If you are in the market looking for a new RTX 3000 card and you are not sure which one to go for, it is okay as we have experienced that number of times. The thing that you must understand here is that if you are looking for solid 1440p gaming at a higher refresh rate, picking up the RTX 3070 makes a lot of sense.
I have been using the RTX 3080 since it was released and while that card is excellent, it caters more to those who are looking for 4K gaming at a higher refresh rate. However, for those who want to be on a price-friendly side of things, the RTX 3070 makes up for a compelling option.
But then again, with so many options available to buy, which one should you be going for, in the first place, is the question that most people will be asking. To make things easier for everyone involved, we have decided to list down the best after-market variants that are available for the RTX 3070 series.
Keep in mind that although these cards listed here are available to purchase this very instance, the availability is something that might be an issue since the supply has not normalized.
List of 5 Best RTX 3070 Graphics Cards
| BRAND | MODEL | PRICE |
|---|---|---|
| ASUS | Buy on Amazon | |
| MSI | Buy on Amazon | |
| ZOTAC | Buy on Amazon | |
| EVGA | Buy on Amazon | |
| MSI | Buy on Amazon |
Editor’s Choice
For the longest time, Asus GPUs have been the staple of what a higher-end GPU would be like. They are performance-driven, offer great value for the money that you are spending on them, and simply put, they look excellent, to say the least.
The Asus ROG Strix is a bit more premium lineup by Asus and aims to deliver the best that Asus has, and simply put, if you are looking for something that delivers top of the line performance aesthetics, you would need to go for this. With that said, we are looking at the Asus ROG Strix variant of the RTX 3070, and is it as good as it sounds? Well, that is what we are about to find out.
To start with, the performance on this RTX 3070 is one of the best that I have had the chance to see; this is easily more powerful than my previous RTX 2080Ti, which was a powerful card on its own, but this one just blows the competition out of the water. Not just that, it also comes with a hefty factory overclock, which is excellent, to say the least.
What is even impressive is that this GPU actually delivers faster performance than the entirety of the RTX 2000 series, and does not cost a lot of money, either. Not just that, the GPU is excellent for gaming on 1440p as well as 4K, with the GPU easily hitting as high as 60 frames per second in many titles on 4K
Moving on, you are getting a power-efficient GPU that works well and maintains solid temperatures, and the RGB lighting that can sync with the rest of your Asus AURA compatible components is just a godsend feature to have.
After spending enough time with this particular GPU, I can tell you that there is nothing particular about this GPU that stands out as a negative as you are getting an excellent performance through and through.
Overall, the Asus ROG Strix RTX 3070 is one of the best options that you can get your hands on. Granted, it might be a bit hard to find, but if you do end up running into this graphics card, you should pick it up without a second thought.
- Excellent performance.
- Faster than predecessors.
- Excellent 4K gaming and 1440p gaming.
- Great power efficiency.
- Tastefully implemented RGB lighting.
- The hefty factory overclock.
- None
Best Overall RTX 3070
It should not come as a surprise that MSI is one of the companies that are known for delivering us some of the finest GPUs or components that we have come to expect from them. If you are looking for something that is going to offer quality, MSI has got you covered, thanks to how solid their offerings from.
We have the MSI Gaming X Trio variant of the RTX 3070 available with us, and honesty, this is one of my favorite variants available for several reasons. For starters, it is one of the best-looking RTX 3070 options that are available but it is more than looks and I am going to tell you why.
For starters, this is one of the best performing RTX 3070s available in the market for you to check out; the performance on all fronts is excellent and this also goes for both thermal and acoustic performance. Whether you are gaming at 4K or 1440p, this particular RTX 3070, much like the others is going to deliver an excellent experience on both resolutions.
I know I have mentioned this before, but this GPU is there when you are talking about the thermal performance being amazing as it does not cross the 60c range in any case, which is one thing that I have always admired about the new generation of MSI cards. You are also getting excellent acoustic performance and the fans practically don’t spin when the card is under a certain temperature limit.
In addition to that, you are getting one of the best implementations of RGB lighting. So, if it is something that does matter to you, which we are certainly sure about, this is something to look forward to.
As far as the downsides are concerned, I really cannot think of anything about this GPU that might make me wonder that I should look at something else. Granted, it does have a premium over the founder’s edition but that is because you are getting an excellent GPU for the price.
Overall, the MSI RTX 3070 Gaming X Trio is a wonderful offering for anyone who is looking for a good GPU and they have no reservations about paying a bit extra because for a slightly extra price, you are still getting a great price and even better performance, so it is something
- The performance is excellent.
- Better performance per dollar against the competition.
- Brings excellent 1440p and 4K performance.
- Great thermal and acoustic performance.
- Great RGB lighting implementation.
- You are paying a premium over other variants.
Best Runner Up RTX 3070
I will be honest here, my experience with Zotac has been a lot limited as compared to some of the other companies in the market. For starters, my first Zotac GPU was the GTX 980Ti, which is not considered as old, but you get the point. Zotac has made strides in the market as well as within the company by defying what you could do with the GPUs.
The Amp and Amp Extreme series by them is considered to be the finest by enthusiasts all around the world. However, today, we are looking at the Twin Edge series, this one was introduced by Zotac with the RTX 3000 series and seems to be focusing on those who are looking for something more affordable. With that said, the RTX 3070 Twin Edge OC is something that has been on my radar for some time now.
I am going to start with the performance again because that is the one thing that does not get compromised in any case. I had my reservations at the start because again, this is one of the more affordable RTX 3070 offerings and the performance could have taken a hit, but it has not done that.
Another great thing is that it still offers a great value for money, so if you want to be sure that you are getting the best performance per dollar, this variant is certainly good for you. The performance across different resolutions is another highlight of the RTX 3070 as it manages to give you a high frame rate regardless of what resolution you are playing at. You might have to be a bit careful at 4K, but that is across the board with all the RTX 3070s that I have tested so far.
However, two of the biggest selling points for this GPU happen to be the size and design of this card. For starters, this is one of the more compact designs that you can look at, and that’s great because you will have something easier to fit inside your case. Another great thing here is the colour neutral design which is great for those who are not looking to add more lighting to their PC or just want something that fits without any color discrepancies.
The only downside that I think about is that the fans can be on the louder side when you are talking about the GPU under load.
Overall, the RTX 3070 Twin Edge OC by Zotac is a GPU that you should be investing in if you are looking for something that delivers stellar performance across the board and does not cost a lot of money, either. It truly is a GPU that won’t let you down.
- The performance does not let down in any case.
- Excellent value for money.
- Great for gaming on all resolutions.
- Dual-fan design is both compact and easy to install.
- Colour neutral scheme.
- The fans tend to get a bit louder.
Best Performance RTX 3070
For the longest time, EVGA has been one of my favorite add-in-board partners because of how good they have been with their customers and delivering great GPUs, as well. Not only do they have an excellent warranty system with one of the most lenient conditions, but overall, their GPUs are excellent for a lot of reasons.
Right now, we are looking at the RTX 3070 from their esteemed FTW series. This time, EVGA wanted to experiment a bit with their naming scheme. So, this right here is the FTW3 Ultra Gaming for anyone who is wondering what this GPU is all about but is it ultra in anyways? We are going to figure that out right now.
For starters, much like all the other RTX 3070s that we have tried so far, this too is excellent as far as the performance is concerned. You are not going to regret anything with this GPU and that is what we are looking at here, as well. The 4K and 1440p performance are consistent across the board.
With the FTW3 Ultra Gaming, you are also getting a custom cooler, which works well in keeping the temperatures in check, and the overclocking potential on this GPU is great. You are also getting fan headers as well as RGB headers on the card, so if you want to add more fans and RGB lighting, go ahead with it.
Speaking of RGB lighting, EVGA has hit a home-run here as the lighting on this particular variant looks phenomenal, and it is one of the best implementations that I have seen so far.
Last but not the least, the EVGA Precision X1 software is excellent in every single way. Now, I get that this software can work with other GPUs too, but it offers much more control when paired with an EVGA GPU, which is what we have in this case.
My only concern here is that the GPU has a massive footprint, so if you are looking to install it in a smaller case then you might have to be a bit more careful with the installation process because that is going to be a very important process.
Overall, the RTX 3070 FTW3 Ultra Gaming is excellent in every regard and will deliver exceptional performance regardless of what you are looking at. You are not going to be let down by this card, that much is what we can tell you.
- Great performance on all resolutions.
- A great custom cooler.
- Great overclocking potential.
- Fan and RGB headers on the PCB.
- The RGB lighting looks great.
- Precision X1 software is convenient.
- The card is massive in size
Best Budget RTX 3070
The last GPU that we are looking at is from MSI all over again, but this time, we are looking for something more affordable. For those who know MSI, their Ventus line up of cards is great, and specifically for those who are not in the market to spend a lot of money and don’t worry about the performance as they still manage to deliver good performance for anyone who wants that.
The MSI RTX 3070 Ventus 3X OC is a great option and while I will not call this super-affordable, it still delivers a better value for money than some of the more expensive variants that are available in the market. So, you are not going to regret spending money on it. But what is so good about this particular variant that it made us add it to the list? Well, let’s have a look, shall we?
For starters, you are still getting the great performance that we have come to expect from the RTX 3070 cards, so at least you are not getting something that will be performing inadequately, this RTX 3070 is going to be more than enough for a lot of people.
One of the things that I like about this is that this card, being affordable, also has lower power requirements. So, if you do not have a more expensive power supply with higher wattage, this is great to go for. In addition to that, the overall looks of this card are stealthy, which is something I like since it just blends in with the build and does not come in the way.
You are also getting excellent thermal performance, which is one thing that I was not expecting but since we are getting that, it still is a great offering. Not to mention, the card is also one of the cheaper alternatives available in the market, which is what most people would want, since getting an RTX 3070 for retail is very difficult at this point.
The only downside that I have come across here is the fact that the GPU tends to get louder on load, which is what we have come to expect from the more affordable RTX 3000 GPUs.
Overall, the RTX 3070 Ventus OC is a great GPU that you can get your hands on and forget about any other issues that might be coming your way. It delivers excellent performance and that too, for a great price that you are not going to getting something that is better.
- The performance is amazing in all cases.
- The card is great with power efficiency.
- Understated, stealthy looks.
- Excellent thermal performance.
- One of the affordable variants.
- The fans can get louder.
Final Word
Finding the right RTX 3070 is not the harder part. The harder part here is finding the one at retail price or finding one at all. As the supply normalizes, you will start seeing the surplus of great variants that are available. We have tested these, and we know that the performance on these is great, so you will not regret anything here.
We have picked the best offerings that we could find and tested them thoroughly so you do not have to spend a lot of time thinking about which one you should be picking.
I have been gaming for almost 24 years with extensive knowledge of all platforms and the gaming industry, in general. With interests in literature, art, gaming, and PC hardware.
