Nvidia RTX 5070: Where to buy and is it worth the upgrade?

WHERE TO BUY: The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 launches on March 5 with a starting price of $549. It will be available at Amazon and Best Buy, though third-party models may cost more.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 is here, and while it is not the most exciting upgrade, it is still the latest mid-range option in the 50-series lineup.

Performance is nearly identical to RTX 4070 Super, with only a slight lead in some games and even some losses in others. The only real improvement is the inclusion of DLSS 4, which allows Multi-Frame Generation to artificially boost frame rates. That comes with added latency, making it more useful for single-player games than competitive ones.

Shop Nvidia RTX 5070 from Amazon (pricing TBC)

• MSI RTX 5070 12G Gaming Trio OC Graphics Card (12GB GDDR7, 192-bit, Extreme Performance: 2625 MHz, DisplayPort x3 2.1a, HDMI 2.1b, NVIDIA Blackwell Architecture)

• MSI Gaming RTX 5070 12G Ventus 2X OC Graphics Card (12GB GDDR7, 192-bit, Extreme Performance: 2557 MHz, DisplayPort x3 2.1a, HDMI 2.1b, NVIDIA Blackwell Architecture)

• MSI Gaming RTX 5070 12G Vanguard SOC Launch Edition Graphics Card (12GB GDDR7, 192-bit, Extreme Performance: 2655 MHz, DisplayPort x 3 2.1a, HDMI 2.1b, NVIDIA Blackwell Architecture)

• MSI Gaming RTX 5070 12G Ventus 3X OC Graphics Card (12GB GDDR7, 192-bit, Extreme Performance: 2557 MHz, DisplayPort x3 2.1a, HDMI 2.1b, NVIDIA Blackwell Architecture)

• SI Gaming RTX 5070 12G Ventus 2X OC White Graphics Card (12GB GDDR7, 192-bit, Extreme Performance: 2557 MHz, DisplayPort x3 2.1a, HDMI 2.1b, NVIDIA Blackwell Architecture)

• MSI Gaming RTX 5070 12G Shadow 2X OC Graphics Card (12GB GDDR7, 192-bit, Extreme Performance: 2557 MHz, DisplayPort x3 2.1a, HDMI 2.1b, NVIDIA Blackwell Architecture)

• MSI Gaming RTX 5070 12G Shadow 3X OC Graphics Card (12GB GDDR7, 192-bit, Extreme Performance: 2557 MHz, DisplayPort x3 2.1a, HDMI 2.1b, NVIDIA Blackwell Architecture)

Shop Nvidia RTX 5070 from Best Buy

Nvidia RTX 5070 vs. RTX 4070 Super

At launch, RTX 5070 is priced at $549. That makes it $50 cheaper than the 4070 Super at launch, but that may not be enough to make up for the lack of a real generational jump. It is a reasonable choice for those who skipped the 40-series and are upgrading from something older. But it may be better to buy the 4070 Super if you can find stock.

For those who already have a RTX 4070 Super, I’ve noticed around a 15% bump in general performance from my MSI model by using a program called DLSS Swapper. This allows users to use DLSS 4 on 4000 series cards (usually locked to 3.5) and is managed by games that use the AI tech.

Here’s a spec comparison for RTX 5070 to RTX 4070 Super:

• CUDA Cores: 6,144 / 7,168

• VRAM: 12GB GDDR7 / 12GB GDDR6X

• Memory Bus:192-bit / 192-bit

• Power Draw: 250W / 220W

• DLSS Version: DLSS 4 / DLSS 3.5

For those set on getting RTX 5070, Amazon and Best Buy are the best places to look. Amazon will have a range of third-party models from brands like ASUS, MSI, and Gigabyte. Prices may vary, especially if resellers get involved. Best Buy is the most reliable place to find Nvidia’s Founders Edition cards, which tend to sell out quickly. Both stores will have stock at launch, but availability may change within hours.

The card itself is built on Nvidia’s Blackwell architecture and features 6,144 CUDA cores, 12GB of GDDR7 memory, and a 192-bit memory bus. The power draw is slightly higher than the previous generation, reaching 250W compared to the 220W of 4070 Super. That should not be an issue for most modern power supplies, but it is something to keep in mind for those with lower-wattage setups.

Buying a GPU at launch always comes with some risk. Prices may fluctuate, stock may disappear, and better deals may come up later. If RTX 5070 drops below $549, it becomes a more attractive option. If the 4070 Super stays in stock at a lower price, it may be worth choosing instead.

For those who do not want to wait, checking Amazon and Best Buy early on launch day is the best bet.