Gigabyte RTX 4070 SUPER AORUS Master features max TDP of 350W, 3% slower than 4070Ti out of the box

AORUS Master RTX 4070 SUPER with massively increased TDP

Proper RTX 4070 Ti replacement? AORUS GPU tested by TechPowerUP.

Gigabyte seems to have pulled out all the stops with the RTX 4070 SUPER, especially when it comes to cooling. They’ve opted for their most capable cooler on a 220W model, and the results are quite intriguing. The use of this massive cooler not only leads to higher stock clocks but also opens up exciting possibilities for overclocking, thanks to the bumped-up TDP.

Speaking of TDP, the RTX 4070 SUPER boasts a 220W TDP according to NVIDIA specs. TechPowerUP’s testing revealed that two specific models, namely the Palit Jetstream and AORUS Master, come with a beefier 245W TDP out of the box. It’s worth noting that the GAMING X SLIM by MSI shares similar settings. Interestingly, this TDP level already surpasses the maximum allowed TDP for the Founders Edition by NVIDIA, capped at 240W.

RTX 4070 SUPER AORUS, Source: TechPowerUP

According to TPU, high-end RTX 4070 SUPER cards are typically locked to 242W or 255W power. But RTX 4070 SUPER from Gigabyte is an exception with a massive increase up to 350W, that’s a 59% increase from 220W.

Such power can be unlocked and used for higher clocks, but in reality the card cannot use this much power easily. The card consumes 246 watts out of the box during gaming, an increase of 28 watts compared to the Founders Edition. To utilize the 350W limit, some extreme overclocking is needed, and we are not talking about conventional methods, but rather something professional overclockers can do. According to information we got from TPU, the maximum power observed on this card was 290 watts.

RTX 4070 SUPER AORUS, Source: TechPowerUP

On stock, the RTX 4070 SUPER AORUS Master offers 2% to 3% lower performance compared to stock RTX 4070 Ti. The custom AORUS card appears to be 4 to 5% faster than Founders Edition out of the box, primarily thanks to higher clocks of 2655 MHz boost, while NVIDIA default is 2475 MHz.

Further overclocking unlocks up to 7% better performance according to 3DMark test. This is nowhere near the 59% increase in power through TDP adjustment, though.

There is not much to report on overclocking, other than it works, is easy to do and will yield you around 6 to 7%, which is the typical range that we’ve been seeing from most cards in recent years. While the FE offers a maximum power limit adjustment range of 240 W, the Gigabyte pushes things to the max with a maximum power limit setting of 350 W. There’s no way you’ll be reaching these power levels without a serious OC though. The default power limit has been increased to 245 W, which results in some extra performance—a reasonable choice despite the higher power usage.

— TechPowerUP

RTX 4070 SUPER AORUS, Source: TechPowerUP

In practice, a higher TDP limit doesn’t necessarily translate into a significant increase in overclocking potential. Surprisingly (or not), it seems to fall in line with what cards boasting lower TDP limits can achieve.

Pricing-wise, the card positions itself between the RTX 4070 SUPER MSRP and the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER MSRP at $700, a $100 premium. While the charts indicate a close performance proximity to the RTX 4070 Ti, it’s important to bear in mind that this card is on the path to discontinuation, making way for the SUPER series update. How does the 4070 Ti SUPER card perform, we will learn next week when it launches.

Price is not an advantage, but AORUS strong point is the efficient 34 cm long cooler, which is quad-slot design (probably not an advantage). The cooler is 50% larger than PCB, which results in some great thermals (15°C cooler than Founders Edition). An interesting design for sure, but certainly not for everyone, especially with smaller cases.

Source: TechPowerUP