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 4070

2023

Why buy it

✅+189% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 34.6% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.9 vs 33.4 G3D/$ ($599 MSRP vs $279 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution (2023).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 8 GB).
✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌26.1% longer card at 304mm vs 241mm.

Radeon RX 590

2018

Why buy it

✅Costs $320 less on MSRP ($279 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
✅Measures 241mm instead of 304mm, a 63mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (9,315 vs 26,919).
❌Less VRAM, with 8 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
❌Limited future-proofing: older hardware, 8 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in upcoming AAA games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 33.4 vs 44.9 G3D/$ ($279 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 4070

2023

Radeon RX 590

2018

Why buy it

✅+189% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 34.6% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.9 vs 33.4 G3D/$ ($599 MSRP vs $279 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution (2023).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 8 GB).
✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Why buy it

✅Costs $320 less on MSRP ($279 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
✅Measures 241mm instead of 304mm, a 63mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌26.1% longer card at 304mm vs 241mm.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (9,315 vs 26,919).
❌Less VRAM, with 8 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
❌Limited future-proofing: older hardware, 8 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in upcoming AAA games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 33.4 vs 44.9 G3D/$ ($279 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 4070 better than Radeon RX 590?

Yes. GeForce RTX 4070 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 26,919 vs 9,315 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 4070 is a 2023 card with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation, while Radeon RX 590 is a 2018 model from an older generation with FSR upscaling + limited Frame Generation. 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 4070 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2023 generation instead of 2018, 189.0% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 12 GB instead of 8 GB, and better frame-generation support with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023) instead of FSR Frame Generation (2023). 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 4070 is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce RTX 4070 is about 114.7% more expensive on MSRP at $599 MSRP versus $279 MSRP, and you are getting 189.0% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 34.6%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.

Is Radeon RX 590 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. Radeon RX 590 is still a strong modern gaming GPU: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It remains a good buy when you can get it meaningfully cheaper than the alternative around $279 MSRP, even if GeForce RTX 4070 is still the cleaner recommendation on overall value today.

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 RTX 4070 Benchmark Check

Radeon RX 590 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 4070	Radeon RX 590
1080p
low	183 FPS	175 FPS
medium	167 FPS	159 FPS
high	151 FPS	138 FPS
ultra	131 FPS	107 FPS
1440p
low	150 FPS	153 FPS
medium	124 FPS	126 FPS
high	110 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	101 FPS	85 FPS
4K
low	92 FPS	76 FPS
medium	78 FPS	64 FPS
high	65 FPS	49 FPS
ultra	58 FPS	43 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4070 Open Radeon RX 590

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 4070	Radeon RX 590
1080p
low	544 FPS	170 FPS
medium	454 FPS	145 FPS
high	353 FPS	126 FPS
ultra	299 FPS	98 FPS
1440p
low	351 FPS	96 FPS
medium	288 FPS	75 FPS
high	235 FPS	60 FPS
ultra	197 FPS	49 FPS
4K
low	172 FPS	46 FPS
medium	144 FPS	36 FPS
high	125 FPS	31 FPS
ultra	101 FPS	26 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4070 Open Radeon RX 590

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 4070	Radeon RX 590
1080p
low	884 FPS	419 FPS
medium	713 FPS	335 FPS
high	643 FPS	279 FPS
ultra	569 FPS	210 FPS
1440p
low	684 FPS	314 FPS
medium	549 FPS	252 FPS
high	483 FPS	210 FPS
ultra	424 FPS	157 FPS
4K
low	467 FPS	210 FPS
medium	373 FPS	168 FPS
high	326 FPS	140 FPS
ultra	277 FPS	105 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4070 Open Radeon RX 590

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 4070	Radeon RX 590
1080p
low	751 FPS	419 FPS
medium	612 FPS	335 FPS
high	536 FPS	279 FPS
ultra	497 FPS	210 FPS
1440p
low	615 FPS	314 FPS
medium	500 FPS	252 FPS
high	433 FPS	210 FPS
ultra	395 FPS	157 FPS
4K
low	384 FPS	190 FPS
medium	324 FPS	149 FPS
high	301 FPS	131 FPS
ultra	272 FPS	105 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4070 Open Radeon RX 590

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 4070 and Radeon RX 590

GeForce RTX 4070

The GeForce RTX 4070 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in April 12 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 1920 MHz to 2475 MHz. It has 5888 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 46 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 26,919 points. Launch price was $599.

Radeon RX 590

The Radeon RX 590 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 15 2018. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1469 MHz to 1545 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 175W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 9,315 points. Launch price was $279.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 4070 scores 26,919 versus the Radeon RX 590's 9,315 — the GeForce RTX 4070 leads by 189%. The GeForce RTX 4070 is built on Ada Lovelace while the Radeon RX 590 uses GCN 4.0, both on 5 nm vs 12 nm. Shader units: 5,888 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 2,304 (Radeon RX 590). Raw compute: 29.15 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 7.119 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 590). Boost clocks: 2475 MHz vs 1545 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4070	Radeon RX 590
G3D Mark Score	26,919+189%	9,315
Architecture	Ada Lovelace	GCN 4.0
Process Node	5 nm	12 nm
Shading Units	5888+156%	2304
Compute (TFLOPS)	29.15 TFLOPS+309%	7.119 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	2475 MHz+60%	1545 MHz
ROPs	64+100%	32
TMUs	184+28%	144
L1 Cache	5.8 MB+936%	0.56 MB
L2 Cache	36 MB+1700%	2 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Both GPUs support Frame Generation technologies, but they achieve it differently. The GeForce RTX 4070 uses DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation, while the Radeon RX 590 relies on FSR Frame Generation. Both can significantly boost FPS in supported titles, but they are not on the same feature stack.The GeForce RTX 4070 gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Radeon RX 590 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4070	Radeon RX 590
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation	FSR Frame Generation
Ray Reconstruction	Yes (DLSS 3.5)	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 4070 comes with 12 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon RX 590 has 8 GB. The GeForce RTX 4070 offers 50% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 504 GB/s (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 256 GB/s (Radeon RX 590) — a 96.9% advantage for the GeForce RTX 4070. Bus width: 192-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 36 MB (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 2 MB (Radeon RX 590) — the GeForce RTX 4070 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4070	Radeon RX 590
VRAM Capacity	12 GB+50%	8 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6X	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	504 GB/s+97%	256 GB/s
Bus Width	192-bit	256-bit+33%
L2 Cache	36 MB+1700%	2 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.2 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 12.0 (Radeon RX 590). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4070	Radeon RX 590
DirectX	12.2+2%	12.0
Vulkan	1.3+8%	1.2
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: 8th Gen NVENC (2x) (GeForce RTX 4070) vs VCE 3.4 (Radeon RX 590). Decoder: 5th Gen NVDEC vs UVD 6.3. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (Radeon RX 590).

Feature	GeForce RTX 4070	Radeon RX 590
Encoder	8th Gen NVENC (2x)	VCE 3.4
Decoder	5th Gen NVDEC	UVD 6.3
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 4070 draws 200W versus the Radeon RX 590's 175W — a 13.3% difference. The Radeon RX 590 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 500W (Radeon RX 590). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 8-pin. Card length: 304mm vs 241mm, occupying 3 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 80°C.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4070	Radeon RX 590
TDP	200W	175W-13%
Recommended PSU	650W	500W-23%
Power Connector	8-pin	8-pin
Length	304mm	241mm
Height	137mm	111mm
Slots	3	2-33%
Temp (Load)	80°C	80°C
Perf/Watt	134.6+153%	53.2

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 4070 launched at $599 MSRP, while the Radeon RX 590 launched at $279. The Radeon RX 590 costs 53.4% less ($320 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 44.9 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 33.4 (Radeon RX 590) — the GeForce RTX 4070 offers 34.4% better value. The GeForce RTX 4070 is the newer GPU (2023 vs 2018).