GeForce RTX 3090 vs GeForce RTX 4070 Ti

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3090

2020Core: 1395 MHzBoost: 1695 MHz

Popular choices:

RTX 4070 Ti
VS
NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4070 Ti

2023Core: 2310 MHzBoost: 2610 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 RTX 3090

2020

Why buy it

  • 10.8% more average FPS across 46 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • 36.7% more Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation, which can increase overall FPS in supported games (328 vs 240).
  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (24 GB vs 12 GB).

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (26,594 vs 31,578).
  • No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
  • Weaker long-term outlook: GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.
  • 87.6% HIGHER MSRP
    $1,499 MSRPvs$799 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 17.7 vs 39.5 G3D/$ ($1,499 MSRP vs $799 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 4070 Ti

2023

Why buy it

  • +18.7% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Costs $700 less on MSRP ($799 MSRP vs $1,499 MSRP).
  • Delivers 122.8% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 39.5 vs 17.7 G3D/$ ($799 MSRP vs $1,499 MSRP).
  • Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
  • More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 4nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3090 across 46 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 12 GB vs 24 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • Fewer Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation (240 vs 328), which can reduce FPS gains in supported games.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 4070 Ti better than GeForce RTX 3090?
Yes, but this is not really about a huge raw performance gap. GeForce RTX 3090 averages 10.8% more FPS across 46 tracked games in our benchmark data. The broader synthetic picture is also very close at 26,594 vs 31,578 in G3D Mark. The bigger reason to prefer GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is the overall package: you are getting a newer generation, DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation, plus much lower power draw (285W vs 350W).
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2023 generation instead of 2020, 18.7% more raw performance headroom, better upscaling support with DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution (2023) instead of DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) and better frame-generation support with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023) instead of DLSS Super Resolution, and a 4nm process instead of 8nm. 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 4070 Ti is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is about $700 cheaper on MSRP at $799 MSRP versus $1,499 MSRP, and you are getting lower estimated average FPS across 46 tracked games in our benchmark data and 18.7% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 122.8%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.
Is GeForce RTX 3090 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?
Yes. GeForce RTX 3090 is still a strong modern gaming GPU: it is excellent for 1080p, very strong for 1440p, and still capable at 4K with sensible settings or upscaling. It remains a good buy when you can get it meaningfully cheaper than the alternative around $1,499 MSRP, even if GeForce RTX 4070 Ti 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetGeForce RTX 3090GeForce RTX 4070 Ti
1080p
low259 FPS188 FPS
medium240 FPS171 FPS
high201 FPS155 FPS
ultra176 FPS135 FPS
1440p
low249 FPS151 FPS
medium208 FPS125 FPS
high162 FPS111 FPS
ultra145 FPS102 FPS
4K
low167 FPS92 FPS
medium138 FPS79 FPS
high98 FPS66 FPS
ultra87 FPS59 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce RTX 3090GeForce RTX 4070 Ti
1080p
low648 FPS664 FPS
medium557 FPS539 FPS
high440 FPS415 FPS
ultra382 FPS366 FPS
1440p
low475 FPS496 FPS
medium405 FPS400 FPS
high319 FPS329 FPS
ultra263 FPS269 FPS
4K
low229 FPS250 FPS
medium193 FPS211 FPS
high161 FPS187 FPS
ultra134 FPS159 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce RTX 3090GeForce RTX 4070 Ti
1080p
low909 FPS921 FPS
medium745 FPS742 FPS
high664 FPS652 FPS
ultra574 FPS569 FPS
1440p
low711 FPS720 FPS
medium583 FPS578 FPS
high508 FPS497 FPS
ultra434 FPS427 FPS
4K
low489 FPS498 FPS
medium406 FPS403 FPS
high349 FPS352 FPS
ultra289 FPS296 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce RTX 3090GeForce RTX 4070 Ti
1080p
low821 FPS879 FPS
medium765 FPS731 FPS
high675 FPS664 FPS
ultra598 FPS600 FPS
1440p
low656 FPS706 FPS
medium609 FPS585 FPS
high534 FPS514 FPS
ultra449 FPS460 FPS
4K
low475 FPS477 FPS
medium443 FPS408 FPS
high397 FPS366 FPS
ultra299 FPS324 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3090 and GeForce RTX 4070 Ti

NVIDIA

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.

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4070 Ti

The GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 3 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 2310 MHz to 2610 MHz. It has 7680 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 285W. Manufactured using 4 nm process technology. It features 60 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 31,578 points. Launch price was $799.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3090 scores 26,594 versus the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti's 31,578 — the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti leads by 18.7%. The GeForce RTX 3090 is built on Ampere while the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti uses Ada Lovelace, both on 8 nm vs 4 nm. Shader units: 10,496 (GeForce RTX 3090) vs 7,680 (GeForce RTX 4070 Ti). Raw compute: 35.58 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3090) vs 40.09 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4070 Ti). Boost clocks: 1695 MHz vs 2610 MHz. Ray tracing: 82 RT cores (GeForce RTX 3090) vs 60 (GeForce RTX 4070 Ti) with 328 Tensor cores vs 240.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3090GeForce RTX 4070 Ti
G3D Mark Score
26,594
31,578+19%
Architecture
Ampere
Ada Lovelace
Process Node
8 nm
4 nm
Shading Units
10496+37%
7680
Compute (TFLOPS)
35.58 TFLOPS
40.09 TFLOPS+13%
Boost Clock
1695 MHz
2610 MHz+54%
ROPs
112+40%
80
TMUs
328+37%
240
L1 Cache
10.3 MB+37%
7.5 MB
L2 Cache
6 MB
48 MB+700%
Ray Tracing Cores
82+37%
60
Tensor Cores
328+37%
240

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is support for DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation. This allows it to generate entire frames using AI/Algorithms, essentially doubling the frame rate in CPU-bound scenarios or heavy ray-tracing titles. The GeForce RTX 3090 lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.The GeForce RTX 4070 Ti supports the newer DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce RTX 3090 is capped at DLSS 2 Super Resolution.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3090GeForce RTX 4070 Ti
Upscaling Tech
DLSS 2 Super Resolution
DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution
Frame Generation
Not Supported
DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation
Ray Reconstruction
No
Yes (DLSS 3.5)
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
NVIDIA Reflex
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 3090 comes with 24 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti has 12 GB. The GeForce RTX 3090 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 936 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3090) vs 504 GB/s (GeForce RTX 4070 Ti) — a 85.7% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3090. Bus width: 384-bit vs 192-bit. L2 Cache: 6 MB (GeForce RTX 3090) vs 48 MB (GeForce RTX 4070 Ti) — the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3090GeForce RTX 4070 Ti
VRAM Capacity
24 GB+100%
12 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6X
GDDR6X
Memory Bandwidth
936 GB/s+86%
504 GB/s
Bus Width
384-bit+100%
192-bit
L2 Cache
6 MB
48 MB+700%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3090) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 4070 Ti). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3090GeForce RTX 4070 Ti
DirectX
12 Ultimate
12 Ultimate
Vulkan
1.4+8%
1.3
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th gen (GeForce RTX 3090) vs NVENC (8th Gen) (GeForce RTX 4070 Ti). Decoder: NVDEC 5th gen vs NVDEC (5th Gen). Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1 (GeForce RTX 3090) vs AV1,H.264,H.265,VP9 (GeForce RTX 4070 Ti).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3090GeForce RTX 4070 Ti
Encoder
NVENC 7th gen
NVENC (8th Gen)
Decoder
NVDEC 5th gen
NVDEC (5th Gen)
Codecs
H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1
AV1,H.264,H.265,VP9
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3090 draws 350W versus the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti's 285W — a 20.5% difference. The GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 750W (GeForce RTX 3090) vs 700W (GeForce RTX 4070 Ti). Power connectors: 2x 8-pin vs 8-pin. Card length: 312mm vs 285mm, occupying 3 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 85°C vs 70°C.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3090GeForce RTX 4070 Ti
TDP
350W
285W-19%
Recommended PSU
750W
700W-7%
Power Connector
2x 8-pin
8-pin
Length
312mm
285mm
Height
140mm
112mm
Slots
3
2-33%
Temp (Load)
85°C
70°C-18%
Perf/Watt
76.0
110.8+46%
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3090 launched at $1499 MSRP, while the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti launched at $799. The GeForce RTX 4070 Ti costs 46.7% less ($700 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 17.7 (GeForce RTX 3090) vs 39.5 (GeForce RTX 4070 Ti) — the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti offers 123.2% better value. The GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is the newer GPU (2023 vs 2020).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3090GeForce RTX 4070 Ti
MSRP
$1499
$799-47%
Performance per Dollar
17.7
39.5+123%
Codename
GA102
AD104
Release
September 1 2020
January 3 2023
Ranking
#37
#11