GeForce RTX 3070 vs Radeon R9 270

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3070

2020Core: 1500 MHzBoost: 1725 MHz

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

Radeon R9 270

2013Boost: 925 MHz

Popular choices:

RTX 3070

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 RTX 3070

2020

Why buy it

  • +414.9% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Delivers 84.7% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.4 vs 24.1 G3D/$ ($499 MSRP vs $179 MSRP).
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • 300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 2 GB).
  • More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

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

Radeon R9 270

2013

Why buy it

  • Costs $320 less on MSRP ($179 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
  • Draws 150W instead of 220W, a 70W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (4,306 vs 22,172).
  • Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
  • Very weak future-proofing: 2013-era hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 24.1 vs 44.4 G3D/$ ($179 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3070 better than Radeon R9 270?
Yes. GeForce RTX 3070 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 22,172 vs 4,306 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3070 is a 2020 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while Radeon R9 270 is a 2013 model from an older generation with FSR upscaling. 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 2013, 414.9% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 8 GB instead of 2 GB, and the stronger feature stack with DLSS Super Resolution instead of FSR upscaling. That leaves it with more room for heavier textures, tougher ray tracing loads, and higher-end 1440p or 4K gaming over the next few years.
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 178.8% more expensive on MSRP at $499 MSRP versus $179 MSRP, and you are getting 414.9% higher G3D Mark. Radeon R9 270 really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.
Is Radeon R9 270 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?
No, not for a fresh gaming build. Radeon R9 270 is 2013 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM, 4,306 in G3D Mark, and FSR upscaling. 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetGeForce RTX 3070Radeon R9 270
1080p
low158 FPS77 FPS
medium140 FPS62 FPS
high123 FPS49 FPS
ultra104 FPS32 FPS
1440p
low134 FPS65 FPS
medium109 FPS53 FPS
high96 FPS37 FPS
ultra86 FPS23 FPS
4K
low80 FPS23 FPS
medium67 FPS22 FPS
high52 FPS14 FPS
ultra45 FPS12 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce RTX 3070Radeon R9 270
1080p
low470 FPS116 FPS
medium405 FPS86 FPS
high327 FPS66 FPS
ultra277 FPS41 FPS
1440p
low294 FPS65 FPS
medium246 FPS44 FPS
high213 FPS32 FPS
ultra179 FPS21 FPS
4K
low141 FPS23 FPS
medium120 FPS16 FPS
high105 FPS13 FPS
ultra83 FPS9 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce RTX 3070Radeon R9 270
1080p
low885 FPS194 FPS
medium712 FPS155 FPS
high619 FPS129 FPS
ultra499 FPS97 FPS
1440p
low692 FPS145 FPS
medium557 FPS116 FPS
high473 FPS97 FPS
ultra374 FPS73 FPS
4K
low479 FPS97 FPS
medium388 FPS78 FPS
high330 FPS65 FPS
ultra249 FPS48 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce RTX 3070Radeon R9 270
1080p
low600 FPS136 FPS
medium527 FPS111 FPS
high433 FPS96 FPS
ultra385 FPS82 FPS
1440p
low489 FPS100 FPS
medium433 FPS82 FPS
high339 FPS71 FPS
ultra297 FPS56 FPS
4K
low292 FPS59 FPS
medium270 FPS46 FPS
high238 FPS36 FPS
ultra200 FPS26 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3070 and Radeon R9 270

NVIDIA

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.

AMD

Radeon R9 270

The Radeon R9 270 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 13 2013. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 925 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,306 points. Launch price was $179.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3070 scores 22,172 versus the Radeon R9 270's 4,306 — the GeForce RTX 3070 leads by 414.9%. The GeForce RTX 3070 is built on Ampere while the Radeon R9 270 uses GCN 1.0, both on 8 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 5,888 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 1,280 (Radeon R9 270). Raw compute: 20.31 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 2.368 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 270). Boost clocks: 1725 MHz vs 925 MHz.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Radeon R9 270
G3D Mark Score
22,172+415%
4,306
Architecture
Ampere
GCN 1.0
Process Node
8 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
5888+360%
1280
Compute (TFLOPS)
20.31 TFLOPS+758%
2.368 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
1725 MHz+86%
925 MHz
ROPs
96+200%
32
TMUs
184+130%
80
L1 Cache
5.8 MB+1771%
0.31 MB
L2 Cache
4 MB+700%
0.5 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3070 gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Radeon R9 270 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Radeon R9 270
Upscaling Tech
DLSS 2 Super Resolution
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
AMD Anti-Lag
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 3070 comes with 8 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 270 has 2 GB. The GeForce RTX 3070 offers 300% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 448 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 179.2 GB/s (Radeon R9 270) — a 150% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3070. Bus width: 256-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 4 MB (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 0.5 MB (Radeon R9 270) — the GeForce RTX 3070 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Radeon R9 270
VRAM Capacity
8 GB+300%
2 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
448 GB/s+150%
179.2 GB/s
Bus Width
256-bit
256-bit
L2 Cache
4 MB+700%
0.5 MB
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3070 draws 220W versus the Radeon R9 270's 150W — a 37.8% difference. The Radeon R9 270 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 500W (Radeon R9 270). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 1x 6-pin.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Radeon R9 270
TDP
220W
150W-32%
Recommended PSU
650W
500W-23%
Power Connector
8-pin
1x 6-pin
Length
242mm
Height
112mm
Slots
2
Temp (Load)
75°C
Perf/Watt
100.8+251%
28.7
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3070 launched at $499 MSRP, while the Radeon R9 270 launched at $179. The Radeon R9 270 costs 64.1% less ($320 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 44.4 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 24.1 (Radeon R9 270) — the GeForce RTX 3070 offers 84.2% better value. The GeForce RTX 3070 is the newer GPU (2020 vs 2013).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Radeon R9 270
MSRP
$499
$179-64%
Performance per Dollar
44.4+84%
24.1
Codename
GA104
Curacao
Release
September 1 2020
November 13 2013
Ranking
#63
#476