Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Ti (MSI Suprim X) Review

Nvidia

Today, we have the chance to take a detailed look at the brand-new MSI RTX 4070 Ti Suprim X 12GB graphics card. Based on the AD104 chip, you still get everything the Ada Lovelace architecture brings except for the flagship-class price. Starting well under $1,000, the price point is much lower than the 4080 and 4090 while still offering incredible performance (beating out the 3090 Ti in most tests). 4th-gen Tensor cores and Optical Glow help its impressive performance, 3rd-gen Ray Tracing cores, DLSS 3, 8th-gen AV1 encoders, and everything the new Ada Lovelace architecture offers.

MSI was kind enough to send their RTX 4070 Ti Suprim X, which comes with the large, 3-slot Tri-FrozR 3S cooling solution, more robust than reference power delivery, and increased boost clock speeds out of the box. We’ll take a more detailed look at the features and let you know where the RTX 4070 Ti stands performance-wise, see how it compares to AMD’s 7900XT and other comparable graphics cards.

MSI RTX 4070 Ti Gaming X Trio
MSI RTX 4070 Ti Gaming X Trio

ADA Lovelace Architecture and Technologies

For those who read our RTX 4090 Suprim Liquid X review or our MSI RTX 4080 Suprim X review, 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 details in case you’re new or want a refresher.

Nvidia Ada Lovelace Core
Nvidia Ada Lovelace Core

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 many 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 and AD104 chip inside comes in with base clocks of 2,310 GHz on the core and 1,313 MHz (21 Gbps effective) on the 12GB GDDR6X with a 192-bit bus. Power consumption is listed as 285W with partner cards like our MSI, likely increasing that limit.

The AD104 GPU found on the RTX 4070 Ti comes equipped with 5 Graphics Process Clusters (GPCs), 30 Texture Processing Clusters (TPCs), 60 Streaming Multiprocessors (SMs), and that 192-bit memory interface (6x 32-bit memory controllers). There are also 120 FP64 cores (2 per SM) not shown in the diagrams. 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 which includes Tensor Core code.

RTX 4070 Ti Config

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.

Ada Streaming Multiprocessor
Ada Streaming Multiprocessor

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 a step 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, MSI RTX 4070 Suprim X.

Specifications and Features

Nvidia RTX 4000 Series Specifications
ModelMSI 4070 Ti SUPRIM XRTX 4090
(24GB)
RTX 4080
(16GB)
RTX 4070 Ti
(12GB)
ArchitectureAda Lovelace
(AD102, AD103, AD104)
Manufacturing TSMC 4N (5 nm)
CUDA Cores7,68016,3849,7287,680
RT Cores
(Gen 3)
601448060
Tensor Cores
(Gen 4)
240576320240
Texture Units
(3rd Gen)
240576320240
ROPs8019211280
L2 Cache48 MB96 MB64 MB48 MB
Base Clock2,310 MHz2,230 MHz2,210 MHz2,310 MHz
Boost Clock2,775 MHz2,520 MHz2,510 MHz2,610 MHz
Memory12 GB
GDDR6X
24 GB
GDDR6X
16 GB
GDDR6X
12 GB
GDDR6X
Memory Speed504 GBps1008 GBps736 GBps504 GBps
Memory Bus192-bit384-bit256-bit192-bit
Supplementary
Power
PCIe five 16-pin
3x 8-pin
PCIe five 16-pin
3x 8-pin
PCIe 5 12-pin
2x 8-pin
PCIE 5 12-pin 2x PCIe 8-pin
Standard Display
Connectors 
HDMI (2.1)
3x DisplayPort (1.4a)
Max Resolution8K (7680 x 4320)
TDP285+ W450 W320 W285 W
Release Date1/5/202310/12/2211/15/221/??/23
MSRP$899?$1599$1,199$799

The MSI RTX 4070 Ti Suprim X

MSI’s flagship twist on the RTX 4070 Ti offers more robust power delivery, the massive Twin Frozr 3S cooling solution, and a 285W+ TBP out of the box. Like the RTX 4090 and the 4080, the 4070 Ti sources its power from the latest PCIe 5.0 12(+4) 12VHPWR connector that offers up to 450 W requiring three (instead of four and 600W) 8-pin PCIe connectors. MSI recommends a 700 W+ power supply for this card with a minimum of 650 W.

The 4070 Ti Suprim X includes a dual BIOS for silence and a more aggressive profile for gaming. Both BIOS offer the same performance but with different temperature thresholds and fan speeds/noise. The 2,775 MHz boost clock is one of the fastest listed on the market (and many cards are out there). But as many already know, performance among its peers will be very close regardless. While we do not have detailed pricing information, Nvidia stated they start at $799. You can expect this and flagship versions from other card partners to cost upwards of $899 putting into 4080 and 7900 XT territory.

If the flagship SuprimX is still too expensive, MSI offers other SKUs that will cost less (Gaming X Trio, Ventus, and an unknown SE SKU. They all use a custom cooling solution and are likely working with the reference card hardware specification (power delivery).

As far as looks go, the Suprim X sports a metallic shroud with gold trim covering the business parts on the front, while a matching grey backplate protects the rear and helps keep the card cool. Also on the front are three large 120mm Torq 5.0 fans that sit inside octagon-shaped cutouts removing the heat from memory and VRMs generated by this 285 W card. The fans also utilize MSI’s Zero Frozr technology that keeps the fan off until cooling is needed. The fans never spun up at idle/desktop or watching videos, and the card was completely silent. Even when fully loaded, the cooling solution was barely audible over the system it was installed in. If the noise is still too much, flip the dual bios switch to the Silent mode instead of gaming, and the fans ramp up more slowly.

If RGB lighting is your thing, the Suprim X sports illuminated chevrons next to the fans, MSI and Suprim branding on top, and a lit-up Suprim design feature on the back. While the features are undoubtedly visible, it’s not bright enough to steal the thunder from anything inside the chassis. Still, it compliments an RGB-laden motherboard or other integrated lighting (controlled through the Mystic Light application).

Torq Fan 5.0
Torq Fan 5.0

TORX FAN 5.0

Design improvements to TORX FAN 5.0 result in +23% airflow compared to an axial fan and +10% airflow compared to TORX FAN 4.0.

Vapor Chamber
Vapor Chamber

Vapor Chamber

A Vapor Chamber is excellent for rapidly stabilizing heat on a planar surface. The GPU and VRAM are covered with a Vapor Chamber, which transfers heat to Core Pipes.

Core Pipes
Core Pipes

Core Pipes

Core Pipes are precision-crafted to make maximum use of the available space. A squared section of heat pipes fully touches the vapor chamber to spread heat along the entire length of the heatsink.

Backplate
Backplate

GOT YOUR BACK

Fine details elevate the backplate, such as its brushed metal finish and the beveled edges polished with a light-gold color. Thermal pads beneath the sturdy plate provide additional cooling to the graphics card.

Ball Bearing
Ball Bearing

Ball bearings

Two sets of durable ball bearings spin the TORX FANs for years of intense and lengthy gaming sessions.

Zero Frozr
Zero Frozr

ZERO FROZR

The fans completely stop when temperatures are relatively low, reducing the noise significantly when active cooling is not needed. The fans will automatically start spinning again when the heat is on during gaming.

Retail Packaging and Accessories

The retail packaging for the MSI Suprim X comes in a predominately white box that includes a picture of the card along with the typical Nvidia Geforce RTX colors and branding. The back of the box shares some features about the card inside. After opening the box, you’re greeted by a black pad that covers the card inside and the included accessories. Lifting exposes the card sitting snugly inside the form-fitting foam. Additionally, you’ll find the included mouse pad, instructions, a GPU strut to support the heavy card, and the all-important 3x 8-pin PCIe to 12+4-pin PCIe 5.0 adapter to power the card.

Meet the MSI RTX 4070 Ti Suprim X

MSI RTX 4070 Ti Suprim X - Front
MSI RTX 4070 Ti Suprim X – Front

Among the aftermarket cards, the Suprim X is right up there, sporting a premium appearance and using powerful cooling solutions. The chevrons to the fan’s right have RGBs below to provide a little bling on the front. The top of the card also sports RGB lighting to illuminate more branding. Ultimately, it’s a beautiful card, and the neutral design won’t stick out, but it is a worthwhile centerpiece for your build.

A Closer Look at the MSI RTX 4070 Ti Suprim X

Zooming in on the I/O, we see three DisplayPort ports (v1.4a) and one HDMI (v2.1) port. The former supports a maximum resolution of 8K (7680×4320), while the HDMI port handles up to 4K @ 120Hz. The Suprim X’s Tri Frozr 3S cooler sends most of the air inside the case while some seeps out through the IO plate. You’ll want good airflow for this card to keep case thermals down and the card running as it should.

Power is sent through the new 12+4-pin PCIe 5.0 connector, which takes up much less space than the traditional 6+2-pin PCIe connectors we’re familiar with. Not only does the new connector take up less real estate on the card, but the PCIE-SIG-designed 12VHPWR plug can also deliver up to 600 W (this one 450W), which is a lot more than a single 6+2-pin is capable of (150 W). MSI includes the proper adapter to connect with the card, which, in this case, requires THREE independent PCIe 6+2-pin connections – do not use piggybacked connectors!

Also pictured in this image is the dual-BIOS switch. As it’s labeled, the Silent BIOS has a slower ramp-up and Zero Frozr capability, while the Gaming BIOS ramps up quicker and peaks at faster speeds offering more cooling (also uses Zero Frozr). While the clock speeds and power limits don’t change, fan behavior does.

I/O - 3x DisplayPort, 1x HDMI
I/O – 3x DisplayPort, 1x HDMI

Power and BIOS Switch
Power and BIOS Switch

We also have some pictures of the core and memory and the PCB. You can see the Micron Memory, the AD104-400-A1 chip, upgraded power delivery (from the base cards/spec), and more for the 15-phase (total) power delivery.

Below is a screenshot of GPU-Z showing the clocks we achieved at stock speeds. Out of the box, the MSI RTX 4070 Ti Suprim X has a listed boost clock of 2,775 MHz, which it maintained much higher (upwards of 2,835 MHz+) throughout our testing.

GPUz - Stock
GPUz – Stock

MSI RTX 4070 Ti Suprim X on the test bench…

On the test bench
On the test bench

Test System and Benchmark Methods

Test System Components
MotherboardGigabyte Z690 Tachyon ($349.99)
CPUIntel i9-12900K (stock)
CPU CoolerCorsair iCUE H150i
MemoryKingston Fury Beast 2×16 GB 5200 MHz CL40 ($161.99)
SSDMushkin Helix 1TB NVMe (OS + Applications – $80)
Power SupplyEVGA 850 W P6 ($119.99)
Video CardMSI RTX 400 Suprim X ($1,349) / 526.72 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)
  • 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 2021 – 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 and runs 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 performing close to the RTX 3090 Ti and AMD’s RX 6900 XT. While most of these are lower resolution, you still see a difference among the cards in these benchmarks.

Gaming Benchmarks

We have updated our testing suite for gaming benchmarks to bring more modern titles into the mix. 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 2021, 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

As you should be able to discern from our charts, the MSI RTX 4070 Ti Supmrim X finds a home somewhere around the RTX 3090 Ti and RX 6900 XT. It varies wildly at this low, CPU-bound resolution than at higher, more GPU-bound resolutions, but it still shows off its power.

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.

2560 x 1440
2560 x 1440
3840 x 2160
3840 x 2160

At more GPU-board resolutions, the RTX 4070 Ti stops spinning its wheels, landing below the 4080 and, on average, is faster than the 3090 Ti. At the 1440 resolution, we can see it’s 120 to 165 FPS-capable, while at 4K UHD with settings also on Ultra, it’s easily a 4K/60-capable. Remember, the 3090 Ti is listed at a 450W card, so to get that type of performance (or faster) from a 285W card is impressive.

Ray Tracing and DLSS Testing

Below, we tested Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Far Cry 6 with ray tracing at 1440p and 4K. Even with the frame-reducing ray tracing enabled (without DLSS), the RTX 4070 Ti is plenty-capable in these titles. You’ll see even more significant increases in games that use DLSS 3.0 (we’re updating our test suite to include a title or two).

Folding @ Home Performance

For all of the folding @ home community, we had a chance to let this run for about 23 of 24 hours. From the looks of things so far, this card outputs around 14M PPD depending on the OS, WU, and other factors. During the testing, the card ran at 2,830 MHz (average) peaking at about 270 W and averaging ~230 W. System power consumption varied, but our test system pulled between 280 and 330 W at the wall. Temperatures reached a peak of 73°C using the gaming BIOS, with fans ramping up to 40% and were practically inaudible in the open-air chassis/test bench.

F@H w/MSI RTX 4070 Ti Suprim X
F@H w/MSI RTX 4070 Ti Suprim X

Overclocking the MSI RTX 4070 Ti Suprim X

For overclocking, we used the latest version of MSI Afterburner without issue. The OC Scanner also did the job of finding a stable overclock. Ultimately, we settled on +86 MHz for the core and +623 for the memory. While the scores didn’t go up much (a couple of percentage points) on these mid-resolution benchmarks, there was still some improvement. This card also allows for a massive 25% power limit increase. With these settings, the card peaked at 2,955 MHz and ran around that speed consistently through most of our benchmarks. Even when overclocked, the card peaked at around 315W.

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.

GPUz - Overclocked
GPUz – Overclocked

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.

Temperatures on the air-cooled MSI RTX 4070 Ti Suprim X reached 68°C in F1 2021 and 70°C SOTR at stock settings. After overclocking the card, temperatures increased slightly in each game, peaking at 71°C in F1 2021 and 70°C in SOTR. Longer gaming sessions will increase the temperatures, but this gives you a general idea of the capabilities. For cooling just over 300W, the temperatures are well in order.

Temperatures
Temperatures

Power use for the RTX 4070 Ti Suprim X peaked at 496 W (total system power) at stock and reached 509 W while overclocked (both in F1 again). At a minimum, a high-quality 650 W power supply will be adequate for your needs, but MSI recommends a 750 W model.

Power Use (System)
Power Use (System)

Conclusion

The new Nvidia RTX 4070 Ti (or was it a 4080, heh?!) is finally here. Just today (1/3) Nvidia announced pricing to start at $799. We can expect MSI’s more robust Suprim X version will cost more. If it’s anything like the RTX 4080 was, you’ll see at least a $100 premium over the base price. Graphics card prices remain obnoxiously high today, but the better cooling solution and hardware can be worth it for many users.

On the performance front, we saw this 285W card beat out Nvidia’s last-gen flagship in the 3090 Ti, especially in the higher resolutions. There, it loses to AMD’s 7900XT but uses much less power in the process. To summarize, this is 1080p/165+, 1440/120+, and 4K/60+ -capable while using Ultra settings on all of our titles.

Like always, there’s a lot of competition in this space, including the Gigabyte Aorus and Asus Strix models, among other brands. As most know, at this point, the performance difference between these cards will only be a couple of percentage points. The most significant differences between the aftermarket and reference models are price, appearance, and cooling solution/noise levels. Again, MSI’s Suprim X SKU does a great job at all of those things. It looks good, has improved power delivery, the cooling solution works well, and is quiet in the process. At an expected price of around $1000, it’s expensive, but so are the other aftermarket cards.

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– Joe Shields (Earthdog)

About Joe Shields 339 Articles
Joe started writing around 2010 for Overclockers.com covering the latest news and reviews that include video cards, motherboards, storage and processors. In 2018, he went ‘pro’ writing for Anandtech.com covering news and motherboards. Eventually, he landed at Tom’s Hardware where he wrote news, covered graphic card reviews, and currently writes motherboard reviews. If you can’t find him benchmarking and gathering data, Joe can be found working on his website (Overclockers.com), supporting his two kids in athletics, hanging out with his wife catching up on Game of Thrones, watching sports (Go Browns/Guardians/Cavs/Buckeyes!), or playing PUBG on PC.

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Avatar of JLK03F150
JLK03F150

What have I done! Member

4,258 messages 1,686 likes

I appreciate the f@h testing you add to your review. Don't really see that on other review sites, so :thup: :thup: :thup: . I'd like to see the same done on new AMD card reviews as well since they have done a driver fix specifically for folding.

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Avatar of freakdiablo
freakdiablo
5,782 messages 1,493 likes

Actually been thinking, might be a good upgrade for my 2080.

Now all I need is a reason to upgrade :D

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Avatar of Nebulous
Nebulous

Dreadnought Class Senior

12,652 messages 1,353 likes

Dam. Beast of a card for a 4070Ti. Great write up Joe! I haven't had my 3080 for 6 months yet, and now I want to upgrade. Am I crazy? :unsure:

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Avatar of Janus67
Janus67

Benching Team Leader

17,520 messages 1,055 likes

Dam. Beast of a card for a 4070Ti. Great write up Joe! I haven't had my 3080 for 6 months yet, and now I want to upgrade. Am I crazy? :unsure:

Yes because the performance difference is not significant enough for the cost of the card being about the same as an MSRP 3080.

The 4090 is an actual real upgrade but you will literally be paying 1:1 dollars:performance for it. So imo, if the 4090 was priced where the 4080 is, and downward then it would be remotely worth considering.

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Avatar of dfonda
dfonda

Senior Golfer

8,705 messages 1,713 likes

Thanks for the fah #'s on Windows Joe. Looking forward to seeing what it will do on Linux next weekend.:sn::sn:

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Avatar of Johan45
Johan45

Benching Team Leader Super Moderator

18,290 messages 173 likes

I appreciate the f@h testing you add to your review. Don't really see that on other review sites, so :thup: :thup: :thup: . I'd like to see the same done on new AMD card reviews as well since they have done a driver fix specifically for folding.

I'll give that a try, when I first did my testing F@H wouldn't recognize the card. I typically include those results.

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Avatar of theELVISCERATOR
theELVISCERATOR

Member

3,264 messages 6 likes

My vanilla MSi 4070 is passing benchmarks @ 2685/10622 Double to 3x the speed of my 1080ti for 150.00 more then I paid 5 years ago.

Reply 1 Like