Now that GPU costs are taking a breather and hopefully we’ll solely see extra accessible graphics playing cards transferring ahead (and crossing fingers), let’s take an up to date take a look at the battle between the GeForce RTX 3070 and Radeon RX 6700 XT.
The RTX 3070 was launched in October 2020 at an MSRP of $500, which after all we by no means actually noticed. Five months later AMD hit again with the 6700 XT at $480, which was one other paper MSRP that by no means reached most potential patrons. The level is although, these two GPUs are supposed to be direct opponents, although present pricing is extra favorable in the direction of the 6700 XT as demand for Nvidia GPUs is often increased.
As of writing, it is potential to buy a Radeon 6700 XT for as little as $600, although most fashions are priced between $700 and $800. That’s nonetheless effectively over MSRP, however pricing has come down significantly in current weeks. Similarly, solely three months in the past the bottom value on an RTX 3070 was $1,100 and now they’re nearer to $900, with a Gigabyte mannequin promoting for simply $850.
That means the 3070 is priced ~40% increased than the 6700 XT proper now, which is clearly a major markup, even when the GeForce GPU was ~10% sooner final time we in contrast them over a yr in the past in a forty five sport benchmark.
So much has modified since then, we have seen quite a few driver updates from each camps, together with vital sport updates and new releases equivalent to Forza Horizon 5, God of War, Dying Light 2, Warhammer III, Halo Infinite, Rainbow Six Extraction, and the checklist goes on. We’re additionally testing with Resizable Bar enabled for these head to heads, so will probably be attention-grabbing to see how a lot of a distinction all these modifications make.
For testing we’re utilizing a Ryzen 9 5950X take a look at system with 32GB of DDR4-3200 CL14 dual-rank, dual-channel reminiscence. Both GPUs had been examined at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K throughout 50 video games, utilizing Windows 11. The driver used had been Radeon Adrenalin 22.2.3 and GeForce Game Ready Driver 511.79.
Let’s now take a better look to among the consequence highlights of a few dozen of video games after which we’ll present you ways these two GPUs examine head-to-head throughout all 50 video games examined in a single graph.
Benchmarks
Starting with Dying Light 2, we discover very aggressive efficiency between these two GPUs and fairly surprisingly it is the RTX 3070 that does greatest at 1080p, successful by a 7% margin. The margin comes down to simply 4% at 1440p and nearly the identical at 4K, which is to say there isn’t any noticeable efficiency distinction.
The 6700 XT will get slapped about in Total War Warhammer III. Here the RTX 3070 was 21% sooner at 1080p, 27% sooner at 1440p, and an enormous 35% sooner at 4K.
The 1440p outcomes are probably the most troubling for AMD as they struggled to get wherever close to 60 fps, which we would think about a super body price for this sport. Of course, reducing high quality settings will do the trick, however you will not want to do this with the RTX 3070 for a 60 fps expertise.
Performance in Call of Duty Warzone is much extra aggressive. We’re taking a look at principally an identical efficiency at 1080p. The 3070 does creep forward by 10% at 1440p, and this was maintained at 4K. An inexpensive efficiency uplift for the GeForce at increased resolutions.
Forza Horizon 4 closely favored AMD graphics playing cards and Forza Horizon 5 isn’t any totally different. The RTX 3070 manages to drag forward at 4K, after which 1080p and 1440p outcomes had been neck and neck, not less than when trying on the common body price. The RTX 3070 did carry out a little bit higher when it got here to the 1% lows.
God of War is a lately launched title on PC that appears wonderful when utilizing the extremely high quality settings. The sport performs effectively on each GPUs regardless of the RTX 3070 clearly being the sooner answer with 17% larger efficiency at 1080p, 18% at 1440p, and 24% at 4K.
An simple win for Nvidia, serving to justify the value premium.
Far Cry 6 outcomes are very attention-grabbing. We’re not utilizing the ‘extremely’ high quality preset, however the dialed down ‘excessive’ preset with the HD texture pack enabled. This ends in aggressive efficiency at 1080p and 1440p with a ~5% or much less margin between the 2 GPUs. However, all of it goes horribly unsuitable for the RTX 3070 at 4K as we run out of VRAM and body stuttering turns into a significant problem, leading to 1% lows of simply 9 fps.
Although the Radeon 6700 XT is seen to be 43% sooner when evaluating the typical body price, for Nvidia it is a full fail beneath these circumstances. We’re beginning to see just a few situations the place 8GB of VRAM is not sufficient for driving the newest titles, not less than with out compromising on visuals equivalent to high-res textures.
F1 2021 permits ray tracing by default when utilizing the extremely top quality preset, which we have carried out for this take a look at. This hurts the Radeon and in consequence we see the RTX 3070 operating 13% sooner at 1080p, 20% sooner at 1440p, and 29% sooner at 4K. Another massive win for Nvidia and never one thing that we used to see within the earlier F1 2020 title.
Metro Exodus Enhanced requires ray tracing, so that is one other sport that we examined with ray tracing enabled, choosing the ‘regular’ high quality mode with VRS set to 4x. This closely favors the RTX 3070, permitting it to drag forward at 1080p by a 51% margin, 55% at 1440p, and 68% at 4K the place the 6700 XT was unusable. This is an Nvidia sponsored title that was developed earlier than the existence of RDNA2, so clearly it closely favors the GeForce structure, however it’s additionally an actual sport you may play.
Rainbow Six Extraction efficiency is considerably shut, although much less so at 4K. The RTX 3070 was 7% sooner at 1080p, 10% sooner at 1440p, and 21% sooner at 4K. Things do get away from the Radeon at 4K, however at 1440p and 1080p it might be onerous to inform them aside.
Both GPUs carry out effectively in Apex Legends, although the RTX 3070 delivers 11% larger efficiency at 1080p and 9% at 1440p, however nonetheless each pumped out effectively over 100 fps.
Where the margin may very well be felt is at 4K the place the 6700 XT managed 79 fps to the RTX 3070’s 96fps, a relatively huge 22% benefit for the GeForce GPU.
The GeForce RTX 3070 is the sooner GPU for taking part in Fortnite, providing 12% extra frames at 1080p, 16% extra at 1440p, and an enormous 58% extra at 4K. The Radeon 6700 XT actually crumbles at 4K, exhibiting it is higher fitted to 1440p gaming on this title.
A number of testing notes value mentioning: the Fortnite knowledge proven right here is not immediately comparable with earlier benchmarks we have run on RTX 3080 vs. 6800 XT comparisons as the sport has obtained main updates which broke older replays, so we’re testing a totally totally different match.
Cyberpunk 2077 is the final sport we will take a look at. The RTX 3070 affords 10% extra fps at 1080p, 12% extra at 1440p, and 22% extra at 4K, although neither GPU was fully appropriate at 4K with effectively beneath 60 fps on common, which is not what you will need from a GPU at this sort of costs.
50 Game Head-to-Head
Based on the primary dozen or so video games we simply checked out, the RTX 3070 seems to be effectively forward of the 6700 XT aside from Far Cry 6. The GeForce has additionally proven probably the most benefit at 4K, however earlier than we draw any conclusions, let’s check out the information throughout all 50 video games examined…
Starting with the 1080p knowledge we discover that the RTX 3070 was 11% sooner on common, offering superior efficiency within the majority of the video games examined. The 3070 was slower by a margin larger than 5% in simply two of the video games examined: Doom Eternal and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.
Meanwhile, it was 5% sooner or extra in 34 of the 50 video games examined, that means there have been simply 14 video games the place the margin was lower than 5% in both route. The actually massive RTX wins got here in Metro Exodus EE, War Thunder, Resident Evil Village, Vermintide 2, PUBG, Kingdom Come Deliverance, Control, Serious Sam 4, Warhammer III, and Microsoft Flight Simulator.
Moving to 1440p, the margin will increase in Nvidia’s favor, so now the RTX 3070 is 13% sooner on common. That’s a slight improve over the 45 sport take a look at from a yr in the past. If you had been to take away the 2 greatest video games for Nvidia (Metro and PUG), the RTX 3070 was nonetheless 12% sooner on common, and that is the great thing about testing such an excessive vary of video games.
The RTX 3070 is nineteen% sooner on common at 4K. That’s an enormous efficiency benefit for these focusing on this decision. The solely potential problem for the RTX 3070 right here is VRAM utilization, which was clearly an issue in Far Cry 6. Disabling the HD texture pack solves it, however we really feel disabling top quality textures when spending $500+ on a GPU for that premium expertise, is not one thing most will wish to do. Far Cry apart, for the overwhelming majority of video games accessible as we speak, the RTX 3070 affords a much better 4K gaming expertise.
And the Winner is…
When revisiting this shootout, it seems the GeForce RTX 3070 appears to be doing a little bit higher than the Radeon RX 6700 XT. Numerous driver and sport developments have helped the RTX 3070 prior to now yr. For instance, GeForce efficiency in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla was lately addressed, lowering the margin from 10% in favor of the 6700 XT to simply 4%.
There’s additionally quite a few new releases that clearly favor Nvidia GPUs, equivalent to Warhammer III, God of War, and Halo Infinite. That’s all very constructive for the RTX 3070. There’s nonetheless the matter of VRAM. Although 8GB stays sufficient for probably the most half, we’re beginning to see examples the place it is not. On the upside, you may work across the problem with minimal impression to visuals not less than for now.
Before we proceed, we thought it might be attention-grabbing to see what we stated a yr in the past when evaluating these two GPUs…
If you had the posh of shopping for both GPU at or close to the MSRP, which one must you get? Between the 2, our choose could be the GeForce RTX 3070. It simply occurs to be the case I’m a Fortnite participant and the GeForce GPU is already sooner earlier than you even allow DLSS, making it the plain alternative for me. I additionally solely play multiplayer video games and usually go for competitive-type high quality settings, so reminiscence capability isn’t a difficulty.
We additionally like the upper recording high quality when utilizing NVENC. It’s a small enchancment when recording, however it’s higher and in case you stream it is lots higher.
Ray tracing help retains maturing, however as you seemingly know by now, that is of zero curiosity to me. It’s nonetheless a further characteristic of the GeForce RTX collection which you will care about. DLSS help can be relatively restricted, however in case you can make the most of it within the video games you play, the efficiency advantages may be fairly substantial.
Looking again, our opinion hasn’t modified all that a lot. DLSS high quality and sport help has solely improved and the identical can be true for ray tracing. However, what has modified is the pricing and as talked about earlier, the 6700 XT can now be had for $600, whereas the RTX 3070 prices extra like $850. It’s a transferring goal, however that is a 42% value premium for the GeForce GPU.
Despite the advantages of superior ray tracing efficiency, DLSS, NVENC and general higher rasterization efficiency, we do not suppose the RTX 3070 is definitely worth the 40% premium. Somewhere round 20% further, positive, however not double that determine. It’s additionally onerous to justify spending the additional cash on a GPU with simply 8GB of VRAM. It’s our opinion that Nvidia tousled with VRAM capability on their preliminary Ampere GPUs, however on this loopy market that they had no points promoting them in any respect.
If we needed to buy one among these two GPUs at these costs proper now, we would go together with the Radeon RX 6700 XT. If the RTX 3070 was simply $100 greater than the 6700 XT, that’d seemingly change my thoughts. As it seems, each AMD and Nvidia made out extraordinarily effectively with each merchandise, promoting actually something they may produce, effectively, something however the 6500 XT.
