RX 9070 XT vs RTX 3090

Too close to call. At 1440p there is only about 2% between them — buy whichever is cheaper.

The gap changes with resolution.

Graphics card differences grow with resolution, because higher resolutions load the GPU harder.

In a real build with a Ryzen 5 9600X.

Specs alone don’t tell you which to buy. Here is what each one does when it’s actually paired up, at 1440p.

So which should you buy?

Whichever is cheaper on the day. There is roughly 2% between them at 1440p, which you will not notice in a game.

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Common questions.

Straight answers on the RX 9070 XT versus the RTX 3090.

• Is the RX 9070 XT better than the RTX 3090?

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  They are close enough to call a tie. At 1440p the RX 9070 XT scores 99 on our index against 97 for the RTX 3090 — a gap of about 2%, which is inside the margin where you would not feel a difference while gaming. Buy whichever is cheaper or easier to find.

• Does the RX 9070 XT or RTX 3090 bottleneck a Ryzen 5 9600X?

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  Paired with a Ryzen 5 9600X at 1440p, the RX 9070 XT build comes out balanced, and the RTX 3090 build comes out balanced. Being GPU-bound is the healthy outcome — it means the graphics card is the part working hardest.

• Is it worth upgrading from the RTX 3090 to the RX 9070 XT?

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  No. A 2% index gap will not be visible in games, and the money is better spent on the other side of the build — usually the GPU.

• Which is better value, the RX 9070 XT or the RTX 3090?

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  On performance per dollar at MSRP, the RX 9070 XT wins. The RX 9070 XT lists at $599 for an index of 99, and the RTX 3090 at $1499 for 97.