Packing 5888 CUDA cores with base and boost speeds of 1920MHz and 2475MHz, respectively, the RTX 4070 is a great mid-end graphics card from the Ada Lovelace architecture that has all the bells and whistles like DLSS 3.0 to make it a tempting purchase. With that said, if you have made up your to buy the RTX 4070, then you must have felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of variations out in the market, each claiming to be the best. So, which one should you go for? To answer that question, my team and I have tested a number of RTX 4070 variants to put together a list of the best options for you.
Here are my recommended RTX 4070 GPUs – all compared with each other:
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- May 4, 2024: We have changed the formatting to improve readability.
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Best RTX 4070 Graphics Cards
These are my recommendations for the top RTX 4070 variants:
- Best Overall: ASUS TUF GAMING RTX 4070 OC Edition
- Best High-Performance: Gigabyte AORUS MASTER RTX 4070
- Best Air Cooled: ASUS ROG Strix RTX 4070
- Best Value: Gigabyte WINDFORCE OC RTX 4070
- Best White: Gigabyte AERO OC RTX 4070
- Best Looking: MSI Gaming X Trio RTX 4070
ASUS TUF GAMING RTX 4070 OC Edition
Best Overall RTX 4070
Dimensions: 301x139x63 mm | Clock Speed: 2550MHz (Default), 2580MHz (OC Mode) | Power Connectors: 1 x 8-pin | RGB: Yes | Display Outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a | Recommended PSU: 650W
Pros
- Great balance of price and performance
- Solid 10+2 VRM design
- Adequate cooling capabilities
Cons
- A bit pricey
Focusing on the visuals, the GPU has a rugged vibe to it with its exoskeleton design. The metallic color makes the card look really aggressive, and it is topped off with a simple RGB light that lights up the TUF GAMING logo. The card betrays a sense of durability and a metallic feel, which resonates with its TUF theme. To cool down such a beast, TUF Gaming has used a vented exoskeleton design with massive heatsinks and three axial-tech fans. Furthermore, the heatsink connects to the VRMs and the memory chips via six heat pipes. These features ensure that the card can handle extreme gaming without breaking a sweat. The fans are also exceptionally quiet even at load.
The GPU has a default clock speed of 2550MHz, and since it is an OC edition, it can be turned up to 2580MHz in the OC Mode. To support better clock speeds, ASUS had to incorporate a high-quality VRM into the TUF GAMING RTX 4070. Therefore, the card uses a 10+2 VRM design with 10 phases for GPU voltage and 2 phases for the 12GB GDDR6X memory. Each phase is rated for 50A of current, making the overall VRM structure quite strong enough to handle high-performance loads.
Buy It If:
✅You want a well-rounded variant: There isn’t just a single good thing about the ASUS TUF GAMING RTX 4070 OC Edition. It offers great performance, power efficiency, and beautiful looks.
Don’t Buy It If:
❌Your budget is limited: While the card offers good value for money, it is still a bit expensive.
What Makes It The Best Overall RTX 4070?
From 2580MHz OC clock speeds to RGB lightning, an extensive cooling solution to a 12-phase VRM design, the ASUS TUF GAMING RTX 4070 OC Edition seizes every opportunity to offer as many essential features to their consumers as possible without costing them a bank and that’s what makes it the Best Overall RTX 4070.
| Performance: 9/10 | Value: 8/10 |
| Features: 9/10 | Design: 8.5/10 |
Gigabyte AORUS MASTER RTX 4070
Best High-Performance RTX 4070
Dimensions: 342x153x70.6 mm | Clock Speed: 2595MHz | Power Connectors: 1x 16-pin | RGB: Yes | Display Outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a | Recommended PSU: 700W
Pros
- Insanely high 2595MHz clock speed
- 9x copper heat pipes and a huge heat sink for effective cooling
Cons
- Expensive
- Huge in size
The design philosophy of this variant is anything but disappointing. First off, the entire gray and white theme, coupled with the angled design and lots of lines, gives the card a gamer’s vibe. In addition to that, all three fans have RGB lighting around them, along with the GPU’s top and the metal backplate. With high performance comes even higher thermals, and to counter that, Gigabyte has used not only an absolutely humongous heatsink on the GPU but also 9 copper heat pipes to facilitate quick transfer of heat from the vapor chamber into the heatsink.
The exceptional cooling solution allows Gigabyte to maximize its performance, starting with the factory overclock. For this purpose, the graphics card has a clock speed of 2595MHz, which is almost 5% higher than the reference card. Therefore, with this RTX 4070, you’re destined to get the best possible performance. You can even try your hand at manual overclocking without worrying about thermal limits.
Buy It If:
✅You want high performance: The Gigabyte AORUS MASTER RTX 4070’s high clock speed and its ability to maintain peak performance without thermal throttling are what impressed me the most.
Don’t Buy It If:
❌You want a compact graphics card: Apart from steep pricing, the graphics card is massive in size because of its heatsink.
What Makes It The Best High-Performance RTX 4070?
The higher clock speeds, combined with an exceptionally impressive cooling and power design, make the Gigabyte AORUS MASTER RTX 4070 the Best High-Performance RTX 4070. Therefore, it can endure long hours of extreme gaming sessions without letting the performance take a hit.
| Performance: 10/10 | Value: 7/10 |
| Features: 9/10 | Design: 8/10 |
ASUS ROG Strix RTX 4070
Best Air Cooled RTX 4070
Dimensions: 338.9×149.4×62.4 mm | Clock Speed: 2475MHz (Default), 2505 (OC Mode) | Power Connectors: 1x 16-pin | RGB: Yes | Display Outputs: 2x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a | Recommended PSU: 650W
Pros
- Good pricing
- Adequate performance
- Looks great
Cons
- Nothing significant
The ROG Strix RTX 4070 looks exactly like other RTX 40-series variants, featuring a beautiful red, blue, and dark gray design philosophy with a massive ROG logo on the shroud. The vented shroud also features beautiful RGB lighting on the rear end and on the top. As with all ROG Strix graphics cards, the Strix RTX 4070 has an excellent cooling solution. The card features three massive fans with an equally huge heatsink to take care of all the heat. Additionally, 6 heat pipes facilitate the quick transfer of heat into the heatsink from the vapor chamber. Due to its sophisticated cooling solution, the card takes up 3.12 slots, making it still quite big.
By default, the ASUS ROG Strix RTX 4070 clocks at 2475MHz, which is the boost speed of the reference RTX 4080. However, the card comes factory overclocked; therefore, its clock speed can be cranked up to 2505MHz by simply switching to the OC Mode. Given its price and other specs, a 2505MHz clock speed is great for high-end gaming.
Buy It If:
✅You want superb overall performance: I was impressed by a lot of things with the ROG Strix RTX 4070, especially its extraordinary performance and thermals.
Don’t Buy It If:
❌You have a limited budget: Throughout my review, I couldn’t find anything significantly wrong with this variant, although the steep price may give some people pause.
What Makes It The Best Air-Cooled RTX 4070?
The ASUS ROG Strix RTX 4070 is a great performance-centric RTX 4070 that has efficient cooling, good pricing, beautiful looks, and, most importantly, massive 3x fans, and that’s why I have picked it as the Best Air-Cooled RTX 4070.
| Performance: 9.5/10 | Value: 8.5/10 |
| Features: 9/10 | Design: 9/10 |
Gigabyte WINDFORCE OC RTX 4070
Best Value RTX 4070
Dimensions: 261x126x50 mm | Clock Speed: 2490MHz | Power Connectors: 1x 8-pin | RGB: No | Display Outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a | Recommended PSU: 650W
Pros
- Offers good value for money
- The size isn’t huge
Cons
- Cooling capabilities
Starting off with the design, the Gigabyte WINDFORCE OC RTX 4070 looks exactly like you would expect a budget-segment RTX 4070 to look; it’s pretty simple. The card features no RGB, which is not a surprise. It has a black and dark gray shroud with lots of vents for unrestricted airflow, which gives off a serious vibe. The cooling system in this variant, while adequate, is relatively tame as compared to other RTX 4070 variants out there. The card features 3x copper pipes, an extended heatsink, and 3x 80mm fans, all of which, combined, keep the GPU and the VRMs cool.
As for performance, the card runs in just one mode, and that is its overclocked mode @ 2490MHz. The clock speed may not be as much as the other performance-centric variants I have reviewed, but they also cost a lot more. In addition to that, the 2490MHz clock speed is perfect for stability while leaving ample room for manual overclocking should you desire to go down that route.
Buy It If:
✅You want exceptional value: The reason why I am talking about the Gigabyte WINDFORCE OC RTX 4070 as the Best RTX 4070 Graphics Card is its price tag. The card offers much better value for money than any other competitor.
✅You want a compact graphics card: On top of that, another thing that impressed me a lot is the size; this variant is much more compact than others.
Don’t Buy It If:
❌You want an overbuilt cooling solution: The cooling capabilities, while adequate, may not be enough if you put the card under extreme load for long sessions.
What Makes It The Best Value RTX 4070?
It is no surprise that the 2490MHz clock speed, minimalistic looks, and great pricing are what make the Gigabyte WINDFORCE OC RTX 4070 the Best Value RTX 4070.
| Performance: 8/10 | Value: 10/10 |
| Features: 8/10 | Design: 8/10 |
Gigabyte AERO OC RTX 4070
Best White RTX 4070
Dimensions: 300x130x57.6 mm | Clock Speed: 2565MHz | Power Connectors: 1x 16-pin | RGB: Yes | Display Outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a | Recommended PSU: 700W
Pros
- Looks magnificent with its white shroud
- 2565MHz clock speed is really good
- Has 8x copper heat pipes
Cons
- Expensive
Starting with the unique element, the Gigabyte AERO OC RTX 4070 is one of the most beautiful RTX 4070 to ever exist. It has a sleek white and silver finish with a matching backplate and minimalistic RGB lighting at the top. Its unique white theme allows the card to elevate itself above the crowd with a distinct selling point. For thermal management, Gigabyte has used a carefully well-designed cooling solution that features 3x 90mm fans with 9 blades each, a massive heatsink to efficiently dissipate all the heat, and an astounding 8x copper heat pipe for quick and efficient heat transfer.
The AERO OC RTX 4070 is so much more than just a beautiful GPU; it is built with both aesthetics and great performance in mind. For instance, the card runs at a 2565MHz clock speed, which is around 3.5% higher than the reference card. However, it’s not just the higher clock speed that matters; the card’s ability to run at the said frequency for long gaming hours also matters a lot, and to make that happen, it does feature a solid thermal solution.
Buy It If:
✅You want an all-white variant: Apart from great performance and cooling, the reason why I’m talking about this variant is its looks. The entire shroud is simply beautiful, and it will definitely steal the show of your white gaming rig.
Don’t Buy It If:
❌Your budget is limited: The only downside to the AERO OC RTX 4070 is its price, as the card does not come cheap.
What Makes It The Best White RTX 4070?
You might find other white RTX 4070 variants as well. However, none of them looks as good, and most importantly, none of them is as high-end performance as the Gigabyte AERO OC RTX 4070, and that’s what makes it the Best White RTX 4070.
| Performance: 9/10 | Value: 8/10 |
| Features: 9/10 | Design: 10/10 |
MSI Gaming X Trio RTX 4070
Best Looking RTX 4070
Dimensions: 338x141x52 mm | Clock Speed: 2610MHz (Boost), 2625MHz (MSI Center) | Power Connectors: 1x 16-pin | RGB: Yes | Display Outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a | Recommended PSU: 650W
Pros
- Gorgeous looking
- More than 5% higher clock speed than the reference card
- Beautiful RGB effects
Cons
- Nothing significant
The MSI Gaming RTX 4070 has sharp edges and prominent lines all over the shroud. But what makes it stand out from the rest is its RGB lighting. The card has very distinct RGB lights that make it look like Wolverine himself clawed the shroud. All in all, regarding looks, the MSI Gaming RTX 4070 is definitely a top-tier choice. Similarly, to cool down such a beast, the card uses 3x fans with TORX FAN 5.0, which are significantly better than the typical axial fans that many cards have. Furthermore, the extended heatsink, lots of thermal padding, and heat pipes ensure that the GPU, VRAM, and VRM structure is kept cool.
The card has a boost frequency of 2610MHz, which is more than 5% higher than the reference card’s clock speed. Not only that, but you can increase it even more from the MSI Center to a whopping 2625MHz. To ensure that the GPU and the memory chips can receive stable voltage to perform at their peak, MSI has incorporated a 9+2 VRM structure with 9 phases for GPU voltage and 2 phases for memory voltage. All 11 phases are rated for 55A each.
Buy It If:
✅You want an attractive design: It is no secret that I loved the design of the MSI Gaming RTX 4070 the most. In fact, I am sure anyone who looks at it will appreciate how beautiful this card is.
Don’t Buy It If:
❌You simply prefer a different variant: There is nothing about the MSI Gaming RTX 4070 that disappointed me. The card has fantastic performance, adequate cooling, and superb looks. Not only that, but it’s also fairly priced.
What Makes It The Best-Looking RTX 4070?
The unique RGB design coupled with beautiful lines all across the shroud is what makes the MSI Gaming RTX 4070 the Best Looking RTX 4070.
| Performance: 9/10 | Value: 8/10 |
| Features: 9/10 | Design: 10/10 |
Our Tested RTX 4070 Gaming Benchmarks
To test how well some of the best RTX 4070 variants stand against each other as well as other graphics cards, we tested them with the Ryzen 7 7700X at 1080p resolution. Here are our test results:
How We Test Graphics Cards
When it comes to testing graphics cards, Tech4Gamers follows specific criteria to ensure every GPU we select and call the best is indeed worthy of the title. Therefore, whenever you’re buying a graphics card, make sure to follow these factors to make the right choice.
- Pricing: While some of our products are expensive, they justify their steep price point by providing high-end features. Therefore whether it is the Best Value or the Best High-End category, every one of our products offers good value for money,
- Performance: To test the performance of our graphics cards, we benchmark them across a variety of software, including high-end games and real-world scenarios. Our testing rig is updated as new generation launches to ensure that our readers get the best possible benchmark results. Not only that, but to ensure accuracy, our rigs are handled by industry experts with decades of PC-building experience. This way, every graphics card we recommend is tested thoroughly based on the performance it offers.
- Thermal Efficiency And Power Consumption: We scrutinized every graphics card we selected based on its thermal performance under heavy loads. We conducted these tests to determine whether any thermal throttles or not, and if it does, how long does it take to reduce its performance? If you want to explore some previous-generation NVIDIA graphics cards, then check out Best RTX 3090 Ti, Best RTX 3090, Best RTX 3080 Ti, and Best RTX 3080.
- Visual Appeal: While it is not an essential feature, it can definitely influence your purchase decision, and that’s why we judged graphics cards based on their looks and overall aesthetics. When selecting the best RTX 4070 graphics cards, we considered their looks as well, including their design, color scheme, and whether they have RGB or not.
Share Your Insights
FAQs
In our benchmarks, we found that the RTX 3090 is slightly better than the RTX 4070.
When we tested the RTX 4070 against different graphics cards, we saw that the RTX 4070 outperformed the RTX 3080.
Depending on the variant, the RTX 4070 is rated to draw power somewhere in the 200 to 250W range.
While the RTX 4070 can nail 1440p gaming, 4K resolution gaming on high settings can be out of its league.
Recent Updates
- June 21, 2023: Few text changes to improve readability. No products were changed.
- August 12, 2023: Few text changes to improve readability. No products were changed.
- August 30, 2023: Few text changes to improve readability. No products were changed.
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