RTX 4070 vs RX 6800XT: Which is a better value?

The most recent release from Nvidia is the RTX 4070 and it didn’t sell well given its price. Just a few days later, the price dropped in European and Indian markets. Its launch price was ₹62,000 ($599) and it sharply dropped to below ₹59,000 just in 2 days.

General consumers and reviewers were quick to compare it against AMD RX 6800XT. In this article, we will compare RTX 4070 and RX 6800XT and try to figure out which one is better. Both are mid-range graphics cards and priced similarly although they are from different generations.

RTX 4070 vs RX 6800 XT specs

Given that the RTX 4070 is a newer card with the new generation, it comes with a few perks like better power efficiency, DLSS 3 and better Ray tracing cores. RTX 4070 also has GDDR6X memory which is faster and consumes about 15% less power.

However, the AMD RX 6800XT has more VRAM which is becoming an important consideration among gamers because of high VRAM consumption in recent games (mostly because of poor optimisation). It also has a wider 256-bit memory bus.

Just a reminder: RTX 3070 had a 256-bit memory bus and many do not understand why it was reduced in RTX 4070. Well, performance matters for a graphics card, which will be explored in the next section.

RTX 4070 vs RX 6800XT price

Going by the launch price, the RX 6800XT was priced at ₹65,000 ($649) and the RTX 4070 was launched at ₹62,000 ($599) which shows the price creep that RTX 4070 got. It is priced like an 80-class GPU which failed to impress anyone.

However, the price of RTX 4070 has dropped slightly (more in US/European than in India) and for RX 6800XT it’s been over one year since its launch and it’s dropped significantly. Currently, an RX 6800XT is available for around ₹55,000 for AIB models like Sapphire Nitro and AsRock.

 In terms of price, the RX 6800XT has better pricing relative to the price but it is also older. RTX 4070 on the other hand needs to get cheaper.

RTX 4070 vs RX 6800XT: Gaming Performance

The real mettle of a graphics card lies in its performance. We will look at gaming performance and productivity as well.

Note: We do not do our own testing. Presented data are taken from other reputed sources.

Both perform very similarly although some titles may seem RTX 4070 perform better like Spiderman and Forza Horizon 5. Taking an average of a larger set of games puts RX 6800XT slightly ahead of RTX 4070 by 1-2% which isn’t much at 1440p and about 5% slower in 4K.

Also Read: Detailed performance and benchmark of RTX 4070

However, RTX 4070 takes a clear lead in Ray Tracing and Upscaling (DLSS). In most titles, RTX 4070 perform better when ray tracing is turned on. RTX 4070 also has a significant advantage with DLSS 3’s frame generation that can dramatically make the game smoother. DLSS 3 does not increase performance. It just inserts frames in between. Well, that’s a whole other topic.

The bottom line is that both perform very similarly although when taken with a larger set of games, RX 6800XT does perform slightly better in 1080p and 1440p. RTX 4070 is slightly faster at 4K and takes the cake in ray tracing and features like DLSS 3 can help improve the gaming experience for visually impressive single-player games.

Also read: Is 1440p gaming worth it? 1440p vs 1080p gaming

RTX 4070 vs RX 6800XT: Productivity Performance

If you are also using your PC for productivity apart from gaming, you might want to compare the performance specifically in the application you use primarily. RX 6800XT provides better performance in workloads like modelling software like Solidworks and CATIA.

RTX 4070 smokes the RX 6800XT in Blender which is known to work much better with Nvidia cards so it is not surprising. RTX 4070 also performs slightly better in Photoshop but the difference is not significant.

RX 6800XT seems to have a winning advantage in most productivity applications but RTX 4070 does have some advantages like its AV1 encoding. If you are into streaming or video editing, you could benefit from AV1 encoding as it provides better quality stream quality for the same bitrate.

Also check: All the RTX 40 series GPU (review, news and rumours)

RTX 4070 vs RX 6800XT: Efficiency

In terms of efficiency, RTX 4070 is much better as it consumes a maximum of 233W of power and averages around 180W most of the time while gaming. RX 6800XT, on the other hand, consumes significantly much more power at 285W on average and a maximum of 435W!

If you are someone who uses your PC for a significant amount of time, you would save quite a lot on your monthly energy bills!

RTX 4070 vs RX 6800XT: Which one should you buy?

At this point, it is clear that performance-wise, both are on par with each other. The easy decision would be to pick up the one that is cheaper. Right? Well, it’s not that easy.

If you do not care about ray tracing and want a card that is cheaper, RX 6800XT seems like an easy pick. It has the same raster performance, has more VRAM and is cheaper! If you care about ray tracing performance, and power efficiency and not about production workloads, RTX 4070 is a better choice.

Also Read: How does DLAA compare to other anti-aliasing techniques?

Personally, for gaming, I would choose RTX 4070 as it gives you DLSS 3, better ray tracing performance and AV1 encoding if I decide to start streaming. For productivity, RX 6800XT does provide performance better except in Blender and a few other applications.

However, from a strict value perspective, RTX 4070 is still not very good as the pricing for GPU in the last couple of years has been abysmal. Even considering the cost-per-frame for RTX 4070 vs RX 6800XT, RX 6800XT is only 4% better.

PC build with RTX 4070

This build is to bring out the best in RTX 4070 and focuses on upgradability. The build is based on the Zen 4, AM5 platform.

For a more detailed PC build with RTX 4070 under 1.5 lakh, read here. Alternatives will be listed too.

PC build with RX 6800XT

This build is to bring out the best in RTX 4070 and focuses on upgradability. The use of the AMD Ryzen processor unlocks SAM which improves the performance of AMD Radeon RX 6800XT. The build is based on the Zen 4, AM5 platform.

For a more detailed PC build with RX 6800XT under 1.5 lakh, read here. Alternatives will be listed too.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the RTX 4070 and RX 6800XT are both impressive graphics cards that offer great gaming and productivity performance. While the RTX 4070 has a newer architecture and offers features like DLSS 3 and better ray tracing cores, the RX 6800XT has more VRAM and a wider memory bus, making it a better choice for some gamers. 

In terms of price, the RX 6800XT has better pricing relative to its age, but the RTX 4070 needs to get cheaper. Ultimately, the decision between these two graphics cards will depend on individual preferences, requirements, and budget.

FAQ

Is a 4070 better than a 3080?

Yes, RTX 4070 offers very similar performance for a much less price compared to the RTX 3080.

Where should you buy RTX 4070?

The best way to buy any graphic card is via online retailers like MD Computers, Rashi Peripherals, Vedant Computers, etc. You can also visit your city’s local market for the best price. As a rule, avoid Flipkart and Amazon.

What’s the suggested PSU (power supply) for RTX 4070?

The recommended PSU wattage for RTX 4070 is 600W although if you have a higher-end AIB card like Asus ROG or a processor like the Intel 13900K, you might want to get a PSU with higher power.

Is RX 6800XT good for 1440p gaming?

RX 6800XT is great for 1440p gaming. Although it is capable of 4K gaming, you might have to sacrifice some visual treats. Given how modern titles are optimised, RX 6800XT is a good choice for 1440p gaming at the highest settings.