Radeon RX 9070 XT vs. GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, 52 Game Benchmark @ 1440p & 4K (2026 Update)

Product Reviewed (Comparison)

• Radeon RX 970 XT vs GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Note: The video title references 9070 XT vs 5070 Ti, but the subtitles repeatedly discuss RX 970 XT throughout the benchmarks.

Testing / Method (Key Points)

• 52-game benchmark suite (expanded from a prior 55-game comparison).
• Each game is tested “essentially twice” using two quality presets (with ray tracing on/off among the configurations).
• Benchmarks are mostly run with external performance measuring software; any built-in/canned benchmarks are clearly labeled on graphs.
• Focus on resolutions:
  • 1440p
  • Native 4K
  • Frequent discussion of when upscaling is needed.

Overall Performance Summary (Main Conclusion)

• Average performance is effectively tied across the full 52-game set.

1440p

• “Trade blows” within margin of error:
  • RTX 5070 Ti leads by about ~1.5% (described as “two frames a second”).
  • 1% lows: Radeon ~107 FPS, GeForce ~108 FPS (nearly identical).

Native 4K

• Slight GeForce advantage:
  • RTX 5070 Ti: 84 FPS
  • RX 970 XT: 81 FPS
  • Average lead: ~4%

Power Efficiency Note (Not Re-tested)

• RX 970 XT uses ~20% more power than the RTX 5070 Ti (GeForce more efficient).
• The speaker states this is unchanged “since day-one.”

Main Feature Takeaways (As Expressed in the Video)

• Nvidia advantage: Heavy ray tracing, especially path tracing
  • More consistent scaling in RT-heavy titles.
• AMD advantage: Strong rasterization performance and generally better value when RT is off (and sometimes even with RT on).
• Blackwell scaling note: Nvidia’s newer architecture tends to scale better at 4K, improving results versus where it lagged at 1440p.
• Upscaling reliance: Many RT/high-quality scenarios are described as unplayable or barely playable at native resolution, making upscaling effectively mandatory in those cases.

Pros and Cons (Synthesized)

Radeon RX 970 XT — Pros

• Excellent rasterization performance
  • Described as a “rasterization powerhouse.”
• Often competitive or leading at 1440p for raster-focused settings.
• Sometimes surprisingly strong with ray tracing enabled in specific titles, including:
  • Pragmata
  • Resident Evil Requiem
  • Monster Hunter World
• Value (price): Significantly cheaper in the US and Australia (per the speaker).

Radeon RX 970 XT — Cons

• Ray tracing / path tracing can struggle badly versus Nvidia.
  • Example: Doom: The Dark Ages at 1440p with path tracing
    • RTX described as massively faster; Radeon ends up “unplayable.”
• In some competitive/e-sports titles, performance consistency can be worse.
  • Example cited: driver/performance “sketchy” behavior at times in Fortnite.

GeForce RTX 5070 Ti — Pros

• Best-in-class for heavy RT workloads (especially path tracing)
  • Nvidia “remains king” across much of the suite.
• Slight edge on average, especially at native 4K.
• In some competitive titles, Nvidia offers more reliable higher averages / smoother experience.
  • The speaker also mentions driver updates supporting smoothness.

GeForce RTX 5070 Ti — Cons

• The Radeon power draw disadvantage is noted as worse for AMD, but Nvidia’s main drawback is cost/value:
  • RTX is much more expensive (nearly 40% more in US pricing cited).
• In several raster-heavy games, Radeon can win decisively or by noticeable margins.

Notable Game-by-Game Trends Mentioned (Key Swings)

Not a full table, but recurring patterns and standout outliers called out in subtitles.

Nvidia-Favoring (RT / Path Tracing Heavy)

• Doom: The Dark Ages (path tracing): Nvidia nearly doubles performance; Radeon described as unplayable (even with upscaling suggested).
• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (high-quality ray tracing): RTX advantage cited as very large (~56% at 1440p).
• Stalker 2: Nvidia consistent lead (~9–12%) across presets/resolutions.
• Cyberpunk 2077 (with ray tracing): Nvidia lead (~15% at 1440p) (example).
• The Witcher 3 (ray tracing): Nvidia lead when RT enabled (~9% at 1440p).
• Additional RT scenarios described where Nvidia gains larger margins as settings become more demanding.

AMD-Favoring (Raster Performance / Sometimes RT as Exception)

• Pragmata: Radeon leads across tests; advantage increases when RT is enabled (up to ~12–13% with RT).
• Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Radeon leads ~8–12%.
• Call of Duty: Radeon “obliterates” Nvidia in a cited example:
  • ~62% lead on 4K basic settings
  • Still ~19–28% even with RT + upscaling
• Cities: Skylines II: Radeon wins ~17–22% at 1440p.
• Fortnite:
  • Tied or Radeon slightly better at 1440p perf mode
  • At 4K perf mode Nvidia leads (~20%)
  • With RT epic, Nvidia has a small lead

Smoother “1% Lows” vs Average FPS (UX Point)

• PUBG:
  • Nvidia has higher averages (~10–15% at 4K)
  • Radeon has vastly superior 1% lows, suggesting a smoother/steadier experience.
• Arc Raiders:
  • Tied averages at RT Epic, but Radeon has much better 1% lows, described as noticeably smoother
  • Example cited: ~9% lead at 1440p RT static

Competitive Gaming Emphasis (Player Guidance)

• For esports titles (speaker explicitly mentions PUBG, Valorant, Fortnite, Rainbow Six Siege):
  • The speaker claims RTX 5070 Ti may be the better pick due to better performance and driver updates that improve smoothness.
  • Radeon is described as potentially “sketchy” in Fortnite at times based on the host’s observations.

Pricing / Value Verdict (Major Recommendation Driver)

US Pricing (cited)

• RX 970 XT: $710
• RTX 5070 Ti: $980+
• RTX costs ~40% more
• Host conclusion: doesn’t justify the premium at that price
  • Speaker suggests a ~20% premium might be reasonable, but not 40%.

Australia Pricing (cited)

• RTX 5070 Ti: $1340 AUD
• RX 970 XT: $930 AUD
• RTX costs ~46% more

• Host: would buy RX 970 XT given current pricing.

• Host also warns pricing may increase soon.

Pros / Cons Condensed List (Unique Points Mentioned)

1. Updated methodology: 52 games, tested twice with different presets (including RT on/off).
2. Prior comparison suggested Radeon was ~5% slower; current results reflect updated raster/RT approach.
3. Overall performance: nearly tied
   • 1440p: GeForce by ~1.5%
   • 4K: GeForce by ~4%
4. Ray tracing/path tracing: Nvidia “king,” AMD often struggles in heavy RT/path tracing.
5. Rasterization: AMD frequently leads when RT is off.
6. 1% lows/smoothness matter: Radeon wins consistency in some cases (e.g., Arc Raiders, PUBG).
7. Upscaling requirement: many RT/high-detail scenes are unplayable or barely playable natively.
8. Power efficiency: RX 970 XT draws ~20% more power; Nvidia is more efficient.
9. Architecture scaling: Nvidia scales better at 4K, attributed to ~40% more memory bandwidth (GDDR7 mentioned).
10. Competitive guidance: RTX 5070 Ti recommended more often for esports due to smoother performance/driver observations.
11. Value/price is decisive: RX 970 XT is substantially cheaper in both regions; recommended for value.
12. Suggestion to buy sooner due to potential price increases.

Speaker Views (Who Said What)

• Host/Steve (Hardware Unboxed) provides all commentary, methodology, and conclusions.
• No other speakers appear in the subtitles.

Concise Verdict / Recommendation

• If you care most about heavy ray tracing (especially path tracing): choose GeForce RTX 5070 Ti.
• If you care most about raster performance and value (with RT less important): choose Radeon RX 970 XT—the host argues it’s the better buy given Nvidia’s large price premium.
• Overall: Even though average performance is very close, pricing plus your RT usage determines the best choice. The speaker’s likely recommendation is RX 970 XT for most buyers right now due to cost.