Unless you’re going to spend both $700 or $1,200 on a graphics card Nvidia haven’t acquired something new coming your approach till they begin speaking about their Volta GPUs later this yr. So, what’s a devoted inexperienced staff aficionado with out a Swiss checking account to do? Well, the GTX 1070 is definitely nonetheless a mighty tempting possibility…
Read extra: take a look at our decide of the best graphics cards round right this moment.
Nvidia’s GTX 1070 has been pushed approach down the graphics stack because it first launched nearly a yr in the past. Since then we’ve had two new Titan playing cards – the Titan X and Titan Xp – and the impressively highly effective GTX 1080 Ti however, within the face of AMD launching a half-generation RX 500-series of GPU rebrands, the 1070 continues to be one of many most cost-effective playing cards able to delivering high-end gaming efficiency.
And if you happen to go for a factory-overclocked model like this Galax providing you will get near GTX 1080 efficiency with out having to spend GTX 1080 cash. This $400 (£360) Galax variant is able to comfortably rocking the Pascal GP104 silicon above the 2GHz level and, whereas it’s not essentially going to ship 4K at 60fps on the very best graphical settings, you’ll simply be capable of knock in regards to the 40-50fps level, which is nothing to smell at.
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Galax GTX 1070 EXOC SNPR specs
Depending on the place on this planet you hail from you’ll discover this closely overclocked card beneath both the Galax or KFA2 badge. In the Asia/Pacific and North American areas it’s Galax and in Europe the cardboard will get branded as KFA2. Apart from the title although they’re equivalent playing cards, which is nice as a result of this factor is mighty fast.
The headline specs are throughout the hefty factory-overclock they’ve foisted on the GP104 GPU on the coronary heart of the GTX 1070 EXOC SNPR (that’s excessive overclocked sniper, to you and me). Where the usual GTX 1070 peaks at 1,683MHz the Galax card is available in rated at 1,784MHz. A full 100MHz increase is one factor, however because of the best way issues work in Nvidia’s GPU world that’s not the entire story.
The dynamic clocks of the Pascal structure imply that, with the precise thermal circumstances and power provide, the GeForce GPUs will fortunately tweak their very own frequencies on the fly and increase as excessive as they’ll get. And Galax have made certain to present the EXOC SNPR all the required instruments to push that so far as attainable.
The huge heatpipes on the Galax cooling array, coupled with the dual followers and aluminium backplate, guarantee there’s a severe stage of chip-chilling on provide. Alongside that they’ve additionally redesigned the PCB itself, utilizing particular parts for higher electrical efficiency, in addition to dropping a 5 part energy provide onto the board for the GPU and one other two phases for the reminiscence alone. Galax have additionally put an additional 6pin energy connector on there to ensure the cardboard can draw as a lot energy as its overclocked parts want.
The cooler can be of the 0dB design too, although the thermal threshold has been set decrease than the MSI or Asus variations we’ve beforehand examined. Where their followers don’t get spinning till the GPU ideas over the 60°C mark this Galax card, with its Silent Extreme Technology, spins its followers up as soon as the silicon goes above 45°C.
And lastly… if you happen to’re into your RGB LEDs Galax have gotten you coated on that entrance too, with a multicoloured strip across the outdoors of the backing plate and and backlit ‘GeForce GTX’ on the facet which stares out of your chassis’ Perspex side-panel peephole.
Galax GTX 1070 EXOC SNPR benchmarks
Galax GTX 1070 EXOC SNPR efficiency
If you’re simply trying on the out-of-the-box efficiency of the Galax card you could be forgiven for feeling a bit of dissatisfied. Our Founders Edition GTX 1070 is able to posting nearly equivalent (and really often quicker) common body fee figures in contrast with the overclocked Galax variant.
In actual phrases the 1,784MHz increase clock isn’t far off what the Founders Edition model runs at, because of these dynamic Pascal GPU frequencies. Across our benchmarking suite the usual GTX 1070 bats between 1,721MHz and 1,823MHz; approach above the 1,683MHz it’s rated as. The identical will be stated of this overclocked Galax model too, with its unfettered GP104 silicon generally knocking round 1,924MHz mark.
But regardless of that frequency delta, there isn’t the identical distinction in precise gaming efficiency. The Vulkan efficiency and 3DMark benchmarks appear to profit probably the most from the upper clockspeeds, however taking the entire suite into consideration the Galax card isn’t truly delivering an enormous body fee increase.
In the UK there’s barely a tenner’s distinction in worth between the most cost effective GTX 1070 you’ll be able to seize on Amazon and this overclocked card (beneath the KFA2 badge), which makes the selection easy – simply go for the higher-clocked model. But within the US the worth distinction is over $50. So, why must you even contemplate paying the distinction if you happen to’re not getting larger body charges?
It’s all about that EXOC title. This card’s about precise overclocking and never nearly having barely larger clocks the moment you plug it into your PC. These factory-overclocked playing cards provide improved cooling, higher energy circuitry, additional energy connectors and specifically picked GPUs able to the very best clockspeeds. And meaning you’ll give you the chance push them even additional than their out-of-the-box speeds with just a bit effort in your half.
Some individuals will simply pay the additional for a factory-overclocked card to allow them to have the quickest model of no matter GPU era they’ve purchased into. But that’s nearly all the time a whole waste of money – it is possible for you to to get the identical frequency out of any stock-clocked GPU with a bit of gentle clockspeed twiddling. Manufacturers by no means push issues that onerous even for his or her factory-overclocked SKUs, so any card rated for reference clocks will be capable of go that little additional.
A specifically chosen overclocking GPU, nonetheless, ought to be able to working at larger clockspeeds than any ol’ chip simply slung right into a reference board, and that may make an enormous distinction in efficiency. As you’ll be able to see from the overclocking benchmarks, with the GP104 GPU operating at over 2GHz you get a severe uplift in gaming efficiency each over the Founders Edition card and the EXOC SNPR’s out-of-the-box speeds. It additionally means you’re getting nearly GTX 1080 ranges of gaming efficiency out of your GTX 1070 with out having to pay out the type of cash they’re nonetheless asking for that card.
Galax GTX 1070 EXOC SNPR verdict
In the UK it’s nearly a no brainer. Under the KFA2 model the EXOC SNPR is across the identical worth as an ordinary GTX 1070 and, with the additional efficiency potential and silent cooling, it’s a improbable model of Nvidia’s extra modest Pascal GPU.
It’s a barely completely different story within the US the place you’re being requested to pay a bit of extra for the privilege. That stated, with the flexibility to prime 2GHz as normal utilizing steady GP104 silicon, it’s nonetheless fairly onerous to argue with Galax’s overclocking efficiency.
That’s what actually units this card aside from the stock-clocked competitors; figuring out you’ve gotten the potential efficiency within the locker to take the cardboard’s gaming body charges approach past any out-of-the-box efficiency you’ll discover from any GTX 1070 in the marketplace. That’s to not say the Galax card is the one one able to topping 2GHz, however with the thermal assist and the additional energy circuitry on give you’re just about assured excessive frequency gaming.
But if you happen to’re not keen to place any of the work in your self then you definitely may as nicely simply buy groceries on a pure price-focus. Just purchase the most cost effective GTX 1070 yow will discover – with any aftermarket cooler on there you’ll get nice gaming body charges in any case. Though if you happen to’re not that lazy, the Galax card can deliver you nearly one other stage of gaming efficiency.
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