Question Radeon RX 7800 XT vs. GeForce RTX 4070?

[ringmany]

Hi everyone,

My 5 year old GPU (MSI GTX 1070) is currently dying and I'm looking to finally upgrade my PC after 5 years.

My full hardware specs are here:
https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/user/RingMany/saved/WXCWXL

I've been looking through a lot of forums and videos, price and performance comparisons and I've been looking towards two that catch my eye and seem very similar:

Radeon RX 7800 XT
GeForce RTX 4070

I've always gamed on a 1080k monitor, but now I'm looking to potentially also upgrade to a 1440p monitor. I'm not looking for anything insane, I play mostly a lot of older games and some new ones such as: The witcher 3, Hitman, Assassins Creed, RDR2, Valorant, Jedi Survivor, Hogwarts legacy etc.

I haven't built my PC in many years, so I'm quite out of the loop. New features such as DLSS, Ray Tracing, 2-4k monitors, etc, all quite new since I last built my PC. I've been doing a lot of comparisons between those two GPU, and them seem incredibly similar in terms of performance, both have very similar FPS, with and without Ray tracing, and some games, one GPU is better than the other. Plus I've never owned a GPU that wasn't Nvidia before, back in the day nearly everyone was getting Nvidia over Radeon.

The prices aren't too different. Both of them seem to cost around £500 in the UK, whereas a big selling point on a lot of the videos is that the Radeon is supposed to be $100 cheaper, but that doesn't seem to be the case in Europe or the UK.

My other hardware such as the CPU is also a little outdated, but I'll be upgrading that in the near future too.

I have a budget of around £500 for a GPU. I'm also happy for suggestions for other graphics cards you recommend, it doesn't just have to be those 2.

What GPU would you guys recommended for casual gaming, mostly around single player games. I don't want anything absolutely mind blowing, just better than what I have now. Also I play a lot of Valorant but with low settings, I'm hoping a 2k monitor won't impact performance too much in terms of FPS if I play it on low settings like I do now. Cheers!

 

[Eximo]

You are on the right track. 4070 was originally 600, but they launched the 4070 Super at the same price, so it dropped a little. Either is perfectly capable of 1440p gaming.

https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-com...-for-the-same-dollar599-as-the-vanilla-4070/2

7800XT is also quite new and it launched at the lower price of 500. However, what you are seeing is mostly partner cards with better than average coolers.

Basic trade off is a little performance for the 16GB VRAM, or quite a bit of performance if you want to use ray-tracing. FSR and DLSS are roughly equivalent with Nvidia's solution to be considered generally better.

As for the rest of the system, the CPU is getting a little old. Luckily you can just drop in a 5800X3D after a BIOS update. May also be worth getting a new 2x16GB kit of DDR4 3600 CL16.

https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product...0x3d-34-ghz-8-core-processor-100-100000651wof

https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product...6-gb-ddr4-3600-cl16-memory-cmk32gx4m2d3600c16

You could probably do with some more NVMe storage as well.

https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product...-m2-2280-nvme-solid-state-drive-ct2000p3pssd8

 

[ringmany]

You are on the right track. 4070 was originally 600, but they launched the 4070 Super at the same price, so it dropped a little. Either is perfectly capable of 1440p gaming.

https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-com...-for-the-same-dollar599-as-the-vanilla-4070/2

7800XT is also quite new and it launched at the lower price of 500. However, what you are seeing is mostly partner cards with better than average coolers.

Basic trade off is a little performance for the 16GB VRAM, or quite a bit of performance if you want to use ray-tracing. FSR and DLSS are roughly equivalent with Nvidia's solution to be considered generally better.

As for the rest of the system, the CPU is getting a little old. Luckily you can just drop in a 5800X3D after a BIOS update. May also be worth getting a new 2x16GB kit of DDR4 3600 CL16.

https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product...0x3d-34-ghz-8-core-processor-100-100000651wof

https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product...6-gb-ddr4-3600-cl16-memory-cmk32gx4m2d3600c16

You could probably do with some more NVMe storage as well.

https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product...-m2-2280-nvme-solid-state-drive-ct2000p3pssd8

Thanks for the advice! Appreciate it.
Yeah i'll deffo look at upgrading my CPU in near future. I've also got 32GB of RAM now.

The only thing annoying about the CPU is I currently have a custom watercooled PC which has a GPU and GPU waterblock, so I'll also have to spend around $150-200 on a GPU waterblock too in my loop.

What GPU would you personally recommend? Cheers

 

[ringmany]

Anyone else got any recommendations for graphics cards? CHeers

 

[35below0]

Looking over at PcPartPicker UK, the choice seems to be between 7800XT and 4070. The 4070 Supers sell for a premium.
7800XT is under 500, the 4070s somewhere between 500-600, with Supers starting in that zone and going up.

I picked out a few for your consideration:
https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product...-rx-7800-xt-16-gb-video-card-rx7800xt-cl-16go

https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product/fcBzK8/sapphire-pulse-radeon-rx-7800-xt-16-gb-video-card-11330-02-20g

https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product...-rtx-4070-12-gb-video-card-gv-n4070wf3oc-12gd

https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product/pCkH99/gigabyte-eagle-oc-geforce-rtx-4070-super-12-gb-video-card-gv-n407seagle-oc-12gd

The EAGLE is the best of them, but not so much to justify the £110 premium.
Take the Sapphire Pulse.
Or browse through the choices: https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/products/video-card/#c=550,565,559&sort=price&page=1

 

[Crosslhs82x2]

Hi Guy's
I put a Gigabyte Rtx 4070 Windforce Oc in my son's rig.
You my run into a issue trying to find a waterblock as I am.
I can find them for the 4070 Ti but not the str8 4070.
He has a cpu custom loop (5900x) and I wanted to add the 4070 but adding it in wouldn't be becuase the gpu runs hot.
His 4070 runs very cool/quite in his Corsar 7000d airflow case and it ran cool in his old case Thermaltake F31 Suppressor.
Here is his last Time Spy run 1440p.
https://www.3dmark.com/spy/46482058

From what I saw the 4070 / 5800x3d got about 195 more points 18300.
5800x3d Paired with the 7800xt total was 20000+ I don't know about a Waterblock for the 78

Good Luck !!!!! To the Rebulid

 

[ringmany]

What do you think about the difference between 4070 and the super? The 4070 is £500 and the super is £600. Is it worth the upgrade and price?

 

[Crosslhs82x2]

Hi
Well by TH Gpu Hierarchy the 4070 super gets 12 fps more then the 4070 in 1440p
https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gpu-hierarchy,4388.html

Plus same problem currently from what I'm seeing no waterblock Yet?

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Maybe you could contact customer supports for
Alphacool, Bykski, Ekwb, Heatkiller, and see if any are working on 1 for either card.

Personally for the extra 100.00 not worth it, especially with no wbclks.(But it's not my wallet or rebuild)
Even the 4070 ti is upto 200 or more for 18.7fps.

Ek showing for the 7800xt
https://www.ekwb.com/configurator/gpu_list/44/256

Hope this helps

 

[MEMOFLEX]

What do you think about the difference between 4070 and the super? The 4070 is £500 and the super is £600. Is it worth the upgrade and price?

I chose the 4070 super over the 4070 in the end and I picked it up for just over £600 but I wanted a white GPU so had to pay a little bit of a premium. For the £70 or so more I paid over the standard 4070 it seemed like a no brainer for the additional performance. I game at 1440p and the card has performed well.

Have you considered not putting the gpu in the custom loop and simplifying it so it is just for cpu? This Generation of nvidia cards do not seem to run that hot until you get to the top end and the additional money you would spend on the block would likely push you up a tier on the gpu. Just a thought as if I am struggling to find a waterblock then I would much rather have the additional performance.

However I know the water-cooled gpu provides a certain wow factor and having spent more on my card for aesthetic reasons I am not one to judge.

 

[ringmany]

I contacted EK regarding about waterblocks and sadly they don't supply them for either, they said:

"As it turns out we do not have any water blocks for the 4070, 4070 Super, or Radeon RX 7800 XT, regrettably we also do not have any plans on making them."

Which is kinda bizzare to me, considering that they are incredibly popular cards for gamers, people not wanting to spend $1000. Especially since I bought my original Nvidea 1070 waterblock from them too several years ago.

I have seen some 3rd party sites setting water blocks, but I'm not sure how relaiable they are, I'm not familiar with the brands and looks Chinese, e.g.
https://www.bykski.us/collections/n...ny-rtx4070-12gb-gaming-verto-n-pny4070verto-x

In this case, I'm not too sure what to go with. I have a watercooled loop, and a big factor in deciding which GPU to get was based on a water block. This means I'm either going to have to go with a 3rd party for a waterblock for a 4070 or Radeon, or sell my entire waterloop and replace it with just a standard CPU cooler, or somehow re-design my current loop to only include the CPU, which is going to look kinda strange based on what I have configured

 

[Eximo]

4070Ti Super is the cheapest one you will find a block for. Basically a 4080.

7900XT or 7900XTX, possibly the 7900 GRE as well, but I would have to look into that. And the GRE is in the same price range as your 4070 Super.

Performance-PCs and their ebay listings of old crap might be a good place to look if you want to try and retrofit a cooler onto it, though. I have been tempted a time or two to pick up the old blocks just to see what I could do with them.

https://www.performance-pcs.com/wat...-blocks-vga.html?product_list_order=price_asc

They have 2080 blocks for practically nothing.

https://www.performance-pcs.com/wat...-acetal-nvidia-geforce-rtx-2080-ac-11665.html

 

[Crosslhs82x2]

Damm Sorry to be the messenger!!!!!!!!

Well atleast I was able to get to you in time before you started purchasing parts.

Looks like Alphacool has some for the 7900 series, but the price of those cards are up an easy 200 block prices are easy 160 - 200.

The Gigabyte Windforce I put in my son's ran 57c during 3dmark time spy With plenty of Cpu cooling head room.

https://imgur.com/a/0kSOzIa

View: https://imgur.com/gallery/0kSOzIa


Looks like I Will run my Evga 2080 ti Ftw3 till I can't.
Then start looking for cards that have factory waterblocks 1st then addaon blocks 2nd.

 

[Eximo]

Generally water-cooling is more expensive than the next tier upgrade, which will always have more performance. It only makes sense to cater to those making high end purchases, particularly since the cost of full coverage waterblocks has gone up so much in the last 5 or 6 years.

I'll probably keep doing it just because I have the parts, but there is little reason with the 40 series massively oversized coolers. You can often see GPUs in the mid-60s under load from the likes of a 4090 Strix if you leave it alone. Water cooling will take that back to the low or mid-50s with a reasonable sized radiator.

 

[Crosslhs82x2]

Hey OP
Have you been able to figure anything out?
As Far as Alphacool and Bykski if they was the only 1's I could get then That's what I would do.
Between them from threads on the Overclockers Uk forum Alphacool has been around longer and some were talking that they got some of the VAT tax refunded from ordering from Alphacool seeing how they are from Germany.

 

[ringmany]

Hey OP
Have you been able to figure anything out?
As Far as Alphacool and Bykski if they was the only 1's I could get then That's what I would do.
Between them from threads on the Overclockers Uk forum Alphacool has been around longer and some were talking that they got some of the VAT tax refunded from ordering from Alphacool seeing how they are from Germany.

Hey, in all honesty I have no idea at this point. I can't buy a new GPU until I get paid on the 15th, so I'll probably wait until then, then see if there's any discounts on those different GPU I was looking at, then maybe decide based on which one to buy.

I'm still not sure about my waterloop, whether to just get rid of it and have a standard CPU cooler kit, or modify my existing one to only cool the CPU, or pay for a 3rd party one for the GPU. I've already got all the hardware for my current loop which was fairly expensive, so would be a shame to get rid of, plus I think i'll have trouble selling a 1070 waterblock these days.

Either way, it's going to be an expensive upgrade, I'm gonna have to at least £500 for a new GPU, if I get a waterblock for it, it will cost around £150, or that much if I just scrap my waterloop and buy a standard CPU cooler kit. Plus I'd also need to at some point buy a 2k monitor and upgrade my CPU.

 

[Crosslhs82x2]

Hey
Sorry it took so long to get back.

My son will be running without the gpu in his loop until wb availability or new gpu/ wb.

Hey more cooling headroom at a point of overkill ( 360mm and 480mm rads) for his 5900x.

Alphacool is showing a block for the Msi Ventus 3x oc which is on Pcparts picker for $784 (exchange rate ??? Availability???
The Waterblock could be added later.

The only reason I have a Ekwb on my Evga rtx 2080 ti is I bought the card with that wb after the owner upgraded when the 3090's hit the market.
I run a Ek pump, and 3 alphacool rads /fittings with my Heatkiller pro cpu wb.
So far I have never had any issues with any of the alphacool parts.

In my son's is Ek pump, Optimus Foundation cpu wb, hardware labs blackIce nem 360mm, 480mm Gts rads , alphacool fittings.

I have sent an email to alphacool asking if the are planning or working on a wb fot the Gigabyte rtx 4070 Windforce Oc but no response yet.

 

[ohio_buckeye]

As far as cpu, something like a 5700x even is a huge upgrade for you. You can also look at the 5800x3d or the 5700x3d as well. I think some above mentioned the 5800x3d.

As far as water block and all, could just get an aio and then run the gpu on air.

As far as gpu, I’d start out looking to see if there are any deals left on the 6800xt, should run with the 7800xt. Other than that I’d look at the 7800xt, then maybe see about the 7900gre. The 4070 is a fine card but the one thing I question is the 12gb vram.

 

[Crosslhs82x2]

He's already full loop.

 

[ringmany]

Soo I finally found out the cause of my GPU issues, turns out my hardware isn't dying, it's because I secretly had a bitcoin mining trojan on my PC that was hiding itself, didn't come up from virus scans and closed itself when opening task manager.

So there's no immediate need to upgrade my GPU now that I know it isn't a hardware issue. Since I now have more time to debate what kind of GPU I want as I thought the hardware was dying, I'm debating whether upgrading to a 4070, Raedeon or even a ti version is even worse it for 2k or 4k.

I'm currently playing RDR2 on my 1070 on max settings with shaders mods and it looks absolutely beautiful. Looking at various reviews and demos of 4070 ti and 4080 on 4k and it only just about reaches 60fps.

I've only ever gamed on 1080p. Do you think the upgrade to 2k or 4k is worth it? Is it going to make a significant difference like "OMG this is absolutely mind blowing". Would I be better waiting our several months for something new or a price change? As from what I've heard the 4X models are supposedly very overpriced for their performance

 

[Crosslhs82x2]

Well thats great news !!!!!
Did you get the Trojan removed?

I can't tell you anything about 4k except to get the most /best out of it a 80 / 90 series should be looked at.

Going to 1440p was a big difference from 1080p 60hz for me and very happy with it not to even thing about 4k.
I'm in hopes that my Evga rtx 2080 ti / Ek wb
Keeps me playing at 1440p till the rtx 6000 series comes out.
As you know for us to upgrade it's a little bit more involved as we are on water.
Looking at cards is 1 thing but, is there a W/B for that prospective card?, must be looked at before deciding on a card.

As fa as prices, I don't know if they will ever come down now especially when it comes to the upper tier cards.