Nvidia’s new budget GeForce RTX 5070 graphics card, priced at $550, was presented by CEO Jensen Huang at CES 2025 as outperforming the $1,600 RTX 4090. However, recent reviews contradict this claim, and the card is selling out despite increased prices.
Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 5070 falls short of performance claims
Reviews for the GeForce RTX 5070 compared its performance to the RTX 4090, calling Huang’s claim a “flat-out lie,” according to tech channel Gamers Nexus. Linus Tech Tips titled their review, “This is a 4090 Killer… and I’m a Liar,” while Ars Technicacategorized the RTX 5070 as “hard to classify… other than a disappointment.”
Testing revealed the RTX 5070’s performance to be only slightly above that of the previous year’s 4070 Super, with an increased power consumption. The only context where Nvidia’s performance parity claim holds any weight involves the use of their DLSS Multi-Frame Generation technology and its framerate interpolation, which led to sluggishness and visual artifacts in games like Cyberpunk 2077.
Market challenges and pricing issues
Current market conditions have been chaotic and undersupplied, making it unlikely for consumers to find the RTX 5070 at its official $550 MSRP. According to PC Mag, stock on launch day quickly sold out, raising questions about whether the cards were effectively available at launch. Available units are reportedly priced at $650 or higher, with scalper listings reaching into the $1,000s.
AMD’s new Radeon RX 9070 line, which has received positive reviews, presents some competition, although it is also priced above its $550-600 MSRP yet appears to be less scarce overall. Market dynamics influenced by trade wars and the ongoing AI arms race further complicate the graphics card landscape, highlighting the need for viable alternatives to Nvidia.
Featured image credit: Nvidia
