NVIDIA RTX 5070 Review: Is This the 1440p King or a Disappointing Upgrade
Recent media hype surrounds the NVIDIA RTX 5070. Some outlets label it a "console killer" for delivering triple-digit frame rates in high-end games. Separating marketing from real-world performance is important. This article examines the RTX 5070, its strengths, weaknesses, and whether it lives up to the hype.
RTX 5070: Launch, Price, and Positioning
The RTX 5070 launched with a $550 MSRP. Retail prices are expected to be higher, especially for partner boards. This release aligns with independent reviews of AMD RX 9070 and 9070 XT, its direct competitors in the same price range. While the $550 price is lower than previous generations like RTX 4070 and 4070 Super launches, it's not necessarily generous given the specifications.
Specifications and Comparisons
The RTX 5070 has slightly more CUDA cores than the RTX 4070. However, it has a spec downgrade from the 4070 Super. It features faster 28 Gbps GDDR7 memory, but only 12GB capacity on a 192-bit bus. This could be a disadvantage against the RX 970 series with 16GB memory and a 256-bit interface. The RTX 5070 is positioned as an alternative for RTX 3070 and 3070 Ti users, not necessarily an upgrade for RTX 4070 owners.
Power Consumption Analysis
The RTX 5070 consumes more power than the RTX 4070 series due to higher clocks and process node. In demanding games, power draw fluctuates between 180W and 236W. It generally consumes more power than the RTX 4070 Super at 1440p, with a larger gap in demanding scenarios. Interestingly, in some games, the RTX 4070 consumes more power than the RTX 5070. At 4K, power consumption increases, nearing the 250W TDP in some games.
Compared to the RTX 3070 Ti, the RTX 5070 is more power-efficient. Upgrading from a 3070 Ti to a 5070 likely won't require a power supply upgrade.
Cooling and Design Concerns
Note
We do have the Founders Edition (FE), but the images used are from the Palit edition. The cooling and review are based on the FE specifications. We'll cover the Palit edition in a separate review, so stay tuned
The RTX 5070 Founders Edition is compact, even more so than the 4070 Ti FE. This compactness may compromise cooling. While visually similar to larger FE cards, the 5070 FE has a redesigned cooling system with a single flow-through fan. This might lead to PCB heat buildup. IO shield ventilation assists, but the cooling solution might be less efficient than previous designs. Cyberpunk 2077 temperature and noise tests show the RTX 5070 hotter and louder than the RTX 4070 Super, despite similar power consumption in some tests. Partner cards will likely have larger and better cooling solutions.
Gaming Performance Benchmarks: Rasterization
1440p and 4K performance is mixed for the RTX 5070.
Alan Wake 2 & Black Myth Wukong
RTX 5070 performance is similar to the RTX 4070 Super, with a slight edge over the RTX 4070. Neither achieves true 4K in Black Myth Wukong without upscaling.
Baldur's Gate 3
AMD RX 7000 series GPUs perform well, especially at 4K. The RTX 5070 outperforms the 4070 Super but lags behind the 4070 Ti.
Counter-Strike 2
The RTX 5070 shows a larger improvement over the 4070 Super (up to 22% at 4K). AMD GPUs also perform strongly here.
Cyberpunk 2077 & Doom Eternal
Noticeable performance gains over the 4070 Super are present. However, the 5070 struggles to achieve playable 4K frame rates in Cyberpunk 2077 without upscaling. AMD cards, particularly in Doom Eternal, offer excellent value.
Overall, the RTX 5070 provides incremental rasterization performance gains, similar to the RTX 4070 Super. Compared to the RTX 3070 Ti from four years prior, the performance increase is about 30%, which might not be compelling for a four-year upgrade.
Gaming Performance Benchmarks: Ray Tracing
Ray tracing performance on the RTX 5070 mirrors rasterization performance trends. AMD cards trail behind in ray tracing. In demanding ray-traced games like Alan Wake 2 and Black Myth Wukong, even the RTX 5070 struggles for good native 1440p or 4K experiences. Upscaling and frame generation are needed for playable frame rates in these scenarios.
While the RTX 5070 improves ray tracing performance over older cards like the RTX 3070 Ti, it's not a significant generational leap. Ray tracing remains visually impressive but performance-intensive, requiring more powerful GPUs or upscaling.
RTX 5070 and 1440p Gaming in 2025: Real-World Tests
Real-game tests assessed the RTX 5070's suitability for 1440p gaming in 2025 using an MSI Ventus 2X RTX 5070, Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU, and MSI 271QRX QD-OLED 360Hz monitor.
Assassin's Creed Shadows
Maximum ray tracing at native 1440p averages around 30 FPS. DLSS Balanced improves performance to 50-60 FPS, playable but with visual compromise. Optimized settings with DLSS Quality reach 70+ FPS. Frame generation can further increase frame rates, but a 60+ FPS base is optimal for action games.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Native 1440p at max settings performs well, exceeding 90 FPS in jungle areas using about 10GB VRAM, despite a VRAM warning. Ray tracing Medium reduces performance to around 60 FPS. DLSS Quality balances visuals and performance. Frame generation isn't feasible at these settings due to VRAM limits. The 12GB VRAM limit is noticeable.
Cyberpunk 2077
Ray Tracing: Overdrive is unplayable. Ray Tracing: Ultra at native 1440p averages around 38 FPS. DLSS Quality boosts performance to a playable 60+ FPS with good visuals. Frame generation (2x) increases smoothness to over 100 FPS. Without ray tracing, native 1440p reaches about 60 FPS. DLSS Quality with frame generation provides a very smooth experience exceeding 120 FPS.
Kingdom Come Deliverance 2
Native 1440p max Experimental settings average 50+ FPS. DLSS Quality increases performance to 80+ FPS. Ultra preset with native 1440p is also 80+ FPS. Ultra with DLSS Quality exceeds 100 FPS. Capping FPS at 90 with Ultra and DLSS Quality offers a good balance of visuals, performance, and power consumption.
These tests indicate the RTX 5070 can provide a good 1440p gaming experience for demanding 2025 games, often requiring DLSS and setting adjustments, especially with ray tracing. However, 12GB VRAM may become a bottleneck, potentially limiting future game performance and features like frame generation in VRAM-heavy situations.
Conclusion: Incremental Upgrade or Missed Opportunity
The RTX 5070 presents a mixed picture. It improves performance over RTX 4070 and RTX 3070 series, but closely mirrors the RTX 4070 Super in many tests. The 12GB VRAM, while currently sufficient for 1440p, is starting to feel restrictive, particularly in VRAM-intensive titles and considering future game development trends. NVIDIA's ray tracing performance gains are incremental, not a major generational advance.
Against AMD's RX 7900 GRE and upcoming RX 9070 series, the RTX 5070 faces strong competition in rasterization and VRAM at similar prices. The $550 price, while below previous generations, doesn't fully justify the limited generational upgrade. An RTX 5070 Ti with higher performance and 16GB VRAM might have been a more impactful release, highlighting the somewhat underwhelming nature of the RTX 5070.
Benefits and Drawbacks
Benefits:
- Satisfactory 1440p gaming performance for 2025.
- Increased performance over RTX 3070 line.
- DLSS and Frame Generation capabilities enhance performance and fluidity.
- Lower power consumption than RTX 3070 Ti.
- Streamlined Founders Edition design.
Drawbacks:
- Incremental performance increase over RTX 4070 Super, often negligible.
- 12GB VRAM becoming a limiting factor for 1440p gaming in demanding titles.
- Ray tracing performance increase not a significant generational leap.
- Faces strong competition from AMD RX 7900 GRE and RX 9070 line.
- Founders Edition cooling design may be less efficient than previous generations.
- Price point doesn't fully reflect the modest performance gains.
Rating
| Technetbook Rating | |
|---|---|
| Rating Score | 3.5 out of 5 |
| Stars | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ |
| Description | The RTX 5070 is a capable 1440p card for now, but its limited VRAM and incremental gains over its predecessor make it a less compelling upgrade, especially considering the competition and future VRAM demands. It feels more like an RTX 5060 Ti in terms of overall value proposition for 2025. |
Ultimately, the RTX 5070 is a somewhat disappointing release, failing to deliver a truly impactful generational uplift. While it can handle 1440p gaming, the 12GB VRAM and modest performance gains raise concerns about its longevity and value compared to both previous generation cards and AMD's offerings. Waiting for an RTX 5070 Super or considering alternatives with 16GB of VRAM might be a more prudent choice for many gamers in 2025.
