Table of Contents
A few weeks back, Nvidia released their ‘Super’ cards. A mid-cycle upgrade designed to stave off AMD and fill the gap until the new cards are released, hopefully in late 2024. On paper, the new Super cards, 4070 Super, 4070 Ti Super, and 4080 Super, present users with a notable upgrade over the non-super counterparts for the same price. Regarding their performance uplift, some cards fared better than others (RTX 4080 Super is disappointing), and our 4070 Ti Super showed a more worthwhile increase.
Gigabyte was kind enough to send their RTX 4070 Ti Super Gaming OC 16G with a large 2.5 slot, a three-fan Windforce cooling solution, increased (from reference model) clock speeds, and some cool-looking RGB bling ring inside the fan space. Below, we’ll look at the specifications and features and discuss the performance profile of this 1440p/4K UHD targeted graphics card against its peers and the competition.
ADA Lovelace Architecture and Technologies
For those who read our RTX 4090 Suprim Liquid X, the MSI RTX 4080 Suprim X review, RTX 4070 Ti Suprim X article, RTX 4070, or even the MSI RTX 4060 Ti, the Ada Lovelace architecture shouldn’t be anything new. Below we’ve kept a lot of the information in there but updated it with the RTX 4070 Ti Super details in case you’re new or want a refresher.
Nvidia’s new Ada Lovelace architecture is fabricated on TSMC’s 4N manufacturing process. The smaller process allowed Nvidia to dramatically increase the transistor count, which turns into more cores (70% more CUDA cores than GA102). The entire core consists of a whopping 76.3 billion transistors, which they state makes it one of the most complex chips ever made.
With the new core, the Ada architecture also operates at higher clock frequencies using “… high-speed transistors in critical paths that could otherwise restrict the rest of the chip”. The RTX 4070 Ti Super its AD103 variant have base clocks of 2,340 MHz on the core and 1,313 MHz (21 Gbps effective) on the 16GB GDDR6X and 256-bit bus. Power consumption is listed as 285W (Total Graphics Power) with partner cards like our Gigabyte, increasing that limit a bit.
The AD103 GPU on the RTX 4070 Ti Super comes equipped with 5 Graphics Process Clusters (GPCs), 40 Texture Processing Clusters (TPCs), 66 Streaming Multiprocessors (SMs), and the most signficant difference, a 256-bit memory interface (8x 32-bit memory controllers). Nvidia states the TFLOP rate for the FP64 cores is 1/64th the TFLOP rate of FP32 operations, and the small FP64 core count is included to ensure compatibility with FP64 code, including Tensor Core code.
The third generation RT core in these Ada GPUs adds a dedicated unit called the Opacity Micromap Engine and the Displaced Micro-Mesh Engine (DMME). The former evaluates Opacity micromaps that are used to accelerate alpha traversal. The DMME allows the Ada RT core to ray trace complex objects and the environment with significantly less BVH build time and storage costs which, when simplified, makes for a much faster and more efficient pathing. Together, Nvidia claims the Ada 3rd-gen RT core is the most powerful Nvidia has ever made.
Another significant improvement over the previous generation is the upgrade from DLSS 2.0 to DLSS 3.0. The new sauce inside is a new frame generation technique that combines optical flow estimation with DLSS to improve the gaming experience. In other words, inserting accurately synthesized frames between existing frames enhances the frame rate and provides a smoother gaming experience. The most significant performance uptick, you’ll see, is with using DLSS.
The Tensor cores have also been updated. Compared to Ampere, Ada provides more than double the FP16, BF16, TF32, INT8, and INT4 Tensor TFLOPS and runs the Hopper FP8 Transformer Engine, delivering over 1.3 PetaFLOPS of tensor processing on the 4090.
For those who like to stream content, Nvidia’s NVENC encoder and existing optimizations for OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) eliminated the need for a dedicated PC for video capture so you can play and stream at the PC without sacrificing quality or performance. Ada takes that further, incorporating support for AV1 video encoding the 9th gen NVENC hardware encoder. Previous generations only decoded but didn’t encode. The AV1 encoder is said to be 40% more efficient than the H.264 encoder found in the 3000 series GPUs. With this update, users can increase from 1080p to 1440p while running at the same bitrate and quality. The 4080 and 4090 use two NVENC encoders for the work.
Details aside, the table below lists the specifications for the new ADA GPUs, including our review sample, Gigabyte RTX 4070 Ti Super Gaming OC 16G.
Specifications and Features
| Nvidia RTX 4000 Series Specifications | |||||
| Model | Gigabyte RTX 4070 Ti Super (16GB) | RTX 4090 (24GB) | RTX 4080 (16GB) | RTX 4070 Ti (12GB) | RTX 4070 (12GB) |
| Architecture | Ada Lovelace (AD102, AD103, AD104, AD106) | ||||
| Manufacturing | TSMC 4N (5 nm) | ||||
| CUDA Cores | 8,448 | 16,384 | 9,728 | 7,680 | 5,888 |
| RT Cores (Gen 3) | 66 | 144 | 80 | 60 | 46 |
| Tensor Cores (Gen 4) | 264 | 576 | 320 | 240 | 184 |
| Texture Units (3rd Gen) | 264 | 576 | 320 | 240 | 184 |
| ROPs | 96 | 192 | 112 | 80 | 64 |
| L2 Cache | 48 MB | 96 MB | 64 MB | 48 MB | 36 MB |
| Base Clock (MHz) | 2,340 | 2,230 | 2,210 | 2,31 | 1,920 |
| Boost Clock (MHz) | 2,655 | 2,520 | 2,510 | 2,610 | 2,610 |
| Memory | 16 GB GDDR6X | 24 GB GDDR6X | 16 GB GDDR6X | 12 GB GDDR6X | 12 GB GDDR6X |
| Memory Speed (Gbps) | 672.3 | 1008 | 736 | 504 | 504 |
| Memory Bus | 256-bit | 384-bit | 256-bit | 192-bit | 192-bit |
| Supplementary Power | PCIe 5.0 16-pin 2x 8-pin | PCIe 5.0 16-pin 3x 8-pin | PCIe 5 12-pin 2x 8-pin | PCIe 5 12-pin 2x PCIe 8-pin | PCIe 5.0 12-pin 2x 8-pin |
| Standard Display Connectors | HDMI (2.1) 3x DisplayPort (1.4a) | ||||
| Max Resolution | 8K (7680 x 4320) | ||||
| TDP | 285 W | 450 W | 320 W | 285 W | 215 W |
| Release Date | 1/8/24 | 10/12/22 | 11/15/22 | 1/5/23 | 4/13/2023 |
| MSRP | $799 | $1599 | $1,199 | $799 | ($599) |
The Gigabyte RTX 4070 Ti Super Gaming OC 16G
The Gigabyte RTX 4070 Ti Super Gaming OC 16GB (boy, that’s a mouthful!) arrived on store shelves sporting improved power delivery, the Windforce cooling solution, and a 285W TDP out of the box. Our card sources power from the new 16-pin PCIe 5.0 12VHPWR connector, which needs two 8-pin PCIe to make it whole/functional. Gigabyte recommends a 750W power supply, which should be plenty, even when using a high-end, flagship-class CPU.
Our 4070 Ti Super Gaming OC sports a dual BIOS. The BIOS both use the same clock speeds (boosting to 2,655 MHz on the core and 1,313 MHz for the vRAM), but the difference is in the fan curve. The OC setting provides a more aggressive (but not loud!) fan curve, whereas the silent BIOS ramps up fan speeds more slowly. Pricing for our aftermarket model (there isn’t a reference SKU) was set at an $849.99 MSRP, and you can currently find it on Amazon and Newegg for that amount.
Gigabyte offers several different models of 4070 Ti Super. From bottom to top, they have Windforce, Eagle (and Eagle Ice in white), an Aero model (also in white), our Gaming OC, and finally, the flagship Master. All of these use a custom cooling solution, but only the Aero, Gaming OC, and Master sport improved power delivery bits. Either way, the silicon lottery limits you in most cases, and most overclock to around the same limits.
Regarding appearance, The Gaming OC and its black chassis blend well with any build theme that doesn’t use white. In addition to the fan blade design and semi-passive cooling, the Windforce cooler sports a unique ring of RGB lighting around the baffle for each fan. The colors are saturated, though not terribly bright. Still, it will light up your chassis, and happy to be the center of attention if you like. Control over the RGB lighting is found in the Gigabyte Control Center, which offers several different light modes and adjustments for most of them.
 | Windforce Cooling System The Windforce cooling system features three 90mm uniqie blade fans, alternate spinning, 8 composite heatpipes, a copper plate directly touching the GPU, 3D active fans and screen cooling, which together provide high efficiency heat dissipation. |
 | Alternate Spinning, 3D Active FansAlternate spinning fans reduce the turbulence of adjacent fans and increase airflow pressure. 3D Active Fan provides semi-passive cooling, and the fans will remain off when the GPU is in a low load or low-powered game. |
 | Large Copper Plate & HeatpipeThe large copper plate directly contacts the GPU, coupled with the composite heat pipes, which quickly transfers the heat of the GPU and VRAM to the heatsink. |
 | Unique Blade FanThe airflow is split by the triangular fan edge, and guided smoothly through the 3D stripe curve on the fan’s surface. It also uses graphene nano lubricant to extend the life of the sleeve bearing. |
 | Screen CoolingExtended heatsink allows air to pass through, providing better heat dissipation. |
 | RGB FusionThe legendary three-rign lighting provides excellent visual enjoyment. You can choose any lighting effect (9) or syncronize with other device in Gigabyte Control Center. |
Retail Packaging and Accessories
The retail packaging for the our Gaming OC 16G is a large predominately black box with a Halo-looking character on the front along with the card name on the bottom edge. The back of the box lists several features and specifications. Once opened, you’re presented with a driver disk while below that sits the card that’s tucked in securely around form-fitting foam. Gigabyte also throws in a couple of accessories including a GPU support bar, 12VHPWR connector, and a set of mounting screws. Typical fare on that front.
Meet the Gigabyte RTX 4070 Ti Super Gaming OC
Our Gaming OC 16G retail packaging is a large, predominantly black box with a Halo-looking character on the front and the card name on the bottom edge. The back of the box lists several features and specifications. Once opened, you’re presented with a driver disk; below that sits the card tucked securely around form-fitting foam. Gigabyte also throws in a couple of accessories, including a GPU support bar, 12VHPWR connector, and a set of mounting screws—typical fare on that front.
A Closer Look…
Focusing on the I/O, we see the typical fare for this generation on the 4070 Ti Super as well – three DisplayPort ports (v1.4a) and one HDMI (v2.1a) port. The former supports a maximum resolution of 8K (7680×4320), while the HDMI port handles up to 4K @ 120Hz. The Gaming OC’s Windforce 3 cooler sends most of the air inside the case while some get pushed through the vented IO plate.
Power for this card goes through the new 12VHPWR connector (included), which uses two 8-pin PCIe power leads for the 12-pin configuration.
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After tearing the card apart, we see the short PCB (please, Gigabyte and other board partners, how about a short version for ITX?!) and the bottom of the colossal heatsink. Next, we see a close-up of the AD103 core, the Micron memory, and the Vishay 50A MOSFETs.
Below is a screenshot of GPU-Z showing the clocks we achieved at stock speeds. Our review card has a listed boost clock of 2,655 MHz, which ran much higher (upwards of 2,715 MHz+) throughout our testing.
Gigabyte RTX 4070 Ti Super Gaming OC 16G on the test bed…
Test System and Benchmark Methods
| Test System Components | |
| Motherboard | Gigabyte Z690 Tachyon ($349.99) |
| CPU | Intel i9-12900K (stock) |
| CPU Cooler | Corsair iCUE H150i |
| Memory | Kingston Fury Beast 2×16 GB 5200 MHz CL40 ($161.99) |
| SSD | Mushkin Helix 1TB NVMe (OS + Applications – $80) |
| Power Supply | EVGA 850 W P6 ($119.99) |
| Video Card | Gigabyte RTX 4070 Ti Super Gaming OC 16G ($849.99) / 551.52 driver |
Our test system is based on the latest (at the time of publishing) mainstream Intel z690 platform and uses the i9-12900K 8P,8E/24t CPU. The DRAM is in a 2×16 GB configuration at 5200 MHz with CL40 timings, a middle-of-the-road option balancing performance, and cost. The CPU runs stock.
Since the last update, we have made some changes and updated titles. More details can be found in the GPU Testing Procedure article, which we have updated with our latest benchmarks. Below is a quick summary for easy reference.
- UL 3DMark Time Spy – Default settings
- UL 3DMark Fire Strike (Extreme) – Default settings
- UL 3DMark Port Royal – Default Settings (Ray Tracing capable cards only)
- UL 3DMark Speedway – Defaul t settings
- Unigine Superposition – 1080p High, 1080p Extreme
- Shadow of the Tomb Raider – DX12, “Highest” preset
- The Division 2 – DX12, Ultra preset, VSync Off
- Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey – Ultra High preset, VSync Off
- Far Cry 6 – Ultra defaults, HD Textures enabled
- F1 2022 – DX12, Very High defaults, Bahrain track, show FPS counter.
- Metro: Exodus – DX12, Ultra defaults
Synthetic Benchmarks
Our first set of benchmarks hails from Underwriters Laboratories, which acquired Futuremark in 2014. Earlier in 2018, a rebrand occurred, and since that time, Futuremark is now UL. The benchmarks have not changed, just the name. We chose to stick with 3DMark Fire Strike (Extreme) and 3DMark Time Spy as these tests give users a good idea of performance on modern titles.
3DMark Fire Strike (Extreme) is a DX11-based test that runs at 1080p resolution. UL says the graphics are rendered with detail and complexity far beyond other DX11 benchmarks and games. 3DMark Time Spy is a DX12 benchmark designed for Windows 10 PCs. It supports new API features such as asynchronous computing, explicit multi-adapter, and multi-threading, running at 2560 x 1440. 3DMark Port Royal is the first Ray Tracing benchmark designed for Windows PCs and graphics cards with Microsoft DirectX Raytracing capabilities.
Results from the synthetic benchmarks show the RTX 4070 Ti Super Gaming OC performing faster than the 4070 Ti (non-super) and slower than the RTX 4080 and AMD Radeon 7900XT.
Gaming Benchmarks
We have updated our testing suite for gaming benchmarks to bring more modern titles into the mix and gone are Battlefield V, F1 2018, Far Cry 5, AOTS:e, and World of Tanks, which have been replaced with Metro Exodus, Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey, F1 2022, and Far Cry 6. We kept The Division 2 and Shadow of the Tomb Raider. The games should provide a good view of the card’s overall performance with many DX12-based. One thing worth noting with these high-end cards, they aren’t made for 1080p gaming, so the gaps between cards tend to get minimized.
1920 x 1080 (1080p) Results
In 1080p gaming, our card pushed all titles to over 100 FPS+ and with nearly all eclipsing 144 FPS. It’s a solid card for 1080p high-Hz gaming using Ultra settings. Here again we see the card slotting nicely between the the 4070 Ti and the 4080/4090 and AMD’s 7900XT.
2560 x 1440 and 4K UHD Results
Below are the higher resolution results starting with 2560 x 1440 and the gaining-in-popularity 3840 x 2160 (4K UHD) resolution.
At 2560×1440, we again see a powerful card that easily eclipses 120 FPS across all of our tested titles. The 16GB avaialble on this card is plenty for this resolution, and 4K UHD. Gaming at 4K also proved to be easy for the 4070 Ti Super. Running Ultra settings won’t allow for 120Hz+ gaming, but it’s still well over the magic 60 FPS threshold.
Ray Tracing and DLSS Testing
After enabling Ray Tracing and DLSS, we tested Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Far Cry 6, and F1 2022 at 1440p and 4K. At 1440p, the 4070 Ti Super didn’t have any issues using RT but, as usual, took a significant hit without DLSS. Running the higher 4K UHD and ray tracing, it proved to be a capable 60 FPS+ gamer.
Folding @ Home Performance
For all of the folding @ home community, we had a chance to let this run for a full 48 hours and some change. Our small sample size showed around 15-16M+ PPD depending on the WU. During testing, the card averaged ~220W and ran at 2,820 MHz.
Overclocking the Gigabyte RTX 4070 Ti Super Gaming OC
For overclocking, we used the latest version of MSI Afterburner without issue. Unlike previous OC attempts, we went manual this time and landed on +140 for the core, and +400 MHz on the RAM. The scores/FPS responded well, especially at the higher, more GPU-bound resolutions. With these settings, the card ran at 2,910 MHz core and held that consistently. Power peaked at 319W during this testing.
Just be careful when overclocking that your performance is increasing. Instead of crashing due to instability (which still can happen), chances are you will see performance drop first, so keep an eye out for the results.
Temperatures and Power Use
We test power consumption by running through the game benchmarks of Shadow of the Tomb Raider and F1 2021 at stock speeds and while overclocked. We monitor temperatures throughout this testing, with the peak temperature listed in the data below. The benchmarks are extended (time) to allow the card to settle to simulate actual gaming conditions more accurately.
Power use for the RTX 4060 Ti peaked at 452 W (total system power) at stock and reached 460 W while overclocked in SOTR. A high-quality 750W power supply will be plenty to support this card and a flagship-class processor.
Temperatures on the air-cooled card reached 63°C in F1 2021 and 64°C SOTR at stock settings. Once overclocked, temperatures increased slightly in both, peaking one degree Celsius higher in each (for our short testing period). Longer gaming sessions will increase the temperatures, but this gives you a general idea of the Windofrce cooler’s capability. It does an excellent job of keeping temperatures in check quietly, even with the ‘OC’ BIOS.
Conclusion
Nvidia’s Super cards have long been a refresh to their launch day SKUs. This year, they came out at the same price points as the cards they are replacing, offering more performance and a better value in the market. Some say it’s what the Nvidia cards should have been upon Ada Lovelace’s release back in late 2022. Fast forward to today, we reviewed one of the upper min-range SKUs in the 4070 Ti Super. At $799.99 MSRP, it comes in at the same price as the 4070 Ti (non-super) and closes the gap on the RTX 4080 ahead of it.
On the testbench, the Gigabyte RTX 4070 Ti Super Gaming OC 16G performed well beating out the non super version and falling just behind the RTX 4080. It proved to be a competent high-frequency gaming card up to 2560×1440. So long as you’re not pouring on the ray tracing without DLSS, it’s 4K-capable as well. Turn on DLSS; in some titles, you can even push over 100 FPS.
Competition is fierce in the upper mid-range segment, with each board partner listing multiple RTX 4070 Ti Super SKUs. Gigabyte’s product stack also has several SKUs for this card. From the top down, Gigabyte offers the Aorus Master (flagship), Gaming (our review card), Aero (all white), Eagle OC and Eagle OC Ice (the latter, white), and finally, the base model Windforce OC. If you’re into more significant RGB lighting, you’ll want the Master or Gaming OC, as the others don’t have the same lighting (or any at all).
Overall, we like what the RTX 4070 Ti Super brings to the table. It’s a performant SKU, and Gigabyte’s take is a solid card overall. It keeps the more robust power bits and GPU running well within specification and does so quietly with the Windforce 3 cooler. At the same time, it may not look as clean as the Master, but the Gaming OC still looks good inside your chassis, especially if you enjoy the ring of RGBs around the fan. Priced at $849.99 on Newegg, it compares well to its direct competition. If you’re in the market for a 4070 Ti Super that performs well, looks good, and is still reasonably priced (in a high-priced market), the Gigabyte RTX 4090 Ti Super Gaming OC 16G should be on the shortlist.
– Joe Shields (Earthdog)
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