MSI GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER Gaming X review - Introduction

MSI GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER Gaming X(8GB) 

We already had tested the TRIO version of the MSI GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER series, today we'll focus on their new Gaming X version. Super-charged and super clocked, yet armed with a cool TwinFrozr 7 cooling solution.  It has been a strange year for NVIDIA as the GeForce RTX 2060, 2070 2080 and 2080 Ti became available. People had been very interested and were warmed up for DLSS (Tensor) and the ability to play Battlefield V in that hybrid Raytraced way. NVIDIA initiated massive internet virals to gain media coverage. But then it all kinda exploded in their face as end-users looked the other way when they learned about the very steep price level. There is no audience more critical than a PC Gamer, and when they have to pay a large sum of money for visual differences that are often hard to spot and cost a lot of FPS, you bet that can (and did) backfire. None the less, NVIDIA chose a direction that in my opinion was the right course to follow, and something they cannot back away from. So what to do in the meantime to satisfy the budget-conscious PC gamer? Well, with the help of the RT and Tensor-less GTX 1650, 1660 and 1660 Ti NVIDIA got the noses of many gamers pointed in the right direction again. However, graphics cards anno 2019 has become seriously expensive, that fact alone and all by itself is increasingly endangering the GPU related industry, as to why pay 500 to 1000 bucks for just a graphics card when you can buy a complete console for less? That is the core and rudimental essence of the root problem that NVIDIA and AMD are fighting right now. None the less, a few weeks ago, NVIDIA started teasing a new Super series, which we still like to refer to as a supercharged product. With AMD's NAVI based Radeon RX 5700 series coming out of the closet soon, NVIDIA figured that it was important enough to release a new series smack down in the middle of vacation time, the summer. Today sees the release of two out of three cards; that's right, there will also be a GeForce RTX 2080 Super, but not a 2080 Ti Super. There are subtle differences to be found in an increased shader count as well as the usage of GDDR6 graphics memory. The new "Super GeForce RTX 2060" cards are a "Turing Refresh" with higher GPU clocks, 256 more shader processors and 8GB GDDR6 memory. 

GeForce RTX 2070 Super

The new revamped and Super model 2070 offers a notch more. This graphics card has 2560 activated shader processors for the Super version (that value was 2304 on the RTX 2070). It has a 1770 MHz boost clock for the founder's version. This card has also been fitted with 14 Gbps GDDR6 memory, 8GB of it. You will have noticed that both cards make use of the same GPU, they are just configured differently. The TU104 silicon in use offers over 13 Billion transistors. NVIDIA is making use of the very same cooler, however with a Super logo on top of it. Both founders cards offer one HDMI port and multiple DisplayPort outputs, a DVI connector is included for the 2060 model only. You will also see the Virtual Link (USB) connector on the 2070 and 2080 Super. This product (founders edition) will be priced at 499 USD.

MSI GAMING X 8G

The 2070 SUPER series graphics cards are based on Turing architecture, offering that fundamental shading engine paired with RT and Tensor cores. Our tested card has been fitted with 8GB of GDDR6 memory running a 256-bit wide bus. MSI will offer several SKUs, in the above table you can see the naming, cooling option and listed Boost clocks for your reference. The card comes fitted with two PEG (PCI Express Graphics) power headers (6/8-pin). MSI applies the latest iteration of their dual-fan TwiNFrozr 7 cooler for the card which makes use TORX 3.0 fans which combine the advantages of both traditional and dispersion fan blades to generate huge amounts of airflow. Updated and darker trims on the traditional fan blades create concentrated airflow for higher air pressure while also reducing noise. The Gaming X edition has been designed with budget in mind and is merely a few tenners more expensive over reference designs. It's an attractive product with good cooling and acoustic performance, all based on a custom 8+2 phase power delivery.

GeForce Founder	RTX 2070 Super	RTX 2070 FE	RTX 2060 Super	RTX 2060 FE
GPU	TU104-410-A1	TU106	TU106-410-A1	TU106
Shader cores	2560	2304	2176	1920
Boost frequency	1770 MHz	1710 MHz	1650 MHz	1680 MHz
Memory	8GB GDDR6	8GB GDDR6	8GB GDDR6	6GB GDDR6
Memory frequency	14 Gbps	14 Gbps	14 Gbps	14 Gbps
Memory bus	256-bit	256-bit	256-bit	192-bit

 * reference specs

The card offers one HDMI port and three DisplayPorts. There is no DVI and/or Virtual link (USB) connector. This Turing GPU empowered product keeps that GPU at roughly 65 Degrees C marker depending on game load whilst remaining virtually silent. The GDDR6 memory runs an effective 14 Gbps, the card runs a faster 1800 MHz boost clock. For it's the latest series MSI applies a gunmetal grey & black look combined with Mystic Light RGB control.