5070 vs. 5090

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 vs. RTX 5090: High-End Blackwell Showdown

NVIDIA’s Blackwell architecture brings a new level of performance to the high-end graphics card market. Comparing the GeForce RTX 5070 with the flagship RTX 5090 reveals the spectrum of Blackwell’s capabilities, from enthusiast-level to the absolute pinnacle. This detailed comparison will explore their specifications, performance expectations, features, and target users to help you understand the differences between these powerful GPUs.

Eros RTX 5090 Gaming PC

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 vs. RTX 5090: At a Glance

The RTX 5090 sits at the top of the Blackwell lineup, boasting a significantly higher core count, more memory, and wider memory bandwidth compared to the RTX 5070. This translates to a substantial performance advantage, particularly at higher resolutions and in demanding workloads. While both cards offer the benefits of the Blackwell architecture and its associated technologies, the RTX 5070 aims for high-end performance at a more accessible price point, whereas the RTX 5090 targets users who demand the very best, regardless of cost.

Key Differences:

Performance: The RTX 5090 is expected to offer a considerable performance lead over the RTX 5070, especially at 4K and beyond.
CUDA Cores: The RTX 5090 features a much higher number of CUDA Cores (likely over 16,000) compared to the RTX 5070 (6,144).
VRAM: The RTX 5090 is expected to have a larger VRAM capacity (potentially 24GB or more) with a wider memory interface compared to the RTX 5070’s 12GB.
Memory Bandwidth: The RTX 5090 will have significantly higher memory bandwidth due to its wider memory bus.
TDP: The RTX 5090 will have a much higher Thermal Design Power (TDP) than the RTX 5070, requiring robust cooling and power supply.
Price: The RTX 5090 will be significantly more expensive than the RTX 5070, occupying the ultra-enthusiast price bracket.

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 vs. RTX 5090: Specifications

Here’s a comparative look at the anticipated specifications of the RTX 5070 and RTX 5090:

Feature	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
Architecture	Blackwell	Blackwell
GPU Chip	GB203 (cut-down)	GB202
Process Technology	TSMC 4N	TSMC 4N
CUDA Cores	6,144	16,000+
Tensor Cores	(Approx. 192)	500+
RT Cores	(Approx. 48)	125+
Base Clock	2.16 GHz (Estimated)	2.0 GHz+ (Estimated)
Boost Clock	2.51 GHz (Estimated)	2.6 GHz+ (Estimated)
Memory	12GB GDDR7	24GB+ GDDR7
Memory Interface	192-bit	384-bit
Memory Speed	28 Gbps (Estimated)	32 Gbps+ (Estimated)
Memory Bandwidth	Up to 672 GB/s (Estimated)	1,228 GB/s+ (Estimated)
TDP	250W (Estimated)	450W+ (Estimated)
PCIe Interface	PCIe 5.0 x16	PCIe 5.0 x16
Display Outputs	3x DisplayPort 2.1b, 1x HDMI 2.1b	3x DisplayPort 2.1b, 1x HDMI 2.1b
Release Date	February 2025 (Anticipated)	Late 2024/Early 2025 (Anticipated)
MSRP	$549 (Expected)	$1599+ (Expected)

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 vs. RTX 5090: Performance Expectations

The performance difference between the RTX 5070 and RTX 5090 is expected to be significant, reflecting their distinct positions in the product stack.

4K and Beyond Gaming: The RTX 5090 is designed for the ultimate 4K gaming experience and is likely to be the top contender for high refresh rates and maximum settings, potentially even pushing into 8K gaming with DLSS 4. The RTX 5070 will offer excellent 4K gaming capabilities, especially with DLSS 4, but may require some settings adjustments in the most demanding titles to achieve the highest frame rates.
1440p Gaming: Both cards will excel at 1440p gaming, delivering very high frame rates. However, the RTX 5090 will likely offer headroom for extreme refresh rates and future-proofing at this resolution. For most 1440p gamers, the RTX 5070 will provide more than enough performance.
Ray Tracing and DLSS 4: Both GPUs benefit from NVIDIA’s 4th Gen Ray Tracing Cores and 5th Gen Tensor Cores, along with DLSS 4. The RTX 5090’s vastly superior core count will allow it to handle the most demanding ray-traced scenarios with higher frame rates and potentially at higher resolutions. DLSS 4 will further enhance performance on both cards, but the 5090 will likely see greater absolute gains due to its raw power.
Productivity and Content Creation: For professional workloads such as video editing, 3D rendering, and AI development, the RTX 5090’s higher CUDA core count, larger VRAM capacity, and wider memory bandwidth will provide a significant advantage, leading to faster processing times and the ability to handle larger and more complex projects. While the RTX 5070 will still be a capable card for content creation, the RTX 5090 is the clear choice for professionals demanding maximum performance.

General Performance Expectation: Expect the RTX 5090 to offer a performance uplift of at least 30-50% or more over the RTX 5070 in many demanding applications and games, especially at higher resolutions and with ray tracing enabled.

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 vs. RTX 5090: Price & Value

The pricing difference between the RTX 5070 and RTX 5090 will be substantial, reflecting their performance tiers.

NVIDIA RTX 5070: Positioned in the high-end segment, the RTX 5070 aims to provide excellent performance for enthusiasts who want top-tier gaming without the absolute highest cost. Its expected MSRP of around $549 makes it a more accessible option compared to the flagship.
NVIDIA RTX 5090: The RTX 5090 will occupy the ultra-enthusiast category, with an expected MSRP of $1599 or higher. This price reflects its top-tier performance and is aimed at users who are willing to pay a premium for the best possible gaming and creative experiences.

Value Proposition: The “value” proposition differs significantly between these cards. The RTX 5070 is likely to offer a better performance-per-dollar ratio for most gamers. The RTX 5090’s value lies in its uncompromised performance and future-proofing for users who need the absolute best and are less constrained by budget.

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 vs. RTX 5090: Features & Technologies

Both the RTX 5070 and RTX 5090 are based on the NVIDIA Blackwell architecture and will therefore support the same core features and technologies:

Blackwell Architecture: Delivering enhanced performance and efficiency compared to previous generations.
DLSS 4: Providing significant performance gains with improved image quality through AI-powered upscaling and frame generation.
4th Gen Ray Tracing Cores: Offering enhanced ray tracing performance for more realistic visuals.
5th Gen Tensor Cores: Accelerating AI-powered features and improving performance in DLSS and other AI-accelerated tasks.
GDDR7 Memory: Enabling faster data transfer and higher bandwidth.
PCIe 5.0: Providing increased bandwidth for improved data throughput between the GPU and the rest of the system.
NVIDIA Reflex: Reducing system latency for a more responsive gaming experience.
NVIDIA Broadcast: Offering AI-powered audio and video enhancements for streaming and communication.
NVIDIA Studio: Providing optimized drivers and support for creative applications.

While both cards share these features, the superior hardware of the RTX 5090 will allow it to leverage these technologies to their full potential, delivering higher performance and fidelity.

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 vs. RTX 5090: Conclusion & Recommendation

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 and RTX 5090 cater to different segments of the high-end market.

Choose the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 if:
- You are a high-end gamer targeting 1440p or 4K resolution with excellent performance.
- You want a significant upgrade from previous generation cards without the extreme cost of a flagship GPU.
- You also engage in some content creation but don’t require the absolute top-tier performance.
- Value for money is still a consideration within your high-end budget.
Choose the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 if:
- You demand the absolute best possible gaming performance at 4K and beyond, including high refresh rates and maximum settings.
- You are a professional content creator who needs the fastest possible rendering times, large VRAM capacity, and maximum GPU horsepower for demanding tasks.
- You are an early adopter who wants the latest and most powerful hardware, regardless of price.
- You are looking for maximum future-proofing for gaming and creative applications.

In summary, the RTX 5070 is an excellent high-end card that will satisfy the needs of most enthusiast gamers and many content creators. The RTX 5090, on the other hand, is the ultimate no-compromise GPU for users who demand the pinnacle of performance and are willing to pay a significant premium to achieve it.