- The RTX 5070 features just 25% of the Cuda cores of the flagship RTX 5090.
- This configuration aligns it with the RTX 3050, which features 23.8% of the RTX 3090’s Cuda core configuration.
- Past xx70-class GPUs featured a much higher percentage of Cuda cores, showing how Nvidia has downgraded this tier of graphics cards in recent generations.
Nvidia made big and bold claims about the RTX 5070, boasting performance equivalent to the RTX 4090 for a mere $549. Over a month later, these claims have completely fallen flat, with the GPU delivering next to no performance uplift over the RTX 4070 Super.
A closer look at the GPU’s specifications highlights why this is the case. The RTX 5070 is heavily cut down compared to its predecessors, offering a configuration more suitable for a lower-end GPU.
Why it matters: Nvidia seems to be doing the bare minimum to retain its control over the gaming market. Despite such practices, PC gamers continue to flock toward GeForce GPUs, including the disappointing RTX 4060.
Analyzing the RTX 5070’s specifications reveals that this GPU features 25% of the RTX 5090’s CUDA cores at 6,144 cores.
However, the same is not true of past xx70-class GPUs. For instance, the RTX 4070, which was already not the best example with 5,888 cores, featured 31.9% of the RTX 4090’s CUDA cores. On the other hand, the RTX 3070 featured over 50% of the RTX 3090’s CUDA cores.
As it stands, the RTX 5070’s configuration is more akin to a xx50-class GPU from Nvidia. As a reference, the RTX 3050 featured 23.8% of the RTX 3090’s CUDA cores, but this difference was reflected in the $249 price.
Nvidia is effectively selling a budget to lower mid-range GPU disguised as the RTX 5070. Hardware Unboxed found similar results in the past, concluding that Nvidia has essentially moved each GPU down one tier without reflecting these changes in names or pricing.
This video below highlights a similar problem but in the context of the RTX 5080.
The RTX 5070 would be quite impressive as a xx60-class or xx60 Ti-tier GPU, but Nvidia is clearly prioritizing profit margins over anything else at the moment.
Fortunately, AMD seems to be bringing better GPUs to the table, promising more affordable pricing. The Radeon RX 9070 XT holds a lot of promise after Nvidia’s recent debacles, and the upcoming reviews should reveal an even clearer picture of the Radeon products later today.
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[Senior News Reporter]
Avinash is currently pursuing a Business degree in Australia. For more than 5 years, he has been working as a gaming journalist, utilizing his writing skills and love for gaming to report on the latest updates in the industry. Avinash loves to play action games like Devil May Cry and has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as IGN, GamesRadar, GameRant, Dualshockers, CBR, and Gamespot.
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