If you’re in the market for a mid-range GPU that’s capable of 1440p and even entry-level 4K then the Nvidia RTX 4070 Ti may suffice. However, considering it’s been the better part of two years since its release with the more powerful RTX 4070 Ti Super now on the scene, it could be a hard sell in 2024. It all comes down to pricing and availability at the end of the day when considering it as one of the best GPUs in the mid-range market. Our full RTX 4070 Ti review goes into all the details.
ASUS TUF GeForce RTX 4070 Ti OC
- Leading 1440p gaming performance
- Strong synthetic performance
- Large memory pool
- Replaced by RTX 4070 Ti Super
- Doesn’t excel in 4K
Why we’ve scored it a 3.5
The RTX 4070 Ti is un deniably powerful GPU for 1440p gaming, however, the RTX 4070 Ti Super is priced identically with far more power under the hood which makes this one harder to recommend by comparison.
Nvidia RTX 4070 Ti price
The RTX 4070 Ti is available starting at $799.99 making it one of the more expensive graphics cards of the mid-range market. For context, that’s more expensive than the previous market leader, the RTX 3080 which debuted at $699 which really pushes what we typically think about 70-class pricing. However, now that the RTX 4070 Ti Super is here, we’ve started to see regular discounts on this GPU which means it can be found cheaper, but the pricing is likely to alienate some people.
We then have to factor in that the RTX 4070 Ti was originally supposed to be the RTX 4080 12GB before being “unlaunched” by Nvidia. That somewhat justifies the high price tag to some extent, being considerably cheaper than the RTX 4080 with its $1,199 MSRP, a genuinely ludicrous feat. Below we’re getting into the details about whether the GPU justifies the price, and the truth is that it’s a little more complicated than it seems.
Nvidia RTX 4070 Ti key specs
Specs wise, the Nvidia RTX 4070 Ti is built on the AD104 die with a total of 7,680 CUDA cores and 12GB GDDR6X VRAM on a 192-bit memory bus. It features a bandwidth of 504.GB/sec meaning 21 Gbps effective memory clocked at 1,313 MHz. It runs fairly fast out of the box with a base clock speed of 2,310 MHz and a boost clock speed of 2,610 Mhz depending on which version you opt for.
For comparison’s sake, our review unit is the ASUS TUF Gaming RTX 4070 Ti OC which can be overclocked to 2,730 Mhz with its boost clock or up to 2,760 Mhz with the OC mode. That’s a total clock speed difference of 5.7% which could be the difference between a couple of frames depending on the software optimization. Taken on the whole, the GPU is solid, but when compared to the newer RTX 4070 Ti Super, the original variant can seem lacking by comparison.
While our full RTX 4070 Ti vs RTX 4070 Ti Super feature goes over all the details, the cliff notes are as follows. The latter features a bump up to 16GB GDDR6 VRAM (a 4GB increase) and is forged on the larger AD103 die, effectively putting it in a similar category to the RTX 4080 without the high price tag. If you want the highest amount of performance and the memory pool overhead without splashing out extra, you may be better with the newer of the two.
Nvidia RTX 4070 Ti key design
Backplate of the RTX 4070 Ti © BGFG
RTX 4070 Ti IO
RTX 4070 Ti heatsink
RTX 4070 Ti fans
As there’s no Founders Edition model for the RTX 4070 Ti we can only go off the design of Team Green’s various partners. With this in mind, the ASUS TUF Gaming RTX 4070 Ti certainly looks the part as one of the better AIBs we’ve used. The manufacturer has essentially thrown an RTX 4080 cooler on top, resulting in a typically larger, thicker, and heavier model than some other alternatives, likely the result of the overclocking potential.
The design of ASUS’ RTX 4070 Ti impresses with its vented exoskeleton, larger fans, and huge heatsinks. The fans spin in alternative directions which is said to aid airflow, and the fans themselves won’t spin up unless the card reaches a toasty temperature of 50 degrees for added longevity when idle or in low power use. It does result in a wider card than some other versions as touched above. This one’s a 3.25 slot measuring 12 x 5.4 x 2.5 inches (LxWxH) being quite the long GPU.
Consider the size of the GPU first
As there’s no Founders Edition model, many partners are making different sized models with varying power requirements. Some are bigger than others and will draw more power.
Regardless of which partner variant you aim for, all RTX 4070 Ti GPUs utilize a 16-pin power adapter and require somewhere in the realm of 600W to 750W power supplies given the respective TDP of the card. By default, it’s 285W but different manufacturers may have varying wattages when considering the coolers and external factors such as RGB lighting, etc.
Nvidia RTX 4070 Ti gaming performance
The RTX 4070 Ti is primarily marketed as a 1440p GPU and that’s what the testing conducted by BGFG’s Sebastian Kozlowski indicates. This is most apparent in demanding software such as Cyberpunk 2077 and Fortnite, as while the GPU provides well above 60fps in this target resolution, it falls below this threshold in 4K. Not to say that 4K isn’t possible, in older or well-optimized titles, like Doom Eternal and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla it is certainly possible, but far from where this card excels.
Nvidia RTX 4070 Ti synthetic performance
Speaking to the synthetic performance, the RTX 4070 Ti strongly delivers in the likes of 3DMark’s various suites of benchmarking tools including Fire Strike, Time Spy, and Port Royal. These are leading figures for a mid-range GPU, but aren’t exactly competing with what the RTX 4080 and RTX 4090 can do. Considering its specs and price point, however, that’s not entirely surprising. More than good enough to showcase the productivity capabilities here, though.
Conclusion
The RTX 4070 Ti is a powerful GPU further bolstered by the likes of DLSS and ray tracing and while priced higher than many AMD mid-range offerings, largely holds its own. For better value for money, you may be better served by the newer RTX 4070 Super which is cheaper, or the RTX 4070 Ti Super with the same memory pool and die size as the RTX 4080. There’s no debating that the Ada Lovelace architecture excels with these cards, especially when factoring in DLSS 3’s Frame Generation tech, too.
The memory bandwidth of the RTX 4070 Ti isn’t exactly leading, but considering its 128-bit memory bus, it pushes the AD104 die to its limits. You can expect frame rates of around 60fps and above in 1440p and even 4K depending on the titles. However, utilizing the GPU’s Tensor cores for the AI-powered boost is going to yield far better results, which is ultimately a major strength of this line of Nvidia GeForce RTX GPUs since their launch. If you’re considering a mid-range card for your PC, this one could be it.
The benchmarks show solid performance across the board but the simple fact of the matter is that this GPU was replaced earlier in the year. If you can find the RTX 4070 Ti at a discount then it could be one of the better purchases, as its price point was always quite a high bar to cross. We think it does just about enough to justify the sticker price, but some partner cards are going to make that a bitter pill to swallow, so it’s worth weighing up your options carefully or opting for the RX 7900 XT instead.
Alternatives to the RTX 4070 Ti
As touched upon above, the biggest alternative to the RTX 4070 Ti is the RTX 4070 Ti Super as it’s priced the same with far more to offer thanks to an increased memory pool and being built upon a larger die. However, from the Red Team, you could also consider the RX 7900 XT at a similar price point instead. If 4K gaming is something you want to do then we recommend upping your budget and going for an RTX 4080 Super which starts at $999 – $200 more than this one.
You want a powerful mid-range GPU
You primarily game in 1440p
You aren’t too fussed about 4K
You can buy the RTX 4070 Ti Super instead
You want the best value for money
Is the RTX 4070 Ti worth it?
The RTX 4070 Ti could be worth it if you can find it a discount or want a smaller mid-range GPU for your rig. However, factoring in the release of the RTX 4070 Ti Super with its larger VRAM pool and higher bandwidth, this one could be a tough sell for the MSRP. We think it does enough to be recommended but isn’t quite striving for greatness.
Copy by Aleksha McLoughlin ; Testing by Sebastian Kozlowski
