RTX 5070 vs RTX 4070 Super: Which GPU Should You Buy in 2026?

The RTX 5070 and RTX 4070 Super sit at the exact same price tier, targeting the same gamer: someone who wants excellent 1440p performance without spending four figures. One runs on NVIDIA's newest Blackwell architecture with DLSS 4. The other is a proven Ada Lovelace card that has been in the market long enough for prices to drop below MSRP. Here is how they compare and which one makes more sense for your build.

Specs comparison

RTX 5070

The RTX 5070 is NVIDIA's play at making Blackwell accessible to mainstream gamers. On paper the CUDA core count is lower than the 4070 Super, but Blackwell cores are more efficient per clock. In practice the 5070 trades blows with the 4070 Super in pure rasterization and pulls ahead significantly in ray tracing and AI workloads.

The headline feature is DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation. Where DLSS 3 generates one extra frame between each real frame, DLSS 4 can generate up to three. In supported titles this translates to frame rates that look absurd on benchmarks. The catch: you need a game that supports it, and the pool of DLSS 4 titles is still growing.

GDDR7 memory running at 28 Gbps gives the 5070 a meaningful bandwidth advantage. At 1440p this barely matters. At 4K with max textures, that extra headroom helps avoid stutters when VRAM is under pressure. The 12GB capacity is identical on both cards, so neither has an advantage there.

RTX 4070 Super

The RTX 4070 Super launched at $599 but has been steadily discounted since the 5070 arrived. Street prices from AIB partners like ASUS, MSI, and Gigabyte sit around $450 to $500. That price-to-performance ratio is hard to argue with.

Ada Lovelace is a known quantity at this point. Drivers are mature, game compatibility is bulletproof, and every title that supports DLSS 3 Frame Generation runs flawlessly. You will not find any early-adopter jank. The 4070 Super slots into a build, works, and keeps working.

The 220W TDP is another practical advantage. A quality 650W PSU handles the 4070 Super with room to spare, while the 5070 at 250W pushes that closer to the limit depending on the rest of your system. Lower power draw also means less heat and quieter fans under load.

Gaming benchmarks

1440p rasterization

At 1440p without ray tracing, these two cards trade blows. The RTX 5070 leads by roughly 10-15% in most titles thanks to architectural improvements. In older or well-optimized games the gap narrows to single digits. Both cards push 100+ FPS at 1440p max settings in the vast majority of games released through early 2026.

1440p ray tracing

This is where the generational gap shows up. The 5070's 5th Gen RT Cores deliver 25-35% better ray tracing performance compared to the 4070 Super's 3rd Gen cores. In Cyberpunk 2077 with path tracing enabled, the 5070 averages around 55-65 FPS at 1440p with DLSS on, while the 4070 Super sits closer to 40-50 FPS. If ray tracing matters to you, the 5070 is the clear winner.

4K gaming

Neither card is a native 4K powerhouse, but both handle 4K with DLSS upscaling. The 5070 has the edge here thanks to DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation and the higher memory bandwidth. Expect playable frame rates at 4K in most titles with DLSS enabled on both cards, but the 5070 delivers a noticeably smoother experience.

Creative and AI workloads

For video editing, 3D rendering, and AI inference, the 5070 pulls ahead more convincingly. V-Ray 6 CUDA scores show the 5070 at roughly 6,455 versus 5,522 for the 4070 Super. Stable Diffusion and other local AI workloads benefit from the faster GDDR7 memory bandwidth. If you use your GPU for anything beyond gaming, the 5070 offers meaningfully better performance.

DLSS 4 vs DLSS 3

This deserves its own section because it is the single biggest feature gap between these cards. DLSS 3 Frame Generation creates one interpolated frame for every real frame. DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation can create up to three. The visual result in supported titles is dramatically higher frame rates with comparable image quality.

The practical impact depends entirely on game support. As of early 2026, a growing list of titles supports DLSS 4, but the majority of games still only support DLSS 3 or DLSS 2. If you play a lot of new AAA releases, DLSS 4 will matter more over time. If your library is mostly older titles, this advantage is mostly theoretical.

One thing worth noting: DLSS 4 is exclusive to RTX 50-series cards. NVIDIA has confirmed it will not backport Multi Frame Generation to the 40-series. This makes the 5070 more future-proof from a software feature perspective.

Price and value

At MSRP the 5070 costs $549 and the 4070 Super launched at $599. But MSRPs do not reflect reality in early 2026. The 4070 Super regularly sells for $450 to $500 from third-party sellers and AIB partners clearing inventory. The 5070 is still hard to find at MSRP, with some models selling above $600 from scalpers and retailers adding markups.

If you can buy the 5070 at $549, it is the better card. You get newer architecture, DLSS 4, better ray tracing, and faster memory. The performance-per-dollar equation favors the 5070 at equal pricing.

If the 5070 is out of stock or marked up and you can grab a 4070 Super for $460 or less, the value argument flips. You save $90+ and get a card that handles 1440p gaming without breaking a sweat. The 4070 Super is not slow. It is just not the newest thing.

Who should buy which

Buy the RTX 5070 if:

• You are building a new PC from scratch
• Ray tracing performance matters to you
• You want DLSS 4 for future game support
• You can find one at or near $549 MSRP
• You do creative or AI workloads alongside gaming

Buy the RTX 4070 Super if:

• You find one on sale for $480 or less
• You want a proven, mature card with rock-solid drivers
• Your PSU is 650W or lower and you want headroom
• You play mostly competitive or older titles where raw rasterization matters
• You prefer to save money now and upgrade to RTX 60-series later

The bottom line

The RTX 5070 is the better GPU on paper and in practice. Blackwell architecture, DLSS 4, and faster memory make it the smarter long-term pick for anyone building or upgrading in 2026. But the 4070 Super at its current discounted prices is a genuine bargain that performs within striking distance in most games. The right choice depends less on which card is faster and more on what you can actually buy at a fair price today.

For more GPU comparisons, check out our RTX 5080 vs RTX 5090 breakdown. Building a full gaming setup? See our picks for the best gaming laptops in 2026 and the best gaming headsets to complete your rig.

Frequently asked questions

Is the RTX 5070 worth it over the 4070 Super?

At equal pricing, yes. The 5070 delivers 10-15% better rasterization, 25-35% better ray tracing, and access to DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation. If the 4070 Super is $70+ cheaper, the value gap narrows significantly for pure gaming use.

Can the RTX 4070 Super do ray tracing?

Yes. The 4070 Super has 3rd Gen RT Cores and supports DLSS 3 Frame Generation. It handles ray tracing at 1440p in most titles, just at lower frame rates than the 5070. For playable ray tracing without breaking the bank, the 4070 Super still works.

Will DLSS 4 come to RTX 4070 Super?

No. NVIDIA has confirmed that DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation is exclusive to RTX 50-series Blackwell GPUs. The 4070 Super will continue to receive DLSS 3 updates but will not get Multi Frame Generation.

How much power does each card need?

The RTX 5070 has a 250W TDP and NVIDIA recommends a 650W PSU. The RTX 4070 Super draws 220W and works well with a 650W unit with more headroom. Both cards use a single 16-pin power connector or an 8-pin adapter depending on the model.

Is 12GB VRAM enough in 2026?

For 1440p gaming, 12GB is sufficient for nearly all titles in early 2026. At 4K with maximum texture settings, some games like The Last of Us Part I and Hogwarts Legacy can push past 12GB. Both cards share this limitation equally.

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