Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Review

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090's underwhelming generational leap over the RTX 4090, coupled with its higher price, left many wanting. However, the RTX 5070 Ti offers a more compelling proposition. While not dramatically faster than its predecessor, its affordability makes it the most sensible Blackwell-architecture card on the market, especially for those with a budget.

Priced at $749, the GeForce RTX 5070 Ti excels as a 4K graphics card, effectively overshadowing the more expensive RTX 5080. It's crucial to note, however, that my review unit, an MSI aftermarket model, cost $1,099—exceeding the RTX 5080's $999 price point. Availability at the base price is key; at $749, it's arguably the best graphics card for most users, particularly those aiming for 4K gaming.

Purchasing Guide

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti launched February 20, 2025, with a starting price of $749. Remember, this is just the base price; expect significant price variations across different models. While excellent value at $749, its appeal diminishes as the price approaches that of the RTX 5080.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti – Photos

Specs and Features

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti is the third graphics card utilizing Nvidia's Blackwell architecture. Initially designed for AI applications like ChatGPT, this architecture has been adapted for gaming GPUs, retaining its AI focus.

Sharing the GB203 GPU with the RTX 5080, the RTX 5070 Ti features 70 Streaming Multiprocessors (SMs), resulting in 8,960 CUDA cores, 70 RT cores, and 280 Tensor Cores (14 SMs are disabled compared to the 5080). It also boasts 16GB of GDDR7 RAM, albeit slightly slower than the RTX 5080. The Tensor Cores, however, are key. While the CUDA cores are significantly more powerful than those in the RTX 4070 Ti, Nvidia leverages AI upscaling and frame generation to maximize performance.

Blackwell introduces a new AI Management Processor (AMP), offloading workload from the CPU to the GPU. This significantly enhances the efficiency of processes like DLSS and frame generation. This efficiency has led to a fundamental change in DLSS, now utilizing a Transformer model instead of a CNN. While not necessarily faster, this results in noticeably improved image quality, reducing artifacts.

DLSS 4 incorporates "Multi-Frame Generation" (MFG), generating up to three frames from each rendered frame. This can theoretically quadruple frame rates, particularly benefiting high-refresh-rate monitors. The trade-off is increased latency, though Nvidia's Reflex technology helps mitigate this.

With a 300W Total Board Power (TBP), the RTX 5070 Ti's power consumption is comparable to the RTX 4070 Ti and RTX 4070 Ti Super. Nvidia recommends a 750W PSU, but an 850W PSU is advised, especially for high-end models like the MSI Vanguard Edition.

DLSS 4 – Is It Worth It?

While faster than its predecessor, the RTX 5070 Ti's main selling point is DLSS 4, particularly MFG. For high-refresh-rate monitors, this technology maximizes display capabilities, but don't expect dramatically improved latency.

MFG analyzes rendered frames and game engine motion data to predict subsequent frames, generating entirely new frames via AI. While similar technology was used in the RTX 4090, MFG's scale is significantly larger. Instead of one generated frame, MFG can produce up to three, potentially increasing frame rates up to 4x. In practice, however, it rarely reaches a 4x improvement.

Testing in *Cyberpunk 2077* (Ray Tracing Overdrive, DLSS Performance) showed 46 fps without frame generation, increasing to 88 fps (2x) and 157 fps (4x), with latency increasing from 43ms to 49ms and 55ms respectively, even with Reflex enabled. *Star Wars Outlaws* showed a more positive effect, with latency decreasing at 2x frame generation (67 fps to 111 fps, 47ms to 34ms). 4x frame generation resulted in 188 fps with 37ms latency.

While MFG enhances smoothness on high-refresh-rate displays, responsiveness remains largely unchanged. Latency increases are minimal with sufficient frame rates; however, at lower frame rates (e.g., 30 fps), lag and artifacts become more noticeable. The RTX 5070 Ti, however, avoids this issue even at 4K.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti – Benchmarks

Performance

At 4K, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti is approximately 11% faster than the RTX 4070 Ti Super and 21% faster than the RTX 4070 Ti. This surpasses the RTX 5080's generational improvement, making it the best value card in this generation. Across various tests, it consistently exceeded 60 fps at 4K, even in demanding titles.

Test System: CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D; Motherboard: Asus ROG Crosshair X870E Hero; RAM: 32GB G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo @ 6,000MHz; SSD: 4TB Samsung 990 Pro; CPU Cooler: Asus ROG Ryujin III 360. The review used stock settings on the MSI RTX 5070 Ti Vanguard SOC to assess base performance.

Testing involved the latest game versions and drivers (Nvidia cards except the 5070 Ti used Driver 572.42, AMD cards used Adrenalin 24.12.1, and the 5070 Ti used a pre-release driver). Frame generation and upscaling (DLSS/FSR where applicable) were disabled for consistent comparison.

3DMark Speed Way scores: RTX 5070 Ti (7,590), RTX 4070 Ti Super (6,374), RTX 4070 Ti (5,552). Port Royal scores: RTX 5070 Ti (18,839), RTX 4070 Ti Super (15,670), RTX 4070 Ti (14,136). These benchmarks highlight the RTX 5070 Ti's potential for future performance improvements.

In *Call of Duty: Black Ops 6* (4K Extreme), the RTX 5070 Ti achieved 121 fps (5% improvement over the RTX 4070 Ti Super). *Cyberpunk 2077* (4K, Ray Tracing Ultra) showed a 9% lead over the RTX 4070 Ti Super and 17% over the RTX 4070 Ti (75 fps). *Metro Exodus: Enhanced Edition* (4K Extreme, no upscaling) yielded 48 fps (slightly ahead of competitors).

*Red Dead Redemption 2* showed a slight performance dip (113 fps vs 115 fps on the RTX 4070 Ti Super). *Total War: Warhammer 3* (4K max, no ray tracing/upscaling) demonstrated a 15% improvement over the RTX 4070 Ti Super and 30% over the RTX 4070 Ti (78 fps). *Assassin's Creed Mirage* (4K Ultra High) reached 149 fps, slightly behind the Radeon RX 7900 XT.

*Black Myth: Wukong* (4K Cinematic, DLSS 40%) showed a 10% improvement over the RTX 4070 Ti Super (66 fps vs 60 fps), outperforming the Radeon RX 7900 XT. *Forza Horizon 5* (4K Extreme) achieved 152 fps, a 15% improvement over the RTX 4070 Ti Super and 21% over the RTX 4070 Ti, surpassing the Radeon RX 7900 XT.

Even mid-range cards now offer 4K capabilities. At its $749 starting price, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti offers exceptional value, particularly with a 4K display, providing a significant upgrade over the RTX 4070 Ti at a lower price.