When it comes to current-day graphics cards it can be a hard choice, so we see what’s been released previously as we go back and review the RTX 3070. A strong value contender before the Ada series launch it has gotten even better this day when looking at its pricing and the performance on offer.

The RTX 3070 came out back in October 2020, at the height of the demand and excitement for the best GPUs out there, be it for gaming or crypto mining it was a tough time for a release and getting cards at their recommended price. But now many years on and with a newer generation after it, the 3070 has gotten a much stronger value proposition.

Although the Palit model we got hands-on with isn’t available widely, looking at the market you can get a great price for 3070s now. There are renewed options for under $400, or the Zotac Twin Edge is available for $499 which is the MSRP of the card but still, it can hold up. So we have a quick look at how it holds up today.

Palit RTX 3070 GamingPro OC

Core clock speed

1,500MHz base, 1,770MHz boost

CUDA cores

5,888

Memory

8GB GDDR6

Dimensions

294 x 112 x 60 mm

PSU required

650W

TBP

220W

How We Review

Pros

Strong value to performance, especially compared to newer Ada GPUs
Capable of even 4K gaming, or strong 1440p with ray tracing
Palit design provides sleek and modern look without being too thick

Cons

Does lack DLSS 3 support without frame generation technology

Design and specs

Although released at a time of increasing graphics card sizing, the Palit isn’t too extreme as it is measured in at 294 x 112 x 60 mm. While still managing to tame the 220W TDP of the Nvidia graphics card.

The GamingPro does give a more interesting design as it keeps airflow in mind with the cutouts and the fan usage. The front provides an ARGB light strip and ring to give some color to the card and your setup.

Palit RTX 3070 GamingPro OC, source: BGFG

It also still utilizes just two 8-pin connectors and you don’t have to worry about an adapter requiring or a specific PSU to power it. With the three fans, the cooling does keep the noise down without having to spin too fast and impeded at high loads.

Although the plastic backplate does limit the heat emissions from the card and may not be as effective as other options on keeping temps down. For the IO you get the standard three-to-one combo. With one HDMI 2.1 connector and three DP 1.4 options to utilize.

RTX 3070 performance

RTX 3070 Cyberpunk 2077 — Bar chart of CyberPunk 2077 performance of 3070, 4070, and 4070 Super

RTX 3070 3DMark — Bar chart of CyberPunk 2077 performance of 3070, 4070, and 4070 Super

We compared the older GPU to some of the newer 70 models, and of course, you do see a rather big difference in performance but so does the cost. You can see our testing process to find out the details but we did keep it quick for this review as we compare the 3070 Vs 4070 vs 4070 Super in CyberPunk 2077 and 3DMark for a good range of pure rasterization gaming and synthetics.

There we see the 3070 still provides a strong 1440p performance. Still runs 62 FPS average at 2K whilst 1080p is just shy of 100, as 4K is down in the 20-30s, but so are the 40 cards which still gives it strong power. Although ray tracing is another matter as the older hardware does fall behind 40-50% and does mean you have to turn down the graphics or use upscaling to get something playable. The 3070 does not have access to frame generation and DLSS 3 so it might be quite the negative for long-term gaming.

The ray tracing difference is also seen in 3DMark benchmarks in Port Royal specifically that widens the gap between the graphics cards. Otherwise, the 3070 sits close to the 4070 and is overshadowed by the Super model. But that doesn’t detract from the fact it’s $200 cheaper as the 40 cards had a launch price of $599, making the 3070 a strong value choice for 1440p.

But that doesn’t detract from the fact it’s $200 cheaper as the 40 cards had a launch price of $599, making the 3070 a strong value choice for 1440p.

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Palit RTX 3070 alternatives

Of course, the first option to think of is the RTX 4070 Super. The card did replace the 3070 and original 4070, but it does come at quite a higher cost. It makes it a lot more powerful across the board but for those looking for newer hardware and one that might last a bit longer considering the higher memory capacity and features it makes it a stronger choice. You can find out more about it in our 4070 Super Review.

ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4070 Super OC

Core clock speed

2565 MHz boost, 1980 MHz base

CUDA count

7,168

Memory

12GB GDDR6X

Dimensions

301 x 139 x 63 mm

PSU required

750W

TBP

220W

How We Review

Hands-on Review

Pros

Great build quality and design
Strong value for the performance with 1440p and above resolutions

Cons

A high cost model as it is much higher than MSRP
Requires 16pin power connector and so an adapter is needed that has been hazardous
Large size card can be harder to fit all cases

Another good alternative is the RX 7700 XT from AMD. Providing a strong value choice for a new-gen GPU but from Team Red. That is as long as ray tracing and rendering performance is not as important to you as that is where even the best AMD GPUs fall behind Nvidia ones. Otherwise, with the pricing decrease since its release, the card does offer better performance and specs over the 3070 for a not-too-dissimilar price. We also have a 7700 XT review for you to find even more on the graphics card.

Sapphire Pulse AMD RX 7700 XT

Core clock speed

1,900MHz, 2,171MHz Game, 2,544MHz max

Stream processors

3,456

Memory

12GB GDDR6

Dimensions

280 x 128.75 x 52.57 mm

PSU required

700W

TBP

245W

How We Review

Hands-on Review

Pros

Great performance for a sub $500 GPU
Well-designed cooling keeps temps at less than 85°C
Sapphire Pulse keeps the price low without unnecessary extras

Cons

Only $50 less than the RX 7800 XT which has better framerates
Ray tracing performance is still lackluster, but much improved
Relatively high power draw even compared to its predecessor

RTX 3070 FAQs

Is a RTX 3070 good for gaming?

Yes the RTX 3070 is a good GPU for gaming. It is capable of 1440p gaming and reaching high framerates. Whilst coming in with a lower price for it compared to newer options.

Is RTX 3070 considered high end?

The RTX 3070 is a mid to high-end card. With a focus on 1440p gaming and without a really high price, it is a much more affordable and value choice than others that is definitely in reach of more gamers.