One question we have been asked often is this: Which graphics card is better when it comes to the RTX 2080 Super vs 3070? In today’s article, we are going to talk all about it and find out the final answer. There is no better time to buy a new graphics card for your PC or upgrade to a gaming laptop with a newer GPU. Thanks to prices finally starting to come down after a long season of inflated prices and shortages, now is an excellent time to think about upgrading.
With so many choices out there, it can be difficult to decide on which graphics card is right for you. There are so many confusing terms and names in the GPU world. That’s why we are here – to break everything down into easy-to-understand terms and help you decide which GPU is the right choice.
Whether you are gaming, streaming, or video-editing, the RTX 2080 Super and RTX 3070 from Nvidia are both appealing choices. But which one is really better? We’ll check out full side-by-side comparisons, specs, and prices to help you pick the perfect GPU.
Nvidia RTX 2080 Super vs 3070: Side-By-Side Comparison
The RTX 2080 Super and RTX 3070 are very similar cards, and at first glance, it may be hard to tell them apart. The fact that one is newer than the other can make things even more confusing. Check out the comparison table below to get an idea of how the specs stack up between these two graphics cards:
RTX 2080 Super | RTX 3070 | |
---|---|---|
Graphics Processor: | TU104 | GA104 |
Shader Cores: | 3072 | 5888 |
TMUs: | 192 | 184 |
ROPs: | 64 | 96 |
VRAM Type: | GDDR6 | GDDR6 |
VRAM Capacity: | 8 GB | 8 GB |
Bus Width: | 256 bit | 256 bit |
GPU Clock: | 1650 MHz | 1500 MHz |
Boost Clock: | 1815 MHz | 1725 MHz |
Memory Clock: | 1937 MHz | 1750 MHz |
Texture Fill Rate: | 348.5 GTexel/s | 317.4 GTexel/s |
Pixel Rate: | 116.2 GPixel/s | 165.6 GPixel/s |
Double Floating-point Performance: | 348.5 GFLOPS | 317.4 GFLOPS |
As we can see, the RTX 2080 Super and RTX 3070 are very similar graphics cards, sharing similarities such as VRAM capacity and type, as well as similar memory bandwidth and theoretical performance. However, there are a few key areas where the RTX 3070 appears to be the winner, with more shader cores and rasterization output pipelines. This leads to the RTX 3070 having a notably higher pixel rate than the RTX 2080 Super.
- DisplayPort, DVI, HDMI
- 1,650MHz clock speed
- 8GB
- Enhanced Tensor and RT cores
- 8GB GDDR6 memory
- 256-bit interface
- 1695MHz boost clock speed
- Features antialiasing and anisotropic filtering
RTX 2080 Super vs 3070: A Brief History
Nvidia launched the RTX 2080 Super on July 23rd, 2019, as a modest upgrade over the base model RTX 2080, which came out almost a full year earlier. Both the standard RTX 2080 and the RTX 2080 Super were released with an MSRP of $699, making the RTX 2080 Super an obviously better choice. For those who had waited to upgrade from an older model such as the GTX 1080, the wait would have paid off handsomely.
When Nvidia released the RTX 3070 on September 1st, 2020, the famous chip shortages had already begun, making the new release out of reach for most gamers from the start. To those who had already made the decision to upgrade to an RTX 2080 Super, the new 3070 series GPUs were not as tempting. The fact that the original MSRP of $499 was impossible to find on store shelves made it difficult for anyone on a budget to acquire the RTX 3070 even if they wanted to.
With the price of the RTX 3070 approaching MSRP once again, you may be tempted to upgrade. The good news is that Nvidia made sure to upgrade the RTX 3070 significantly from its predecessor: the RTX 2070. With higher specs and better benchmark performance than the previous generation, the RTX 3070 is a clear upgrade. However, if you already have an RTX 2080 or RTX 2080 Super, the improvements may be less significant for you.
As for competition from Nvidia’s biggest rival, AMD, both graphics cards easily defeat their opponents. The closest AMD equivalent to the RTX 2080 Super is the AMD Radeon VII, which comes in about 24% slower according to benchmarks and user reports. The closest equivalent to the RTX 3070 on the other hand, is the AMD Radeon RX 6800-XT, which is similar in performance, but still rated about 2% slower overall.
RTX 2080 Super vs 3070: Five Must-Know Facts
- Both GPUs have full support for hardware Ray Tracing.
- Both the RTX 2080 Super and 3070 are DirectX 12 Ultimate capable GPUs.
- The RTX 2080 Super and 3070 make use of Nvidia’s DLSS technology.
- Both graphics cards meet the requirements for 99% of current games.
- Both GPUs use the latest GDDR6 video memory.
Power Requirements, Dimensions, and Connectivity
An important part of the buying decision when looking for a new graphics card is knowing a few things such as how much power is required to run them. As you might expect, the newer GPUs are typically more energy-efficient, and this is no different when considering the RTX 2080 Super vs 3070.
The RTX 2080 Super has a TDP rating of 250 watts maximum when under full load, meaning you should have at least a 600-watt or higher power supply. Power is delivered to the GPU through one 6-pin and one 8-pin connector. The RTX 3070 is a little more efficient, with a TDP rating of just 220 watts maximum. Power is fed to the card through two 6-pin power connectors, and the manufacturer recommends that you have a minimum of 550-watt power supply.
You’ll be pleased to find that the RTX 3070 is also a little smaller in size than the RTX 2080 Super, which is great news if you don’t have a gigantic PC case to house it in. The RTX 2080 Super measures around 10.5 inches in length for the standard edition, whereas the RTX 3070 comes in at just 9.5 inches. Both graphics cards are dual-slot, so they will fit in most standard PC cases and motherboard configurations.
Connectivity is similar between both GPUs, and you will be able to connect a wide range of gaming monitors no matter which card you select. Where the RTX 3070 really shines though, is with newer HDMI 2.1 technology, compared to the older HDMI 2.0 in use on the RTX 2080 Super. This is helpful if you value the higher bandwidth and refresh rates possible with HDMI 2.1.
- DisplayPort, DVI, HDMI
- 1,650MHz clock speed
- 8GB
RTX 2080 Super vs 3070: Which One is Better for Gaming?
You can use the RTX 2080 Super and RTX 3070 for all types of tasks such as editing videos, doing graphic design, and even complex modeling, but the real test is gaming. One of the best benchmarks for figuring out how well a GPU performs is testing how well it runs the latest games. That’s why we have compiled benchmarks from all the most popular games, to figure out how these two graphics cards stack up.
Since both the RTX 2080 Super and RTX 3070 are mid-tier graphics cards, capable of anything from 1080p gaming all the way up to Ultra 4K HD, we figured we would test them right in the middle at 1440p. One of the most popular resolutions, 1440p is enough to show just how much these GPUs are capable of and enjoy a truly immersive gaming experience. Check out the table below to see how the RTX 2080 Super vs 3070 performs with games running at the highest settings.
Game | RTX 2080 Super | RTX 3070 |
---|---|---|
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla | 47+ FPS | 57+ FPS |
Microsoft Flight Simulator | 31+ FPS | 37+ FPS |
Valorant | 198+ FPS | 236+ FPS |
Cyberpunk 2077 | 51+ FPS | 61+ FPS |
Apex Legends | 96+ FPS | 116+ FPS |
Shadow of the Tomb Raider | 75+ FPS | 84+ FPS |
Red Dead Redemption 2 | 46+ FPS | 55+ FPS |
GTA V | 88+ FPS | 100+ FPS |
Rocket League | 218+ FPs | 265+ FPS |
As you can see from the benchmark results, the RTX 3070 is the champion when it comes to gaming. Most games will easily scale up to 4K just fine, and older titles like Rocket League and Valorant are no challenge for either graphics card.
The only games that provide a challenge for either GPU are the more demanding titles like Microsoft Flight Simulator and Red Dead Redemption 2, but even these still run great.
Which One Should You Pick?
- Enhanced Tensor and RT cores
- 8GB GDDR6 memory
- 256-bit interface
- 1695MHz boost clock speed
- Features antialiasing and anisotropic filtering
Looking at the benchmarks, it becomes pretty clear that the RTX 3070 is the better choice, especially if you want an immersive gaming experience with the highest frame rates. The RTX 3070 even beats the RTX 2080 Super when it comes to price and power consumption. If you are upgrading from an older graphics card, the sensible choice is definitely the RTX 3070.
The decision becomes more complicated if you already have an RTX 2080 Super and are considering upgrading to the RTX 3070. Even though there are noticeable performance gains, it may not be enough to justify switching GPUs. Either way, both the RTX 2080 Super and RTX 3070 are great choices for gamers who want a good mix of value and performance.
Up Next…
We have a lot more information on graphics cards and other info for you!
- Support Brackets Needed for the Gigantic RTX 4090 Graphics Cards. Make sure you get the correct brackets for this beast.
- AMD RX 6600-XT vs Nvidia RTX 3060: Which Mid-Tier Graphics Card is Best? We break down these two from top to bottom.
- Nvidia GTX 1050-Ti vs 1650: Which Entry-Level Graphics Card is Better? Trying to decide? No worries; we have the pros and cons for you here!
The image featured at the top of this post is ©charnsitr/Shutterstock.com.