RTX 5070 vs RTX 4070: Gaming Performance & Bottleneck (2026)

With a Ryzen 7 9800X3D at 1440p High, the RTX 5070 averages 101 FPS in AAA games to the RTX 4070's 84. That 21% lead is about the same at 4K. For a card 2 years newer, that is a solid generational step. The order holds at 1080p (20% apart), so the RTX 5070 is the quicker card at every resolution. With ray tracing on at 1440p they manage 59 and 48 FPS respectively, so plan on DLSS, FSR or XeSS upscaling. In esports games like CS2 or Valorant at 1080p they reach 445 and 379 FPS, so either can feed a 360 Hz monitor. At 4K the RTX 4070 manages 51 FPS native, and DLSS Quality lifts that to about 71. Both carry 12 GB of VRAM, enough for 4K High. To stay under a 10% CPU bottleneck at 1440p, the RTX 5070 needs a Ryzen 5 5600 and the RTX 4070 a Ryzen 5 3600-class chip.

Relative performance

Faster card = 100%. Average FPS at High settings with a Ryzen 7 9800X3D.

1440p, AAA games

RTX 5070100%
RTX 407083%

101 vs 84 FPS · RTX 5070 +21%

4K, AAA games

RTX 5070100%
RTX 407083%

61 vs 51 FPS · RTX 5070 +21%

1440p, ray tracing

RTX 5070100%
RTX 407083%

59 vs 48 FPS · RTX 5070 +21%

FPS with a Ryzen 7 9800X3D

Average FPS in AAA games, no upscaling. A fast CPU, so the graphics card sets the pace.

SettingRTX 5070RTX 4070Lead
1080p High1441195070 +20%
1440p High101845070 +21%
4K High61515070 +21%
1440p ray tracing59485070 +21%

Specifications

Raster index: RTX 4090 = 100.

SpecRTX 5070RTX 4070
VRAM12 GB12 GB
Ray tracingYes, full speedYes, full speed
Released20252023
Raster index6352

Which CPU do you need?

Slowest common CPU that keeps each card under a 10% bottleneck at 1440p High.

Graphics cardSlowest CPUFPS
RTX 5070Ryzen 5 560095
RTX 4070Ryzen 5 3600 or faster75

Which should you buy?

Buy the RTX 5070 if you want the faster card: it's 21% ahead at 4K. The RTX 4070 is the better buy only if it costs at least 21% less, the gap at 1440p, because then it delivers more frames per dollar. Already own the RTX 4070? Going to the RTX 5070 gains 21% at 1440p, which is a modest upgrade, worth it mainly if you can sell the RTX 4070.

Buy the RTX 5070 if…

  • you want the most FPS: it's 21% faster at 4K and 21% at 1440p.
  • you play with ray tracing: 59 vs 48 FPS at 1440p.
  • you want the newer card (2025) with the longer driver and feature support ahead of it.

Buy the RTX 4070 if…

  • your CPU is older: a Ryzen 5 3600-class chip is enough to keep it fed at 1440p.
  • it costs at least 21% less than the RTX 5070, which makes it the better value per frame.

Check your build

These numbers use a Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate the graphics card. Your own CPU, resolution and settings change the result, so run your exact parts through the calculator.

Popular builds with these cards

RTX 5070 vs RTX 4070: quick answers

Is the RTX 5070 faster than the RTX 4070?

Yes. The RTX 5070 is about 21% faster at 4K and 21% faster at 1440p in AAA games at High settings. With ray tracing on at 1440p the RTX 5070 gets about 59 FPS and the RTX 4070 48 FPS.

How many FPS do the RTX 5070 and RTX 4070 get?

With a Ryzen 7 9800X3D at High settings in AAA games, the RTX 5070 averages about 144 FPS at 1080p, 101 at 1440p and 61 at 4K. The RTX 4070 averages 119, 84 and 51 FPS. DLSS, FSR or XeSS upscaling adds roughly 40% where the graphics card is the limit.

What CPU do I need for the RTX 5070 or RTX 4070?

To keep the CPU bottleneck under 10% at 1440p, the RTX 5070 needs at least a Ryzen 5 5600 and the RTX 4070 needs a Ryzen 5 3600 or faster. At 1080p you need a faster CPU for the same result, and at 4K a slower one is fine. A slower CPU narrows the gap between the RTX 5070 and the RTX 4070.