These new GPUs from Nvidia and AMD cater to the mid-range graphics card market. Wondering whether to invest in Nvidia’s RTX 4070 Super or AMD’s RX 7800 XT for your next graphics card? We’ve compared them based on pricing, specifications, overall features, streaming capabilities, software, and more to help you decide.
By the end, you’ll understand the key advantages of each, making it easier to choose between Nvidia’s GeForce or AMD’s Radeon GPU for your next upgrade.
RTX 4070 Super vs RX 7800 XT: Pricing
Nvidia launched the GeForce RTX 4070 Super in January 2024 at $599, while the Zotac Twin Edge RTX 4070 Super with dual fans currently sells for $589.99.
AMD introduced the Radeon RX 7800 XT in the second half of 2023. The Sapphire Pulse RX 7800 XT with dual fans is currently priced at $519.99.
Following the release of the Super variant, Nvidia reduced the price of the RTX 4070 by $50. While the new GPU offers performance improvements, Nvidia GPUs are generally available for around $600. On the other hand, the Radeon RX 7800 XT is overall cheaper by approximately $100 in the US and other regions.
AMD’s GPU also boasts a higher VRAM capacity and comes at a more affordable price point. It’s worth noting that this VRAM uses slightly slower GDDR6 memory instead of GDDR6X. Despite this difference, both GPUs perform similarly, as we’ll discuss shortly. Overall, in terms of pricing, Team Red emerges as the winner.
RTX 4070 Super vs RX 7800 XT: Power Efficiency
Nvidia’s RTX 4070 Super boasts a total graphics power (TGP) rating of 220W, while AMD’s RX 7800 XT requires 263W. This makes Nvidia’s RTX 4070 Super the more power-efficient choice.
The AMD Radeon GPU consumes 19.5% more power compared to the RTX 4070 Super, based on their respective TGP ratings. While this difference may seem negligible, it’s worth noting, especially if you’re considering the GPU’s compatibility with your power supply unit (PSU). The RX 7800 XT requires a 700W PSU, so ensure your system meets this requirement.
Both GPUs need 2x 8-pin PCIe power connectors from your PSU. Additionally, note that some aftermarket versions of these GPUs may have higher power limits.
The RTX 4070 Super utilizes the new 16-pin GPU power connector standard. However, it comes with an adapter that allows you to use traditional 8-pin PCIe connectors, converting them into a 16-pin power connector compatible with the GPU.
If you have limited headroom with your current power supply, Nvidia’s GPU might be more appealing. The GeForce RTX 4070 Super requires a 650W PSU, whereas the AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT demands a 700W PSU.
RTX 4070 Super vs RX 7800 XT: Performance
In games that rely solely on traditional rasterization (with Ray Tracing off), the RX 7800 XT and RTX 4070 Super offer competitive performance, with AMD providing better value. The RX 7800 XT delivers similar or superior gaming performance at a lower cost than the RTX 4070 Super.
Game optimization varies; some games are better optimized for Nvidia, while others favor AMD. Despite this, the RX 7800 XT often closely matches or slightly trails the RTX 4070 Super’s performance. However, in games that utilize Ray Tracing, Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 4070 Super outperforms the competition.
While the Radeon RX 7800 XT doesn’t exhibit poor Ray Tracing performance, it may not meet expectations in modern titles like Cyberpunk 2077. If Ray Tracing performance is a top priority, the RTX 4070 Super is a more suitable choice.
Nvidia’s DLSS 3.5 technology, exclusive to Nvidia GPUs, enhances Ray Tracing visuals in games like Cyberpunk 2077, resulting in stunning visual effects.
In the synthetic 3DMark Time Spy Extreme (4K) test, considered a benchmark for gamers, the average graphics score for over a thousand RTX 4070 Super GPUs is 10,155, while the Radeon RX 7800 XT scores 9,436.
While the Nvidia GPU leads by 7.6% in this metric, this minor difference suggests that both GPUs perform similarly.
Considering overall performance, including Ray Tracing-enabled gaming, the RTX 4070 Super outperforms the AMD RX 7800 XT. However, the comparison is not straightforward. Considering the RX 7800 XT is about $100 cheaper than the RTX 4070 Super, we must consider that as well. Therefore, in terms of performance, there is no clear winner. As mentioned earlier, AMD’s offering also delivers comparable traditional rasterization performance at a lower cost. Overall, it’s a tie.
RTX 4070 Super vs RX 7800 XT: Specs & Graphics Memory
12GB GDDR6X (RTX 4070 Super) vs 16GB GDDR6 (RX 7800 XT)
The crucial specification to consider is the VRAM capacity. The Radeon RX 7800 XT boasts 16GB of GDDR6 memory with an effective memory clock of 19.5Gbps. In contrast, the RTX 4070 Super is equipped with 12GB of GDDR6X memory, denoted by the “X” indicating faster VRAM speeds, with an effective memory clock of 21Gbps.
While AMD provides more VRAM capacity, Nvidia offers faster GDDR6X memory. Although 12GB of VRAM is typically sufficient, 16GB is more future-proof. This future-proofing will be beneficial for games that require more graphics memory.
Many GPUs used by gamers feature 8GB of VRAM. Currently, only a few games encounter issues with 8GB of VRAM. Since the RTX 4070 Super already offers 12GB of GDDR6X VRAM capacity, it can be considered sufficient. However, the AMD Radeon GPU holds a significant advantage with its additional 4GB of VRAM capacity.
Specifications Comparision
Here are the specifications for the GeForce RTX 4070 Super and Radeon RX 7800 XT. AMD’s Ray Accelerators and AI Accelerators can be compared to Nvidia’s RT Cores and Tensor Cores, respectively. This analogy extends to AMD’s Compute Units and Nvidia’s Streaming Multiprocessors.
While we discussed that lower VRAM capacity is acceptable for current games, the RX 7800 XT’s higher 16GB VRAM capacity can be seen as an advantage.
Having lower VRAM capacity could lead to slightly degraded graphical quality, even if the gaming performance is similar to a GPU with higher VRAM. This is because many games can dynamically adjust graphics quality when VRAM is limited.
AMD’s AI accelerators on the RDNA 3 architecture offer benefits for productivity-centric users, particularly in applications like Davinci Resolve, where content creation workloads can be accelerated. However, Nvidia GPUs are generally considered superior for productivity compared to AMD Radeon.
Considering the cost of these GPUs, having more VRAM provides additional peace of mind. In my view, AMD comes out as the winner here, although the RTX 4070 Super is not far behind.
Overall, it’s more of a tie, but I believe the RX 7800 XT’s additional 33% VRAM capacity makes it a better GPU in terms of specifications compared to Nvidia’s offering. Earlier, we discussed performance, noting that the RTX 4070 Super delivers better overall FPS in today’s games when Ray Tracing is enabled.
Nvidia’s advantage in Ray Tracing doesn’t seem significant to me, especially considering that some future demanding games could achieve maxed-out graphics, including texture quality, with AMD’s Radeon RX 7800 XT and its 16GB VRAM.
RTX 4070 Super vs RX 7800 XT: Software & Features
The Nvidia RTX 4070 Super offers a range of features to enhance the gaming experience. Recent additions include the Chat with RTX app, an AI chatbot that can run locally on your PC, and the new RTX Video HDR feature, available in the control panel, which converts standard SDR content into dynamic, high dynamic range (HDR) content.
These features allow you to leverage Nvidia’s Tensor cores on the RTX 4070 Super. Additionally, filters can be applied to fine-tune the appearance of your game.
Nvidia recently replaced its old GeForce Experience software with a new Nvidia app, streamlining the user experience. This update brought several features previously found in the Nvidia Control Panel into a more unified interface. Additionally, Nvidia Reflex reduces latency in games, and the Broadcast app enhances game streaming with various effects.
On the other hand, the AMD RX 7800 XT offers similar features to Nvidia, including Anti-Lag (and the upcoming Anti-Lag+), Noise Suppression, Radeon Boost, and more. The Radeon Adrenalin app even includes a tuning feature to customize GPU performance.
While AMD competes well with Nvidia, Nvidia offers a broader range of features and enhancements. Therefore, the RTX 4070 Super comes out on top.
RTX 4070 Super vs RX 7800 XT: Streaming Capabilities
While NVIDIA used to have a clear edge over AMD in game streaming, the competition has now leveled. Both GPUs, the Nvidia RTX 4070 Super and AMD RX 7800 XT, offer support for AV1, the latest streaming standard, enabling high-quality streaming. However, not all platforms fully support the AV1 codec yet. Twitch, for example, has announced AV1 support but currently limits it to the GeForce RTX 40 series GPUs.
YouTube, on the other hand, allows selecting AV1 as the video encoder, even on AMD’s RDNA 3 GPUs like the RX 7800 XT. Nvidia’s RTX 4070 Super has an advantage with its Broadcast app, as mentioned earlier, which provides features like background removal, replacement, and noise reduction, all conveniently located in one application.
If you opt for the RX 7800 XT, you can still use OBS Plugins to achieve similar functionality. Additionally, AMD’s Noise Suppression feature can help optimize your microphone’s audio quality. However, if you prioritize simplicity, need to stream on Twitch, and desire features like those in Nvidia’s Broadcast app, the RTX 4070 Super would be the better choice for you in this regard. It’s a close decision, but Nvidia’s RTX 4070 Super takes the lead.
FSR 3 & AFMF (RX 7800 XT) vs DLSS 3 (RTX 4070 Super)
One of the most exciting features of the latest AMD and Nvidia GPUs is AI frame generation. DLSS 3 and FSR 3, found in supported games, use AI-generated frames to enhance perceived smoothness by inserting them alongside real frames.
These technologies result in significant FPS gains. It’s important to note that both the RX 7800 XT and RTX 4070 Super are powerful GPUs. Their raw performance in today’s games is more than satisfactory even without DLSS 3 or FSR 3 enabled.
I’ve conducted tests on both AMD’s FSR 3 and Nvidia’s DLSS 3 AI frame generation technologies. In optimal implementations and with the latest drivers, both FSR 3 and DLSS 3 deliver excellent experiences. They have significantly reduced input lag compared to the early stages of AI frame generation.
DLSS 3 has seen greater adoption than FSR 3, but it is also older. However, with FSR 3 being open-source, its adoption is expected to increase steadily in the future. Additionally, AMD’s RX 7800 XT offers another AI generation feature called Advanced Fluid Motion Frames (AFMF). This driver-level feature can be enabled in many DX11/DX10 games.
In games like Tekken 8, which are locked to 60FPS, you can enable AFMF technology with the RX 7800 XT. This allows you to technically experience gameplay at 120 FPS, even though the inputs are still recorded at the real 60 FPS. I’m not suggesting that you should play this game at 120 FPS; this is simply an example to showcase the capabilities of AFMF, a super-cool feature found on AMD’s latest RDNA 3 GPUs.
The ability to enable AFMF on virtually any game is impressive and a significant advantage for Team Red. Therefore, AMD is the overall winner in this category!
RTX 4070 Super vs RX 7800 XT: The Verdict
In this comparison, the AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT leads in three out of seven categories: pricing, specifications, and AI frame generation. On the other hand, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Super excels in three out of seven categories: streaming capabilities, software, and power consumption.
Overall, it’s a tie. There are specific reasons to prefer either of these GPUs, which we’ve detailed below. Ultimately, both the RX 7800 XT and RTX 4070 Super deliver similar performance to each other.
Regardless of which of these two GPUs you choose, you’re likely to have a delightful experience for both 1440p and even 4K gaming.
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