RTX 2070 vs 5700 XT – Check Which One Is Best & Why?

GeForce RTX 2070 & Radeon RX 5700 XT share many similarities, but there are also important differences, such as quality, performance, features, design, and connectivity. If you want the best one between them, I Would recommend the GeForce RTX 2070 rather than the Radeon RX 5700 XT.

Why Do I Recommend The GeForce RTX 2070?

  • The GeForce RTX 2070 features dedicated RT cores for real-time ray tracing effects with accurate lighting, reflections, and shadows in supported games, while the Radeon 5700 XT uses standard shaders without hardware ray tracing acceleration.
  • GeForce RTX 2070 includes Tensor cores to enable DLSS upscaling for higher frame rates and improved image clarity at higher resolutions, whereas the Radeon 5700 XT relies on native resolution rendering without AI-based upscaling.
  • It comes with the NVENC hardware encoder for higher-quality game streaming and recording with minimal CPU usage, while the Radeon 5700 XT uses the VCE encoder with lower efficiency and quality consistency.
  • The GeForce RTX 2070 supports NVIDIA Reflex to reduce system latency for faster input response in competitive games, whereas the Radeon 5700 XT uses Radeon Anti-Lag with more limited latency optimization scope.
  • GeForce RTX 2070 has lower typical board power consumption to maintain cooler operation and quieter cooling under sustained gaming loads, while the Radeon 5700 XT uses higher power levels that increase heat output.
  • It supports the CUDA platform for broader acceleration in professional applications like video editing, rendering, and AI workloads, while the Radeon 5700 XT uses OpenCL with narrower software support.
  • The GeForce RTX 2070 includes stronger VRWorks support for smoother frame pacing and better compatibility with VR titles, whereas the Radeon 5700 XT relies on standard VR pipelines without dedicated optimizations.
  • GeForce RTX 2070 features more mature driver optimization for ray-traced and feature-rich PC games at launch settings, while the Radeon 5700 XT focuses primarily on rasterized performance without advanced rendering features.

Maybe the Radeon RX 5700 XT can make you comfortable because it’s a little bit cheaper than the GeForce RTX 2070. But you have to compromise all the above-mentioned features. Now the Decision is Yours. I hope it was helpful to choose the right one.

Side-by-Side Comparison

FeatureGeForce RTX 2070Radeon RX 5700 XT
GPU ArchitectureTuringRDNA 1.0
Manufacturing Process12nm7nm
Compute Units / SMs36 SMs40 CUs
Ray Tracing HardwareRT coresNone
AI AccelerationTensor coresNone
Video EncoderNVENCVCE
Video DecoderNVDECUVD
Upscaling SupportDLSSNone
Latency ReductionNVIDIA ReflexRadeon Anti-Lag
Linux Driver StackProprietaryOpen-source
PriceCheck GeForce RTX 2070 PriceCheck Radeon RX 5700 XT Price

What Common Both Can Do?

  • Discrete Graphics Card: Both GPUs are standalone graphics cards designed to operate independently from integrated graphics solutions. This allows them to deliver significantly higher performance for gaming, rendering, and GPU-accelerated workloads.
  • Desktop GPU: Each model is designed specifically for desktop PC systems rather than laptops or mobile devices. This ensures higher power limits, better cooling options, and stronger sustained performance.
  • Gaming Focused: Both GPUs are built primarily for gaming workloads, targeting high settings at 1080p and 1440p resolutions. Their architectures are optimized for modern game engines and real-time rendering.
  • PCIe x16 Interface: Both cards use a PCIe x16 physical interface for connection to the motherboard. This provides ample bandwidth for data transfer between the GPU and the CPU.
  • GDDR6 Memory: Each GPU uses GDDR6 memory technology, which delivers high bandwidth and improved efficiency over older GDDR5 memory. This helps maintain smooth performance in memory-intensive games.
  • 8 GB VRAM: Both models are equipped with 8 GB of video memory, which is sufficient for modern games, high-resolution textures, and demanding graphical workloads at common resolutions.
  • 256-bit Memory Bus: The two GPUs use a 256-bit memory bus, enabling wide data paths between the GPU and memory. This supports consistent performance when handling large texture data.
  • 14 Gbps Memory Speed: Both graphics cards operate their memory at 14 Gbps, ensuring comparable raw memory throughput. This helps minimize memory bottlenecks during gaming and rendering tasks.
  • DirectX 12 Support: Each GPU fully supports DirectX 12, allowing access to modern graphics features and improved CPU-to-GPU workload management in newer games.
  • Vulkan Support: Both cards support the Vulkan API, enabling efficient low-level graphics access. This benefits games and applications optimized for reduced overhead and better scaling.
  • OpenGL Support: Each GPU supports OpenGL, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of professional applications, older games, and visualization software.
  • Multi-Monitor Support: Both GPUs can drive multiple displays simultaneously, making them suitable for productivity setups, streaming workflows, and immersive gaming environments.
  • HDMI Output: Each model includes HDMI output support, allowing easy connection to TVs, monitors, and capture devices without adapters.
  • DisplayPort Output: Both GPUs support DisplayPort connections, which are commonly used for high-refresh-rate and high-resolution monitors.
  • VR Ready: Each GPU meets the performance requirements for virtual reality applications. This allows smooth operation with mainstream VR headsets when paired with a capable system.
  • Hardware Video Decoding: Both cards include dedicated hardware for video decoding, reducing CPU load during video playback and improving power efficiency.
  • Hardware Video Encoding: Each GPU features built-in video encoding hardware, enabling efficient game recording, streaming, and video export tasks.
  • FreeSync Compatibility: Both GPUs support FreeSync technology, allowing compatible monitors to synchronize refresh rates with frame output for smoother, tear-free gameplay.

Common Features

FeatureGeForce RTX 2070Radeon RX 5700 XT
Discrete Graphics CardYesYes
Desktop GPUYesYes
Gaming FocusedYesYes
PCIe x16 InterfaceYesYes
GDDR6 MemoryYesYes
8 GB VRAMYesYes
256-bit Memory BusYesYes
14 Gbps Memory SpeedYesYes
DirectX 12 SupportYesYes
Vulkan SupportYesYes
OpenGL SupportYesYes
Multi-Monitor SupportYesYes
HDMI OutputYesYes
DisplayPort OutputYesYes
VR ReadyYesYes
Hardware Video DecodingYesYes
Hardware Video EncodingYesYes
FreeSync CompatibilityYesYes
Price Check GeForce RTX 2070 Price
Check Radeon RX 5700 XT Price

FAQ

Is the GeForce RTX 2070 still good for modern gaming?
Yes, the GeForce RTX 2070 is still capable of running most modern games smoothly at 1080p and 1440p with high settings, especially when advanced features like ray tracing are used selectively.

Is the Radeon RX 5700 XT faster than the GeForce RTX 2070 in games?
In traditional rasterized gaming without ray tracing, the Radeon RX 5700 XT generally delivers higher average frame rates than the RTX 2070 at the same resolution and settings.

Do both GPUs support ray tracing?
No, only the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing, while the Radeon RX 5700 XT does not have dedicated ray tracing hardware.

Which card is better for streaming and recording gameplay?
The RTX 2070 is better for streaming and recording due to its more efficient NVENC encoder, which produces higher-quality video with lower CPU usage.

Are both GPUs suitable for 1440p gaming?
Yes, both the RTX 2070 and the Radeon RX 5700 XT are well suited for 1440p gaming and can handle high or ultra settings in many titles.

Do both graphics cards have the same amount of VRAM?
Yes, both GPUs come with 8 GB of GDDR6 VRAM, which is sufficient for modern games and high-resolution textures.

Which GPU consumes more power?
The Radeon RX 5700 XT typically consumes more power than the RTX 2070, resulting in higher heat output and greater cooling requirements.

Is PCIe 4.0 support important between these two GPUs?
The RX 5700 XT supports PCIe 4.0, while the RTX 2070 uses PCIe 3.0, but in real-world gaming scenarios the performance difference from PCIe bandwidth alone is minimal.

Which GPU is better for ray-traced games?
The RTX 2070 performs better in ray-traced games because it includes dedicated RT cores designed specifically to handle ray tracing workloads.

Do both cards support FreeSync monitors?
Yes, both GPUs can work with FreeSync-compatible monitors, allowing smoother gameplay with reduced screen tearing.

Are these GPUs good for virtual reality?
Yes, both the RTX 2070 and the Radeon RX 5700 XT meet the performance requirements for most mainstream VR headsets when paired with a capable CPU.

Which card runs cooler on average?
The RTX 2070 generally runs cooler due to its lower power consumption, though actual temperatures depend heavily on the specific card design and cooling solution.

Is driver support stable for both GPUs today?
Yes, both NVIDIA and AMD provide mature and stable drivers for these GPUs, with regular updates for game compatibility and performance improvements.

Which GPU is better for content creation workloads?
The RTX 2070 is usually preferred for content creation tasks like video editing and 3D rendering because of better software support and CUDA-based acceleration.

Are these GPUs still worth buying used?
Yes, both cards can be good used-market options if priced appropriately, with the RX 5700 XT favoring raw gaming performance and the RTX 2070 favoring features and media capabilities.