Introduction
We will compare the GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER versus Radeon RX 7900 GRE in this quick performance comparison with gaming benchmarks. These two video cards are near similar price points, so it is prudent to look at refreshed performance with new drivers as of May of 2024 post-launch for each product, giving them more time to mature with drivers and new game releases.
The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER was launched on January 16th, 2024 at an MSRP of $599, replacing the previous price point of the GeForce RTX 4070. It provides an upgraded AD104 die, the same as the RTX 4070, but with more SMs, and CUDA Cores, but retains the same 12GB VRAM and the same clock speed boost and memory frequencies, and a slightly higher 220W TDP.
The AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE was launched worldwide on February 26th, 2024 at an MSRP of $549 as a partner-only launch with several partners offering both stock clock options, and factory overclocked options. The AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE is based on the same Navi 31 die as the Radeon RX 7900 XT, but with a reduction in Compute Units and Stream Processors as well as a reduction in clock frequency. It has onboard 16GB of VRAM at 18Gbps, which is slightly slower than the Radeon RX 7800 XT’s memory bandwidth. The TDP is rated at 260W.
The specific video card we are using for this comparison today is the PowerColor Hellhound Radeon RX 7900 GRE which has an MSRP of $579. This puts the two video cards we are comparing, within $20 of each other, according to MSRP. Do note that the PowerColor Hellhound Radeon RX 7900 GRE is a factory overclocked video card, as all the video cards for the worldwide Radeon RX 7900 GRE launch are add-in-partner video cards, there are no made-by-AMD reference models. Check out both of these video cards overclocked performance here.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER and AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE Specifications
| Specification | GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER | Radeon RX 7900 GRE |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Ada Lovelace | RDNA 3 |
| GPU Cores | 7168 CUDA Cores | 5120 Stream Processors |
| Tensor Cores | 224 | N/A |
| Ray Tracing Cores | 56 | 80 |
| Boost Clock | 2475MHz | 2245MHz |
| Memory | 12GB GDDR6X | 16GB GDDR6 |
| Memory Clock | 21Gbps | 18Gbps |
| TDP/TBP | 220W | 260W |
| MSRP | $599 | $549 |
Game Performance Graphs
Out of 10 games, the GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER was faster in 4 games, while the PowerColor Hellhound Radeon RX 7900 GRE was faster in 5 games, and they both matched performance exactly in 1 game at 1440p. In Alan Wake 2 the 7900 GRE was 4% faster, in Assassin’s Creed Mirage the RTX 4070 SUPER was 6% faster, in Avatar the RTX 4070 SUPER was 10%, and in Chernobylite the RTX 4070 SUPER was 20% faster. In Cyberpunk 2077 the RX 7900 GRE was 12% faster, in Dying Light 2 the 7900 GRE was 5% faster, in Forspoken the RTX 4070 SUPER was 2% faster, and in Horizon Forbidden West performance was the same. In Returnal the 7900 GRE was 10% faster, and finally in Starfield the 7900 GRE was 4% faster.
Game Performance Graphs with Ray Tracing
Out of 6 games with Ray Tracing the GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER was faster in all 6. In Alan Wake 2 the RTX 4070 SUPER was 63% faster, in Chernobylite the RTX 4070 SUPER was 37% faster, in Cyberpunk 2077 the RTX 4070 SUPER was 36% faster, in Dying Light 2 the RTX 4070 SUPER was 28% faster, in Forspoken the RTX 4070 SUPER was 5% faster, and finally in Returnal the RTX 4070 SUPER was 10% faster.
Conclusion
When looking at performance in games at 1440p, both video cards are capable of providing a playable gameplay experience with maximum game settings. To provide better performance in demanding games, DLSS upscaling or FSR upscaling provides smooth gameplay at 1440p as well, with much-increased framerates.
When it comes to Ray Tracing at 1440p, the GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER is much stronger, and combined with DLSS Upscaling allows playable framerates at 1440p. The Radeon RX 7900 GRE has stronger Ray Tracing than the Radeon RX 7800 XT, and though it is slower than the GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER when you utilize FSR Upscaling it does have playable framerates in many games, but it is game dependent. If you are pushing up resolutions to 4K, the 16GB of VRAM on the Radeon RX 7900 GRE is going to be more beneficial, and combined with FSR Upscaling is a viable option with that video card. As games demand more VRAM moving forward, especially to run at “Ultra” settings, the 16GB of VRAM can make a difference in providing the best image quality and experience.
Considering the price points of both video cards, the Radeon RX 7900 GRE offers some competitive features and performance for gaming like the 16GB of VRAM which will help more as time goes on. If you utilize Ray Tracing in gaming or want DLSS, DLSS 3, and DLSS 3.5 support, then the GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER is the way to go for you. Ultimately, these two video cards compete near similar pricing, and it will all come down to the features you need, and ultimately the price you can find for these video cards online.
