NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Founders Edition Review

Introduction

Usually these articles will start off with an introduction to the technology, the new stuff that goes into the graphics card but with everyone on edge looking forward to how this card performs, this review will skip those and just jump straight to the performance details. NVIDIA positioned the RTX 3070 as the ideal upgrade card for mainstream gamers. With performance compared to an RTX 2080 Ti, the previous-gen flagship, there is literally no reason for this card to be bad… that is unless NVIDIA oversold this card as well. The NVIDIA RTX 3080 was a good card, it had the generational leap that one would expect but we’re told that performance is something else that its not, you suddenly get the feeling that you don’t want to trust the rest of the promises that Jensen dropped in his launch keynote.

With that said, I’ve tempered my expectation already. If this card performs the same as an RTX 2080 Ti then good. If it performs faster than an RTX 2080 Ti, better. But if it performs worse, then some value analysis is in order but let’s save that for the conclusion. For now, let’s dive right in with our NVIDIA RTX 3070 Founders Edition review.

And just to get it out right now, there’s no stability issues with the current driver that I encountered in pure stock usage. I have 3 cards right now. Just wanted to get that out first.

Related: ZOTAC RTX 3070 Twin Edge OC Review

Closer Look – NVIDIA RTX 3070 Founders Edition

PCIe Gen3 vs. Gen4

NOTE: This is an excerpt from my NVIDIA RTX 3080 to confirm if PCI Gen4 has a performance impact on the new RTX 30 series cards. Quick answer is no. But read on for more details:

We’ll start this off with the most frequently asked question: do I need to have PCIe Gen4 to maximize the RTX 3080? We’ll answer that here. Given that PCI Express Gen4 is only present on AMD platforms, this test will answer two questions: 1) does Gen4 have an impact and 2) do we test with Intel or AMD?

Here are our two test bench that we maintain for situations like this. I was already considering switching to AMD earlier this year but with Intel still holding on to their performance crown by a little bit, we stay for 1 more generation. Back to our test, our two systems will help us show show which system to use for this review.

For testing, we use the Final Fantasy XV benchmark. I find this benchmark more realistic than 3DMark Time Spy but speaking of 3DMark, here’s a quick summary of some tests done with 3DMark for our Gen3 vs Gen4 comparison:

This tests goes through the feature tests as well as the more intense benchmarks from the 3DMark suite. We have a 2080 Ti on the Intel system just for a quick comparison if we do get a massive jump. There is a PCI Express test in 3DMark and we can see have an improvement there, proving that gen4 is still indeed present but in actual GPU performance, Gen4 does not really impact everything as the Intel system proves the better system from pure synthetics.

Back to Final Fantasy XV, testing on the same system with Gen3 against Gen4 we get the benchmark results below:

In an AMD vs AMD setup, the difference can be accounted to standard deviation. Here’s some further charts for your reference:

The final set of charts shows us that we still get a minimal advantage on an Intel system which ultimately led me to decide to stick with our Intel system. This testing was done 3 days ago and thankfully results are favorable in my case as I would need to retest the entire lot we have.

Power Draw, Clock Speed and Temperature

We’ll switch things up and open with the power and temperature behavior of the graphics card first. We use Final Fantasy XV Benchmark to simulate a gaming workload but for those looking extreme loads, we do put our cards through Kombustor on first installation for stress testing to check for stability. For our reviews though, we use Final Fantasy XV to simulate a true gaming scenario. Power draw is captured inline via PCAT or Powenetics so no other components affects readings. Readings are taken from the average 15 min idle readings for both load and idle.

Let’s take a look at clock behavior versus temperature:

In the chart above we can follow the clock speed pattern as the card heats up during load. From the left we have the GPU clock as highlighted by the darker line and the lighter pink line is the temperature detailed on the left. Clocks climb to around 1940Mhz, that’s actually close to the boost clocks of the RTX 3080 if not pretty identical. The RTX 3080 clocks are below for comparison.

Thermal Images

Much like the RTX 3080 Founders Edition, the RTX 3070 Founders Edition shows us some good temperatures. Some folks thought that the twin fan cooler was just a restyled traditional Founders Edition cooler but it still posses the blow-through design thanks to its relatively small PCB. Still, board partners may not have the luxury of such a custom board with partner cards from the 3080 line still looking stout. Still, the Founders Edition cooler on the RTX 3070 is decent and provides high compatibility thanks to its smaller footprint.

Test Setup and Methodology

Processor: Intel Core i9 10900K
Memory: G.Skill TridentZ DDR4-3600 32GB
Storage: WD Blue SSD 1TB SATA
PSU: Seasonic Platinum 1050w
Cooling: Corsair H150i Pro 360mm AIO
Monitor: ROG PG27UQ 4K 144hz HDR1000
VGA: Listed

For a full-hardware workout, visit https://benchmarks.ul.com for our system warm-up and stress test of choice.

For benchmarking methodology please see our game benchmark method guide.

Test results are gathered and produced on CapFrameX. This makes it easier for use to get both line graph comparison and raw averages without extra tools. Simply the easiest tool for benchmarking andits available for everyone to use, free of charge. Check it out at capframex.com.

Since this is a GPU review, we benchmarked the area of the games that put heavy load on the GPU.

All our test runs are repeatable, click the links below for area and details. Read our benchmarking methodology.

• DOTA2 – Kiev Major Grand Finals Game 5: OG vs Virtus.Pro (54:05 – 55:05)
• Counter-Strike: Global Offensive: FPS Benchmark Workshop Map
• The Witcher 3 – Woesong Bridge
• Grand Theft Auto V – Palomino Highlands
• Rainbow Six: Siege – Benchmark Mode
• Shadow of the Tomb Raider – Kuwaq Yaqu
• Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2019 – Fog of War
• Monster Hunter World: Iceborne – Wildspire Waste
• F1 2020 – Benchmark Mode

See our Youtube playlist for benchmark sequences.

Note: Some proprietary technologies of NVIDIA like PCSS, HBAO+, and HairWorks work on AMD GPU’s BUT to maintain uniformity amongst GPUs, these have been turned OFF.

You can click on any of the benchmark charts enlarge. You can also move forward and backwards to quickly navigate through our charts via gallery view. For this test, only the out-of-box normal mode will be tested.

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CSGO)

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, popularly known as CSGO, competes for Steam’s most popular game. It has found a resurgence in its popularity and has recently peaked in 2020 in the number of players that play the game. Based on Valve’s Source Engine, the game received major asset overhauls during the years since its inception nearly 10 years ago. Still, it’s a light game and can be played on fairly lighter systems but the competitive scene for CSGO has seen average players demand high FPS from their systems thus gaining favorable standing with GPU vendors just from the demand for higher FPS alone. CSGO is a game that can easily go past 500FPS on enthusiast systems on maximum settings. We’re including CSGO as requested by our community.

API: DirectX9 (default)
Maximum In-Game Settings
Texture Streaming Disabled
Vsync OFF

DOTA 2

Note: JUNE 2020 – DOTA2 has recently implemented a transition from DirectX9 to DirectX11 and new install of the game will prompt users to switch from DX9 to DX11. With that said, we are testing DOTA2 in DX11 from now on.

In contention for the most popular game on Steam and the biggest competition in eSports: DOTA 2 is powered by the Source 2 engine. The game is fairly light on low to medium settings but maxed out, with heavy action on screen especially during clashes, can really stress most systems. This is a game where frame times matter as responsiveness is very important in high-stakes competition. We’re looking at consistently low frametimes in this  game for the best experience

Our test uses actual game replay, using the segment from game 5 of the Kiev Major 2017 Grand Finals between OG and VP. The clash during the 54:05 to 55:05 of the game is a nice example of how much a system will get punished during intense team fights in DOTA2.

You can watch the replay of the actual game used in the benchmark here in Youtube or download the replay file here for your DOTA2 client: Game 3149572447. (save it to your DOTA2 replays folder)

API: DirectX11 (default)
Best-Looking slider setting (Ultra)
FPS_MAX 240
Vsync OFF

Rainbow Six: Siege

Nearly 4 years later and Rainbow Six: Siege has become a phenomenon after a lukewarm beginning. The massive shift in focus of the game sees it stepping into eSports territory and the excellent mix of gameplay mechanics, good design and a dedicated dev team has put R6: Siege in a position it couldn’t even picture during launch. Rainbow Six: Siege focuses heavily on tactical and creative gameplay and its vertical levels and highly destructible maps encourage players to be quick on their feet so the action is always going. Powered by Ubisoft’s own AnvilNext 2.0 engine which powers some of Ubi’s recent visual masterpieces, R6:Siege also feature excellent graphics and can get very taxing at high detail settings. The game also features an Ultra HD texture pack download for those that want higher resolution textures but will of course demand more from the system.

API: DirectX 11
Ultra Settings
Anti Aliasing: TAA
Ultra HD Texture pack not installed
Ambient Occlusion: SSBC
Vsync OFF

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

CD Projekt Red’s latest installment in the Witcher saga features one of the most graphically intense offering the company has to date. As Geralt of Rivia, slay monsters, beasts and men as you unravel the mysteries of your past. Vast worlds and lush sceneries make this game a visual feast and promises to make any system crawl at its highest settings. This game has found great resurgence in its playerbase thanks to the release of Netflix’ Witcher series.

API: DirectX 11
Frame Rate: Unlimited
Nvidia HairWorks: Off
Ultra Settings
Motion Blur: Off
Blur: Off
Anti-aliasing: On
Bloom: On
Sharpening: High
Ambient Occlusion: SSAO
Depth of Field: On
Chromatic Aberration: Off
Vignetting: On
Light Shafts: On
VSync OFF

Grand Theft Auto V

The fifth and most successful installment to date in the highly controversial Grand Theft Auto series brings a graphical overhaul to the PC version of GTA V which many have lauded as a superior approach in porting a console game to PC. Featuring large areas and detailing, GTA V is a highly challenging application in terms of scene complexity.

Our benchmark uses a run from Palomina Highlands running through a lush area to a remote road all the way to a neighborhood in our car to simulate multiple scene changes.

API: DirectX 11
FXAA Off
MSAA 4x
TXAA Off
Very High settings
Anisotropic Filtering: 16x
Motion Blur disabled
Advanced Graphics enabled
Vsync OFF

Shadow of the Tomb Raider

Shadow of the Tomb Raider is the latest installment in the reboot run of the classic Tomb Raider franchise. The game follows the story set forth by the previous game which Shadow of the Tomb Raider short follows after. Technology-wise, the game uses the Foundation engine updated to meet the demand of developer Eidos Montreal to push the engine to its limits. The game supports DirectX 12 and is one of the launch titles to support RTX technology namely DLSS which launched a couple of months post-launch.

API: DirectX 12
Graphics Settings Preset: Highest
Texture Quality: Ultra
Texture Filtering: 8x Anisotropic
Anti-Aliasing: TAA
DLSS: OFF
Raytraced Shadow: OFF
Vsync OFF

Call of Duty Modern Warfare (2019)

Call of Duty Modern Warfare is a reboot of the original Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare storyline, set in a different world where you, along with Captain Price have to stop the world from going to war. Call of Duty Modern Warfare reignites the franchise by introducing full crossplay support where Xbox and PS4 players can play together with PC players. On PC, the game features a new engine pushing photorealism for COD far beyond what their older engine is capable of. The new engine also introduces raytracing and the AI is designed to perceive light as well. With a revitalized multiplayer arena, the game will require fast frame rates.

API: DirectX 12
Render Resolution: 100%
Texture Resolution: High
Texture Filter Anisotropic: High
Particle Quality: High
Tessellation: All
Shadow Map Resolution: Extra
Particle Lighting: Ultra
DirectX Raytracing: OFF
Ambient Occlusion: Both
Anti-Aliasing: Filmic SMAA T2X
World Motion Blur: Off
Vsync: OFF
Shaders Installed before benchmarks*

Monster Hunter World: Iceborne

Easily Capcom’s most successful game to date. Available in both consoles and PC, Monster Hunter World ranks in Steam’s top played games for the platform. The 2020 Iceborne update for PC brings the game to new PC frontier, introducing DirectX 12 support. The game features rich graphical detail settings and an Ultra HD texture pack for highend gamers. MHW’s features fast-paced action with traditional RPG farings and has captured a new market thanks to the transition from portable.

Our benchmark for this game uses an expedition track in the Wildspire Waste Southwest Camp (Area 1) and finishes in the Rathian nest at Area 12 in the caves. This run gives us runs from barren area, to watery area with lush vegetation to a cave which replicates the varied nature of exploration and monster combat in MHW.

API: DirectX 12
Graphical Settings: Manual (customized from High)
All variable settings set to High
Image Quality: High
Anti-Aliasing: TAA
Max LOD Level: No Limit
Volume Rendering Quality: High
Motion Blur: Off
DLSS and AMD FidelityFX: OFF

F1 2020

The latest iteration of the F1 series from CodeMasters features support for DirectX 12 as well as more photorealistic graphics than ever. Now heavily featured in the official F1 esports scene, much attention has been given in the development of this game particularly for added realism.

API: DirectX 12
Settings: Ultra High
Vsync: OFF

Conclusion

Again, sticking with the theme here and being concise: is the RTX 3070 faster or equivalent than the RTX 2080 Ti. I’d say yes. Results flipflops depending on the game but in most cases its a few FPS away from the RTX 2080 Ti and despite if its above or below, the important thing is that its close. But how close or how far it is from the RTX 2080 Ti shouldn’t be the concern here, its that did NVIDIA stick with their word unlike the RTX 3080 and RTX 3090? Hmmm close enough.

Its because we all fell for Jensen Huang’s overselling of the RTX 30 series that after the launch reviews came, everyone’s expectation is already tempered to expect less. And this time it was a just action and while we already a month or so away from those promises, the pain of stock shortage is still here and that, along with pricing problems will be the main concern here. The NVIDIA RTX 3070 Founders Edition is a good card especially for the price of the FE but with retail channels not getting the card, this “collectors” item is seemingly serving more of a marketing function. That said, we’ll treat it as that: a teaser for the partner cards that will be launching on the 29th.

Going back to the RTX 3070, there’s nothing to pick on about it. Now western folks will probably have a healthier market structure for pricing of the previous-gen RTX 20 series cards. Over here in Southeast Asia, we’ve seen the RTX 2070 Super balloon to nearly $800 in the last few months before they started to fizzle out due to the RTX 30. Still, that was recent and that situation disallowed a lot of users to buy RTX 2070 Super at a fair price. The RTX 3070 serves as the savior for these people and with pricing starting at $499, its a very attractive option. Let’s just hope availability improves soon.

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Founders Edition Review

Final Thoughts

Decent and with a good price, the NVIDIA RTX 3070 Founders Edition is definitely the upgrade that everyone should look forward to.

Performance

9.4

Build Quality

9.7

Functionality

9.3

Value

9.4

Reader Rating4 Votes

8.7

Pros

Cons

Availability

9.5

Rating