ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 4070 OC 12GB video card review: keep your gaming balance

Video cards of the GeForce xx70 series from NVIDIA have always aroused increased interest among demanding but moderate gamers. Models of the “seventies” series were usually allowed to go beyond the usual middle class and get more for a moderate surcharge. In the case of the GeForce RTX 40xx, pricing is a separate topic for discussion. Nevertheless, the appearance of the GeForce RTX 4070 series in the range of video card manufacturers is good news for users with high demands on the performance of the graphics subsystem. Today we are reviewing the ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 4070 OC 12 GB – an interesting model with a compact two-fan cooling system and additional acceleration from the manufacturer. Since this is our first acquaintance with the GeForce RTX 4070, we have a good opportunity to generally evaluate the capabilities of the series and the features of the solution from the Taiwanese manufacturer.

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070

GeForce RTX 4070 graphics cards are based on the same AD104 GPU as the older model GeForce RTX 4070 Ti, however, in this case, the AD104-250 modification has 5888 CUDA cores, instead of 7680 in the Ti version. In general, the layout of the younger model is almost identical, except for the active number of GPU functional units. The number of texture modules, RT, and tensor cores is proportionally reduced. The processor has 36 MB of L2 cache memory. The base frequency of the chip is indicated at 1920 MHz, and the average value of dynamic acceleration is 2475 MHz. The maximum computing performance is 29.15 TFLOPs.

The GeForce RTX 4070 model is also equipped with 12 GB of memory and has a 192-bit bus. GDDR6X chips with an effective frequency of 21,000 MHz in this configuration allow you to get a bandwidth of 504 GB/s. Here everything is identical to the older version. But the striking difference with the Ti model is the level of energy consumption. The declared TBP (Total Board Power) for the GeForce RTX 4070 is only 200 W, while the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti has 285 W.

NVIDIA offers a reference version of the GeForce RTX 4070 Founders Edition, which is actually a copy of the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti with a different GPU and a reduced number of GPU power phases in the VRM module. In turn, the partners presented a wide range of different variations with original designs. We are reviewing one of these models today.

ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 4070 OC Edition 12GB GDDR6X (DUAL-RTX4070-O12G)

ASUS offered eight GeForce RTX 4070 modifications at once, offering corresponding video cards in the Dual, TUF, and ROG Strix lines. We received for review a compact two-fan model with a very long full name – ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 4070 OC Edition 12GB GDDR6X (DUAL-RTX4070-O12G).

The designation OC Edition implies the additional acceleration received by the graphics processor. In this case, instead of the recommended formula of 1920/2475 MHz, the chip received 1920/2520 MHz. That is, the value of the average acceleration of the GPU is increased by +45 MHz.

The video card is offered in a medium-sized box. Apart from the paper warranty and quick setup instructions, no additional accessories are provided.

A fairly compact cooling system with a pair of fans is used for the ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 4070 OC 12GB. The manufacturer focuses on the general dimensions of the model. Indeed, the video card has a total length of only 267 mm, which allows it to be used in cases with relatively small form factors, or models with limited space for additional expansion cards. However, it should be noted that the adapter has a 3-slot design (in the manufacturer’s interpretation – 2.56-slot), so the model, although compact, is not miniature.

As for the weight, the ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 4070 OC 12GB weighs 957 g, so the video card does not need additional support brackets.

The design of the cooler involves the use of two recruitment cassettes with aluminum plates, which are connected by four heat pipes with additional nickel plating. The heatsink is used to remove heat from the GPU, memory chips, and power cells.

A pair of axial-type fans is provided for blowing the radiator. In this case, models with proprietary Axial-Tech technology are used, which provides for a smaller diameter of the sleeve, allowing to increase the dimensions of the blades. In addition, the unifying barrier ring on the outer radius accentuates the flow and increases the air pressure.

Double ball bearings are used for the fans, which improves their durability. The cooler supports the “0dB” mode, predicting the fans to stop if the GPU temperature drops below 55C.

The original printed circuit board is used for ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 4070 OC 12GB. An 8-phase power stabilization subsystem based on Vishay SIC654A DrMOS power assemblies with an operating current of up to 50 A and a uPI uP9512R controller is provided for the GPU. The voltage regulator for the memory chips has a two-phase architecture with the same DrMOS and uPI uP9529Q controller.

As for the DRAM itself, it uses Micron D8BZC chips, which, according to the specification, operate at an effective 21,000 MHz.

One of the features of the ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 4070 OC 12GB is the use of the usual 8-pin 12V connector for connecting additional power, instead of the 12VHPWR connector common to RTX 40xx. In this case, you do not have to use an additional adapter if the BZ does not have a suitable stock cable. Considering the declared power consumption level of GeForce RTX 4070, only one 8-pin connector is enough for the video card of the series. At the same time, the developers recommend equipping the system with an ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 4070 OC 12GB power supply unit with a power of 650 W.

A toggle switch is provided near the top edge of the PCB to change between Performance Mode (default) and Quiet Mode. The latter provides an algorithm for the operation of the cooling system with reduced fan speeds.

On the reverse side, the adapter is covered with a protective aluminum plate, which also strengthens the overall design. In addition, the plate is used for additional cooling of a part of the elements on this side of the PCB, contacting them through thermal pads. As you can see in the photo, the plate has through holes, which allows you to partially blow out the radiator unit, as well as avoid the formation of an overheating zone under the plate itself.

The composition of the interface panel is standard for video cards of the series – three DisplayPort 1.4a and one HDMI 2.1. Part of the plate is perforated for the removal of heated air.

Increasingly, additional lighting is only a possible option even for accented gaming hardware. A new trend, a shortage of RGB LEDs, or a return to rationality in this matter? Be that as it may, ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 4070 OC 12GB is also not burdened with additional illumination. Among the visual decoration, one can notice the large GeForce RTX and ASUS logos on the top panel. In addition, it should be noted that the segment of the protective casing in the upper part is made of translucent plastic, which allows you to partially see the design of the radiator unit. However, this is still to a greater extent a decorative technique for the external decoration of the adapter.

Test bench configuration

• Motherboard: ASUS PRIME B760M-A WIFI (Intel B760)
• CPU: Intel Core i5-13600KF (6/12+8; 3.5/5.1 GHz + 2.6/3.9 GHz)
• Cooling: ASUS ROG RYUO III 360 ARGB
• Memory: Kingston FURY Renegade DDR5-7200 32 GB (KF572C38RWK2-32 2×16 GB)
• Video cards: Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER GAMING OC 8G (GV-N207SGAMING OC-8GC), ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 3070 OC Edition (TUF-RTX3070O8G-GAMING), ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 4070 OC Edition 12GB GDDR6X (DUAL- RTX4070-O12G)
• Drive: Kingston KC3000 1024 GB and Samsung 980 Pro 1TB
• PSU: ASUS ROG STRIX 1000W GOLD

To test the capabilities of the ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 4070 OC Edition 12GB GDDR6X, we have selected a decent list of opponents. First of all, it is interesting to compare the performance of the new product with that of its predecessor – GeForce RTX 3070 8 GB. This will make it possible to assess the progress during the transition to a new generation within the same class. The last clarification is important because so far we have seen that the maximum difference is found in the top solutions. Now we will have an opportunity to check the state of affairs in the middle class.

Another useful “benchmark” in our test will be the GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER. Popular model on GPU with Turing architecture. The indicators of this video card will allow owners of adapters of this 4-year-old class to decide whether it is time for another upgrade. The GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER is about 15% faster than the classic GeForce RTX 2070 model, so if necessary, the figures can be extrapolated.

Well, having a list of GeForce RTX 4070 Ti test participants allows you to evaluate the difference in performance with the older model and compare their capabilities with your current requests.

Please note that the GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER and GeForce RTX 3070 are equipped with 8 GB of local memory, while the GeForce RTX 4070 and 4070 Ti have already received 12 GB.

Operation

As we mentioned, the ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 4070 OC 12GB supports the 0dB Fan technology, stopping the fans at a relatively light load.

In this state, the capabilities of the cooler allow you to keep the temperature of the chip at 44C at 25C indoors.

Under gaming load, the GPU temperature rose to 64C, while the memory chips heated up to 74C. Fan speed increased to 1650 rpm. The video card is not silent, but in general, it works quite quietly.

As you can see in the screenshot, the GPU was accelerated to 2820 MHz during operation, although the average typical values in games are slightly lower (~2700 MHz).

We also tested the performance of the video card in Quiet Mode by switching the corresponding toggle switch on the top panel of the video card. In this case, a less aggressive fan control algorithm is used. The speed of rotation increased only to 1100 rpm, however, the heating of the components of the video card also increased somewhat – the temperature of the graphics processor rose to 69C, and the temperature of the memory chips to 82C.

Performance

The first approach to comparing the capabilities of video cards is made with the help of 3DMark component tests.

The Time Spy Extreme stage determines the advantage of the RTX 4070 over the RTX 3070 at the level of 20%. At the same time, the video card is about 25% inferior to the older Ti version. The RTX 2070 SUPER model has ~60% more modest indicators.

In the Speed Way subtest, the balance of power with the Ti-modification remained approximately the same, but the advantage over its predecessor, the GeForce RTX 3070, became more noticeable – 25%. GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER lost ground at this stage, giving way to ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 4070 OC 12GB by more than twice.

At the stage with active ray tracing of Port Royal, the RTX 4070’s advantage over the RTX 3070 continued to increase and reached 32%, while the RTX 2070 SUPER, in turn, lagged here by 80%. The older model RTX 4070 Ti retains the handicap, and the difference in indicators is quite sufficient for the future appearance of the conditional RTX 4070 SUPER.

1080p Games

Synthetic applications allowed getting a first idea of the ratio of strength of the test participants, however, the comparison of the performance of video cards in real games is even more interesting.

Let’s start with the 1920×1080 mode, using the maximum quality settings, excluding ray tracing. DLSS dynamic scaling was also not used at this stage. The maximum quality picture with traditional rendering method.

According to the results of testing in selected projects, ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 4070 OC 12GB managed to demonstrate performance at the level of 175 fps on average. This is an average value for all tested games, but even in heavy projects like Cyberpunk 2077, Ghost Recon Breakpoint (on ultras), or Red Dead Redemption II, the video card provided more than 100-120 fps.

The predecessor – GeForce RTX 3070 8 GB – in identical conditions provided an average of 143 fps, that is, according to this indicator, was 22% inferior to the RTX 4070. At the same time, the GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER obtained an average of 108 frames/s based on the total result of passing all projects. In general, it is quite a good indicator, which proves that models of this level are still quite suitable for a comfortable game in Full HD mode, even at the maximum quality settings. Although, of course, in the most difficult current games, it is no longer worth counting on 100 fps.

As for GeForce RTX 4070, in general, it looks somewhat “overqualified” for Full HD mode. Although if you need stable high fps, including with ray tracing without DLSS, then for such conditions the power of the GeForce RTX 4070 will not be superfluous.

1440p Games

Let’s look at the situation with a resolution of 2560×1440. In this mode, the requirements for the performance of video cards are already significantly increased. Nevertheless, the GeForce RTX 4070 12 GB still gets an average 134 fps in this case.

However, it should be taken into account that the overall indicator is improved by lighter projects like Chernobylite with an average of 227 fps or Shadow of the Tomb Raider and GRID Legends with 163 fps. And here one should not forget about the presence of even more resource-intensive games such as Hogwarts Legacy, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, or The Last of Us Part I, which will further reduce the indicators. But even for these “heavyweights”, which have certain problems with optimization, the GeForce RTX 4070 can provide comfortable conditions.

The GeForce RTX 3070 8GB was able to provide a final average of 110 fps, which is 22% lower than that of the RTX 4070. In the projects selected for testing, the GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER managed to get an average of 82 fps. However, evaluating the performance of the video card in more resource-intensive games, it can be seen that the performance reserve is running out. That is, for certain existing projects in modes with maximum quality, this video card may not be enough for a comfortable game. Of course, there is always an opportunity to optimize the settings.

GeForce RTX 4070 Ti 12 GB with an average of 162 fps and a 21% advantage over the RTX 4070 12 GB is usually the most powerful option with the maximum potential, the lane and cost of the Ti modification are significantly higher. In addition, let us recall that NVIDIA was initially even going to call this model GeForce RTX 4080 12 GB, using an even higher price tag. Yes, an almost monopoly position usually deactivates a rational approach.

4K games

To tame curiosity, after investigating the behavior of video cards under additional load, we use the 4K mode. Are these conditions available, at least to owners of the new RTX 4070/4070 Ti 12GB?

Of course, for a resolution of 3840×2160, it is very desirable to have a larger local buffer for storing textures. For the most difficult projects, 12 GB may not be enough. This is a really strong claim for the NVIDIA video cards of this class. But this is already an architectural feature with the use of a 192-bit bus, which imposes restrictions on the total memory capacity of the video card.

Returning to the indicators of the test participants, we note that the GeForce RTX 4070 managed to achieve an average performance of 77 fps in 4K mode. However, if you look at the indicators in certain “heavy” projects, not to mention the minimum values, it becomes obvious that even more powerful video cards are needed for 4K. At least if there is a desire to use the mode with the maximum picture quality.

GeForce RTX 3070 8 GB achieved 64 fps. But if we count the average figure without the participation of Chernobylite and GRID Legends, then we do not even reach the desired 60 fps. However, it should be noted that, despite the presence of only 8 GB of memory, the RTX 3070 lags behind the RTX 4070 by the same 20% in terms of average performance. Moreover, the same difference remains with the minimum indicators (50 vs. 60 fps). That is, there is no rapid drop here, characteristic of cases of acute shortage of local memory.

As expected, the 4K mode is given to the GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8 GB. The average 47 fps and 42 fps, without taking into account the indicators in the most lightweight projects, indicate that significant compromises in the settings cannot be avoided here. Although, what else should you expect, if even owners of more powerful video cards have to play with parameters in 4K?

And what about the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti? Like the RTX 4070, it is also not an ideal solution for 4K. Although it can add 20-25% to the indicators of the base model, the modes with maximum quality will also have to be abandoned in certain projects. And this is even when it comes to classic rendering without the use of ray tracing, which additionally increases both the load on the GPU and the capacity of the required video card memory.

We briefly explored the possibilities of ray tracing and DLSS using Dying Light 2. Enabling RT can have a significant impact on overall performance, especially in 4K mode. In addition, the mode with tracing increases the demand for the memory capacity of the video card. As we can see in the case of Dying Light 2, even the GeForce RTX 4070 can only provide 26 fps. In such a case, a significant acceleration is required to get the “playable” mode. Activating DLSS 2 Performance increases performance by almost 2.5 times. It works like this with all models.

On adapters of the GeForce RTX 40xx line, it is possible to apply DLSS 3. In this case, the GeForce RTX 4070 already provided an average of 92 fps.

For 1440p mode, smart scaling can also be very useful, even for RTX 4070-level graphics cards, especially if you want to activate RT. The addition of DLSS 2 Performance leads to a significant boost in performance, and if you also “polish” Frame Generation, the screen with an increased refresh rate will not be idle. However, here you can adjust the quality of the picture by the degree of scaling – doubling or even tripling the basic indicators does not always pass without a trace.

How can you generally evaluate the capabilities of the GeForce RTX 4070 12 GB? According to the test results, this model is usually ahead of its predecessor GeForce RTX 3070 8 GB by ~20%. Considering similar indicators, we can say that this is the level of GeForce RTX 3080 10 GB. Maybe we would like more, but we accept it as it is. If we mention the AMD solution, then it is a direct opponent for the Radeon RX 6800 XT 16 GB. At least when it comes to classic rendering. When tracing is activated, the RTX 4070 and RTX 3080 will “argue” on equal footing, but the RX 6800 XT will be a quarter behind. However, the solution from AMD has the advantage of a larger memory capacity, which will not be superfluous for video cards of this category. In its turn, the GeForce RTX 4070 beckons with improved efficiency and DLSS 3 support.

In general, the GeForce RTX 4070 feels quite confident in 1440p mode, providing comfortable performance indicators. The additional 20-25% that the Ti modification can provide would not be superfluous, especially if there is a monitor with an increased refresh rate, however, the older modification is 30% more expensive and also has a significantly higher level of power consumption.

Energy consumption

If we are already talking about energy appetites, we should remind you that the declared level of TBP (Total Board Power) for the GeForce RTX 4070 12 GB is only 200 W. This is a very good figure, even against the background of the older model GeForce RTX 4070 Ti 12 GB with its 285 W.

As for the predecessor – GeForce RTX 3070, its energy consumption is declared at the level of 220 W, while the GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER – 215 W. Let’s check the expected values by loading the video cards in Cyberpunk 2077.

The theory is confirmed in practice. Among the test participants, it was indeed the GeForce RTX 4070 that turned out to be the most economical, with the ASUS video card even less than 5 W under load to the claimed 200 W. Let’s pay attention to the significantly higher performance of the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti. Even though the older modification is on average 20-25% faster than the base one, its power consumption is actually 45% higher. Such a difference seems even more unexpected, given that both graphics cards use the AD104 GPU and have an identical memory subsystem configuration. The difference is only in the number of active GPU units and operating frequencies.

Either way, the GeForce RTX 4070 offers excellent power efficiency. If the novelty is compared by this indicator with the GeForce RTX 3080 10 GB (320 W) and Radeon RX 6800 XT 16 GB (300 W) models, which are conditionally equal in terms of performance, then obviously the performance advantage per watt will be more than one and a half times.

Overclocking

As we mentioned, the ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 4070 OC 12GB has a small factory GPU overclock. To satisfy curiosity, we experimented with additional acceleration in express mode. First of all, we note that the limits of the maximum power consumption of the video card (Power Limit) can be increased to 108%.

As a result, it was possible to increase the base frequency of the GPU by 200 MHz – from 1920 to 2120 MHz (+10.4%). At the same time, the average acceleration increased accordingly from 2520 MHz to 2720 MHz. Memory chips also worked stably at high frequencies – 1490 MHz (23 840 MHz) instead of the standard 1313 MHz (21,000 MHz).

After additional overclocking, the GPU was automatically accelerated up to 3015 MHz. However, it should be noted that after overclocking with an increase in Power Limit, the peak power consumption increased from 195 to 218 W. At the same time, the GPU warmed up to 70C, while the fan speed increased to ~2100 rpm under maximum load.

Additional overclocking increased the Graphics Score in the 3DMark Time Spy Extreme subtest from 8312 to 8763 points, i.e. by 5.4%. You can count on approximately this increase in productivity in real games.

Price

The recommended price of GeForce RTX 4070 of $599 looks very attractive, but it should be remembered that such price tags are indicated for the American market, so the budget for the purchase of a video card in Ukraine will have to be increased. According to data from online price comparison services, the price of the official GeForce RTX 4070 entry-level models starts at approximately UAH 27,500 (~$740).

The current retail price of the ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 4070 OC 12GB model in question starts at ~28,500 UAH ($770). It should be noted that the market also offers a version without additional factory acceleration – DUAL-RTX4070-12G. However, this position is rare, and the cost is almost the same. But what we pay special attention to is the offer of the ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 4070 in a white cooling system.

Perhaps the color of the outer casing will be decisive when choosing a specific video card model.

Adapters of the older GeForce RTX 4070 Ti line are offered on our market from ~37,000 UAH (~$1000). That is, the difference in cost with that of the RTX 4070 is about 30%, while the performance usually differs by 20-25%.

Regarding the availability of Radeon RX 6800 XT 16 GB, our market offers only remnants of adapters of this series, and the price is usually not attractive. The same applies to the GeForce RTX 3080 10 GB, which is similar in performance. Suppliers have already managed to release their warehouses for models of the new line, and the few remnants of carriers with the Ampere architecture do not resemble offers that cannot be refused.