GALAX GeForce RTX 4070 EX Gamer White review (Page 31)

GALAX GeForce RTX 4070 EX Gamer White review

Graphics cards 1048 Page 31 of 31 Published 2023-04-18 10:17 by Hilbert Hagedoorn

Final words and conclusion

Final words

We conducted an thorough evaluation on the GALAX GeForce RTX 4070 EX Gamer White Edition, which is currently the most affordable GPU series based on the Ada Lovelace architecture. This product features a triple-slot, triple-fan cooling configuration and boasts a black shroud embellished with practical and visually striking indentations and patterns. The layout ensures effective heat dissipation, while a large heatsink, linked to an expansive copper foundation, envelops both the GPU and memory components. A support plate is supplied to avoid any potential sagging. Although the performance of the Gamer EX White Edition may not significantly exceed the reference specifications, a moderate additional cost of $50-75 above the reference MSRP could be considered reasonable. With a straightforward manual tweak, users can effortlessly obtain an extra 6% performance boost from the card. NVIDIA has released the GeForce RTX 4070, the latest addition to the ADA product line. With its more affordable price point, this graphics card is now within reach for many end-users. Although NVIDIA heavily promotes the DLSS technology as a game-changer, we hope they won't overlook the importance of raw rasterizer shader performance in future products. The GeForce RTX 4070 boasts a robust architecture, advanced ray tracing capabilities, and enhanced DLSS technology, significantly improving its performance over its predecessors. However, its performance can fluctuate in less CPU-bound situations, and it may be a bit slower in DX11 yet faster in DX12. Compared to Radeon Series 6000/7000, the RTX 4070's ray tracing performance is faster overall, showing notable advancements in this field. Moreover, with the DLSS3+ Frame generation technology, the GPU can create miracles in games that support it.

Performance

The GeForce RTX 4070 offers nice gaming performance and rendering quality. This graphics card offers raw performance levels that enable gaming at 4K resolution, although it's primarily designed for WQHD. With most gamers playing at UWHD, QHD, or UHD monitor resolutions, the 4070 strikes a balance that will appeal to many enthusiasts. Compared to AMD's offerings, the Nvidia GPU will struggle to keep up with the $200 more expensive Radeon RX 7900 XT, but it still has several positive aspects. For example, the DLSS (3) and ray tracing features perform exceptionally well, giving gamers an immersive experience that AMD can't match now. Let's fire up charts to compare a bit.

The old rasterizer engine breaks right through the previous limit of extreme performance. The RTX 40 series now has a new generation of Ray tracing and Tensor cores that are more powerful. So, do not let the specific RT and Tensor core counts fool you; it's all about how much performance one unit offers. Since they are close to the shader engine, they have become more efficient, which shows. Tensor cores are harder to measure, but from what we have seen, everything seems to be in good shape, as DLSS3 shows exciting values.

Overall, the GeForce RTX 4070 makes sense at resolutions as low as 2K 2560x1440, and sometimes up to 4K (3840x2160). NVIDIA proclaims this as a 100+ FPS WQHD card, with which we concur.

Cooling & noise levels

During intensive full-load conditions, the graphics card consumes just under 200 watts. This power consumption correlates to the heat emitted by the GPU, which is situated within a sealed enclosure. In terms of noise levels, the card produces approximately 35 dBA, which is very pleasing. Under stress, the card's temperature may approach 65°C. This figure may vary based on the airflow efficiency within the computer case. FLIR imaging reveals no cause for concern. It is worth noting that customized cards from board partners might exhibit increased power consumption due to factors such as higher total graphics power and the presence of components like RGB lighting and liquid cooling pumps.

Energy consumption

In the preceding chapter, we discussed the power consumption of the GeForce RTX 4070 during demanding gaming sessions. The card demonstrates a reasonable power draw, approximately 200 watts (TBP), in exchange for its gaming performance. The power consumption may vary slightly during gameplay, but it often settles around 185 watts. Customized versions from board partners may exhibit higher power usage due to increased TGP allowances. Regarding TGP, our reference test indicates an average power consumption of 185 watts at Ultra HD resolution. We derived the card's TDP of 185 from the measurements taken across five different games.

Coil whine

Any GeForce RTX 4070 can exhibit coil squeal. It's just a matter of how much exactly. Well, it's at a level you can hear when you hit high framerates. In a closed chassis, that noise would fade away in the background. For this particular card, we've hardly been able to notice it.

Pricing

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 carries a manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of $599, which still is steep. I believe that the cost of a graphics card should ideally be less than that of a contemporary gaming console. Advanced AIB card models will command a higher price, with the card anticipated to attract an additional $50~75. Still, GALAX decided to keep this product at the $599 MSRP, which we certainly can appreciate.

Tweaking

You can enhance your GPU's performance by fine-tuning the clock frequency and memory speed. A clock frequency increase of approximately +150-200 MHz is possible with a bit of added voltage. Consequently, you can anticipate your GPU boost clock frequency around the 2950 MHz range, contingent on the dynamic frequencies of different game titles. Furthermore, by modifying the memory speed to 23 Gbps. Accumulated, you can expect a 6% performance improvement in demanding GPU scenarios compared to the reference (baseline) performance.

Conclusion

The GALAX GeForce RTX 4070 EX Gamer White provides a compelling alternative for gamers, provided its pricing stays competitive. This graphics card features an efficient cooling system; it has a mild factory tweak though and lacks adjustable power limits, which was unexpected. The RGB elements are not a concern as they look very subtle, the card maintains low noise levels, ideal temperatures in the 65 degrees C range and of course, has a nice stylish white appearance. It comes with a standard 8-pin PCIe PEG power connector, three DisplayPort outputs, and one HDMI output. The backplate showcases a modern design. The card's performance can be further enhanced by utilizing games that support DLSS(3). It is worth noting, however, that the founder edition card is superior. Performance-wise, the RTX 4070 can be compared to the RTX 3080 / 3080 Ti series, depending on the metrics used. The RTX 4070 series is an attractive choice for those seeking a visually striking graphics card for a white-themed setup. It offers ample performance for even Ultra HD gaming (particularly with DLSS3 / Frame generation enabled), and a mild overclocking option. Tagged at the MSRP of $599 this puts the Gamer EX White in green zone, as pricing is good. Fair enough, the founder edition counterpart has comparable performance, low noise levels, but does come with an adjustable power limiter. It is unknown why Galax did not include this feature for a bit more fun when tweaking. The EX Gamer White edition has an appealing design and sufficient cooling capacity, its acoustics are loverly as well. It can be an attractive choice for those seeking visually pleasing components for their white-themed build. The performance increase over the baseline reference is relatively minimal, but the card remains a powerful option for PC gamers, offering the potential for mild overclocking. As such, it comes recommended, and you can find it at MSRP $599 prices.