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If you want a fast graphics card for 1440p gaming that is also really powerful for AI workloads then the Nvidia RTX 5070 is one of the best options out there.
In this guide, we rank the top 3 variants of the RTX 5070 according to build quality, performance and value for money.
Our Top Picks
- Number 3 – MSI RTX 5070 Shadow 2X OC
- Number 2 – ZOTAC RTX 5070 Solid
- Number 1. Asus PRIME RTX 5070
Things to Consider When Buying an RTX 5070
The RTX 5070 is a powerful 250W-class GPU designed for 1440p gaming, ray tracing, and AI workloads. While every variant runs the same silicon, the cooler design, size, and feature set can make a big difference in your build. Here are the most important factors to think about before picking one:
Cooling and Noise Levels
Even though the RTX 5070 is power-efficient compared to higher-tier GPUs, it still produces significant heat under load.
- Dual-fan compact models: Smaller, quieter, but may run a bit warmer (~70–72°C).
- Triple-fan models: Larger, usually cooler (~63–67°C) and quieter at the same time.
- Dual BIOS support: Lets you switch between performance and silent modes.
Card Size and Case Compatibility
With the rise of compact builds, GPU size matters more than ever.
- Small form factor (SFF) builds: Look for 2-slot, <10-inch variants.
- Standard mid-towers: Can easily fit 11–12 inch cards with triple fans.
- Check clearance: Always compare GPU length and height with your case specs.
Power Requirements
The RTX 5070 has a TDP of 250W and typically uses either an 8-pin PCIe connector or the newer 12VHPWR adapter.
- Recommended PSU: 650W minimum, though 750W is safer if paired with a high-core-count CPU.
Gaming & AI Workloads
- 1440p ultra gaming: Runs nearly all modern games at 60–100 FPS, even with ray tracing.
- 4K gaming: Possible with DLSS 4 or lower settings, but not the card’s sweet spot.
- AI/creator tasks: Leverages Nvidia’s upgraded Tensor cores and media engine for video editing, encoding, and machine learning.
Aesthetics and Build Quality
Not all RTX 5070s are equal in design.
- Plastic builds: Lighter and cheaper but feel less premium.
- Metal backplates: Add durability, better cooling, and rigidity.
- ARGB lighting: Available on some variants if style is part of your build priorities.
| Feature | Compact 2-Fan Models | Larger 3-Fan Models |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 9–10 inches, 2 slots | 11–12 inches, 2–2.5 slots |
| Cooling | Warmer but acceptable | Cooler & quieter |
| Aesthetics | Minimal, simple | Premium finishes, metal backplates |
| Ideal Use | SFF or budget builds | Gaming rigs, workstation PCs |
3 Best RTX 5070 Partner Cards Reviews
Number 3 – MSI RTX 5070 Shadow 2X OC
The MSI RTX 5070 Shadow 2X OC is focused on being a small but powerful graphics card that can handle any game at 1440p without drawing any attention to itself whatsoever.
The design in essence is boring, but perfect for anyone who simply does not care at all about aesthetics. The card is essentially begging to be installed inside a dark case only to never be seen again.
Apart from the grim design, I am not a fan of the build quality whatsoever since it is made of plastic, including the back plate which is typically made of metal. I would really hope MSI had put up at least a metal backplate which would make it a lot more appealing. Right now, all I can say is just don’t drop it; put it in your machine and forget about it.
The Shadow 2X cooler is plain and simple, but it does help illustrate a very important point – that point being that the RTX 5070 is a power efficient GPU that does not need a beefed up cooler to tame it. It may look a little silly inside a big case since it is just a 9 millimeter card in length, but it proves that most cards are unnecessarily oversized.
The actual TDP of the RTX 5070 is 250 Watts and as such, even under the most stressful scenario, the card is going to pull between 220 to 250 Watts of power, which in turn does not produce enough heat to bother this little card. The fans spin at about half speed (which is around 1800 to 1900 RPM) and keep the core at a nice 72 degrees Celsius when drawing 250 Watts of power that results in an impressively quiet card.
In terms of competition, the MSI Shadow 2X RTX 5070 enjoys a healthy lead in a lot of areas over other cards. It is the smallest out of any RTX 5070 at just 9.1 inches and the only other card almost as small as it is the 9.3 inch long MSI Ventus RTX 5070 2X with the Zotac Twin Edge coming in at number 3 at 9.5 inches long. Size itself doesn’t make much of a difference, but if that’s important to you, the MSI Shadow 2X is certainly the best of the bunch in that regard.
Performance-wise, this little card can play everything at 1440p and some lighter titles even run well at native 4K. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2, and Alan Wake 2 are some of the hardest games to run, and yet the RTX 5070 runs them all comfortably at 1440p ultra settings at a steady 60 FPS.
The biggest advantage that it has over its competition is real-world pricing and availability. Yes the MSI Ventus and Zotac Twin Edge 5070s are fitted with a metal backplate and look nicer, but they are both quite a bit more expensive and are barely available in the market. At their prices, you are better off looking at a 9070 XT or a 5070 Ti.
All in all, if you need a card for 1440p that prioritizes function over form, then the MSI Shadow 2X RTX 5070 OC will get the job done.
To sum up what I like is that it’s…
- One of the smallest 5070s
- Stays cool despite a small cooler
- Silent even under a full load
On the downside
- Full plastic body including the back plate
Number 2 – ZOTAC RTX 5070 Solid
The Zotac RTX 5070 Solid is a well-built and elegantly designed graphics card.
Coming in at 12 inches, it is long but not bulky or heavy whatsoever. What’s great about this card is that despite having a triple fan cooler, it is a pure two slot card. Even the card’s height is only as much as the PCIe slot which means that as long as your PC case can fit in a 12 inch card, the 5070 Solid will fit.
The overall larger size helps a lot in keeping the temps down without spinning the fans hard and Zotac’s cooler keeps the RTX 5070 at a cool 67 degrees Celcious with only 60% fan speed. Zotac really put a lot of thought into making this card and it shows in the aesthetics as well. All of the three fans are of equal height unlike many other cards where one of the three fans is of a different size. The backplate is made of metal and feels really sturdy.
When it comes to performance, the RTX 5070 steps up a lot compared to its predecessor the RTX 4070. You get twice the AI performance, a much more improved media engine and support for DLSS 4 with frame generation. It is also almost 30% more than the 4070.
Even with a super demanding game like Cyberpunk 2077, the RTX 5070 runs it easily with a mix of ultra and high settings at 1440p with ray tracing enabled at around 50 FPS.
In direct competition to the Zotac RTX 5070 are the GIGABYTE RTX 5070 WINDFORCE OC SFF and the Asus Prime RTX 5070. Both of these cards are also quite compact and come in at 11 and 12 inches respectively. The GIGABYTE card is not what I would consider a true 2 slot card as it encroaches on the third PCIe slot just a little bit.
The Asus Prime does however edge out the Zotac Solid because of one key feature and that is a dual BIOS switch. Although it is a minor feature, it comes in handy a lot during uncertain situations. This doesn’t make the Solid a worse card in any other way; it’s just that this one feature would have really rounded off this as the best RTX 5070 out there.
In conclusion, the Zotac RTX 5070 Solid is one of the best mid-range cards for playing high demanding games at 1440p. Without being overly expensive, you have one of the best looking cards that operates silently and performs like a dream.
To sum up what I like is the…
- Gorgeous design
- Small and compact despite the 12 inch length
On the downside…
- BIOS switch missing
Number 1 – Asus PRIME RTX 5070
This card is everything I want in a graphics card – a good design with thoughtful features and solid performance without any noise. The Asus Prime manages to deliver on every single front and does not disappoint whatsoever.
Design-wise, it has the gorgeous curvy and industrial look of the Asus Pro Art series. The fan shroud isn’t sharply angled, rather it curves against the side to give it a much more premium look that I have frankly not seen in any graphics card. I think MSI and Gigabyte should really take notes as this is one of the freshest and most creative cooler designs.
On the back of the card, you get a rock-solid metal backplate with almost no flashy design except for some white accent lines. The backplate also has a passthrough cutout to increase air flow and reduce temps significantly.
You will also notice that there is a dual BIOS switch which has frankly been missing from almost every other RTX 5070 that I have reviewed. It comes in handy, especially in emergency situations where one BIOS may get corrupted and you need a quick and safe way to recover the GPU.
The BIOS lets you switch between a performance mode and a quiet mode which is essentially just for the fans. In performance mode, the fans don’t idle when nothing is running so they may cause a little bit of noise that may wear out the fans a little.
During gaming with the quiet BIOS, the Asus Prime RTX 5070 only hovers between 63 to 67 degrees Celcious. There is almost no instance where this card will cross 70 degrees which is awesome and keeps the card dead silent in every scenario.
The silent operation even under max load is also helpful if you need this card in a professional workstation environment. The new improved media engine and AI performance is actually a bit better than the RTX 4080 Super.
Now, compared to other RTX 5070s, the Asus Prime really makes it hard for others to compete. Even Asus’s own TUF and Strix variants look incredibly janky and overkill for what is essentially just a 250 Watt GPU. The only other card that pretty much matches the Asus Prime in nearly everything is the Zotac RTX 5070 Solid. As we discussed before the dual BIOS is what gives the Asus PRIME the edge.
All in all, if you’re looking for the absolute best RTX 5070, then look no further than the Asus Prime. Asus took a good look at the 5070 and completely knocked it out the park and gave us a well rounded graphics card that doesn’t compromise on anything.
FAQs
1. Is the RTX 5070 good for 1440p gaming?
Yes, the RTX 5070 is built for 1440p gaming at ultra settings, easily maintaining 60+ FPS in demanding titles with ray tracing enabled.
2. Can the RTX 5070 handle 4K gaming?
The RTX 5070 can play 4K games with DLSS 4 and frame generation, but raw 4K ultra settings without upscaling may drop below 60 FPS in heavy titles.
3. How much power does the RTX 5070 need?
The card typically draws around 220–250W, so a 650W PSU is recommended at minimum, with 750W preferred for headroom.
4. Is a dual-fan RTX 5070 enough, or should I get a triple-fan?
Dual-fan models work fine and stay under ~72°C, but triple-fan designs run cooler (~63–67°C) and quieter, making them better for long gaming sessions.
5. Does the RTX 5070 support DLSS 4 and ray tracing?
Yes, the 5070 supports DLSS 4 with frame generation and full ray tracing features, offering big improvements in both visuals and performance over older cards.
6. Is the RTX 5070 good for AI and productivity workloads?
Yes, thanks to its upgraded Tensor cores and new media engine, it excels at AI tasks, video editing, and encoding — outperforming the RTX 4070 significantly.
7. What kind of case do I need for the RTX 5070?
It depends on the model. Compact 2-fan cards fit easily in SFF cases, while triple-fan variants may need a full mid-tower or larger. Always check GPU length and slot clearance.
8. Should I worry about VRAM on the RTX 5070?
The RTX 5070 comes with enough VRAM for 1440p gaming and AI workloads. Unlike lower-tier cards with 8 GB, it has a more comfortable buffer for modern games.
9. Is the RTX 5070 future-proof?
Yes, at 1440p and even entry-level 4K with DLSS 4, it should remain relevant for years. It also supports PCIe 5.0 and modern media codecs for creators.
10. Who should buy the RTX 5070?
The RTX 5070 is ideal for 1440p gamers, AI developers, and content creators who want high performance without stepping into the much pricier 5080/5090 tier.
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