RTX 4070 vs RX 6900 XT – which graphics card should you choose?

We’re taking a close look at Nvidia RTX 4070 vs AMD RX 6800 XT to better understand the differences between these graphics cards.

The RTX 4070 is the latest edition to Nvidia’s 40-series family of graphics cards. With independent reviews flooding, we’re ready to get our teeth stuck into how it shapes up against AMD’s RX 6900 XT.

Where to buy RTX 4070:

Amazon US

1. Amazon US
2. PNY GeForce RTX 4070 12GB XLR8 Gaming VERTO EPIC-X RGB
3. Gigabyte AORUS GeForce RTX 4070 Master 12G Graphics Card
4. PNY GeForce RTX 4070 12GB Verto Dual Fan Graphics Card DLSS 3

Best Buy

• Best Buy
• Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 12GB GDDR6X
• ASUS Nvidia RTX 4070 12GB GDDR6X
• GIGABYTE – NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 WINDFORCE OC 12G GDDR6X
• MSI – NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 12GB VENTUS 3X 12GB DDR6X PCI Express 4.0 Graphics Card
• ASUS – NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Overclock 12GB GDDR6X PCI Express 4.0 Graphics Car
• ASUS – NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Overclock 12GB GDDR6X PCI Express 4.0 Graphics Card
• GIGABYTE – NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 EAGLE OC 12G GDDR6X PCI Express 4.0 Graphics Card – Black
• MSI – NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 12GB VENTUS 3X OC 12GB DDR6X PCI Express 4.0 Graphics Card
• GIGABYTE – NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 GAMING OC 12G GDDR6X PCI Express 4.0 Graphics Card – Black

Newegg

• Newegg (in stock)

Though the RX 6900 XT is a slightly older graphics card, it still packs a punch and for excellent value too. It offers decent overclocking, and can be copped for a decent price in 2023. It also has the advantage of 16GB RAM which will be a deal breaker for some.

In this article we’re breaking down these two graphics cards into key categories including the specs, price and performance.

So let’s jump to it – this is everything we know about the RTX 4070 vs RX 6900 XT.

RTX 4070 vs RX 6900 XT – specs

Specs	RTX 4070	RX 6800 XT
Architecture	Lovelace	Navi 21
Ray tracing cores	3rd Gen	1st Gen
Tensor cores	4th Gen	n/a
CUDA cores / Stream processors	5,888	4,608
Boost clock	2,475MHz	2,250MHz
Base clock	2,475MHz	1,825MHz
RAM	12GB	16GB
Dimensions	Unknown	267 mm x 120 mm x 50 mm

As you might expect, the 4070 and RX 6800 XT have pretty different specs overall.

The 4070 will have 5,888 CUDA cores, with 12GB of GDR6X memory. This makes it a speedy graphics card that will process your data efficiently. Compared to the RX 6900 XT’s 4,608 Stream processors, the 4070 comes out on top. This is particularly true in games that require more intense graphics rendering.

Like other 40-series graphics cards, we can expect the RTX 4070 to render impressive scenes thanks to its third generation ray tracing cores. While it’s yet to grace our selection of the best GPUs for ray tracing, it looks the 4070 fits in nicely.

The RX 6900 XT also boasts ray tracing cores, though as the older graphics card, they aren’t as powerful. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing – gamers often end up disabling ray tracing on certain games that are particularly demanding in favour of higher frame rates. Therefore, if you’re after something a little more powerful, then you should check how the 4070 potentially shapes up to the 4070 Ti or 4080.

What the RX 6900 XT does clearly trump the RTX 4070 on is VRAM – which is potentially a dealbreaker for 4K gaming and future proofing your gaming set-up. Though the 4070’s 12GB RAM should be ample, 16GB RAM is definitely preferable for future-proofing your gaming setup.

In terms of base and boost clock speeds, the 4070 might just take the cake with a possible boost clock of 2,475MHz. If you’re looking to increase your FPS in games like Warzone 2.0 or Flight Simulator 2020, then it might just be worth waiting for the 4070.

If you’re interested, we’ve also gone into a little more depth on the RTX 4070 power consumption and TDP speculation to better prepare yourself before committing to a purchase.

RTX 4070 vs RX 6900 XT – architecture

As expected, the 4070 is expected to perform pretty strongly, and its architecture plays a significant part.

The 4070 boasts Nvidia’s groundbreaking Ada Lovelace architecture and massively outperforms AMD’s RDNA 2 architecture.

Ada Lovelace architecture has the advantage of third generation ray tracing and fourth generation tensor cores. The latter plays a role in enabling AI-powered features such as DLSS. It’s a sound choice if you are keen on Nvidia’s 40-series architecture at the budget end. To go into a little more depth, it uses AI deep learning algorithms to boost performance by increasing efficiency. This means you’ll get more power from the same hardware.

And what about RDNA 2? Well, you can expect to play pretty much every game at 1080p. Heck, you can even hit 4K with the right settings. Though AMD has moved onto RDNA 3, RDNA 2 still made an impressive leap and continues to deliver a stellar performance.

RTX 4070 vs RX 6900 XT – performance

The 4070 is a powerful mid-range graphics card that will probably outperform the RTX 3070, 3070 Ti while challenging the 3080. Though the RTX 4070 Ti keeps the edge, the 4070 comes in as a close second.

But where does that leave the RX 6900 XT? Back when it was originally released, the RX 6900 XT was AMD’s fastest ever GPU. It’s capable of running 1080p and 1440p, though is less suited for 4K gaming.

Overall though, we think you might get better value with the 4070 in terms of performance.

RTX 4070 vs RX 6900 XT – expected price

If stock levels prove steady, the card should cost an amazing $599.

If everything holds up, the 4070 will be an affordable ticket to Nvidia’s 40-series Ada Lovelace architecture.

Potential buyers might be drawn to the older RX 6900 XT for its stability, which at the time of writing puts it at $729.

Of course, we’ll have to wait until launch day, though we can say with some confidence that the 4070 could be excellent value.

RTX 4070 vs RX 6900 XT – which graphics card should you go for?

The RTX 4070 offers a premium performance for only a fraction of the price.

It’s certainly tempting for those looking to upgrade as painlessly as possible. Unlike the 4080 or 4090 which will probably require a new PSU, the 4070 in comparison looks like an easy choice.

That’s not to say the RX 6900 XT is no longer relevant. Depending on where you’re buying from, the RX 6900 XT is a fantastic value graphics card that continues to make a name for itself in 2023.

Frequently asked questions

Is the RX 6900 XT still worth it?

Yes, if you’re looking for a solid GPU performance at great value, the RX 6900 XT has you covered, delivering a superb 1080p and 1440p performance.

What is the RX 6900 XT equivalent to?

AMD’s RX 6900 XT is roughly equivalent to Nvidia’s RTX 3080 graphics card, another mid-range king that offers superb gaming performance.