RTX 3070 vs RX 590
Head-to-head specifications
| Metric | RTX 3070 | RX 590 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3DMark Time Spy | 8,759 | 2,492 | +251.5% |
| Avg FPS @ 1080p | 78 | 36 | +116.7% |
| Avg FPS @ 1440p | 48 | 20 | +140.0% |
| Avg FPS @ 4K | 26 | 11 | +136.4% |
| FP32 compute (TFLOPS) | 20.4 | 7.1 | +186.1% |
| VRAM | 8 GB GDDR6 | 8 GB GDDR5 | — |
| Memory bandwidth (GB/s) | 448 | 224 | +100.0% |
| TDP (W) | 220 | 225 | — |
| Stable Diffusion (it/s) | 8.1 | 1.1 | +636.4% |
| LLM inference (tokens/s) | 22 | 11 | +100.0% |
| Launch MSRP (USD) | $499 | $279 | +78.9% |
- RTX 3070 averages 48 fps at 1440p versus 20 fps — about 140% faster.
- RTX 3070 draws less power (220W vs 225W).
Verdict: RTX 3070 or RX 590?
RTX 3070 advantages
- 1440p gaming (+58%)
- 4K gaming (+58%)
- Synthetic benchmark performance (+72%)
- Memory bandwidth (+50%)
- AI image generation (+86%)
- Local LLM inference (+50%)
RX 590 advantages
- Affordability (+44%)
Which should you choose?
- Choose the RTX 3070 if you game at 1440p.
- Choose the RX 590 if you want the better price for the performance.
- Choose the RTX 3070 if you game at 4K or drive a high-resolution display.
Value for money
RTX 3070 delivers more performance per dollar, making it the better value of the two at their listed prices.
RTX 3070 vs RX 590: which should you choose?
RTX 3070 — NVIDIA desktop graphics card (2020, Ampere) with 8 GB of GDDR6, averaging 48 fps at 1440p; launched at $499.
RX 590 — AMD desktop graphics card (2018, Polaris) with 8 GB of GDDR5, averaging 20 fps at 1440p; launched at $279.
RTX 3070 vs RX 590: RTX 3070 is faster for gaming. RTX 3070 averages 48 fps at 1440p versus 20 fps — about 140% faster. RTX 3070 draws less power (220W vs 225W).
1080p, 1440p and 4K
At 1440p — the most common enthusiast resolution — the RTX 3070 averages 48 fps against 20. At 4K (26 vs 11 fps) VRAM (8GB vs 8GB) and memory bandwidth matter more.
AI and creator workloads
Beyond gaming, the RTX 3070 is quicker for AI image generation (8.1 vs 1.1 it/s in Stable Diffusion) and local LLM inference (22 vs 11 tokens/s), which increasingly matters for creators and developers.
Power and value
Board power is 220 W versus 225 W, which affects PSU headroom, case cooling and noise. At launch MSRPs of $499 vs $279, weigh the frame-rate lead against price and power draw for your target resolution.
The verdict
Both are credible choices in the graphics card comparison space; the specification table above lays out every metric so you can weigh the trade-offs that matter to you. Pick the one whose strengths line up with how you will actually use it.
Frequently asked questions
Is the RTX 3070 better than the RX 590?
RTX 3070 is the clearly stronger overall choice, winning most of the dimensions that matter. RTX 3070 averages 48 fps at 1440p versus 20 fps — about 140% faster.
What is the main difference between the RTX 3070 and the RX 590?
RTX 3070 averages 48 fps at 1440p versus 20 fps — about 140% faster. RTX 3070 draws less power (220W vs 225W).
Which is better value?
RTX 3070 delivers more performance per dollar, making it the better value of the two at their listed prices.
Which should I choose?
Choose the RTX 3070 if you game at 1440p. Choose the RX 590 if you want the better price for the performance.
Methodology
Graphics cards are compared on 3DMark Time Spy scores, average gaming frame rates at 1080p/1440p/4K, FP32 compute throughput, VRAM capacity and type, memory bandwidth, board power (TDP) and launch MSRP — plus AI workload throughput (Stable Diffusion iterations/s and local LLM tokens/s) where measured. Vintage and server GPUs without modern benchmark results are compared on specifications only, clearly labelled. Frame rates are averages across a game suite at high settings; specific titles vary.