GeForce RTX 4070 vs Radeon RX 6850M XT

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4070

2023Core: 1920 MHzBoost: 2475 MHz

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

Radeon RX 6850M XT

2022Core: 2321 MHzBoost: 2581 MHz

Popular choices:

RTX 4070

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 4070

2023

Why buy it

  • 25.6% more average FPS across 13 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Costs $201 less on MSRP ($599 MSRP vs $800 MSRP).
  • Delivers 107.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.9 vs 21.7 G3D/$ ($599 MSRP vs $800 MSRP).
  • Access to DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution (2023).
  • More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • 21.2% higher power demand at 200W vs 165W.

Radeon RX 6850M XT

2022

Why buy it

  • Draws 165W instead of 200W, a 35W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 4070 across 13 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • No DLSS support; it relies on FSR 3 (2023) instead.
  • Weaker long-term outlook: GeForce RTX 4070 is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.
  • 33.6% HIGHER MSRP
    $800 MSRPvs$599 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 21.7 vs 44.9 G3D/$ ($800 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 4070 better than Radeon RX 6850M XT?
Yes. GeForce RTX 4070 is the better GPU overall here. You are getting 25.6% more average FPS across 13 tracked games in our benchmark data, 55.2% higher PassMark G3D performance, and DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation. It also comes from 2023 instead of 2022, which helps its case as the more complete modern gaming card.
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 2022, 55.2% more raw performance headroom, the stronger feature stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation instead of FSR 3 + AFMF, and a 5nm process instead of 7nm. 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 is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce RTX 4070 is about $201 cheaper on MSRP at $599 MSRP versus $800 MSRP, and you are getting 25.6% more estimated average FPS across 13 tracked games in our benchmark data and 55.2% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 107.2%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.
Is Radeon RX 6850M XT still worth buying for gaming in 2026?
Yes. Radeon RX 6850M XT is still a strong modern gaming GPU: it is very strong for 1080p, good for 1440p, and more limited at 4K. It remains a good buy when you can get it meaningfully cheaper than the alternative around $800 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetGeForce RTX 4070Radeon RX 6850M XT
1080p
low183 FPS179 FPS
medium167 FPS159 FPS
high151 FPS145 FPS
ultra131 FPS122 FPS
1440p
low150 FPS145 FPS
medium124 FPS117 FPS
high110 FPS108 FPS
ultra101 FPS97 FPS
4K
low92 FPS87 FPS
medium78 FPS73 FPS
high65 FPS60 FPS
ultra58 FPS52 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce RTX 4070Radeon RX 6850M XT
1080p
low544 FPS467 FPS
medium454 FPS385 FPS
high353 FPS310 FPS
ultra299 FPS259 FPS
1440p
low351 FPS291 FPS
medium288 FPS240 FPS
high235 FPS201 FPS
ultra197 FPS169 FPS
4K
low172 FPS131 FPS
medium144 FPS112 FPS
high125 FPS91 FPS
ultra101 FPS70 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce RTX 4070Radeon RX 6850M XT
1080p
low884 FPS781 FPS
medium713 FPS625 FPS
high643 FPS520 FPS
ultra569 FPS390 FPS
1440p
low684 FPS586 FPS
medium549 FPS468 FPS
high483 FPS390 FPS
ultra424 FPS293 FPS
4K
low467 FPS390 FPS
medium373 FPS312 FPS
high326 FPS260 FPS
ultra277 FPS195 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce RTX 4070Radeon RX 6850M XT
1080p
low751 FPS703 FPS
medium612 FPS584 FPS
high536 FPS491 FPS
ultra497 FPS390 FPS
1440p
low615 FPS540 FPS
medium500 FPS451 FPS
high433 FPS367 FPS
ultra395 FPS293 FPS
4K
low384 FPS322 FPS
medium324 FPS285 FPS
high301 FPS257 FPS
ultra272 FPS195 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 4070 and Radeon RX 6850M XT

NVIDIA

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.

AMD

Radeon RX 6850M XT

The Radeon RX 6850M XT is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 4 2022. It features the RDNA 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 2321 MHz to 2581 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 165W. Manufactured using 7 nm process technology. It features 40 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 17,350 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 4070 scores 26,919 versus the Radeon RX 6850M XT's 17,350 — the GeForce RTX 4070 leads by 55.2%. The GeForce RTX 4070 is built on Ada Lovelace while the Radeon RX 6850M XT uses RDNA 2.0, both on 5 nm vs 7 nm. Shader units: 5,888 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 2,560 (Radeon RX 6850M XT). Raw compute: 29.15 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 13.21 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 6850M XT). Boost clocks: 2475 MHz vs 2581 MHz. Ray tracing: 46 RT cores (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 40 (Radeon RX 6850M XT) with 184 Tensor cores.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070Radeon RX 6850M XT
G3D Mark Score
26,919+55%
17,350
Architecture
Ada Lovelace
RDNA 2.0
Process Node
5 nm
7 nm
Shading Units
5888+130%
2560
Compute (TFLOPS)
29.15 TFLOPS+121%
13.21 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
2475 MHz
2581 MHz+4%
ROPs
64
64
TMUs
184+15%
160
L1 Cache
5.8 MB+1060%
0.5 MB
L2 Cache
36 MB+1100%
3 MB
Ray Tracing Cores
46+15%
40

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 6850M XT relies on FSR Frame Generation + AFMF. 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 6850M XT relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070Radeon RX 6850M XT
Upscaling Tech
DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution
FSR 3
Frame Generation
DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation
FSR Frame Generation + AFMF
Ray Reconstruction
Yes (DLSS 3.5)
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
AMD Anti-Lag
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

Both cards feature 12 GB of video memory. Memory bandwidth: 504 GB/s (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 432 GB/s (Radeon RX 6850M XT) — a 16.7% advantage for the GeForce RTX 4070. Bus width: 192-bit vs 192-bit. L2 Cache: 36 MB (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 3 MB (Radeon RX 6850M XT) — the GeForce RTX 4070 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070Radeon RX 6850M XT
VRAM Capacity
12 GB
12 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6X
GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth
504 GB/s+17%
432 GB/s
Bus Width
192-bit
192-bit
L2 Cache
36 MB+1100%
3 MB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.2 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 12.2 (Radeon RX 6850M XT). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 3.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070Radeon RX 6850M XT
DirectX
12.2
12.2
Vulkan
1.3
1.4+8%
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4+33%
3
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: 8th Gen NVENC (2x) (GeForce RTX 4070) vs VCN 3.0 (Radeon RX 6850M XT). Decoder: 5th Gen NVDEC vs VCN 3.0. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9 (Radeon RX 6850M XT).

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070Radeon RX 6850M XT
Encoder
8th Gen NVENC (2x)
VCN 3.0
Decoder
5th Gen NVDEC
VCN 3.0
Codecs
MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1
MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 4070 draws 200W versus the Radeon RX 6850M XT's 165W — a 19.2% difference. The Radeon RX 6850M XT is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 650W (Radeon RX 6850M XT). Power connectors: 8-pin vs Mobile. Card length: 304mm vs 0mm, occupying 3 vs 0 slots. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 80°C.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070Radeon RX 6850M XT
TDP
200W
165W-18%
Recommended PSU
650W
650W
Power Connector
8-pin
Mobile
Length
304mm
0mm
Height
137mm
0mm
Slots
3
0-100%
Temp (Load)
80°C
80°C
Perf/Watt
134.6+28%
105.2
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 4070 launched at $599 MSRP, while the Radeon RX 6850M XT launched at $800. The GeForce RTX 4070 costs 25.1% less ($201 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 44.9 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 21.7 (Radeon RX 6850M XT) — the GeForce RTX 4070 offers 106.9% better value. The GeForce RTX 4070 is the newer GPU (2023 vs 2022).

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070Radeon RX 6850M XT
MSRP
$599-25%
$800
Performance per Dollar
44.9+107%
21.7
Codename
AD104
Navi 22
Release
April 12 2023
January 4 2022
Ranking
#32
#103