NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 5070 and 5070 Ti are high - end GPUs that have caught the attention of gamers and PC enthusiasts alike. As part of the latest Blackwell lineup, they come with the latest advancements in rendering and ray - tracing technologies, along with AI upscaling features like DLSS 4. But with both cards targeting a similar market segment, the question on many minds is: which one is the better buy? Let's take a detailed look at the differences between the two.
Both the RTX 5070 and 5070 Ti are based on NVIDIA's Blackwell architecture and are manufactured using TSMC's 5 - nm process node. This advanced manufacturing process allows for more transistors to be packed into a smaller space, contributing to better performance and power efficiency.
CUDA Cores: These are the processing units in NVIDIA GPUs that handle general - purpose computing tasks. The RTX 5070 comes with 6,144 CUDA cores, while the RTX 5070 Ti has a significantly higher count of 8,960 CUDA cores. This 45% increase in the number of CUDA cores in the 5070 Ti gives it a substantial advantage in processing power for tasks such as gaming, video editing, and 3D rendering.
Tensor Cores: Responsible for accelerating AI - related operations, the RTX 5070 has 192 tensor cores, which can perform up to 988 AI TOPS (trillion operations per second). The RTX 5070 Ti, on the other hand, features 280 tensor cores and can achieve 1,406 AI TOPS. This makes the 5070 Ti more suitable for AI - heavy applications like machine learning, deep learning, and AI - based image and video enhancement.
RT Cores: These cores are dedicated to handling ray - tracing calculations, which simulate the behavior of light in a scene to create more realistic lighting, shadows, and reflections in games. The RTX 5070 has 48 RT cores, while the RTX 5070 Ti has 70 RT cores. The higher number of RT cores in the 5070 Ti enables it to perform ray - tracing operations more efficiently, resulting in better - looking graphics in ray - traced games.
Base Clock: The base clock speed of the RTX 5070 is 2325 MHz, while the RTX 5070 Ti has a base clock of 2295 MHz. Despite the 5070 having a slightly higher base clock, the difference is relatively small and is overshadowed by the other hardware differences between the two cards.
Boost Clock: When the GPU is under heavy load and can handle the extra stress, it can boost its clock speed to a higher rate. The RTX 5070 can boost up to 2512 MHz, while the RTX 5070 Ti can reach a boost clock of 2452 MHz. Similar to the base clock, the difference in boost clocks is not a major determining factor in overall performance.
VRAM: The RTX 5070 comes with 12GB of GDDR7 memory, while the RTX 5070 Ti has 16GB of GDDR7 memory. The additional 4GB of VRAM in the 5070 Ti can be beneficial for gaming at higher resolutions (such as 4K), where games tend to require more memory to store textures and other graphical data. In some cases, having insufficient VRAM can lead to "texture popping" or reduced graphical quality.
Memory Bus: The memory bus width of the RTX 5070 is 192 - bit, while the RTX 5070 Ti has a wider 256 - bit memory bus. A wider memory bus allows for more data to be transferred between the GPU and its memory per clock cycle, resulting in higher memory bandwidth.
Memory Bandwidth: The RTX 5070 has a memory bandwidth of 672 GB/s, while the RTX 5070 Ti offers a significantly higher 896 GB/s. This higher bandwidth enables the 5070 Ti to access and process data in its memory more quickly, which can improve performance in games and other applications that are memory - intensive.
L2 Cache: The RTX 5070 has a 48MB L2 cache, while the RTX 5070 Ti has a larger 64MB L2 cache. A larger cache can help the GPU store and quickly access frequently used data, reducing the time it takes to fetch data from the slower main memory.
TDP (Power Draw): The power draw of the RTX 5070 is 250W, while the RTX 5070 Ti has a TDP of 300W. This means that the 5070 Ti requires a more powerful power supply unit (PSU) to run properly. A recommended PSU for the RTX 5070 is 600W, while for the RTX 5070 Ti, a 700W PSU is recommended.
Display Outputs: Both cards come with 1x HDMI 2.1b and 3x DP 2.1b display outputs, allowing users to connect multiple high - resolution monitors for a multi - display setup.
PCIe Interface: They both support the PCIe 5.0 x16 interface, which provides high - speed data transfer between the GPU and the motherboard.
The following table summarizes the key specifications of the RTX 5070 and 5070 Ti:
Specification | RTX 5070 | RTX 5070 Ti |
GPU Architecture | Blackwell | Blackwell |
Process Node | TSMC 5 nm | TSMC 5 nm |
CUDA Cores | 6144 | 8960 |
Tensor Cores | 192 (988 TOPS) | 280 (1406 TOPS) |
RT Cores | 48 | 70 |
Base Clock | 2325 MHz | 2295 MHz |
Boost Clock | 2512 MHz | 2452 MHz |
VRAM | 12GB GDDR7 | 16GB GDDR7 |
Memory Bus | 192 - bit | 256 - bit |
Memory Bandwidth | 672 GB/s | 896 GB/s |
L2 Cache | 48MB | 64MB |
TDP (Power Draw) | 250W | 300W |
Recommended PSU | 600W | 700W |
Display Outputs | 1x HDMI 2.1b, 3x DP 2.1b | 1x HDMI 2.1b, 3x DP 2.1b |
PCIe Interface | PCIe 5.0 x16 | PCIe 5.0 x16 |
Die Size | 263 mm² | 378 mm² |
Transistor Count | 31.1 billion | 45.6 billion |
Release Date | March 2025 | February 2025 |
MSRP | $549 | $749 |
Rasterization is the traditional method of rendering 3D graphics, where geometric primitives (such as triangles) are converted into pixels on the screen. In rasterization - only gaming scenarios (without ray - tracing enabled), the RTX 5070 and 5070 Ti both offer excellent performance, but the 5070 Ti clearly outperforms the 5070.
1080p Ultra: In a test across 16 games at 1080p ultra settings, the RTX 5070 achieved an average frame rate of 105.8 fps. The RTX 5070 Ti, on the other hand, managed an average of 124.9 fps. This represents a significant 18% increase in performance in favor of the 5070 Ti.
1440p Ultra: At 1440p ultra settings, the RTX 5070's average frame rate dropped to 80.4 fps, while the RTX 5070 Ti maintained an average of 100.3 fps. Here, the performance gap between the two cards is even more pronounced, with the 5070 Ti being 25% faster.
4K Ultra: When it comes to gaming at 4K ultra settings, the RTX 5070 struggles, with an average frame rate of 46.7 fps. The RTX 5070 Ti, however, offers a more playable experience with an average of 61.2 fps, which is 31% faster than the 5070.
Ray - tracing is an advanced rendering technique that simulates the behavior of light in a scene, resulting in more realistic lighting, shadows, and reflections. Games that support ray - tracing place a heavy demand on the GPU's RT cores.
1080p: At 1080p with ray - tracing enabled, the RTX 5070 can still hold its own. In a test of six games, it achieved an average frame rate of 97.4 fps. The RTX 5070 Ti, however, was even faster, with an average of 117.5 fps, representing a 21% performance increase.
1440p: At 1440p with ray - tracing, the performance gap widens. The RTX 5070 had an average frame rate of 69.8 fps, while the RTX 5070 Ti managed 88.5 fps, making it 27% faster.
4K: At 4K with ray - tracing, the RTX 5070 Ti is the clear winner. The 5070 achieved an average frame rate of 36.4 fps, while the 5070 Ti reached 51.6 fps, which is 42% faster.
Taking into account both rasterization and ray - tracing performance across 22 games, the RTX 5070 Ti maintains its lead. At 1080p, the RTX 5070 had an overall average frame rate of 103.4 fps, while the 5070 Ti achieved 122.9 fps (19% faster). At 1440p, the RTX 5070's average was 77.4 fps, compared to the 5070 Ti's 97 fps (25% faster). And at 4K, the RTX 5070 managed 43.6 fps, while the 5070 Ti reached 57.6 fps (32% faster).
In AI and machine - learning tasks, the RTX 5070 Ti's higher number of tensor cores gives it a significant advantage. In tests using the Procyon benchmark with different large language models (LLMs), the 5070 Ti was clearly faster. For example, with the Llama 2 model, the 5070 Ti showed a 60% difference in the overall score and a 40% advantage in the number of tokens produced each second compared to the 5070. For most other LLMs, the difference in the number of tokens produced per second was closer to 30%.
In video editing applications that support GPU acceleration, such as Adobe Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve, the RTX 5070 Ti's greater processing power (more CUDA cores, higher memory bandwidth) allows for faster rendering times. When working with high - resolution video footage (4K or 8K) and complex effects, the 5070 Ti can complete tasks more quickly than the 5070. Similarly, in 3D rendering software like Blender and Maya, the 5070 Ti can handle more complex scenes and render them in less time.
The RTX 5070 has an MSRP of \(549, while the RTX 5070 Ti is priced at \)749. This $200 price difference reflects the significant performance and hardware differences between the two cards. However, at the time of writing, due to high demand and limited supply, both cards may be difficult to find at their MSRP. Third - party GPU makers may sell them at higher prices, especially for the more powerful RTX 5070 Ti. Additionally, the RTX 5070 Founders Edition is available directly from NVIDIA, while for the RTX 5070 Ti, users will need to rely on models from board partners such as ASUS, Gigabyte, MSI, PNY, and Zotac.
If you are a 1080p or 1440p Gamer on a Budget: The RTX 5070 is an excellent choice. It can provide smooth gaming experiences at 1080p ultra settings and decent performance at 1440p. With its lower power draw and more affordable price, it is a great option for those looking to build a high - performance gaming PC without breaking the bank.
If you are a 4K Gamer or Need High - End Performance: The RTX 5070 Ti is the way to go. Its superior hardware specifications translate into much better performance at 4K, both in rasterization - only and ray - traced games. It also offers better performance in non - gaming applications such as AI, video editing, and 3D rendering.
If you are Future - Proofing Your PC: Consider the RTX 5070 Ti. As games and applications continue to become more demanding, especially with the increasing adoption of 4K gaming and more complex AI - based features, the 5070 Ti's extra VRAM, more powerful cores, and higher memory bandwidth will ensure that your PC can handle these future challenges for a longer time.
In conclusion, both the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 and 5070 Ti are powerful GPUs, but the choice between them depends on your specific needs, budget, and future plans for your PC.
