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Nvidia launched the RTX 3070 as its 1440p champion back in 2020. The card was a massive leap over the last-generation RTX 2070 Super, which still holds up quite well. However, at a similar price point, the RTX 3070 was praised for its value proposition.
During the GPU shortage, the card was sold way above its MSRP. However, its price has dropped significantly today. Thus, several gamers are considering it over the Radeon RX 6750 XT, the RX 6800, the 3070 Ti, and the upcoming RTX 4070 Ti.
The RTX 3070 is a great card. However, there are a few factors that one should consider before buying it.
Note: This article is subjective and reflects the opinions of the writer
The RTX 3070 is a solid option, but the competition is equally lucrative
The RTX 3070 is currently selling below its $499 MSRP. The average of the three cheapest in-stock listings in Newegg is around $485 as of writing.
On paper, the 3070 comes with impressive specs. It is based on the GA104 graphics processor with a 392 mm² die. Under its hood, the GA104 packs 5,888 CUDA cores, 184 Texture Mapping Units (TMUs), and 96 Render Output Units (ROPs).
The graphics card packs 8 GB of GDDR6 memory that is based on a 256-bit bus. It is rated for a total board power (TBP) of 220 W.
Based on TechPowerUp's graphics computing prowess, the 3070 is around 6% faster than the RX 6750 XT and around 7% slower than the RTX 3070 Ti.
These specs translate very well to the gaming experience. The graphics card performs quite well in QHD resolutions. It is quite an overkill card for 1080p gaming and plays most video games at 4K resolution with very little compromise in visual fidelity.
However, AMD has a few solid options around the same price. The Radeon RX 6750 XT costs around $40 to $50 less than the RTX 3070. However, it only delivers one to two fewer frames than the 3070 in most video games. Thus, gamers can save some money by opting for this video card.
However, if gamers are willing to spend around $500, they can consider the Radeon RX 6800 over the 3070. This card is around 10% faster than the Nvidia equivalent. It costs around $500 to $510, depending on the third-party AIB option gamers choose.
However, it is worth noting that AMD Radeon RX 6000 series video cards come with a ton of trade-offs. RDNA 2 is Team Red's first attempt at hardware-accelerated ray tracing. These graphics cards, thus, do not perform as well as Nvidia RTX 30 series GPUs in ray-tracing-heavy games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Watch Dogs: Legion.
In addition, AMD's upscaling technology, FSR, despite being quite good, cannot deliver images that are as crisp as the final output of Nvidia DLSS.
When it comes to productivity and professional usage, AMD's OpenGL is crushed by Nvidia CUDA. Thus, creators and 3D artists should opt for an RTX 30 series GPU any day. Gamers can opt for any RX 6000 series GPU and call it a day.
Overall, the RTX 3070's value proposition has significantly improved over the last few months. However, AMD has some equally impressive options on store shelves. One should check them out before finalizing their GPU. For most gamers, the Radeon RX 6800 is a better option.
Meanwhile, creators and professionals with a specific use for the technologies of an Nvidia GPU should opt for the RTX 3070 over any Radeon RX 6000 series offering. You can get the Nvidia RTX 3070 here.
