Nvidia had claimed that their newest GPU, the RTX 5070, would offer performance comparable to the RTX 4090 at a lower price point. However, with reviews now out from outlets like Digital Foundry and Gamers Nexus, it’s clear that this claim falls far short of reality.
According to the reviews, the RTX 5070 appears to be a barebones upgrade, especially without its AI features. In terms of raw performance alone, it lags behind several cards and doesn’t come close to matching the RTX 4090, as Nvidia initially suggested.
While Nvidia cleverly mentioned that the RTX 5070 could theoretically match the RTX 4090’s performance using AI and frame generation, this isn’t the case in practice. The RTX 50 series introduces a new feature called Multi Frame Generation with DLSS 4, which allows the GPU to use AI to nearly double or triple the frame rate. This builds on a similar feature, Super Resolution, introduced with the RTX 40 series. However, the RTX 50 series’ MFG promises up to 4x the performance boost, but with a significant caveat.
Benchmarks reveal that while the RTX 5070 can artificially inflate frame rates using AI, the issue of latency remains severe. For example, in Cyberpunk 2077, the RTX 5070 struggles to run the game at more than 30 FPS in RT Overdrive mode due to its lower VRAM. Even with 4x Multi Frame Generation, the latency is much higher compared to the RTX 4090. In Alan Wake 2, which supports Path Tracing like Cyberpunk 2077, the RTX 4090 maintains a latency of around 60ms, while the RTX 5070’s latency jumps to 130-140ms with MFG enabled. This results in an almost unplayable controller response.
The bottom line is that Nvidia’s claims about the RTX 5070 matching the RTX 4090’s performance were misleading. There’s a significant gap in raw performance, and even AI features like Multi Frame Generation can’t bridge it. While MFG might create the illusion of higher frame rates, the increased latency undermines the overall experience, making the RTX 5070 a disappointing offering compared to its predecessor.
Nvidia’s RTX 5070 is being sold at a retail price of $549. Next in line is the RTX 5070ti, priced at $749, followed by the RTX 5080 at $999. However, finding these graphics cards at their suggested retail prices is nearly impossible due to low stock levels and scalping of the available units.
