When Nvidia’s CEO Jensen Huang introduced the RTX 50-series at CES 2025, he made some performance-related claims that many fans rolled their eyes at. They weren’t improper. At launch, these claims had been removed from true.
Now, over a yr later, Nvidia would possibly lastly be delivering on guarantees made throughout CES 2025.
So, did the RTX 5070 actually equal the RTX 4090?
Many individuals doubted these claims.
When the RTX 50-series was first introduced over a yr in the past, the hype was positively there. Though the leap from the RTX 40-series to the RTX 50-series was smaller than the improve from the 30-series, it was nonetheless substantial … for some playing cards. For the extra mainstream fashions, the specs urged incremental upgrades—nothing to get too enthusiastic about.
Nonetheless, Huang made one promise that stood out and echoed all through numerous tech publications: the RTX 5070 would provide RTX 4090 ranges of efficiency at a $549 worth level. This raised many eyebrows, for apparent causes.
Spec-wise, the RTX 5070 had no shot of even respiratory the identical air because the RTX 4090. With almost 10,000 fewer GPU shaders and half the VRAM, to not point out every little thing else, it was decidedly a mainstream card. However Nvidia had a card up its sleeve: DLSS 4. With Multi-Body Technology, the RTX 5070 was stated to supply related efficiency to the RTX 4090 at a a lot smaller price and energy draw.
Reviewers had been fast to confirm these claims.
XDA Developers reviewed the RTX 5070 and measured it up in opposition to the RTX 4090. Throughout a take a look at suite of 10 video games performed at 4K, the RTX 5070 averaged 52.8 fps versus the 88.9 fps achieved by the RTX 4090. The cardboard got here nearer to the purpose with DLSS 4 enabled, however it nonetheless wasn’t fairly there.
Was anybody really stunned when the ugly reality concerning the RTX 5070 got here to mild? I do not assume so. Solely the best Nvidia followers believed that we might get an RTX 4090-level card for $549. Nonetheless, DLSS 4 was nonetheless good, even these claims had been controversial.
DLSS 4 was nice, it was simply too massive an ask
That did not make the tech any much less transformational.
At launch, Nvidia’s DLSS 4 was solely accessible on RTX 50-series GPUs, appearing as an extra promoting level for individuals who already owned the earlier era. In spite of everything, DLSS 4 launched Multi-Body Technology, producing as much as three further frames per rendered body. And whereas I personally thought the declare that the RTX 5070 may change the RTX 4090 was an unfair approach of taking a look at these “faux frames,” DLSS 4 did ship good outcomes.
DLSS 4 was strong, with an enormous enhance to border charges and restricted high quality points, offered your GPU may already ship a gradual base fps. Forcing the RTX 5060 to run Cyberpunk on RT Overdrive at 4K was by no means meant to be fairly, and never even Nvidia’s AI-powered software program stack may make it so, however each GPU benefited from DLSS 4 … simply not sufficient to fairly reside as much as that “RTX 4090 for $549” declare. However DLSS 4.5 is popping issues round.
DLSS 4.5 is perhaps the factor to shut the hole
Mainstream GPUs, rejoice.
DLSS 4.5 is Nvidia’s big Super Resolution upgrade. For me, an enormous win proper out the gate was that DLSS 4.5 was made accessible on all RTX GPUs, though the upcoming spring replace will solely launch on the RTX 50-series. Nonetheless, what your complete RTX lineup will get is pretty spectacular.
Many critiques of DLSS 4.5 are already in, and the outcomes are optimistic for these on newer {hardware} (RTX 40- and 50-series). Nvidia itself made it clear that older, RTX 20- and 30-series GPUs, would possibly endure a efficiency loss when utilizing sure DLSS fashions. Some reviewers noticed fps drops of as much as 20% when switching to DLSS 4.5 on older GPUs. As a lot as I do not like that, it does make sense—the brand new mannequin is lots heavier, requiring 5x extra compute than the unique transformer.
Because the proprietor of an RTX 40-series GPU, I am seeing strong efficiency throughout the board. I’ve an RTX 4080 Tremendous, so I had little to complain about to start with, however operating Cyberpunk 2077 in RT Overdrive feels smoother. I am noticing cleaner reconstruction with subsequent to no artifacts. The whole lot appears razor-sharp—nearly too sharp for my liking.
In comparison with DLSS 3, each the body charges and the picture high quality simply really feel extra steady. With none DLSS enabled, I averaged round 80 fps; with DLSS 3, I used to be at round 130 fps with occasional jumps. DLSS 4.5 gave me a gradual 145-150 fps no matter what I used to be doing within the sport.
The largest features, for me, had been on the visible facet of issues. It is onerous to disclaim that the picture was sharper and stayed constant all through a couple of minutes of gameplay.
Nvidia’s RTX 5070 would possibly lastly meet its purpose
If it isn’t there but, it is on the way in which.
So far as body charges go, DLSS 4.5 could not but look like this groundbreaking occasion that magically turns the RTX 5070 into an RTX 4090—however it’s a strong begin.
The second-generation transformer mannequin will make it simpler for the RTX 5070, or playing cards prefer it, to make use of harsher DLSS modes with out the picture trying tough. It will provide a greater expertise throughout a spread of titles, permitting you to modify away from the High quality preset and nonetheless keep strong visuals whereas boosting efficiency. Switching to the next decision also needs to be attainable whereas sustaining excessive settings.
The actual game-changer would possibly nonetheless be but to return for DLSS 4.5. Set to reach on the RTX 50-series within the spring, Dynamic Multi-Body Technology will provide 6x MFG mixed with dynamic FG. That is the place we’d see the likes of the RTX 5070 reaching new heights.
For now, the RTX 5070 continues to be not an RTX 4090, however in some methods, it is simply nearly as good. It won’t be one of many best GPUs that launched in 2025 at its present worth, however it’s a priceless mainstream decide that simply bought a significant enhance, and is but to obtain one other one in a few months. That is a win, even when it did not fairly meet the excessive expectations Jensen Huang set for it upon its arrival.
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