RTX 4070 Laptop vs RTX 5060 Laptop

Cores, clocks and architecture

The RTX 4070 Laptop GPU is an Ada Lovelace part with 4,608 CUDA cores, a 1230 to 2175 MHz boost clock range, third-generation RT cores and fourth-generation Tensor cores. The RTX 5060 Laptop GPU is a Blackwell part with 3,328 CUDA cores, a 1455 to 2497 MHz boost clock range, fourth-generation RT cores and fifth-generation Tensor cores. NVIDIA lists 321 AI TOPS for the RTX 4070 Laptop GPU and 572 AI TOPS for the RTX 5060 Laptop GPU. Core counts across two generations are not a like-for-like measure of gaming speed.

GPU power is set by the laptop maker

NVIDIA lists a GPU subsystem power range of 35 to 115 W for the RTX 4070 Laptop GPU and 45 to 100 W for the RTX 5060 Laptop GPU. Each laptop maker chooses where its model sits in that range, and cooling decides how long it can hold that power. A high-power RTX 5060 laptop and a low-power RTX 4070 laptop can trade places, so compare the exact models' GPU power figures.

DLSS and frame generation

NVIDIA lists DLSS 3, with Super Resolution and Frame Generation, for the RTX 4070 Laptop GPU. For the RTX 5060 Laptop GPU it lists DLSS Super Resolution, DLAA, Ray Reconstruction, Frame Generation and Dynamic Multi Frame Generation. Multi Frame Generation is the 50 Series feature the RTX 4070 laptop does not get, and it only applies in games that support it.

Video encoding

NVIDIA lists one eighth-generation NVENC encoder on the RTX 4070 Laptop GPU and one ninth-generation NVENC encoder on the RTX 5060 Laptop GPU.

How to choose between two same-price laptops

Look past the GPU name. Check each model's GPU power, the CPU, at least 16 GB of system memory, the screen's resolution and refresh rate, the cooling design, whether it has a MUX switch or Advanced Optimus, and the warranty in your country. If the two laptops are otherwise equal, choose the RTX 4070 laptop for its larger core count and higher power ceiling, or the RTX 5060 laptop for GDDR7 and Multi Frame Generation support.