NVIDIA and AMD are the big two on the GPU market in 2024, each having their own variety of products for gamers, AI enthusiasts and content creators. The battle for 2024 supremacy continues and the question comes down to which brand performs best? In this article we will explore the specs, performance benchmarks and value propositions of both brands and compare across multiple categories so you can make an educated choice.
NVIDIA vs AMD: A Quick Overview
Each option, NVIDIA and AMD, have unique strengths and choosing which option is dependent on your budget and needs:
- NVIDIA: After displacing Intel and AMD from the high end with its ray tracing heavy GPUs like the RTX 3090, the RTX 4090 sells for $1,600, NVIDIA clearly controls the high end market, with its GPUs differentiated by superior ray tracing capabilities, DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), and a ton of CUDA cores.
- AMD: AMD offers great price to performance in the mid and budget segment. The Radeon RX 7000 series relies on the latest RDNA 3 architecture, which is fierce competition with NVIDIA cards, usually outperforming them for the money.
Key Factors to Compare
We’ll then compare to determine which brand offers the best GPU in 2024:
- Frame rates and support (resolution)
- Ray Tracing and Graphics Quality.
- Power Consumption and Efficiency
- Price-to-Performance Ratio
- Features of technology (DLSS vs. FSR, NVENC vs. VCN)
Click here: GTX 1650 vs RX 6500 XT
2024 High-End GPUs: NVIDIA RTX 4090 vs AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX
To begin with, let’s compare two high end powerhouses: the NVIDIA RTX 4090 and the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX. Both GPUs were built for enthusiasts seeking 4K gaming performance and AI use, as well as content creation.
| Feature | NVIDIA RTX 4090 | AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX |
| Architecture | Ada Lovelace | RDNA 3 |
| CUDA Cores | 16,384 | N/A |
| Stream Processors | N/A | 5,120 |
| Base Clock Speed | 2.23 GHz | 2.3 GHz |
| Boost Clock Speed | 2.52 GHz | 2.5 GHz |
| VRAM | 24 GB GDDR6X | 24 GB GDDR6 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 1,008 GB/s | 960 GB/s |
| Ray Tracing Cores | 3rd Gen RT Cores | 2nd Gen Ray Accelerators |
| DLSS/FSR Support | DLSS 3 | FSR 2.0 |
| TDP | 450W | 355W |
| Price | $1,599+ | $1,099+ |
Performance Summary
- NVIDIA RTX 4090: Raw performance wise, the RTX 4090 is a beast. At 16,384 CUDA cores, this utterly pummels 4K gaming and ray tracing into requiring fewer frames per second than the RX 7900 XTX.
- AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX: Raw GPU power wise, the RTX 4090 is slightly ahead of the RX 7900 XTX, but FSR 2.0 is solid 4K performance from the former. But it’s a great bang for bucks if you want value in the high end GPU space.
Mid-Range GPUs: NVIDIA RTX 4060 Ti vs AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT
If you’re not so demanding of your performance as a gamer, then mid range GPUs make a great option. However, in the App stores, we compare the performance of the two cards: NVIDIA RTX 4060 Ti and AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT — that still want the 1080p or 1440p details but on a budget:
| Feature | NVIDIA RTX 4060 Ti | AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT |
| Architecture | Ada Lovelace | RDNA 3 |
| CUDA Cores | 4,358 | N/A |
| Stream Processors | N/A | 2,048 |
| Base Clock Speed | 2.31 GHz | 2.6 GHz |
| Boost Clock Speed | 2.54 GHz | 2.8 GHz |
| VRAM | 8 GB GDDR6 | 8 GB GDDR6 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 288 GB/s | 256 GB/s |
| Ray Tracing Cores | 3rd Gen RT Cores | 2nd Gen Ray Accelerators |
| DLSS/FSR Support | DLSS 3 | FSR 2.0 |
| TDP | 220W | 165W |
| Price | $399 | $349 |
Performance Summary
- NVIDIA RTX 4060 Ti: Solid in 1080p and 1440p gaming, ray tracing support and the SLDS 3.0 for more smooth frame rates and image quality.
- AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT: With solid graphics but no ray tracing, it’s a great 1080p and 1440p performer, and, due to its price, a cheaper alternative to NVIDIA’s RTX 4060 Ti.
Power Consumption and Efficiency Comparison
| GPU | TDP (W) | Recommended PSU (W) | Efficiency Rating |
| NVIDIA RTX 4090 | 450W | 850W+ | Low Efficiency (High Power) |
| AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX | 355W | 750W+ | High Efficiency (Lower Power) |
| NVIDIA RTX 4060 Ti | 220W | 600W+ | High Efficiency (Mid-Range) |
| AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT | 165W | 550W+ | Very High Efficiency (Budget-Friendly) |
Power Efficiency Summary
- Most of AMD Radeon GPUs have lower TDPs and higher power efficiencies compared to high end NVIDIA models like the RTX 4090.
- AMD’s GPUs are a great Balance between Performance and Efficiency if you are building a power aware system.
Ray Tracing Performance Comparison
But ray tracing has a huge advantage to the visual quality of games at the same time, which comes at the expense of the GPU. In this post, I’ll explain how each GPU tackles ray tracing in real time.
| Game | NVIDIA RTX 4090 (Ray Tracing, 4K) | AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX (Ray Tracing, 4K) |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 85-100 FPS | 55-65 FPS |
| Control | 90-110 FPS | 60-75 FPS |
| Shadow of the Tomb Raider | 120 FPS | 85 FPS |
Ray Tracing Performance Summary:
- AMD should have a more thrilling contender to the RTX 4090 with its RDNA 3, but as disappointing as that may sound, ray tracing remains a fairly straightforward showcase of pure rendering horsepower between the premium GeForce RTX 40 series and the RDNA 3.
- AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX handles ray tracing with some solid performance, but is one spot behind GPU ray tracing performance in some titles with strong ray tracing effects:
Technological Features: DLSS vs. FSR
So we can still contrast upscaling techs from NVIDIA’s DLSS and AMD’s FSR, technologies that, rather than squeezing framerate for reasons of fidelity, allow for more frames, all without reducing fidelity in the name of more framerate;
| Feature | NVIDIA DLSS 3.0 | AMD FSR 2.0 |
| Supported GPUs | RTX 3000 & 4000 Series | RDNA 2 & RDNA 3 Series |
| Upscaling Quality | High (AI-enhanced upscaling) | Very High (Near-native image quality) |
| Frame Rate Boost | Up to 2x frame rate increase | Up to 1.5x frame rate increase |
| Compatibility | Broad (many supported games) | Limited (fewer supported titles) |
| Ray Tracing Support | Excellent Ray Tracing + DLSS 3.0 boost | Good Ray Tracing + FSR 2.0 boost |
Upscaling Technologies Summary:
- With DLSS 3.0 titles that support ray tracing will upscale, and of course, this is where NVIDIA has a big advantage. Powered by AI, it delivers better performance with a small bit of loss in the image quality.
- While FSR 2.0 can raise frame rates, it isn’t as advanced with the AI powered capabilities of DLSS, so it’s simply a more general solution for AMD users.
Conclusion: Which GPU Should You Choose in 2024?
- For Enthusiast Gamers: NVIDIA RTX 4090 also has the best raw performance in 4K gaming, ray tracing and AI enhanced upscaling if that’s most important to you. High end gaming and professional work flows.
- For Mid-Range Gamers: If you are a gamer looking for an AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX with 4K performance without bankrupting yourself, beware… the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX is a steal. For those who don’t have as much to spend, the RX 7600 XT is a good pick.
- For Budget-Conscious Gamers: AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT is fantastic against 1080p and 1440p gaming, with FSR support and comes at a much lower price.
But all boils down to requirement and budgets. Both NVIDIA and AMD will provide premium features, and value for money propositions in 2024 respectively.