We are coming even closer to the end of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 series graphics cards, a generation that will go down as expensive as it is slightly confusing. This iteration introduced new technologies, from enhanced Ray Tracing to accelerated performance with 1440p resolutions in mind. Most importantly, it brought new AI technologies like Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) 3.0. This technology has become such a crutch for many development studios that it has been used to help boost performance, giving PC gamers a smooth experience across a wide variety of titles.
Thanks to the folks over at MSI, I was able to give their RTX 4070 GAMING X SLIM a test drive and see how these technologies develop a better gaming experience.
Installation
Throwing the RTX 4070 into my system was a unique experience. The card itself embraces its name, sporting a thinner form factor compared to the behemoths we have all become acquainted with. This “slim” card, while still sporting a triple fan array, fit nicely in my mid-sized case. It didn’t impact my cooling apparatus—my dual 140mm fans with 25mm thickness were able to spread air throughout the case seamlessly.
The problem came from the included GPU holder, which required a bit of finesse on my part. I had to hold it up while unscrewing a few of the brackets present on the expansion slots. From there, I had to make sure the covers didn’t fall out (they did) and spent some time using one hand to keep the brackets on while affixing the GPU holder. This is purely a “me” issue here as I lack the capability to grow a third arm. I did eventually get it on, but I now have a sinking feeling every time I want to perform some sort of maintenance.
The finished product looks great, but that bracket is the only thing that seems remotely annoying. Besides that, I found the 16-pin power connector that a majority of NVIDIA GPUs require to be quite easy to install. Granted, I had to push rather hard on the connector, which I feel is not ideal. I’ve installed many GPUs in many computers, and I feel this connector across NVIDIA’s array of GPUs feels awkward. This is not an issue with MSI but with this proposed connector that NVIDIA is so keen on making others adopt despite the hazards.
Performance
The RTX 4070 is an interesting card, to say the very least. It sits right in the middle with its 12GB of GDDR6 VRAM, 5888 CUDA cores, and 192-bit memory bus. Operationally, this doesn’t sound too out of the ordinary. It performs well across a variety of games that I tested, and only in a few cases did it lag behind the higher-end variants.
World of Warcraft, a game that I play way too much of, takes advantage of the lower-end presentation. I am able to max out the refresh rate with a smooth 144 Hz. It runs the game at ultra settings with ease—granted, even several potatoes lashed together could do the same. Despite that, the 4070 might be overkill in this scenario, and I say that with kindness to the Blizzard team. Making a game that doesn’t require a whole lot of processing is ideal for everyone.
Borderlands 3 ended up being one of the few games that gave me problems. I was able to get it running at 60 Hz at 1440p resolution at ultra settings, but it came at a heavy cost. Borderlands 3 auto-detected my hardware and set it to the ultra preset, but it took up so many resources that multitasking became difficult. Watching a video while playing wasn’t happening. While other games ran smoothly with multitasking capabilities, either the RTX 4070 wasn’t powerful enough, or Borderlands 3 was poorly optimized. Both are possible.
Final Fantasy XVI ran pretty smoothly, hitting my personal goal of 60 fps and exceeding it, reaching up to 120 Hz. A majority of the games I tested hit the 60 Hz target seamlessly. Minor issues arose with certain games featuring large open worlds and heavy graphical assets.
For example, Star Wars: Outlaws was demanding at times. In closed areas and small bases, the game ran fine at medium to high settings. At ultra settings, I saw performance dips. This is due to the implementation of ray tracing as a foundation of the game’s development. Turning ray tracing capabilities to the lowest setting ensured smoother operation while traversing open fields and planets. I want to reiterate how stunning Outlaws looks in condensed areas—lots of great details and lighting effects where it matters most.
For titles like Marvel: Rivals and Fortnite, higher frame rates and clean visuals are achievable. Both these titles, along with others mentioned, truly show off how flexible this graphics card is. I can easily recommend it to buyers seeking a quick replacement or an upgrade from the GTX and RTX 20 series.
Conclusion
The RTX 4070’s 12GB of memory might raise complaints as it isn’t a huge leap in overhead. However, during my tests, I never used up all 12GB, though I came close. At 1080p resolution, I had some wiggle room. Ultimately, the RTX 4070 is a great mid-tier card that allows users to jump into PC gaming.
Those who want extra power but only play a handful of games will benefit most from this card. If you are primarily a console gamer checking out PC gaming, you’ll find yourself quite happy with the RTX 4070.
