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

✅Costs $1,000 less on MSRP ($499 MSRP vs $1,499 MSRP).
✅Delivers 150.5% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.4 vs 17.7 G3D/$ ($499 MSRP vs $1,499 MSRP).
✅Draws 220W instead of 350W, a 130W reduction.
✅Measures 242mm instead of 312mm, a 70mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (22,172 vs 26,594).
❌Less VRAM, with 8 GB vs 24 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Fewer Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation (184 vs 328), which can reduce FPS gains in supported games.

GeForce RTX 3090

2020

Why buy it

✅+19.9% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅78.3% more Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation, which can increase overall FPS in supported games (328 vs 184).
✅200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (24 GB vs 8 GB).

Trade-offs

❌
200.4% HIGHER MSRP
$1,499 MSRPvs$499 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 17.7 vs 44.4 G3D/$ ($1,499 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
❌59.1% higher power demand at 350W vs 220W.
❌28.9% longer card at 312mm vs 242mm.

GeForce RTX 3070

2020

GeForce RTX 3090

2020

Why buy it

✅Costs $1,000 less on MSRP ($499 MSRP vs $1,499 MSRP).
✅Delivers 150.5% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.4 vs 17.7 G3D/$ ($499 MSRP vs $1,499 MSRP).
✅Draws 220W instead of 350W, a 130W reduction.
✅Measures 242mm instead of 312mm, a 70mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Why buy it

✅+19.9% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅78.3% more Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation, which can increase overall FPS in supported games (328 vs 184).
✅200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (24 GB vs 8 GB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (22,172 vs 26,594).
❌Less VRAM, with 8 GB vs 24 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Fewer Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation (184 vs 328), which can reduce FPS gains in supported games.

Trade-offs

❌
200.4% HIGHER MSRP
$1,499 MSRPvs$499 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 17.7 vs 44.4 G3D/$ ($1,499 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
❌59.1% higher power demand at 350W vs 220W.
❌28.9% longer card at 312mm vs 242mm.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3090 better than GeForce RTX 3070?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3090 is the better GPU overall here. You are getting 19.9% higher PassMark G3D performance, 328 vs 184 Tensor cores, and 24 GB vs 8 GB of VRAM.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce RTX 3090 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 19.9% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 24 GB instead of 8 GB, and 78.3% more ray-tracing hardware. 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 3090 is about 200.4% more expensive on MSRP at $1,499 MSRP versus $499 MSRP, and you are getting 19.9% higher G3D Mark. GeForce RTX 3070 still holds the G3D-per-dollar lead, so the performance win comes with a real value premium. If you are comfortable paying the premium for the stronger gaming result, GeForce RTX 3090 is the one to buy. If staying closer to budget matters more, GeForce RTX 3070 still makes more sense on price alone and remains capable enough for modern gaming.

Is GeForce RTX 3070 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3070 is still a strong gaming GPU in 2026: it is excellent for 1080p, very strong for 1440p, and still capable at 4K with sensible settings or upscaling. This mostly comes down to price. If you want to stay closer to $499 MSRP, it remains a strong choice; if you are comfortable paying more, GeForce RTX 3090 earns that extra money with a clearly stronger gaming result and a more complete overall package.

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 3070 Benchmark Check

GeForce RTX 3090 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3070	GeForce RTX 3090
1080p
low	158 FPS	328 FPS
medium	140 FPS	313 FPS
high	123 FPS	259 FPS
ultra	104 FPS	203 FPS
1440p
low	134 FPS	313 FPS
medium	109 FPS	262 FPS
high	96 FPS	202 FPS
ultra	86 FPS	161 FPS
4K
low	80 FPS	181 FPS
medium	67 FPS	149 FPS
high	52 FPS	106 FPS
ultra	45 FPS	94 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3070 Open GeForce RTX 3090

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3070	GeForce RTX 3090
1080p
low	470 FPS	702 FPS
medium	405 FPS	599 FPS
high	327 FPS	472 FPS
ultra	277 FPS	413 FPS
1440p
low	294 FPS	500 FPS
medium	246 FPS	420 FPS
high	213 FPS	331 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	276 FPS
4K
low	141 FPS	242 FPS
medium	120 FPS	201 FPS
high	105 FPS	167 FPS
ultra	83 FPS	141 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3070 Open GeForce RTX 3090

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3070	GeForce RTX 3090
1080p
low	885 FPS	999 FPS
medium	712 FPS	957 FPS
high	619 FPS	798 FPS
ultra	499 FPS	598 FPS
1440p
low	692 FPS	898 FPS
medium	557 FPS	718 FPS
high	473 FPS	598 FPS
ultra	374 FPS	449 FPS
4K
low	479 FPS	569 FPS
medium	388 FPS	479 FPS
high	330 FPS	399 FPS
ultra	249 FPS	299 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3070 Open GeForce RTX 3090

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3070	GeForce RTX 3090
1080p
low	600 FPS	904 FPS
medium	527 FPS	841 FPS
high	433 FPS	733 FPS
ultra	385 FPS	598 FPS
1440p
low	489 FPS	707 FPS
medium	433 FPS	658 FPS
high	339 FPS	570 FPS
ultra	297 FPS	449 FPS
4K
low	292 FPS	513 FPS
medium	270 FPS	479 FPS
high	238 FPS	399 FPS
ultra	200 FPS	299 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3070 Open GeForce RTX 3090

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3070 and GeForce RTX 3090

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.

GeForce RTX 3090

The GeForce RTX 3090 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 1 2020. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1395 MHz to 1695 MHz. It has 10496 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 350W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 82 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 26,594 points. Launch price was $1,499.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3070 scores 22,172 versus the GeForce RTX 3090's 26,594 — the GeForce RTX 3090 leads by 19.9%. The GeForce RTX 3070 is built on Ampere while the GeForce RTX 3090 uses Ampere, both on a 8 nm process. Shader units: 5,888 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 10,496 (GeForce RTX 3090). Raw compute: 20.31 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 35.58 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3090). Boost clocks: 1725 MHz vs 1695 MHz. Ray tracing: 46 RT cores (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 82 (GeForce RTX 3090) with 184 Tensor cores vs 328.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3070	GeForce RTX 3090
G3D Mark Score	22,172	26,594+20%
Architecture	Ampere	Ampere
Process Node	8 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	5888	10496+78%
Compute (TFLOPS)	20.31 TFLOPS	35.58 TFLOPS+75%
Boost Clock	1725 MHz+2%	1695 MHz
ROPs	96	112+17%
TMUs	184	328+78%
L1 Cache	5.8 MB	10.3 MB+78%
L2 Cache	4 MB	6 MB+50%
Ray Tracing Cores	46	82+78%
Tensor Cores	184	328+78%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce RTX 3070	GeForce RTX 3090
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 2 Super Resolution	DLSS 2 Super Resolution
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 3070 comes with 8 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3090 has 24 GB. The GeForce RTX 3090 offers 200% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 448 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 936 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3090) — a 108.9% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3090. Bus width: 256-bit vs 384-bit. L2 Cache: 4 MB (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 6 MB (GeForce RTX 3090) — the GeForce RTX 3090 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3070	GeForce RTX 3090
VRAM Capacity	8 GB	24 GB+200%
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6X
Memory Bandwidth	448 GB/s	936 GB/s+109%
Bus Width	256-bit	384-bit+50%
L2 Cache	4 MB	6 MB+50%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3090). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3070	GeForce RTX 3090
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12 Ultimate
Vulkan	1.4	1.4
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th gen (GeForce RTX 3070) vs NVENC 7th gen (GeForce RTX 3090). Decoder: NVDEC 5th gen vs NVDEC 5th gen. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1 (GeForce RTX 3090).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3070	GeForce RTX 3090
Encoder	NVENC 7th gen	NVENC 7th gen
Decoder	NVDEC 5th gen	NVDEC 5th gen
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1,VP9	H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3070 draws 220W versus the GeForce RTX 3090's 350W — a 45.6% difference. The GeForce RTX 3070 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 750W (GeForce RTX 3090). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 2x 8-pin. Card length: 242mm vs 312mm, occupying 2 vs 3 slots. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 85°C.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3070	GeForce RTX 3090
TDP	220W-37%	350W
Recommended PSU	650W-13%	750W
Power Connector	8-pin	2x 8-pin
Length	242mm	312mm
Height	112mm	140mm
Slots	2-33%	3
Temp (Load)	75°C-12%	85°C
Perf/Watt	100.8+33%	76.0

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3070 launched at $499 MSRP, while the GeForce RTX 3090 launched at $1499. The GeForce RTX 3070 costs 66.7% less ($1000 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 44.4 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 17.7 (GeForce RTX 3090) — the GeForce RTX 3070 offers 150.8% better value.