RTX 3090 vs RTX 4070: Which Graphics Card Should You Buy?

The newer RTX 4070 is not an upgrade over the RTX 3090: the 3090 is still roughly 8-15% faster at 1440p and around 12-29% faster at 4K in standard games, and it has twice the VRAM. The RTX 4070 wins on efficiency, size and features, using 200 W instead of 350 W and adding DLSS frame generation. Pick the RTX 3090 for 4K, heavy texture loads or AI and creative work that needs 24 GB; pick the RTX 4070 for 1440p gaming in a quieter, cooler, smaller build on a 650 W power supply.

The RTX 3090 launched in September 2020 as Ampere’s $1,499 flagship. The RTX 4070 arrived in April 2023 at $599 as a midrange Ada Lovelace card. On today’s used market they can be priced closer than their launch prices suggest, which is why buyers compare them. Both are now previous generation, behind the current RTX 50 series.

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Founders Edition Graphics Card (Renewed)

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ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 3090 OC Edition 24GB GDDR6X Gaming Graphics Card with Axial-tech Fans & Central Static Pressure Fan ROG-STRIX-RTX3090-O24G-GAMING (Renewed)

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GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 4070 WINDFORCE OC 12G Graphics Card, 3X WINDFORCE Fans, 12GB 192-bit GDDR6X, GV-N4070WF3OC-12GD Video Card

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PNY GeForce RTX™ 4070 12GB XLR8 Gaming Verto Epic-X RGB™ Triple Fan Graphics Card DLSS 3

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Spec Table: Flagship Versus Midrange

The RTX 3090 has nearly 80% more CUDA cores and 86% more memory bandwidth. The RTX 4070 counters with much higher clocks, a newer 5 nm process and a 36 MB L2 cache, six times larger than the 3090’s, which reduces how often it needs to hit memory. Those efficiency gains close much of the gap, but not all of it.

Gaming Benchmarks: The Older Card Still Leads

According to TechSpot’s review data, the RTX 3090 is ahead at both 1440p and 4K, with averages showing roughly an 8% lead at 1440p and a lead approaching 17% at 4K. Other comparisons put the 1440p gap closer to 12-15% and the 4K gap as wide as 29% in some titles. 3DCenter’s launch review roundup placed the RTX 4070 about 2% ahead of the RTX 3080 10GB, which is consistent: the 3090 has always sat a step above the 3080.

For reference, TechPowerUp’s RTX 4070 Super review found the Super variant able to match the RTX 3090. The standard RTX 4070 discussed here falls short of that mark. At 1440p, both cards deliver high-refresh gaming in most titles, with the 3090 typically holding a modest edge. At 4K, the 3090’s bandwidth advantage becomes much more visible, and it is the more consistent native 4K card. Exact FPS varies with settings, CPU and game patch.

Ray tracing without frame generation

In native ray tracing, the RTX 3090’s larger GPU generally keeps it at or slightly above the RTX 4070. Ada’s third-generation RT cores are more efficient per core, but the 3090 has many more of them. The picture changes once frame generation is in play.

Frame Generation and DLSS 4: The 4070’s Trump Card

The RTX 4070 supports DLSS frame generation (2x) as part of the DLSS 4 feature set, along with the DLSS 4 transformer upscaling model and Ray Reconstruction. The RTX 3090 supports DLSS 4 Super Resolution and Ray Reconstruction but not NVIDIA’s frame generation, which is limited to RTX 40 and RTX 50 cards. Multi Frame Generation is RTX 50-only, so neither card gets it.

In games that support DLSS frame generation, the RTX 4070 can display noticeably higher frame rates than the RTX 3090, often enough to reverse the native result. Frame generation does add some latency and works best when the base frame rate is already around 60 FPS, so it suits single-player games more than competitive shooters. The RTX 3090 can still use FSR 3 frame generation in titles that offer it.

VRAM: 24 GB Versus 12 GB

For gaming alone, 12 GB is comfortable at 1440p and usually adequate at 4K, though some heavily modded games and path-traced titles at 4K with frame generation can push past 12 GB. A rough gaming VRAM guide:

• 1440p high or ultra: 8-12 GB, so both cards are comfortable.
• 4K ultra with ray tracing: 12-16 GB in the heaviest titles, where the 4070 is near its limit.
• Local AI models, 3D rendering, large video projects: the 3090’s 24 GB is a decisive advantage.

That last point is why used RTX 3090 prices have stayed firm. Running local large language models and image generators favors memory capacity above almost everything else, and 24 GB on a consumer card is still uncommon.

Power, PSU and Case Fit

The efficiency gap is large. Using GPU board power plus CPU gaming power plus about 150 W of headroom:

• RTX 3090: 350 W + ~125 W (typical midrange CPU while gaming) + 150 W = about 625 W, so a quality 750 W unit is the realistic minimum, and 850 W is advisable with a high-end CPU because Ampere is known for sharp transient spikes.
• RTX 4070: 200 W + ~125 W + 150 W = about 475 W, so a quality 550-650 W unit is comfortable.

The RTX 3090 Founders Edition uses a 12-pin connector with an adapter, while many partner cards use two or three 8-pin connectors. The RTX 4070 uses a 16-pin 12VHPWR-style connector, usually with an adapter included. Seat it fully and avoid sharp bends near the plug. The physical difference is striking: the 3090 reference figure is 336 mm and three slots thick, while the 4070 is 240 mm and two slots. Many smaller mid-tower cases and all compact cases favor the 4070.

Running cost differs too. At 150 W lower board power and 20 hours of gaming per week, the RTX 4070 saves about 156 kWh per year, roughly $23-$31 annually at $0.15-$0.20 per kWh.

Cost Per Performance

Using launch MSRP and 1440p relative performance (RTX 4070 = 100, RTX 3090 = about 110):

• RTX 3090: $1,499 / 110 = about $13.63 per performance point.
• RTX 4070: $599 / 100 = $5.99 per performance point.

At launch, the RTX 4070 offered more than twice the value. On the used market today, the RTX 3090 usually sells around $650-$900 used, with AI demand keeping prices high, while the RTX 4070 is typically around $400-$480 used. For pure gaming, that still leaves the RTX 4070 as the better value. The 3090 only justifies its price premium when its 24 GB is genuinely needed or when 4K native performance is the priority. Used 3090s are often ex-mining or ex-workstation cards, so inspect memory temperatures and fan condition.

Who Should Buy Which

Anyone shopping in this range should also price the current RTX 5070 and RX 9070 class, which bring newer features and warranty coverage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the RTX 4070 faster than the RTX 3090?

No, not in native rendering. The RTX 3090 is roughly 8-15% faster at 1440p and up to about 29% faster at 4K in some titles. The RTX 4070 can show higher frame rates only when DLSS frame generation is enabled.

Does the RTX 3090 support DLSS 4?

Partly. It supports DLSS 4 Super Resolution with the transformer model and Ray Reconstruction. It does not support DLSS frame generation or Multi Frame Generation, which require RTX 40 and RTX 50 hardware respectively.

What PSU is needed for an RTX 3090?

A quality 750 W power supply is the practical minimum, and 850 W is safer with a high-end CPU. The card is rated at 350 W and Ampere can produce brief power spikes well above that. The RTX 4070 runs comfortably on a quality 650 W unit.

Is 12 GB on the RTX 4070 enough for 4K?

For most games at 4K with sensible settings, yes. The heaviest path-traced titles with frame generation at 4K can approach or exceed 12 GB. The RTX 4070 is better suited to 1440p, with 4K as a secondary option using DLSS.

Why are used RTX 3090 prices still high?

The 24 GB of VRAM makes the RTX 3090 popular for running local AI models and for creative workloads. That demand keeps used prices above what its gaming performance alone would justify. Gamers who do not need the memory get better value elsewhere.