin
Length	267mm	242mm
Height	112mm	112mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	75°C	75°C
Perf/Watt	90.0	100.8+12%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 1070 launched at $379 MSRP, while the GeForce RTX 3070 launched at $499. The GeForce GTX 1070 costs 24% less ($120 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 35.6 (GeForce GTX 1070) vs 44.4 (GeForce RTX 3070) — the GeForce RTX 3070 offers 24.7% better value. The GeForce RTX 3070 is the newer GPU (2020 vs 2016).