Introduction: 1440p Gaming’s Sweet Spot
In 2025, 1440p resolution has cemented itself as the gaming sweet spot—offering better visuals than 1080p without the brutal GPU demands of 4K. Two of the top contenders in this space are the NVIDIA RTX 4070 Super and AMD RX 7800 XT, both offering strong price-to-performance ratios for gamers who want high frame rates without breaking the bank.
But which card is better for your setup, budget, and gaming preferences?
Performance: Frame Rates in Popular Titles
Let’s look at how each GPU performs in real-world benchmarks at 1440p Ultra settings:
Source: Digital Trends
Bar chart comparing RTX 4070 Super and RX 7800 XT average FPS in popular 1440p titles
| Game | RTX 4070 Super | RX 7800 XT |
|---|---|---|
| Cyberpunk 2077 (RT Off) | 95 FPS | 92 FPS |
| Starfield | 80 FPS | 84 FPS |
| Call of Duty: Warzone | 150 FPS | 155 FPS |
| Baldur’s Gate 3 | 120 FPS | 125 FPS |
| Hogwarts Legacy (RT On) | 70 FPS | 60 FPS |
Winner (Performance Overall): Tie – Depends on whether you value ray tracing or pure raster FPS.
Price-to-Performance: Which GPU Offers Better Value?
| GPU | MSRP (2025 Average) | Typical Sale Price | Performance per $ |
|---|---|---|---|
| RTX 4070 Super | $599 | ~$569 | Good |
| RX 7800 XT | $499 | ~$469 | Excellent |
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AMD continues to offer stronger value at lower prices, especially when ray tracing isn't a priority.
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NVIDIA’s premium is justified by DLSS 3 and better driver/stability support.
Winner (Value): RX 7800 XT
Ray Tracing and Upscaling: DLSS 3 vs FSR 3
Side-by-side visual comparison of DLSS 3 vs FSR 3 image quality in a game like Cyberpunk 2077
RTX 4070 Super
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Supports DLSS 3 with Frame Generation, delivering significant FPS boosts in supported games.
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Better RT performance in games like Cyberpunk 2077, Alan Wake 2, and Hogwarts Legacy.
RX 7800 XT
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Supports FSR 3, AMD’s open-source upscaling tech.
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Lags behind in ray tracing fidelity and performance compared to NVIDIA’s RT cores.
Winner (RT & Upscaling): RTX 4070 Super
VRAM and Future-Proofing
| GPU | VRAM | Memory Bus | Bandwidth |
|---|---|---|---|
| RTX 4070 Super | 12GB GDDR6X | 192-bit | 504 GB/s |
| RX 7800 XT | 16GB GDDR6 | 256-bit | 624 GB/s |
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The RX 7800 XT’s 16GB is more future-proof for memory-hungry games and mods.
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The 4070 Super’s GDDR6X is faster, but the smaller bus limits total bandwidth.
Winner (VRAM & Longevity): RX 7800 XT
Power Consumption and Thermals
Source: TechSpot
Line graph showing thermal output and power usage for RTX 4070 Super and RX 7800 XT during load
| GPU | Power Draw | Recommended PSU |
|---|---|---|
| RTX 4070 Super | ~220W | 650W |
| RX 7800 XT | ~260W | 700W |
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The 4070 Super is more power efficient, leading to cooler temps and quieter builds.
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The 7800 XT is still reasonable but pulls noticeably more wattage under load.
Winner (Efficiency): RTX 4070 Super
Ecosystem and Features
RTX 4070 Super:
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DLSS 3 + Frame Gen
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Reflex (input lag reduction)
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Broadcast (AI webcam tools)
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Better game driver support
RX 7800 XT:
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FSR 3 + Fluid Motion
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Smart Access Memory (with Ryzen CPUs)
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Competitive driver updates, though slightly slower
Winner (Features & Ecosystem): RTX 4070 Super
Final Verdict: Which Should You Buy?
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Rasterized Performance | RX 7800 XT |
| Ray Tracing & DLSS | RTX 4070 Super |
| VRAM & Longevity | RX 7800 XT |
| Power Efficiency | RTX 4070 Super |
| Price-to-Performance | RX 7800 XT |
If you're a competitive or ray tracing-focused gamer, the RTX 4070 Super offers stronger future-forward tech like DLSS 3 and NVIDIA's mature ecosystem.
If you're looking for raw power-per-dollar, especially in traditional gaming, the RX 7800 XT gives you more VRAM and performance at a lower price point.
