ZOTAC RTX 2070 Amp Extreme Edition Review

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Sajjad Hussain

At HI Digital I test and write about different hardware configurations to show other PC users what they can expect from their build. My end goal is to educate the masses to make the right decision when they are looking for new PC parts to buy

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Today, we’re diving into the realm of high-performance graphics cards with the ZOTAC GeForce RTX 2070. ZOTAC, a well-established player in the GPU arena, has sent us their RTX 2070 for a spin. This card boasts an impressive array of features, from 2304 CUDA Cores to a sophisticated cooling solution named Icestorm 2.0.

Key Takeaways

• The ZOTAC GeForce RTX 2070 impresses with its bold design and robust cooling solution, featuring Icestorm 2.0. With 2304 CUDA Cores, 8GB GDDR6 VRAM, and a boost clock of 1860MHz, it’s a high-performance GPU.
• You should get the ZOTAC RTX 2070 if you seek top-notch performance in 1080p and 1440p gaming, value a unique wraparound design, and appreciate customizable cooling with individual fan control.
• You should not get the ZOTAC RTX 2070 if you require SLI support, RGB lighting, or plan on extensive ray tracing gameplay.

Here are the specifications of RTX 2070:

Packaging And Unboxing

The graphics card is shipped inside a cardboard box which is placed inside an exterior paperboard box.

Accessories

The following is provided inside the box:

• 1x Graphics Card
• 1x Quick Installation Guide
• 1x Driver Pamphlet
• 1x ZOTAC Products Brochure
• 1x Case Badge
• 2x 2 6-pin to 8-pin adapter cables

Closer Look

ZOTAC GeForce RTX 2070 is a factory-overclocked card, with a custom PCB, rocks Nvidia’s TU106 GPU at 12nm. Packed with 10800M transistors, 64 ROP, and 144 TMU units, it houses 2304 CUDA Cores. Boasting 8 GB of Micron GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, it runs at 460.8 GB/s bandwidth.

Operating at a 1410MHz base clock and an 1860MHz boost clock, this Zotac RTX 2070 Amp Extreme is a powerhouse in a 308x113x57mm frame. With DirectX 12 API and OpenGL 4.5, it’s missing SLI support – no surprise there!

The standout feature in the ZOTAC GeForce RTX 2070 Review? It’s a brilliant design. ZOTAC nails it with a wrap-around concept, cleverly using a mix of plastic and metal. This not only maintains aesthetics but also trims down the card’s weight, saving your motherboard’s PCIe slots.

The shroud boldly mirrors ZOTAC’s brand logo, creating a stunning black finish. The top and bottom sides are symmetrical, with the left side sporting a textured lining and the right side a glossy finish. Inside the shroud’s fan patterns, that glossy touch continues. Notably, the centers of all three fans are uniquely designed.

First off, those three 90mm fans steal the show. They’re finely tuned for the best airflow and with the Fire Storm app, you’ll be having a personal cooling maestro, letting you tweak each fan like a pro.

Now, under the hood, we’ve got this solid aluminum fin stack and a bunch of beefy copper heat pipes—five of them, to be precise. They work together seamlessly to handle heat way better than the older designs.

But what caught my eye was the core of this cooling magic—the expansive aluminum heatsink. It’s like the superhero in this story, making sure heat doesn’t stick around too long. Plus, ZOTAC didn’t forget about the little guys; the copper plate is there, in direct contact with the VRAM chips, keeping them cool with thermal pads.

Now, durability is a whole new ball game. There’s this extra layer, a die-cast metal jacket, wrapping the entire board. Paired with the redesigned backplate, it’s a tag team that not only shields but also ensures that they are ready to tackle anything.

Now, onto the top side of the ZOTAC GeForce RTX 2070 Amp Extreme edition: A glossy black midsection rocks ZOTAC GAMING branding and an LED, powered by the Spectra RGB lighting. GEFORCE RTX boldly claims the right side.

The seamless design strategy continues – a metallic backplate covers half, and the shroud handles the rest, leaving room for ventilation. Smart vents in the backplate ensure proper airflow. A subtle gap between the fan’s cover and the shroud’s top adds a touch of intrigue.

Now, a glance at the bottom side reveals black PCB hosts thermal pads, a PCIe connector flaunting golden pins, and two 4-pin headers on the far right – one white, one black. Upfront, there’s another 4-pin header. Likely, two are for the fans (individually controlled), and the third manages the RGB lighting LED.

Flipping to the backside, a sleek metallic backplate steals the show, rocking the ZOTAC logo in silver below the power connector. The “LIVE TO GAME” tagline adds a stylish touch. No thermal pad sits between the PCB and the backplate, showcasing a deliberate gap. 

The ZOTAC GeForce RTX 2070 Amp Extreme edition has a single 8-pin and a 6-pin power connector. The card is rated for 225W power and the minimum recommended PSU is 550W.

The following connectivity options are available on the ZOTAC GeForce RTX 2070 Amp Extreme edition:

• 3x Display Ports 1.4
• 1x HDMI 2.0b
• 1x USB Type-C

Testing

Following is the information regarding the test system and drivers that I have used to test this graphics card:

• Intel i7 8700k @ 5.0GHz
• Asus Strix Z390-E Gaming Motherboard
• Ballistix Elite 16GB kit @ 3000MHz
• Asus ROG Ryuo 360 CPU Cooler
• HyperX 120GB SSD
• Seagate Barracuda 3.5” 2 TB HDD
• Thermaltake TP RGB 750W Gold PSU

Drivers:

• Nvidia driver 417.71 for Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2060
• Nvidia driver 411.70 For Asus Strix RTX 2070 OC
• Nvidia driver 398.35 for GTX (Pascal) graphics cards
• Nvidia driver 417.71 for GTX 1080 [Required for Battlefield V]
• Nvidia driver 430.86 for GTX 1600 Series
• Nvidia driver 430.86 for Asus Strix RTX 2080 OC and Zotac RTX 2070 Amp Extreme
• AMD driver Adrenalin 2019 19.4.3 for the RX 570 and RX 580.

MSI Afterburner 4.60 was used to monitor and record the FPS for the games without in-built benchmarks. Three runs per game per API per resolution were made and the average is being shown on the graphs. The tough ordeal for the tester!

The following synthetic benchmarks have been used:

• 3DMark Fire Strike
• 3DMark Fire Strike Extreme
• 3DMark Fire Strike Ultra
• 3DMark Time Spy
• 3DMark Time Spy Extreme
• 3DMark Port Royal
• 3DMark Nvidia DLSS Feature Test
• Unigine Superposition

The following games have been benched:

• Ashes of the Singularity [DX11, DX12]
• Battlefield 1 [DX11, DX12]
• Battlefield V (DX11, DX12, DXR]
• Metro Last Light Redux [DX11]
• Metro Exodus [DX11, DX12, DXR]
• Assassin’s Creed Origin [DX11]
• Shadow of the Tomb Raider [DX12, DLSS]
• Grand Theft Auto – V [DX11]
• Final Fantasy – XV
• Far Cry 5 – [DX11]
• Middle Earth – Shadow of War [DX11]
• The Witcher 3 [DX11]
• DOOM [Vulkan]
• Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus [Vulkan]

Our testing includes Ray Tracing and DLSS as well. I will be covering the RT and DLSS in a separate section.

Synthetic Benchmarks

Let’s look at the performance graphs:

Gaming Benchmarks

Let’s look at the performance graphs:

Ray Tracing And DLSS Benchmarks

Let’s start with the synthetic benchmarks:

Boost Clocks

Now that we have taken a look at the gaming and synthetic benchmark results, it is time to take a look at the maximum boost clocks.

The ZOTAC GeForce RTX 2070 Amp Extreme Edition has boosted to a whopping 2010MHz out of the box without any tweaking. The sustained clocks were on average 1965MHz which is quite impressive.

Sensors

The following sensors are present on the Zotac GeForce RTX 2070 Amp:

Overclocking, Power Consumption, And Thermals

Software

Fire Storm is the name of the utility that ZOTAC provides with their graphics cards and this time they have revamped its design making it more user-friendly and simpler and this is what I appreciate as well. The user can download the application from their website. SPECTRA is the name of the lighting solution provided on the RTX lighting-enabled graphics cards.

Should You Buy It?

After a comprehensive evaluation of the Zotac RTX 2070, here’s my recommendation:

Buy It If:

✅Outstanding Gaming Performance: The Zotac RTX 2070 excels in gaming at both 1080p and 1440p, making it a solid choice for high-performance gaming.

✅Innovative Design: The wraparound design, combining plastic and metal elements, not only enhances aesthetics but also ensures a lightweight build, preserving motherboard PCIe slots.

✅Effective Cooling Solution: The Icestorm 2.0 cooling solution, featuring three 90mm fans, an aluminum fin stack, and copper heat pipes, keeps temperatures in check even under demanding conditions.

Don’t Buy It If:

❌SLI Support is Essential: If you plan on utilizing multiple GPUs in an SLI configuration, note that the Zotac RTX 2070 Amp Extreme Edition lacks SLI support.

❌RGB Lighting is a Must: If extensive RGB lighting customization is a key requirement for your gaming setup, this card might not offer the complexity you desire.

Conclusion

In conclusion, my experience with the Zotac RTX 2070 Amp Extreme Edition has been nothing short of exhilarating as I delved into the intricate details of its architecture and performance. Powered by the TU106 SM and boasting a factory overclocked setup, this graphics card is a commendable addition to the gaming realm.

The meticulous engineering behind the card is evident in its 12nm technology, 10800M transistors, and 2304 CUDA Cores. The pixel fill rate of 119 GPixel/s and texture fill rate of 267.8 GTexture/s contribute to its impressive visual capabilities. The 8GB Micron GDDR6 VRAM, with a 256-bit bus width and 460.8 GB/s bandwidth, ensures smooth and efficient data transfer.

The design of the Zotac RTX 2070 Amp Extreme follows a captivating wraparound approach, providing not only bold aesthetics but also structural integrity. The Icestorm 2 cooling solution, featuring 3x 90mm fans and a substantial aluminum-based heat sink with nickel-coated copper heat pipes, keeps the temperatures in check while maintaining silent operation.

In terms of performance, the Zotac RTX 2070 Amp Extreme Edition showcased its prowess across various games and resolutions, consistently outperforming its counterparts. Despite the challenges posed by ray tracing, the inclusion of DLSS mitigates the performance hit, and with the promise of improved drivers, the future looks promising.

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Sajjad Hussain

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Laiba, our tech guru at HI Digital, simplifies and crafts How-To Guides with a Google IT Support Certificate. Beyond tech, she captures the city’s aesthetics through her lens. Join her journey where tech meets creativity!

Get In Touch: Laiba@hidgt.com