MSI GeForce RTX 5070 GAMING TRIO OC - Fantastic OC Performance
Quick Navigation
Introduction
RTX Blackwell - NVIDIA's Gaming Architecture for the AI Era
Specs and Test System
Physical Design and Cooling
The Games and Tests
Gaming Performance Analysis - 1080p, 1440p, and 4K
Benchmarks - 3DMark Synthetic Tests
Benchmarks - 1080p Gaming
Benchmarks - 1440p Gaming
Benchmarks - 4K Gaming
DLSS 4, Frame Generation, and the new Multi-Frame Generation
Path Tracing Performance - 1440p
Temperature and Power Efficiency
Final Thoughts
TweakTown's Rating: 87%
The Bottom Line
The MSI GeForce RTX 5070 GAMING TRIO delivers faster performance than the Founders Edition model and runs a lot cooler, too. Its performance matches the similarly priced Radeon RX 9070, with DLSS 4 giving it the edge. Still, it faces real competition from the Radeon RX 9070 XT.
Pros
Overclocking delivers excellent 1440p performance
DLSS 4 image quality in 1440p and 4K is fantastic
Up to 31% faster than the RTX 4070 for 4K gaming thanks to overclocking
MSI's new Gaming Trio design looks fantastic, and runs cool too
Path Tracing ready, but might require some tweaking
Cons
Should have shipped with 16GB of VRAM
Stiff competition from RDNA 4, especially the Radeon RX 9070 XT
No, it's not as fast as a GeForce RTX 4090
MSI's OC model is pricey
Should you buy it?
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Introduction
When we reviewed the MSI GeForce RTX 5070 Ti GAMING TRIO, we said that it was a GPU "built for overclocking" thanks to its excellent build quality and cooling. This is what you want when looking for a new GeForce RTX 50 Series card, as the GeForce RTX 5070 Ti and the GeForce RTX 5080 respond well to overclocking, which translates to performance you can see and feel when gaming.
With the MSI GeForce RTX 5070 GAMING TRIO OC, we approached this review from a similar mindset. Is it a GPU, like the GeForce RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5080, that you could easily overclock? The answer is a resounding yes. However, the RTX 5070 story has changed in the days following our GeForce RTX 5070 Founders Edition review. And that's because competition has arrived in the form of AMD's new RDNA 4 GPUs - the Radeon RX 9070 and the Radeon RX 9070 XT.
A quick look around the MSI GeForce RTX 5070 GAMING TRIO OC
When it comes to the baseline Radeon RX 9070, which features the same MSRP as the GeForce RTX 5070 at $549, we were supplied a GIGABYTE Radeon RX 9070 GAMING OC model by AMD for review. This overclocked model proved to be 5-6% faster than the GeForce RTX 5070 Founders Edition, on average, for 1440p and 4K gaming. Individual game performance varies, as expected, but the more accurate comparison should probably have been pitting the overclocked Radeon RX 9070 against the MSI GeForce RTX 5070 GAMING TRIO OC reviewed here. Out of the box, with a generous overclock, the MSI's GPU closes the 5-6% gap to deliver similar performance to the overclocked Radeon RX 9070 - meaning the difference between the GPUs comes down to features.
On the AMD front, the Radeon RX 9070 features 16GB of GDDR6 memory, a 33% higher VRAM capacity that can make a difference in 4K gaming. You might have to lower in-game settings for the GeForce RTX 5070 to achieve playable performance - something that could have been avoided if it shipped with 16 GB of fast GDDR7 memory instead of 12GB. On the GeForce front, you've got DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation and the game-changing AI transformer model for Super Resolution and Ray Reconstruction. Even with AMD looking to level the playing field, it would take at least a year (or longer) for its new FSR 4 AI solution to be available in enough titles to become a DLSS-like selling point.
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VIEW GALLERY - 71 IMAGES
In addition to DLSS adoption and more prevalent GeForce RTX software and app support, alongside superior content creation performance and features for video editors and graphic designers, the GeForce RTX 5070 also delivers better ray-tracing performance with entry-level Path Tracing. Even though the entire hardcore PC gaming community is firmly focused on the new Radeon RX 9070 XT at $599, which is a genuine disruptor at this price (OC models like the AORUS ELITE we reviewed currently cost anywhere between $750 to $850), the MSI GeForce RTX 5070 GAMING TRIO OC is still an excellent option for those looking for a 1440p performer.
In overclocked form, the MSI GeForce RTX 5070 GAMING TRIO OC is now 26% faster for 1440p gaming and 30% faster for 4K gaming than the GeForce RTX 4070 it replaces. It's also now a noticeably quicker GPU than the GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER refresh from 2024. With so many GPUs in the same performance bracket, this overclocked GeForce RTX 5070 sees the beefier Radeon RX 9070 XT's lead in 1440p and 4K gaming drop to 13%. And there's a lot more to the GeForce RTX 5070 story than just raw performance, as NVIDIA is leading the charge with RTX Neural Shaders which will shape how games look, perform, and run in the years to come.
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RTX Blackwell - NVIDIA's Gaming Architecture for the AI Era
Below is a summary of NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 50 Series and RTX Blackwell architecture, applicable to all models.
NVIDIA describes 'Neural Rendering,' which includes all previous versions of DLSS and the brand-new DLSS 4, as the 'next era for computer graphics.' They're not alone; the Lead System Architect for the PlayStation 5 Pro console, Mark Cerny, recently said that ray-tracing is the future of games and that AI will play an integral role in making that happen. DOOM: The Dark Ages developer id Software shared a similar sentiment, adding that the arrival of DLSS was an 'inflection point' for PC game visuals and performance and on par with the arrival of dedicated GPUs and programmable shaders.
With the arrival of the Blackwell generation and the GeForce RTX 50 Series, AI is now being used to accelerate programmable shaders with the brand-new RTX Neural Shaders. Yes, these are actual neural networks that use live game data, and the power of Tensor Cores to do everything from compress textures, render lifelike materials with a level of detail impossible to match using traditional rendering methods, and even use AI to partially trace rays and then infer "an infinite amount
of rays and bounces for a more accurate representation of indirect lighting in the game scene."
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RTX Mega Geometry is incredible in its own right; it essentially increases a scene's geometry detail and complexity (triangles or polygons) by up to 100x. 100 times the detail, it's hard to wrap your head around - but the added benefit in a game like Alan Wake 2 is dramatically improving the performance of the game's Full Ray Tracing or Path Tracing mode. With DLSS 4 and RTX Neural Shaders, NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 50 Series and RTX Blackwell architecture (which includes the same AI optimizations as data center Blackwell) can be viewed as the turning point for PC gaming - the moment when AI becomes integral to everything from designing a game to programming and then finally rendering it on a 4K display to play.
DLSS 4 includes more goodies than NVIDIA's highly touted new Multi Frame Generation technology, but let's start there. DLSS 3's version of Frame Generation has evolved with DLSS 4, powered by Blackwell hardware and software, and an innovative use of AI to generate frames 40% faster while using 30% less VRAM. Switching to a new model also means that Frame Generation and Multi-Frame Generation could soon come to GeForce RTX 20, 30, and RTX 40 Series owners. DLSS 4 benefits all GeForce RTX gamers.
With the 5th Generation of Tensor Cores in the GeForce RTX 50 Series delivering 2.5X more AI performance, NVIDIA's latest GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs can execute five complex AI models - covering Super Resolution, Ray Reconstruction, and Multi Frame Generation in a couple of milliseconds. Part of the reason it happens so quickly is the addition of hardware Flip Metering, which shifts frame pacing to the Blackwell display engine - the result is frame rates of up to 4K 240 FPS and higher without stuttering issues. With up to 15 of every 16 pixels generated by AI, the result is up to 8X the performance when compared to native rendering or rasterized performance.
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DLSS Super Resolution and Ray Reconstruction are also switching to a new 'Transformer' model, with over double the parameters and four times the compute requirement. This is one of the most exciting aspects of the GeForce RTX 50 Series, as it pushes DLSS into a new realm of image quality and performance. The best part is that it will work on all GeForce RTX GPUs; however, there will be a performance hit compared to running it on an RTX 50 Series GPU. Already available in games, DLSS 4's Transformer model is another DLSS 2.0-like moment for the technology, and the results speak for themselves.
Even better, DLSS 4 is integrated into the NVIDIA App with a new 'DLSS Override' feature that allows users to experience the latest tech without waiting for a patch or game update. DLSS 4 is built to be backward compatible, with 75 games and apps supported (so far).
It doesn't stop there, as the new AI Management Processor (AMP) allows AI models to share the GPU with graphics workloads. As a result, expect to see digital humans in games alongside AI assistants like NVIDIA's Project G-Assist becoming more prevalent in the coming years. This filters down to the creator side, with AI assistants for streamers, who will also benefit from the GeForce RTX 50 Series' expanded creator features.
RTX Blackwell introduces 4:2:2 chroma-sampled video encoding and decoding. The ninth-generation NVENC encoder also improves AV1 and HEVC quality. RTX Blackwell is a game changer for creators and editors, especially with the new low-voltage and cutting-edge GDDR7 memory that dramatically improves memory bandwidth and speed.
Specs and Test System
Specifications
Here's a look at the specs for the GeForce RTX 5070 compared to the previous generation's GeForce RTX 4070, GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER, and GeForce RTX 5070 Ti.
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GPU Specs GeForce RTX 5070 Ti GeForce RTX 5070 GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER GeForce RTX 4070
Architecture Blackwell Blackwell Ada Lovelace Ada Lovelace
Process TSMC 4N TSMC 4N TSMC 4N TSMC 4N
CUDA Cores 8960 6144 7168 5888
Tensor Cores (AI) 280 (5th Gen) 192 (5th Gen) 224 (4th Gen) 184 (4th Gen)
AI TOPS 1406 988 568 466
Ray Tracing Cores 70 (4th Gen) 48 (4th Gen) 56 (3rd Gen) 46 (3rd Gen)
GPU Boost Clock 2452 MHz 2512 MHz 2475 MHz 2475 MHz
Memory 16GB GDDR7 12GB GDDR7 12GB GDDR6X 12GB GDDR6X
Memory Interface 256 Bit 192 Bit 192 Bit 192 Bit
Bandwidth 896 GB/sec 672 GB/sec 504 GB/sec 504 GB/sec
TGP 300W 250W 220W 200W
Swipe / scroll right to see more ->
Without a process node shrink, a first for a GeForce RTX generation launch, the GeForce RTX 50 Series sees its improvements, breakthroughs, and unique features arrive via the new RTX Blackwell architecture and the move to cutting-edge and fast GDDR7 memory. Built on the same or similar custom TSMC 4N process as the GeForce RTX 4070 it replaces, the GeForce RTX 5070 is an excellent example of how RTX Blackwell can deliver more with less and leverage AI in new and exciting ways.
On paper, the GeForce RTX 5070 only has 4% more CUDA, Tensor, and RT Cores than the GeForce RTX 4070, and yet the MSI GeForce RTX 5070 GAMING TRIO OC delivers 30% faster performance in 4K. Compared to the GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER, the GeForce RTX 5070 features 14% fewer CUDA, Tensor, and RT Cores. And yet, even with this deficit, the MSI GeForce RTX 5070 GAMING TRIO OC delivers 13% faster 4K gaming performance. The MSI GeForce RTX 5070 GAMING TRIO OC ships with 2610 MHz Boost Clock speed, which increases to 2625 MHz with MSI Center, a nice 100+ MHz increase over the reference spec.
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Although the 12GB of GDDR7 memory features 33% more bandwidth than the 12GB of GDDR6X memory found in the GeForce RTX 4070 and RTX 4070 SUPER, a lot of the performance can be attributed to next-gen Tensor and RT Cores, refinements to the ins and outs of RTX Blackwell architecture, and other changes. Outside of gaming performance, the GeForce RTX 5070 is a game changer for AI performance thanks to FP4 support that sees it deliver double the AI performance of the RTX 4070 and RTX 4070 SUPER.
DisplayPort 2.1, PCIe Gen5, and NVIDIA's latest NVENC hardware for video encoding see the content creation side of the GeForce RTX 5070 level up, too, bolstered by new software and features, such as the revamped RTX Broadcast. It doesn't stop there as the AI capabilities of RTX Blackwell will see the arrival of AI companions for performance optimization, in-game support, and even for streaming.
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Item Details
GPU GeForce RTX 5070
GPU Codename GB205
Model MSI GeForce RTX 5070 12G GAMING TRIO OC
Interface PCI Express Gen 5
SMs 48
CUDA Cores 6144
Tensor Cores (AI) 988 AI TOPS (5th Gen)
Ray Tracing Cores 94 TFLOPS (4th Gen)
Boost Clock Speed 2610 MHz, 2625 MHz (MSI Center)
Memory 12GB GDDR7
Memory Interface 192-bit
Memory Bandwidth 672 GB/sec
L2 Cache Size 48 MB
TGP 250W
Display 3 x DisplayPort 2.1b with UHBR20, 1 x HDMI 2.1b
Display Output Up to 4K 12-bit HDR at 480Hz, Up to 8K 12-bit HDR at 165Hz
Power Input 16-pin PCIe (2 x 8-pin to 1 x 16-pin adaptor included)
Dimensions 338 x 140 x 50mm
Weight 1187 grams
Kosta's Test System
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Item Details
Motherboard ASUS ROG CROSSHAIR X670E HERO
CPU AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
GPU NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Founders Edition
Display MSI MAG 321UPX QD-OLED 4K 240 Hz
Cooler ASUS ROG RYUO III 360 ARGB
RAM 32GB DDR5-6000 Corsair DOMINATOR TITANIUM RGB
SSD Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus-G M.2 PCIe Gen 4 SSD 4TB, Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus Plus M.2 PCIe Gen 4 SSD 8TB
Power Supply ASUS TUF Gaming 1000W Gold
Case Corsair 5000D AIRFLOW Tempered Glass Mid-Tower ATX PC Case
OS Microsoft Windows 11 Pro 64-bit
Physical Design and Cooling
MSI's Gaming Trio design has been around for a while, and with the GeForce RTX 50 Series, the company is introducing the most impressive version of the design so far. The revamped look includes a new sleek design with LED lighting underneath a frosted cover, a holographic MSI dragon logo on the rear vent, and MSI's new STORMFORCE fans. Designed for optimal airflow and low noise, the MSI GeForce RTX 5070 GAMING TRIO OC not only stays cool when gaming but also quiet. Even when overclocked to deliver 6% faster 4K gaming performance than the GeForce RTX 5070 Founders Edition.
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MSI's TRI FROZR 4 Thermal Design is a winner, with STORMFORCE fans, nickel-plated copper baseplate, square-shaped core pipes for optimal heat transfer, and wave-shaped fins. The metal backplate includes a generous vent for airflow, and in practice the MSI GeForce RTX 5070 GAMING TRIO OC's design ensures that it runs significantly cooler than NVIDIA's Founders Edition model, even when you apply a manual overclock of an addition 200 MHz with MSI Afterburner.
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The MSI GeForce RTX 5070 GAMING TRIO OC is also relatively compact for an OC model with dimensions of 338 x 140 x 50 mm and a weight of 1187 grams. Like all MSI GeForce RTX 50 Series cards, it ships with a support stand; however, it's not required once securely installed. Granted, you probably should minimize the chances of long-term GPU sag, but compared to cards like MSI's new premium VANGUARD, the GAMING TRIO is over 20% lighter.
The Games and Tests
PC gaming not only covers a wide range of genres and styles, from indie games with simple 2D graphics to massive 3D worlds lit by cutting-edge real-time ray tracing technology. With that, the needs and requirements of each gamer vary. High refresh rates and latency reduction become more important than flashy visuals or playing at the highest resolution possible for those who live and breathe fast-paced competitive games. For those who want to live in a cinematic world and become a key player in an expansive narrative, ray-tracing, and high-fidelity visuals are a stepping stone toward immersion.
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Our chosen benchmarks cover various games, engines, APIs, and technologies. For the GeForce RTX 5070, all tests are run at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K and include results for performance-boosting Super Resolution technologies like NVIDIA DLSS 4 - including Frame Generation and the new Multi Frame Generation. In many ways, DLSS numbers are more important in 2025 than native rendering - a title with ray tracing isn't meant to be played without Super Resolution. Also, DLSS technologies like Ray Reconstruction and the new RTX Mega Geometry dramatically improve visual fidelity and detail compared to native rendering. However, our benchmark results are still sorted using 'raw performance' or native rendering.
Here's the breakdown of games, settings, and what's being tested.
Games and Settings Benchmarked
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Game Details
Black Myth: Wukong A high-impact Unreal Engine 5 test showcasing a detailed cinematic world. The in-game benchmark tool with the 'Very High' fidelity setting without ray-tracing and with DLSS and FSR.
Cyberpunk 2077 Competitive multiplayer FPS test with DLSS and FSR. The in-game multiplayer benchmark tool is used with 'Ultra' quality settings.
Counter-Strike 2 Competitive multiplayer FPS test running on Valve's Source 2 engine. A stress test mod map is used to showcase CS2 at its most demanding.
Cyberpunk 2077 Cinematic open-world test with stunning visuals and DLSS and FSR. The in-game benchmark tool is used with 'Ultra' quality settings without ray-tracing.
Cyberpunk 2077 (RT) Cinematic open-world test with stunning visuals and DLSS and FSR. The in-game benchmark tool is used with the demanding 'Ray Tracing Ultra' quality setting.
DOOM Eternal (RT) Fast-paced single-player FPS gaming running on the id Tech and Vulkan with DLSS. The Mars Core campaign mission is used to benchmark.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard (RT) Cinematic RPG from veteran studio BioWare, benchmarking the action-packed introduction sequence with Ultra quality settings including ray-tracing with DLSS and FSR.
F1 24 (RT) Racing game with hardware-intensive in-race ray-traced visuals and DLSS and FSR. The in-game benchmark tool is used, with 'Ultra High' quality settings on a single lap of the Bahrain track.
Horizon Forbidden West Cinematic open-world test with stunning visuals and DLSS and FSR. The opening section is tested using the 'Very High' quality setting.
Marvel Rivals Multiplayer hero shooter set in the Marvel universe, in-game Practise Range map used to benchmark with 'Ultra' quality settings, DLSS and FSR.
Resident Evil 4 (RT) Capcom's visually impressive remake, Chapter 1 - The Village used to benchmark with 'Max' settings.
Returnal (RT) Third-person action roguelike with in-built benchmark that tests environment destruction, particle effects, ray-traced reflections, and more.
Total War: Warhammer III Action-packed real-time strategy with hundreds of on-screen characters. The in-game 'Battle' benchmark tool is used with the 'Ultra' quality setting.
Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 Cinematic third-person action game with impressive visuals. Opening mission tested using 'Ultra' quality setting with DLSS and FSR.
Path Tracing Games and Settings Benchmarked
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Game Details
Alan Wake 2 Full Path Tracing tested in 1440p using the new 'Ultra' setting with DLSS 4, Frame Generation, and Multi Frame Generation. Bright Falls town used to test.
Cyberpunk 2077 In-game benchmark tool used with the demanding 'RT Overdrive' or full Path Tracing mode, with DLSS 4 Performance, Frame Generation, and Multi Frame Generation.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Full Ray Tracing tested in this stunning first-person cinematic game, Marshall College walkthrough used to test with DLSS 4.
Gaming Performance Analysis - 1080p, 1440p, and 4K
Average Gaming Performance - 1080p Results
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As we see more mid-range and mainstream GPU launches arrive in 2025, we'll include more 1080p performance analysis. Here the MSI GeForce RTX 5070 GAMING TRIO OC delivers performance that is on par with the overclocked Radeon RX 9070, while also being 20% faster than the GeForce RTX 4070. The lead over the GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER is only 6%, however, this also means that when it comes to 1080p gaming, the beefier GeForce RTX 5070 Ti and overclocked Radeon RX 9070 XT are only 9% faster. This means these mid-range GPUs are running into bottlenecks or software limitations at this resolution, so they're being positioned as 1440p and 4K gaming cards first and foremost.
Average Gaming Performance - 1440p Results
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The MSI GeForce RTX 5070 GAMING TRIO OC is an excellent 1440p gaming GPU, and at this resolution, the RTX Blackell mid-range offering gets to stretch its legs. The 119 FPS average, which increases to 141 FPS with DLSS 4 and DLSS 3 using the 'Quality' preset, is virtually identical to the performance we saw with the overclocked Radeon RX 9070. The MSI GeForce RTX 5070 GAMING TRIO OC's raw performance here is 26.6% faster than the GeForce RTX 4070 and GeForce RTX 3080, two cards still great for PC gaming. Here, it's also faster than the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti with overall performance that is also on par with the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER - a fantastic result. However, its lead over the GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER is still only 9%.
If you're looking for a GPU strictly for 1440p, then the GeForce RTX 5070 could be the way to go as the GeForce RTX 5070 Ti's lead over MSI's Gaming Trio model sits at 17.6% - with the RTX 5070 delivering better value for money when overclocked. Comparing RTX Blackwell to RDNA 4, performance does vary from game to game, with the Radeon RX 9000 Series dominating the GeForce RTX 50 Series in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. On that same note, the GeForce RTX 5070 delivers faster performance than the Radeon RX 9070 XT and GeForce RTX 5070 Ti in the popular Counter-Strike 2.
The MSI GeForce RTX 5070 GAMING TRIO OC shows that NVIDIA still has the edge in games with hardware-intensive ray-tracing workloads, but RDNA 4's significant improvements in this department mean that the GeForce RTX 5070 only delivers 6.7% faster performance in Cyberpunk 2077 at 1440p using the 'RT Ultra' preset when compared to the Radeon RX 9070. Surprisingly, the two GPUs outside Path Tracing perform similarly in ray-tracing titles. Still, the Radeon RX 9070 performs notably faster in a couple of titles - Dragon Age: The Veilguard and F1 24.
Average Gaming Performance - 4K Results
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With NVIDIA moving to faster GDDR7 memory for the GeForce RTX 50 Series, this has led to increased performance in titles where memory bandwidth is a factor. However, it's disappointing that the GeForce RTX 5070 hasn't launched with 16GB of VRAM as this would have helped differentiate its 4K gaming potential from the GeForce RTX 4070 and RTX 4070 SUPER it replaces. Even so, 12GB proves to be enough for most modern games using Ultra-quality like settings, and here, the MSI GeForce RTX 5070 GAMING TRIO OC delivers impressive performance 31% faster than the GeForce RTX 4070.
Here, it's also 13.6% faster than the GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER with overall 4K gaming performance that is on par with an overclocked Radeon RX 9070 and slightly slower than the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER. On average, the Radeon RX 9070 XT is 13.4% faster for 4K gaming and the GeForce RTX 5070 Ti is 20% faster - making these two GPUs more suited to this resolution than the GeForce RTX 5070. Individual results do vary, with the Radeon RX 9070 pulling ahead in titles like Call of Duty and Cyberpunk 2077 (without ray-tracing), and the MSI GeForce RTX 5070 GAMING TRIO OC pulling ahead in titles like Counter-Strike 2, Returnal, and Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2.
The good news is that DLSS 4's new transformer AI Super Resolution model delivers stunning results in 4K. You can use the DLSS 'Performance' preset, which renders the game in 1080p before applying that DLSS 4 magic. Image quality is comparable to native rendering with TAA but improved in some aspects like motion clarity and distant object detail. It's so good that if a game features DLSS 4 support, you can be sure that the GeForce RTX 5070 can deliver fantastic 4K performance.
Benchmarks - 3DMark Synthetic Tests
3DMark offers a suite of synthetic benchmarks built to test GPUs in various scenarios. 3DMark Steel Nomad is a cutting-edge DirectX 12 benchmark with newer, modern rendering techniques designed to push GPUs to their limit. The 'Light' version tests at 1440p, while the main Steel Nomad benchmark tests pure native 4K rendering. Port Royal is a benchmark focusing exclusively on real-time ray tracing for lighting effects like reflections, shadows, and more.
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With some in-game results showing the Radeon RX 9070 easily outperforming the MSI GeForce RTX 5070 GAMING TRIO OC, others showing them performing roughly on par, and even more giving the RTX 5070 the edge, the 1440p Steel Nomad Light and 4K Steel Nomad synthetic benchmark results reflect this. In the 4K test, the Radeon RX 9070 takes the lead (possibly due to the increased 16GB of VRAM capacity), while the 1440p test shows the MSI GeForce RTX 5070 GAMING TRIO OC takes the lead. These results show the MSI GeForce RTX 5070 GAMING TRIO OC pulling ahead of the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti (not the 16GB SUPER variant), which we can see in the individual game benchmark results below.
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Seeing the overclocked Radeon RX 9070 deliver a higher ray-tracing benchmark score than the MSI GeForce RTX 5070 GAMING TRIO OC is impressive, and shows that AMD and its new RDNA 4 architecture has made significant strides when it comes to RT performance. In games with lighter ray-tracing workloads, the Radeon RX 9070 does deliver faster performance than the GeForce RTX 5070, even MSI's overclocked model - however, the GeForce RTX 50 Series has the edge when it comes to Path Tracing and image quality thanks to DLSS 4. The good news is that the GeForce RTX 5070 offers more significant gains than rasterized performance compared to the GeForce RTX 4070 and RTX 4070 SUPER.
Benchmarks - 1080p Gaming
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Benchmarks - 1440p Gaming
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Benchmarks - 4K Gaming
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DLSS 4, Frame Generation, and the new Multi-Frame Generation
DLSS 4 and Multi Frame Generation are impressive bits of technology, thanks mainly to the overall improvements to performance and latency on the Frame Generation side and the new 'Transformer' model for Super Resolution and Ray Reconstruction. We used the DLSS 'Quality' mode preset for these benchmarks, often delivering better-than-native image quality.
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Multi Frame Generation is exclusive to the GeForce RTX 50 Series, and it's a performance boosting (or smoothing) technology that works well when paired with the right game and baseline performance. Looking at Cyberpunk 2077's hardware-intensive 'RT Ultra' mode, the 79 FPS of DLSS 4's Super Resolution can turn into 132 FPS with 2X Multi Frame Generation or 232 FPS with 4X Multi Frame Generation. With baseline performance of around 80 FPS, responsiveness is excellent and you don't notice many artefacts. The benefit to smoothness and motion clarity is immediately noticeable, so Multi Frame Generation is the sort of technology you must experience first-hand to understand or appreciate what it brings. However, you need a high-refresh rate display to match the performance or tune MFG to maximize your display's output.
Path Tracing Performance - 1440p
Path Tracing, or Full Ray Tracing, arrived with the GeForce RTX 40 Series and DLSS 3 and is leveling up with the GeForce RTX 50 Series and DLSS 4. It's only possible thanks to AI technologies like DLSS Super Resolution, Ray Reconstruction, and RTX Neural Shader technology like RTX Mega Geometry. It's designed specifically for these technologies, and we're only including native or rasterized performance to highlight just how intensive it is on a GPU like the GeForce RTX 5070. In fact, outside of the massive increase in performance, these games also look notably worse without DLSS 4.
Path Tracing is a mode that requires technologies like DLSS to deliver a playable frame-rate, and cutting-edge image quality, and the MSI GeForce RTX 5070 GAMING TRIO OC can provide great performance at 1440p. DLSS 4's new transformer AI model for Super Resolution and Ray Reconstruction is the real star, alongside Multi Frame Generation, as the 79 FPS or 123 FPS you get in Alan Wake 2 looks significantly better than running the game natively without DLSS. As this game also includes NVIDIA's brand-new RTX Mega Geometry technology, the MSI GeForce RTX 5070 GAMING TRIO OC can benefit from an additional 10-15% boost to performance thanks to RTX Neural Shaders. However, we'd call the GeForce RTX's Path Tracing performance entry-level as Cyberpunk's RT Overdrive mode only just hits the performance threshold where you would enable Frame Generation to hit triple-digit performance.
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Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is an excellent example of the GeForce RTX advantage when it comes to Path Tracing performance as the MSI GeForce RTX 5070 GAMING TRIO OC is 67% faster than the Radeon RX 9070 and 36% faster than the Radeon RX 9070 XT here. FSR upscaling closes the gap, but image quality is noticeably worse and less detailed than DLSS 4's upgraded Super Resolution. This is a rare Path Tracing game that delivers a playable and smooth experience without Frame Generation. However, it's worth noting that as the MSI GeForce RTX 5070 GAMING TRIO OC only features 12GB of VRAM, you have to lower the texture pool size to hit this level of performance. This doesn't impact image quality, but it's another example that shows that the GeForce RTX 5070 should have shipped with 16GB of fast GDDR7.
Temperature and Power Efficiency
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For our stress test, we manually overclock the MSI GeForce RTX 5070 GAMING TRIO OC to see how the GPU's thermal performance stacked up when really pushed to its limit (or thereabouts). With a GPU temperature of only 60 degrees Celsius, you're looking at an RTX 5070 card tailor-made for overclocking. And as it's the most efficient GeForce RTX 50 Series card to date, it draws significantly less power than its Radeon RX 9000 Series counterparts and the GeForce RTX 5070 Ti.
Final Thoughts
When we reviewed the GeForce RTX 5070 Founders Edition we noted that it only offered a modest generational raw performance uplift over the GeForce RTX 4070. With the MSI GeForce RTX 5070 GAMING TRIO OC, that modest uplift becomes more significant with the overclocked variant delivering around 5-6% faster 1440p and 4K gaming performance. You can push even higher clock and memory speeds for more impressive results. 6% might not sound like much, but if you look at our benchmark charts, you will notice that many GPUs deliver similar performance. So that 6% is enough for it to leap frog over a few RDNA 3 and GeForce RTX 40 Series models.
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Compared to AMD's similarly priced Radeon RX 9070, the MSI GeForce RTX 5070 GAMING TRIO OC delivers similar performance - with the RDNA 4 card taking the lead in some titles and the GeForce RTX 5070 pulling ahead in others. For those looking for a capable 1440p ray-tracing GPU, the GeForce RTX 5070 has the edge thanks to DLSS 4 and the better image quality with Ray Reconstruction. It's also an entry-level Path Tracing GPU, where RDNA 4 is more proof of concept as AMD lacks a Ray Reconstruction alternative and FSR 4 adoption is very limited (right now).
As with every GeForce RTX 50 Series release, the MSI GeForce RTX 5070 GAMING TRIO OC makes more sense as an upgrade from the GeForce RTX 30 Series instead of the GeForce RTX 40 Series. However, with the arrival of the Radeon RX 9070 XT for $599, and assuming you can find an MSRP model, AMD's RDNA 4 disruptor is easily the best overall 'bang for your buck' GPU release of 2025. For the GeForce RTX 5070 to make sense as a worthwhile mid-range purchase over the Radeon RX 9070 XT, you'd want to be a gamer or creator that would take full advantage of its features - from DLSS 4 to video encoding and decoding to Neural Rendering and Multi Frame Generation.
Performance 85%
Quality 94%
Features 94%
Value 76%
Overall 87%
The Bottom Line
The MSI GeForce RTX 5070 GAMING TRIO delivers faster performance than the Founders Edition model and runs a lot cooler, too. Its performance matches the similarly priced Radeon RX 9070, with DLSS 4 giving it the edge. Still, it faces real competition from the Radeon RX 9070 XT.
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