RTX 4090 Vs RX 6950 XT [Gaming Benchmarks 2023]

The GeForce RTX 4090 is the top variant of Nvidia’s latest RTX 40 series with 24GB memory and is currently the most powerful GPU in the world. On the other hand, the RX 6950 XT is the top-tier GPU of the AMD RX 6000 series featuring RDNA 2.0 architecture with 16GB memory. In this comparison of the RTX 4090 vs RX 6950 XT, we will reckon the design specs and gaming prowess of the two graphics cards.

Key Takeaways

• The RTX 4090 provides approximately 45% greater rendition than the RX 6950 XT at 4K resolution.
• The RX 6950 XT exhibits about 30% greater power efficiency than RTX 4090, and the RTX 4090 has 12.4% higher thermal efficiency than the RX 6950 XT.
• Regarding GPU MSRPs, Nvidia unveiled the RTX 4090 for $1599, and AMD released the RX 6950 XT for $1099.

RTX 4090 Vs RX 6950 XT

Comparison Table

Basic Design Differences

The RX 6950 XT uses AMD’s RDNA 2.0 architecture (i.e., Predecessor to AMD’s latest RDNA 3.0 architecture), while the GeForce RTX 4090 uses the company’s most recent Ada Lovelace architecture. In terms of design chip, the RTX 4090 utilizes the AD102 GPU chip, whereas the RX 6950 XT implements the AMD Navi 21 chip. AD102 chip is cutting-edge and boasts a fantastic 5nm production node.

Moreover, the RTX 4090 has more transistors and a better transistor density. Regarding clock speed, the RTX 4090’s base clock is around 18% faster, and its boost clock is about 9.1% faster than the RX 6950 XT’s. Additionally, these graphics cards also support overclocking. We will test which GPU genuinely performs more effectively in gaming execution tests.

Also Read: RX 7900 XTX Vs Radeon RX 6950 XT

The RTX 4090 features 24GB GDDR6X memory, whereas the RX 6950 XT has 16GB GDDR6 memory for the GPU. The RTX 4090’s memory speed is also 3Gbps, or 16.7%, faster than the RX 6950 XT’s. Moreover, the RTX 4090 features Nvidia’s latest DLSS 3.0 against the AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution 2.0 of the RX 6950 XT.

For more details, read Nvidia DLSS vs AMD FSR.

According to the TDP and thermal parameters, the RTX 4090’s GPU power is approximately 35% greater than the RX 6950 XT’s. An 850-watt board power or power supply unit is suggested for both graphics cards. In other words, they are power-hungry GPUs. Compared to the RTX 4090, the RX 6950 XT has a 20°C higher operating temperature range.

Gaming Benchmarks

When evaluating the performance of a graphics card, its gaming capabilities are considered the most reliable metric. We will reckon the performance and efficiency of the RTX 4090 and RX 6950 XT by analyzing their capabilities in 10 graphically taxing games played at a high resolution of 4K. These were the specifications of the system used to run the games.

Gaming Rig

Following is the rig used for our RTX 4090 and RX 6950 XT comparison. 

• OS: Windows 10 Pro
• CPU: Intel Core i9-12900K
• Motherboard: MSI MPG Z690 Force
• RAM: XPG Lancer 32GB (2 x 16GB) 288-Pin PC RAM DDR5 5200 MHz
• SSD: 2 x Samsung 970 EVO M.2 2280 1TB PCIe Gen-3 X4, NVMe 1.3 64L V-NAND
• CPU Cooler: be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4
• Power Supply: Corsair RM850i 850W

Must Read: BEST Motherboards for i9-12900K: DDR4 & DDR5

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

• In Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, the RTX 4090 established a 3% or 14 FPS performance lead over the RX 6950 XT.
• The RTX 4090 produced an average frame rate of 481 FPS, while the RX 6950 XT delivered 467 FPS on average.
• Regarding power consumption, the RTX 4090 operated at 353.8 W, while the RX 6950 XT operated at 295.8 W.
• The RX 6950 XT had an operating temperature of 66°C during Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, which was 10°C higher than the RTX 4090’s temperature of 56°C.
• As for the low 1% frame rate, the RTX 4090 delivered 198 FPS, while the RX 6950 XT provided 204 FPS.

Cyberpunk 2077

• During the gameplay of Cyberpunk 2077, the RTX 4090 provided a performance advantage of roughly 67.3% over the RX 6950 XT.
• On average, the RTX 4090 generated a frame rate of 82 FPS, whereas the RX 6950 XT produced an average of 49 FPS.
• The RTX 4090 had a power consumption of 361.5 W in Cyberpunk 2077, whereas the RX 6950 XT devoured 290.7 W.
• Considering the gaming temperature, the RTX 4090 maintained a lower temperature of 61°C, while the RX 6950 XT ran at 68°C.
• In the worst 1% performance time, the RTX 4090 bore an impressive frame rate of 68 FPS, while the RX 6950 XT only produced 42 FPS.

Also Check: RTX 4080 Vs RX 6950 XT

Forza Horizon 5

• In Forza Horizon 5, the RTX 4090 outperformed the RX 6950 XT with an upper hand of about 57.5%.
• The RX 6950 XT achieved an average frame rate of 106 FPS, compared to the RTX 4090’s higher average of 167 FPS.
• The RTX 4090 devoured 343.5 W of power in Forza Horizon 5, whereas the RX 6950 XT employed 285.1 W.
• During the gameplay, the operating temperatures of the RTX 4090 and the RX 6950 XT were 57°C and 66°C, respectively.
• For the low 1% frame rate, the RTX 4090 surpassed the RX 6950 XT by a margin of 53 frames per second.

God Of War

• While playing God Of War, the RTX 4090 exhibited an edge in performance of around 58.8% compared to the RX 6950 XT.
• Contrary to the RTX 4090’s brilliant average frame rate of 127 FPS, the RX 6950 XT could only produce an average of 80 FPS.
• The power consumption of the RTX 4090 was 427.9 W, while the RX 6950 XT consumed 300.4 W.
• During God of War, the operating temperature of the RTX 4090 was 64°C, and that of the RX 6950 XT was 68°C.
• Regarding the low 1% frame rate, the RTX 4090 produced 91 FPS, while the RX 6950 XT produced 59 FPS.

Hitman 3

• During Hitman 3, the RTX 4090 surpassed the RX 6950 XT by a substantial performance margin of approximately 47.3%.
• The RTX 4090 provided a sharp average of 165 FPS, while the RX 6950 XT could only muster up 112 FPS.
• The RX 6950 XT operated at 293.6 W of power in this game, while the RTX 4090 used 423.7 W.
• Taking into account the GPU’s operating temperature, the RTX 4090 ran at 64°C, while the RX 6950 XT ran at 70°C.
• Considering the low 1% frame rate in Hitman 3, the RTX 4090 submitted 130 frames per second, whereas the RX 6950 XT produced 90 FPS.

Also Read: RTX 4090 Vs RX 6900 XT

Horizon Zero Dawn

• While playing Horizon Zero Dawn, the RTX 4090 outperformed the RX 6950 XT by a performance margin of around 67.5%.
• The RTX 4090 achieved a remarkable average frame rate of 139 FPS, whereas the RX 6950 XT could only beget 83 FPS.
• In Horizon Zero Dawn, the RTX 4090 consumed 352.9 W of power, while the RX 6950 XT used 297.1 W.
• The operating temperature of the RTX 4090 was 56°C, whereas that of the RX 6950 XT was 68°C.
• At the worst 1% performance, the RTX 4090 managed an exceptional frame rate of 113 FPS, while the RX 6950 XT could only manage 71 FPS.

Microsoft Flight Simulator

• In Microsoft Flight Simulator, the performance of the RTX 4090 was about 124% greater than the RX 6950 XT.
• While the RX 6950 XT could only manage an average of 42 FPS, the RTX 4090 delivered an astute 94 FPS in this CPU-intensive game.
• Regarding power consumption, the RTX 4090 utilized 417.9 W, while RX 6950 XT served at 284.4 W.
• During Microsoft Flight Simulator, the RTX 4090 and RX 6950 XT had the same operating temperature of 66°C.
• When it comes to the worst 1% performance, the RTX 4090 achieved an outstanding frame rate of 64 FPS, while the RX 6950 XT could only deliver 38 FPS.

PUBG

• When running PUBG, the RTX 4090 achieved a performance advantage of about 97% over the RX 6950 XT.
• The RTX 4090 delivered an astonishing average frame rate of 205 FPS, whereas the RX 6950 XT could only muster an average of 104 FPS.
• In terms of power usage, the RTX 4090 consumed 401.6 W, whereas the RX 6950 XT operated at 283.6 W.
• The RTX 4090 conducted PUBG at an active temperature of 61°C, 6°C lower than the 67°C operating temperature of the RX 6950 XT.
• About the low 1% performance, the RX 6950 XT produced 88 FPS, 4 more frames per second than the RTX 4090’s 84 FPS.

Also Check: RTX 4080 vs RTX 4090

Red Dead Redemption 2

• During the gameplay of Red Dead Redemption 2, the RX 6950 XT lagged behind the RTX 4090 by a performance margin of 63.5%.
• At 4K resolution, the RTX 4090 attained an exceptional average frame rate of 121 FPS, whereas the average frame rate for the RX 6950 XT was only 74 FPS.
• The power consumption of the RTX 4090 was 384.7 W, while the RX 6950 XT gulped 299.4 W.
• Considering the GPU temperature in Red Dead Redemption 2, the RTX 4090 ran at 58°C, 9°C cooler than the RX 6950 XT’s 67°C running temperature.
• With reference to the low 1% frame rate, the RTX 4090 gained 93 frames per second, while the RX 6950 XT furnished 65 FPS.

Spider-Man

• In Spider-Man, the RTX 4090 presented a competitive edge of approximately 120% over the RX 6950 XT.
• In contrast to the RTX 4090’s impressive average frame rate of 114 FPS at 4K resolution, the RX 6950 XT could only turn over 52 FPS on average.
• The RTX 4090 used only 298.9 W during this gameplay, while RX 6950 XT labored at 282.1 W of power.
• During Spider-Man, the operating temperature of the RX 6950 XT was 65°C, which is 9°C higher than RTX 4090’s 54°C running temperature.
• Regarding the low 1% frame rate, the RTX 4090 produced a stunning 74 FPS, while the RX 6950 XT provided only 41 FPS.

Overall Gaming Analysis

When choosing a high-end graphics card for gaming, factors such as performance, power consumption, and thermal efficiency are all important considerations. In this RTX 4090 vs RX 6950 XT analysis, we’ll compare the overall gaming performance, power consumption, and thermal efficiency of the to determine which GPU is on the top.

Also Read: RTX 4090 Vs RTX 3090 Ti

Performance

Average FPS

• With an impressive average margin of approximately 45%, the Nvidia RTX 4090 emerges as the clear winner in the FPS battle against the RX 6950 XT.
• After averaging the FPS for the aforementioned games, the RTX 4090 demonstrated a remarkable 169.5 FPS at 4K resolution, whereas the RX 6950 XT managed only 116.9 FPS.
• The RX 6950 XT failed to achieve a higher average frame rate than the RTX 4090 in any of the games discussed above.

Low 1% FPS

• The RTX 4090 also won the low 1% FPS battle against the RX 6950 XT, with an amazing average lead of around 34.3%.
• It was found that the RTX 4090 yielded an outstanding overall low 1% frame rate of 105.7 FPS, while the RX 6950 XT could only manage 78.7 FPS.

Also Check: RTX 4090 Vs RTX 3080 Ti

Outliers Analysis

The RX 6950 XT outperformed the RTX 4090 in terms of generating a higher low 1% frame rate in some of the above-discussed games. These games include:

• Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS: GO)
• PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG)

There were many instances where the low 1% frame rate delivered by the RTX 4090 surpassed even the average frame rate of the RX 6950 XT. These stats of the extreme performance of the RTX 4090 against the RX 6950 XT are as follows:

Power Efficiency

• In terms of power usage, the RX 6950 XT boasts approximately 29.4% greater power efficiency or lower energy consumption compared to the RTX 4090.
• During the aforementioned games played at 4K resolution, the RX 6950 XT registered an average power consumption of 291.2 watts.
• On the other hand, the RTX 4090 consumed more power averaging 376.8 watts.
• The RTX 4090 operated about 75 W below its default TDP. And the RX 6950 XT executed the 4K games about 45 W below its default TDP.

Must Read: Do You Need A New PSU For RTX 4090?

Thermal Efficiency

• When it comes to the gaming temperature, the RTX 4090 outperforms the RX 6950 XT by exhibiting a 12.4% greater thermal efficiency or remaining relatively cooler by 7.4°C.
• The RTX 4090 maintained an average gaming temperature of approximately 59.7°C, while the RX 6950 XT recorded an average of 67.1°C.

If you are encountering GPU overheating issues, seek help from our guide on How To Lower GPU Temperature?

Price And Availability

Before making a decision on which GPU to choose, it is advisable to take into account both its cost and availability. When considering the launch MSRPs, Nvidia priced the RTX 4090 at $1599 in September 2022, while AMD priced the RX 6950 XT at $1099 in May 2022.

It’s worth noting that the prices of these graphics cards are subject to change based on factors such as time and demand. Currently, the RTX 4090 is being sold by various manufacturers at prices ranging from $1600 to $1900. Conversely, the RX 6950 XT is available for purchase at $630 to $680. The RX 6950 XT is now selling below its launch MSRP is likely due to the introduction of AMD’s newer graphics cards into the market.

In terms of availability, both graphics cards are currently widely available through various online and offline retailers. They can be easily ordered online from Amazon, Newegg, and other stores.

Which One Should You Go For?

After extensively comparing the RTX 4090 vs RX 6950 XT, it is time to decide which GPU is better per individual needs and budget.

If your principal purpose is to relish an unparalleled gaming experience with exceptional performance, and you are unbound by budget constraints, then the RTX 4090 stands out as the most superior graphics card available.

However, if budget constraints are a consideration and you seek a cost-effective GPU with lower operating costs, I recommend considering the RX 6950 XT. The price of the RX 6950 XT is much lower than that of the RTX 4090 and boasts around 30% greater power efficiency, resulting in reduced electricity costs. When not compared to the RTX 4090, the RX 6950 XT exhibits commendable gaming performance.

Also Read: Nvidia RTX 4090 vs RTX 3090

Pros And Cons