Does the RTX 5070 Offer Performance Comparable to the RTX 4090?
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Nvidia has just unveiled its latest lineup of RTX graphics cards: the RTX 5070, RTX 5070 Ti, RTX 5080, and RTX 5090. Packed with innovations like the new and improved DLSS 4 technology, this generation promises to push boundaries in gaming and AI-powered rendering.
One of Nvidia’s boldest claims is that the RTX 5070, priced at approximately £440, offers performance comparable to the previous flagship RTX 4090, which currently retails for over £2,300. Let’s break this down.
AI Upscaling and Frame Generation: Game-Changing or Marketing Hype?
AI upscaling and frame generation have become hot topics in gaming, with Nvidia, AMD, and Intel all vying to perfect these technologies. Features like DLSS (Nvidia), FSR (AMD), and XeSS (Intel) have been welcomed by gamers looking to extract extra performance from their hardware. But how do they actually work?
AI Upscaling
AI upscaling essentially renders a game at a lower resolution (e.g., 720p) and then uses artificial intelligence to upscale it to a higher resolution like 1080p. While this approach boosts performance, the visual quality still doesn’t quite match native rendering. The results can vary significantly depending on the GPU generation and how well the game developers have implemented the technology. In its current state, AI upscaling is a helpful tool but far from being a replacement for native rendering.
Frame Generation
Frame generation is another AI-driven feature, introduced later than upscaling. This technology interpolates and generates additional frames between the ones rendered by your GPU, effectively doubling your frame rate. Sounds amazing, right? Well, not entirely. While your FPS count will skyrocket, the input lag remains tied to the original frame rate, making it less effective for competitive gaming where quick reactions matter.
With the RTX 5000 series, Nvidia has introduced multi-frame generation, which adds up to three times the AI-generated frames compared to previous iterations. This means a game running at a native 60 FPS could reach up to 240 FPS. However, the input lag would still feel like 60 FPS, which might make this technology more of a marketing gimmick than a practical improvement for gamers.
Nvidia’s Big Claim: RTX 5070 vs. RTX 4090
In the age of AI-driven technology, it’s no surprise that Nvidia has leveraged these advancements to make eye-catching comparisons between its new and old hardware. When Nvidia claims, “The RTX 5070 offers performance comparable to the RTX 4090,” they’re basing this on DLSS 4 upscaling and multi-frame generation.
However, a closer look reveals the limitations of these technologies. When factoring in graphical fidelity and input lag, the RTX 5070 is far from a true replacement for the RTX 4090. In raw, native performance, the RTX 5070 offers about 20–30% better performance than the RTX 4070—not exactly a giant leap.
It's Not All Gloom and Doom
Despite the marketing spin, the RTX 5000 lineup still has a lot to offer. A 20–30% performance increase is a significant improvement, and the optional AI features could extend the life of these GPUs for users looking to boost performance as their hardware ages.
The RTX 5070’s price point of £440 makes it a fantastic option for gamers on a budget, while the higher-end models like the RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 cater to those seeking the best of the best. Nvidia’s claims might require a grain of salt, but this new generation of GPUs is likely to make millions of gamers happy.
In the end, while we’d love for Nvidia to be more transparent in their performance comparisons, the RTX 5000 series still looks like an exciting step forward in gaming technology.