RTX 2070 Vs RTX 3070: Worth Upgrading? [Benchmarks]

The release of newer series of GPUs has left the RTX 20 and 30 series with heavy discounts. These price cuts lower the cards’ price so much that they may stretch your dollar further than most newer offerings. In this comparison, I will compare the RTX 2070 vs RTX 3070 to see which card best suits your needs.

Key Takeaways

• The RTX 3070 had about 53% more performance in the gaming benchmarks.
• The RTX 3070 consumed about 29% more power in the gaming benchmarks.
• The RTX 2070 ran about 2°C cooler than the RTX 3070 in the gaming tests.
• Both these cards can be found for a fraction of their price on the used market.

RTX 3070 Vs RTX 2070

Comparison Table

Architecture

The RTX 2070 uses the TU106 GPU based on the Turing architecture, whereas the RTX 3070 uses the GA104 based on the Ampere architecture.

Also Read: RTX 2070 Vs RTX 3080

The bulk of the improvements in the newer card come from its smaller processing nodes, which allow for much more power in a smaller die size.

Core Counts And Clock Speeds

The RTX 2070 has less than half the number of CUDA cores than the RTX 3070. This, along with fewer and older Texture Mapping Units, ROPs, Tensor, and RT cores, puts the RTX 2070 at a significant disadvantage compared to the RTX 3070.

Power

When making the RTX 30 series of cards, Nvidia prioritized improvements in raw performance over smaller power draws, leading to the significantly larger wattage required by the RT 3070. The difference in TDP between these two cards is about 45 Watts which could be a problem if you upgrade while still using a smaller power supply.

AI And Ray Tracing

While the DLSS performance between the two cards remains largely the same, the 2nd Gen RT cores on the 3070 allow it for actual use of Ray Tracing in games. In contrast, the first-generation RT cores on the RTX 2070 were largely regarded as a gimmick at the time of the release of this card.

Design

Both these cards are dual-slot, with the RTX 3070 being slightly longer than the RTX 2070 by about half an inch. If you have a case that fits the RTX 2070, you can probably upgrade to the RTX 3070 and not worry about your case being too small.

Also Check: RTX 2070 Vs RTX 2080

RTX 2070 Vs RTX 3070: Gaming Tests

In this comparison section, I will provide benchmarks comparing the RTX 2070 vs RTX 3070 in real-world gaming scenarios.

To show each card’s strengths and weaknesses, these tests were performed at the 1440p resolution, both with and without DLSS and Ray Tracing in several games. These cards were tested in a controlled environment on a test bench, the specifications of which are listed below:

• OS – Windows 10 Pro
• CPU – Ryzen 9 5900X 
• CPU Cooler – AIO MarsGaming ML-ONE360 Black
• RAM – Crucial RAM 32 GB (4×8) Dual Channel 3600 Mhz CL 16
• SSD – Samsung SSD 970 Evo
• Motherboard – MSI X570 A Pro Gaming 
• Power Supply – Gigabyte P850GM 850W 

The Last Of Us (DLSS ON RT OFF)

• In this benchmark test, the RTX 2070 achieved an average of 19 FPS in The Last of Us, while the RTX 3070 exhibited a significantly higher standard of 57 FPS. The RTX 3070 delivers a much smoother and more immersive gaming experience with its almost 60 FPS score.
• Analyzing the 1% lows, a similar trend was observed. The RTX 2070 experienced 1% lows of 16 FPS, whereas the RTX 3070 showcased significantly better performance with 1% lows of around 43 FPS. This disparity favored the RTX 3070, ensuring more consistent and responsive gameplay.
• The RTX 2070 consumed 126 watts of power in these tests, while the RTX 3070 required a higher power draw of 189 watts.
• Examining the peak temperatures, I observed that the RTX 2070 reached a maximum temperature of 61°C, while the RTX 3070 exhibited a slightly higher peak temperature of 70°C.

Sons Of The Forest (RT OFF DLSS OFF)

• The RTX 2070 achieved an average of 49 FPS, while the RTX 3070 delivered a notably higher standard of 72 FPS in Sons of The Forest. The RTX 3070 offers less of a difference in performance in this game, but a noticeable one nonetheless.
• Regarding 1% lows, the RTX 2070 exhibited 35 FPS, whereas the RTX 3070 showcased improved performance with 44 FPS. This performance difference ensures the RTX 3070 has more minor hitches in more demanding moments.
• The RTX 2070 drew 171 watts of power, while the RTX 3070 required a slightly higher power draw of 201 watts.
• The RTX 2070 reached a maximum temperature of 65°C, while the RTX 3070 exhibited a slightly higher peak temperature of 68°C. Both cards maintain reasonable temperatures for optimal performance and thermal management in this game.

Also Read: RTX 2070 Vs RX 6650 XT

Hogwarts Legacy (RT ON DLSS ON)

• In the benchmark tests for Hogwarts Legacy with DLSS on and RT on, the RTX 2070 achieved an average of 49 FPS, while the RTX 3070 showcased a higher average of 61 FPS.
• The RTX 2070 exhibited 1% lows of 33 FPS, while the RTX 3070 outperformed it with 1% lows of 42 FPS with DLSS and Ray Tracing turned on.
• When running Hogwarts Legacy, the RTX 2070 drew 173 watts of power, while the RTX 3070 required a higher power draw of 227 watts.
• During gameplay, the RTX 2070 reached a maximum temperature of 64°C, whereas the RTX 3070 had a noticeably higher peak temperature of 69°C.

Fortnite (LUMEN ON TSR Quality)

• When running Fortnite with LUMEN (Lighting and Global Illumination Technology) enabled and TSR (Temporal Super Resolution) set to Quality, the RTX 3070 delivers a significantly higher average FPS, averaging 56 FPS, compared to the almost unplayable performance of the RTX 2070’s averaging about 33 FPS.
• In intense gaming moments, the RTX 3070 showcases improved performance with 1% lows of 44 FPS, surpassing the RTX 2070’s 1% lows of 25 FPS. This translates to fewer stutters when you are in larger build fights.
• During gameplay, the RTX 2070 draws 160 watts of power, while the RTX 3070 requires a higher power draw of 226 watts.
• Both graphics cards maintain acceptable temperature levels during Fortnite gameplay with LUMEN ON and TSR Quality. The RTX 2070 reaches a peak temperature of 65°C, while the RTX 3070 exhibits a slightly higher peak temperature of 68°C.

Also Check: ARC A770 vs RTX 3070

Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds (DLSS OFF RT OFF)

• In PUBG with DLSS off and RT off, the RTX 3070 exhibits a significantly higher average FPS, averaging 122 FPS, compared to the RTX 2070’s average of 72 FPS.
• When the intensity rises, the RTX 2070 has 1% lows of 53 FPS, while the RTX 3070 stays competitive with slightly lower 1% lows of 51 FPS. The similarity in the 1% lows of both cards indicates a stuttering problem in this game and does not translate to most other titles.
• The RTX 2070 sipped 174 watts, while its successor, the RTX 3070, demanded more energy at 195 watts.
• The RTX 2070 reaches a peak temperature of 65°C, while the RTX 3070 keeps itself cooler with a much lower peak temperature of 56°C.

Total War: Warhammer 3 (DLSS OFF RT OFF)

• In the epic world of Total War: Warhammer 3, without DLSS and RT, the RTX 3070 had a commendable average of 59 FPS, leaving the RTX 2070 behind at 46 FPS.
• During intense clashes, the RTX 2070 shows its age with 1% lows of 37 FPS, while the RTX 3070 maintained solid performance with slightly higher 1% lows of 43 FPS.
• The RTX 2070 consumed 173 watts of power, while the RTX 3070 demanded a higher power draw at 228 watts.
• The RTX 2070 reached a peak temperature of 69°C, while the RTX 3070 kept its thermals under control with a slightly lower peak temperature of 66°C.

Also Read: RX 6700 XT Vs RTX 3070

Cyberpunk 2077 (DLSS ON RT ON)

• In Cyberpunk 2077, with DLSS and RT enabled, the RTX 3070 delivered significantly higher average FPS, achieving 48 FPS compared to the RTX 2070’s average of 28 FPS.
• During intense gameplay sequences, the RTX 2070 experiences 1% lows of 21 FPS, while the RTX 3070 showcases improved performance with 1% lows of 37 FPS.
• Regarding power efficiency, the RTX 2070 draws 159 watts, while the RTX 3070 demands a higher power consumption of 223 watts.
• The RTX 2070 reached a peak temperature of 65°C, while the RTX 3070 exhibited a slightly higher peak temperature of 68°C.

New World (DLSS OFF RT OFF)

• When playing New World without DLSS and RT, the RTX 3070 exhibited a much higher average FPS, delivering an impressive 98 FPS, compared to the RTX 2070’s average of 59 FPS.
• During demanding gameplay moments, the RTX 2070 experienced 1% lows of 37 FPS, while the RTX 3070 showcased improved performance with 1% lows of 48 FPS, giving less stuttery gameplay in New World.
• The RTX 2070 consumed 171 watts, while the RTX 3070 demanded a higher power draw of 235 watts.
• The temperature delta in this game was not as significant. The RTX 2070 reached a peak temperature of 65°C, while the RTX 3070 exhibited a slightly higher peak temperature of 66°C.

Forza Horizon 5 (DLSS OFF RT ON)

• In Forza Horizon 5 without DLSS but with RT enabled, the RTX 3070 demonstrated a notable advantage with an average of 97 FPS, surpassing the RTX 2070’s average of 66 FPS.
• The RTX 2070 exhibited 1% lows of 46 FPS, while the RTX 3070 maintained a slightly better performance with 1% lows of 48 FPS. This difference could be chalked up to the margin of error.
• Though the differences in performance were substantial, both graphics cards exhibited similar power efficiency, with the RTX 2070 consuming 154 watts and the RTX 3070 requiring a comparable power draw of 155 watts.
• The RTX 2070 reached a peak temperature of 62°C, while the RTX 3070 operated hotter with a peak temperature of 66°C.

Also Check: RTX 3060 Ti Vs RTX 3070

God Of War (DLSS ON RT OFF)

• In God of War with DLSS enabled but without RT, the RTX 3070 delivered better performance with an average of 86 FPS, surpassing the RTX 2070’s average of 60 FPS.
• The RTX 2070 experienced 1% lows of 47 FPS, while the RTX 3070 maintained better performance with 1% lows of 52 FPS.
• Switching gears to power efficiency, the RTX 2070 drew 173 watts, while the RTX 3070 required a higher power draw of 226 watts.
• The RTX 2070 reached a peak temperature of 65°C, while the RTX 3070 exhibited a much higher peak temperature of 71°C.

RTX 3070 Vs RTX 2070: Overall Gaming Performance

In this comparison section, I will discuss the trends we saw in the gaming benchmarks regarding the average outputs of the RTX 2070 vs RTX 3070 in the framerate, power draw, and temperature metrics.

Framerate

Throughout our testing at 1440p, both cards showed that they have aged significantly compared to when they were launched. The modern features in newer games are made specifically with the latest generations of computer hardware in mind, and going with hardware a generation or two old can give you sub-par performance.

• The RTX 2070 had an average FPS of 48.1 FPS in my tests, whereas the RTX 3070 performed much better with an average FPS of 73.6 FPS.
• Switching gears to 1% lows, the RTX 2070 had disappointing results with 35 FPS, whereas the RTX 3070 also had an unsavory average of 45.2 FPS. These low 1% lows indicate significant stuttering in games. The difference here was about 29%.

The average of the RTX 2070 is not horrible considering that all these games were played with the maximum visual fidelity possible with ray tracing enabled in some titles. Still, this card performs poorly in some titles at 1440p with high settings. Dropping the settings a bit or lowering the resolution to 1080p will give you much more enjoyable performance in modern titles.

Also Read: RTX 3060 Vs RTX 3070

On the other hand, the RTX 3070 showcased about 53% more performance than the RTX 2070 on average, putting it in a much higher league of performance even though it is only a generation newer.

Power Draw

• In our testing, the RTX 3070 drew about 210 watts on average, whereas the RTX 2070 drew much less power at 163 watts.
• The difference here was about 29% again. This is an acceptable increase in power draw for the bump in performance. 

The lower power draw of the RTX 2070 has one key advantage: the slightly smaller power supply you need with this card can make the price proposition an even better deal.

Thermals

• The RTX 3070 had an average temperature of 66.8°C in our testing, whereas the RTX 2070 clocked in slightly lower with an average temperature of 64.6°C. 
• This means the RTX 2070 might have slight leeway for overclocking, though no amount can cancel the performance delta.

To ensure your graphics card doesn’t overheat, read our article on safe idle GPU temperatures.

Price And Availability

Both the RTX 2070 and RTX 3070 had an MSRP of $499, though they can be found much cheaper than this on the used market.

As of May 2023, the RTX 2070, commonly sells for $220 on eBay, whereas the RTX 3070 has a price of about $320 on the same website. If you manage your expectations, both cards give excellent performance for their price.

Because of its age, you would unlikely find the RTX 2070 in brick-and-mortar stores. The RTX 3070 will continue to be rarer and rarer in unused conditions. These cards can still be purchased from any e-commerce website of your choice.

Which One Should You Go For?

The choice between these cards is relatively simple. If you prefer 1440p and have the budget, the RTX 3070 is a very good deal. If you wish to play games at 1080p with high settings, the RTX 2070 blows recent cards out of the water with its price-to-performance ratio.

Pros And Cons