NVIDIA has always been the leader when it comes to desktop and laptop GPUs. Especially with the launch of its RTX series of GPUs, now in their second generation. Amongst NVIDIA's portfolio, the XX70 GPUs are always in demand because they offer a perfect blend of price and performance.
But if you already own an RTX 2070 Super (S) GPU, is it worth it to upgrade to the newer RTX 3070 card? Read on to find out.
NVIDIA RTX 2070 Super Vs. RTX 3070: How Different Are They on Paper?
When talking about raw specifications, the two cards are not all that different.
The RTX 3070 still has the same 8GB GDDR6 memory as the RTX 2070 Super. Both GPUs use the same 256-bit architecture with a bandwidth of 448.0GB/s. In fact, the RTX 2070 Super has higher base and boost clock speeds at 1605 MHz and 1770 MHz, respectively. The RTX 3070 has a base clock speed of 1500 MHz and a boost speed of 1725 MHz.
But this is where the similarities end.
The NVIDIA RTX 3070 and all other GPUs in the 3000 series use an 8nm manufacturing process compared to the RTX 2070 Super's 12nm. Additionally, the RTX 3070 has 5888 shading units, which is more than double of the 2560 shading units present in the RTX 2070 Super. The RTX 3070 also has double the L1 cache, at 128KB, compared to the 64KB found in the RTX 2070 Super. L2 Cache remains the same for both cards, at 4MB.
NVIDIA's RTX 3070 GPU is part of the second generation of ray-tracing enabled cards. Naturally, it has better tensor and ray tracing (RT) cores that exponentially improve the ray tracing performance in video games. Looking at the spec sheet, it's clear that the RTX 3070 is a substantial improvement over the RTX 2070 Super.
NVIDIA RTX 2070 Super Vs. RTX 3070: Gaming Performance
What matters most to the average user is how both cards fare regarding benchmarks and real-life performance.
Right off the bat, the RTX 3070 performs better than the RTX 2070 Super in almost all benchmarks and offers better performance in video games. But, it is up to you to decide whether the improvement is worth an upgrade. Alternatively, if you already own one of the GPUs, you can use one of the many free benchmark programs for Windows and compare your results to users online.
According to UserBenchmark, the RTX 3070 has a 29% faster Effective 3D Speed than the RTX 2070 Super. It is indeed a huge jump for a card that is one generation apart. Unsurprisingly, the RTX 3070 GPU also has faster processing of lighting effects and reflection handling. Additionally, PassMark's G3D Mark rating shows the RTX 3070 beating out the RTX 2070 Super by more than 3,000 points.
Coming to gaming performance, the RTX 3070 offers better FPS across all titles when compared to the RTX 2070 Super. However, the lead does vary across different video games.
Notably, at 1080p, the RTX 3070 runs CS:GO at an average FPS of 396, while the RTX 2070 Super runs the game at 406 FPS. While the difference here is negligible, you must remember that CS:GO is a CPU-intensive game. The difference is more apparent in Overwatch which the RTX 3070 runs at 195 FPS, with the RTX 2070 Super running it at 147 FPS.
If you plan to game at 4K, you would be better off with NVIDIA's flagship RTX 3080 GPU. Even though both the RTX 2070 Super and the RTX 3070 can run games at 4K, the performance will be nothing to write home about. Nonetheless, the RTX 3070 does, naturally, perform better than the RTX 2070 Super at 4K.
NVIDIA RTX 3070 Vs. RTX 2070 Super: Price And Availability
In theory, both GPUs have an MSRP of $499, but only when the market is not plagued by a shortage of GPUs. It is nigh impossible to find any of the GPUs being sold at reasonable prices. In some cases, the RTX 2070 Super may be priced higher than the RTX 3070. Thus, it makes sense to go for an RTX 3070 if you can manage to find it. The only time you should think of purchasing an RTX 2070 is if it's selling for significantly less amount of money than the RTX 3070.
When it comes to availability, there are a few online retailers that have stock of both GPUs. However, be prepared to pay a huge premium over the MSP to get your hands on the cards. Websites such as Newegg and eBay are selling the GPUs at exorbitant prices of over $1,000. Unfortunately, the only thing you can do is wait until the GPU demand stabilizes.
If you absolutely have to purchase one of these GPUs, it's best to go for the RTX 3070 because of its clear advantage in performance and specs. More so because both GPUs are priced similarly, even on the aforementioned websites. It may also be worth it to check in with a local retailer because there is a chance you could grab one of the GPUs at lower prices than you would find online.
One of the Best Mid-Range GPUs
As is evident from this article, the NVIDIA RTX 3070 is one of the best mid-range GPUs available in the market. Even though the experience has been marred because of inflated prices, it still fills the sweet spot for price and performance. Furthermore, being a newer GPU, it also serves as a way to future-proof your computer in the years to come.
AMD has largely been left out of the picture when it comes to mid-range GPUs. But this isn't true in the high-end GPU segment. The RX 6800XT offers stiff competition to the RTX 3080, the model above the RTX 3070.
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