Right here for overview right this moment I’ve MSI’s RTX 4070 Ti Gaming X Trio (opens in new tab). It is a card that brings Nvidia’s Ada Lovelace structure all the way down to a cheaper price level, although the three phrases ‘cheaper price level’ are very a lot relative. Nonetheless, it is a card that basically matches the RTX 3090 (opens in new tab) in efficiency whereas costing much less. When considered in these phrases, the RTX 4070 Ti (opens in new tab) is not a nasty proposition.
If you have not already learn it, now can be a very good time to take a look at our Gigabyte RTX 4070 Ti overview (opens in new tab). The cardboard previously often known as the RTX 4080 12GB is essentially an excellent graphics card that is nonetheless damage by its worth.
It looks as if each GPU article over the previous few years is framed by worth speak. Given the middling spec of the RTX 4070 Ti, you get the sensation Nvidia has quite a lot of room to drop costs. We’re nonetheless early within the life cycle of the Ada era of playing cards, I would think about that your complete GPU product stack from each AMD and Nvidia is due for a worth correction. Although when which may happen is anybody’s guess.
However earlier than drawing too many conclusions (within the introduction no much less) let me introduce to you the MSI GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Gaming X Trio. It is the most recent iteration of MSI’s standard mannequin, which sits above its Ventus collection and beneath the Suprim collection. The Gaming X Trio carries the distinctive styling of its predecessors, with a stylized and considerably angular aesthetic with a very good dose of RGB lighting, a customized PCB and a manufacturing facility overclock.
MSI GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Gaming X Trio overview and specs
Gaming X Trio specs
GPU: AD104-400-A1
Shader Models: 7,680
Enhance clock pace: 2,680MHz
Reminiscence capability: 12GB GDDR6X
Reminiscence pace: 21Gbps
Outputs: 3x DisplayPort 1.4a, 1x HDMI 2.1
Energy connectors: 1x 16-pin
Value: $879 (opens in new tab)| £889 (opens in new tab) | AU$1,599 (opens in new tab)
The MSI, like all RTX 4070 Ti playing cards launched thus far, is constructed across the third Ada Lovelace GPU to be launched, the AD104. It follows the AD102 discovered within the GeForce RTX 4090, and the AD103 that sits on the coronary heart of the GeForce RTX 4080. AD104 is a 4nm GPU with all of its options enabled, together with 7,680 cores, 60 RT Cores and 240 Tensor Cores. For its half, MSI has set the clocks of the Gaming X Trio at a lift clock of 2745MHz, a wholesome improve of 135MHz over the Nvidia reference pace.
The cardboard comes with 12GB of 21Gbps GDDR6X reminiscence linked to a 192-bit bus. The ensuing 504.2GB/s of reminiscence bandwidth is not unhealthy, nevertheless it’s really lower than the 256-bit RTX 3070 Ti’s 608.3GB/s. I simply cannot get used to the concept of a card costing this a lot coming with a reminiscence bus like one you’d have gotten on a mid-range card from 10 years in the past.
The MSI board has a 285W TDP whereas energy is supplied by a single 16-pin 12HPWR energy connector. Show outputs are the three commonplace DP 1.4 ports plus one HDMI 2.1 port. DP 2.0 is lacking from the Ada era, not like AMD’s newest GPUs.
The Gaming X Trio is an enormous triple slot card at 34cm lengthy, and actually, it is overkill for this class of card. Not that that is a nasty factor! The shroud is generally black with grey highlights. It is received an RGB MSI emblem on the aspect, with further components both aspect of the central fan. A full-length steel backplate resides on the rear of the cardboard.
MSI’s Gaming X Trio playing cards have a long-standing fame for delivering a wonderful stability of low noise ranges and cooling potential. As a cooler constructed to sort out increased TDPs, it has no drawback retaining the 285W AD104 GPU working cool and quiet.
The primary heatsink cools the GPU, reminiscence and VRM. There are six heatpipes used to switch warmth away into what looks as if acres of fins. There’s additionally a small body separate from the principle heatsink to chill some further elements. It provides some rigidity to the cardboard too.
The PCB is a customized one. It features a 10-phase design with one other two for the reminiscence. In comparison with among the excessive VRMs we have seen on some RTX 4090 or AMD RX 7900 XTX (opens in new tab) class playing cards, the MSI 4070 Ti Gaming X Trio PCB is sort of worldly as compared. The AD104 GPU merely doesn’t require a high-end VRM design.
The Gaming X trio comes with twin BIOS. The default setting is joined by a silent possibility, which runs a much less aggressive fan curve. Nevertheless, the cardboard runs with so little noise anyway, I see no purpose to interact the silent setting.
MSI GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Gaming X Trio benchmarks and efficiency
The RTX 4070 Ti is priced across the degree of the RX 7900 XT (opens in new tab). How do they stack up towards each other?
When you take a look at the cooling outcomes, you is perhaps stunned to see the MSI Gaming X Trio working hotter than among the different playing cards.
Check rig
CPU: Intel Core i9 12900K
Motherboard: Asus ROG Maximus Z690 Apex
RAM: 2x 16GB G.Talent Trident-Z DDR5-6000 C36
Storage: 2TB Seagate FireCuda 530
Cooling: Cooler Grasp PL360 Flux 360mm AIO
PSU: Corsair AX1000
It is a deliberate selection by MSI, and its one I largely agree with. At this temperature, the RTX 4070 Ti’s increase clocks are allowed to achieve their most, but the cooler is all however silent. There’s merely no level to working the fan speeds any increased as all it does is add noise for no efficiency profit.
When taking a look at pure energy consumption numbers, the RTX 4070 Ti actually stands out. It beats out the RX 7900 XT however simply as importantly, completely smashes the RTX 3080 Ti (and due to this fact the RTX 3080 all the way in which as much as the RTX 3090 Ti) The RTX 4070 Ti is not an ideal card however when it comes to energy consumption, it is wonderful.
Artificial gaming efficiency
1440p Gaming Efficiency
4K Gaming Efficiency
MSI GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Gaming X Trio evaluation
Let’s ignore the pricing for a minute and give attention to relative efficiency. The RTX 4070 Ti is an excellent 1440p card, hitting the bottom 60 fps in Cyberpunk 2077 even with out enabling DLSS voodoo. It pulls forward of each the RTX 3080 Ti and RX 7900 XT in benchmarks with ray tracing enabled.
The tables are turned relating to conventional rendering the place the RX 7900 XT pulls out a wholesome lead. All of it comes again to the enduring query: Do you worth ray tracing and DLSS? Each playing cards have their strengths and weaknesses.
At 4K the RTX 4070 Ti seems to lose a little bit of efficiency. That is most likely a results of a reminiscence bandwidth bottleneck. It is nonetheless able to 4K gaming however the likes of the RTX 3080 and Ti stay potent rivals.
Apparently, the MSI card was joyful to persistently run at as much as 2,850MHz. Nvidia (and MSI) deserve credit score for extracting such a clock pace with out dropping the plot on energy consumption.
MSI GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Gaming X Trio verdict
You get the sensation Nvidia is making severe cash on every RTX 4070 Ti bought.
So, the RTX 4070 Ti is a potent 1440p card and greater than able to 4K gaming with the ever-impressive DLSS enabled, nevertheless it does not exist in a vacuum, and meaning pricing comes again into the equation. In comparison with the RX 7900 XT it is not unhealthy, however that is a way more difficult design. You get the sensation Nvidia is making severe cash on every RTX 4070 Ti bought. All we will do is hope that it’ll ultimately ship some reduction to players who’ve had little to cheer about lately with the pandemic, provide chain points and mining demand to cope with.
Getting again to the MSI Gaming X Trio, and I am happy to say MSI has once more executed a stellar job. The cooler is tuned excellent, permitting the GPU to achieve its highest increase states with out compromising on noise ranges.
It seems to be good, it is received a very good high quality PCB, twin BIOS and its Afterburner software program at all times will get a good point out, although its future possibly isn’t solely sure (opens in new tab).
Whether or not the RTX 4070 Ti is the proper card for you comes all the way down to what you have got in your rig proper now. When you’re upgrading from a GTX card or RTX 20 collection card, you will take pleasure in a surprising efficiency uplift, plus take pleasure in the advantages of a lot improved ray tracing efficiency and DLSS. However should you’ve received an RTX 30 or RX 6000-series card, the positive aspects aren’t anyplace close to as dramatic, particularly given the associated fee concerned.
When you do determine to seize an RTX 4070 Ti, the MSI taste is an effective one. It blends efficiency cooling capability and construct high quality right into a well-balanced bundle. It is not overly costly in comparison with the high-end Asus Strix or MSI Suprim, and that is particularly essential when you think about these playing cards actually are overkill for what is actually a mid-range GPU.
Knock 100 off the value Nvidia, after which the RTX 4070 Ti turns into one thing totally different, one thing extremely potent.