Gigabyte RTX 2070 Super Gaming OC 8G Review – Better Value Card?

Today we are going to look at and review the Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2070 Super Gaming OC 8G. This is the second RTX 2070 Super we have tested and reviewed; the first was from MSI. The Gigabyte RTX 2070 Super Gaming OC features the WindForce 3X Cooling System; most of Gigabyte’s mid-range or higher-end graphics cards with the same cooling solution look very similar with this or exactly the same. Aesthetically speaking, it’s not as gorgeous and premium-looking compared to the Aorus variants. But it’s relatively cheaper compared to a premium RTX 2070 Super card. So, if you are looking for an RTX 2070 Super but do not what to spend an extra for a premium variant, this RTX 2070 Super Gaming OC might be what you are looking for. In this review, not only that we will take a closer look on its performance and cooling capabilities, but let’s see how does it fare with another RTX 2070 Super from a competing company. So, go ahead and check out our Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2070 Super Gaming OC review below.

Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2070 Super Gaming OC 8G Review

The Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2070 Super Gaming OC 8G (that’s a long name) is based on NVIDIA’s latest 2070 Super GPU. These “Super” graphics cards are basically a beefed up or improved version of their non-Super predecessors. It’s not just a bump up in specs or clock speed, but the RTX 2070 Super uses a different GPU chip from the non-Super 2070. The RTX 2070 Super will be replacing its predecessor the RTX 2070; NVIDIA now discontinues the non-Super RTX cards except for the RTX 2060 and RTX 2080 Ti.

The new RTX 2070 Super features a new GPU, it’s a derivative of NVIDIA’s TU104 GPU chip. It features 40 Streaming Multiprocessors, 2560 CUDA cores, 320 Tensor cores and 40 RT cores. The specs are basically a bit higher than its predecessor the RTX 2070. The RTX 2070 Super is also targeted towards 1440p gaming and/or with a high refresh rate monitor. According to NVIDIA the RTX 2070 SUPER is faster than the former flagship GeForce GTX 1080 Ti GPU, and it is also up to 24% faster (16% average) overall than the standard GeForce RTX 2070 at 2560×1440 resolution. We will find out later in this review if those claims are true.

What is more interesting is that NVIDIA decided not to increase the price or base price of the RTX 2070 Super, still at $499, despite the increased specs and performance. It basically replaces its predecessor on the same price range; and no price premium for the Founders Edition as well. AMD’s RX 5700 XT starts at $399 USD, same price with the RTX 2060 Super. But when we reviewed the RX 5700 XT, we found that the RX 5700 XT is faster than an RTX 2060 Super.

However, custom designed RX 5700 XT are not cheap and most of them are priced (very) close to an RTX 2070 Super. Obviously, the RTX 2070 Super is the faster card and offers more value than an expensive RX 5700 XT. If price is the same or close, I’d definitely recommend the RTX 2070 Super instead; not unless you need the RX 5700 XT for a specific purpose.

Going back to Gigabyte’s GeForce RTX 2070 Super Gaming OC 8G, this graphics card features a higher boost clock speed of 1815 MHz and it’s built with the company’s renowned WindForce 3X cooling system. Not only does this graphics card feature a beefy aluminum heat sink that is cooled by three 82mm fans, but the fans themselves are quite unique as well – with the middle one rotating on the opposite direction. I will discuss further regarding Gigabyte’s cooling solution as we take a closer look at the graphics card below.

Below are specs of the Gigabyte’s RTX 2070 Super Gaming OC 8G (GV-N207SGAMING OC-8GC), a reference RTX 2070 Super and their predecessors. Then let’s take a closer look on the graphics card itself.

Gigabyte RTX 2070 Super Gaming OC Specifications

Packaging and Closer Look

Above is how the RTX 2070 Super Gaming OC’s box look like. You can see Gigabyte’s eye logo on the front, the name / model of the graphics card and the features of its cooling system is located at the back. Gigabyte has several variants of the 2070 Super. And it can be quite confusing to be honest. They have the Gaming OC X3 8G, Gaming OC 8G, WindForce OC 3X 8G, WindForce OC 8G and WindForce 8G. And all of these graphics cards look exactly the same, if I am not mistaken. They all feature the same cooling system and cooler shroud. The only real difference is in the boost clock speed, and I expect the retail prices as well. The RTX 2070 Super Gaming OC 3X 8G and Gaming OC 8G have the highest and same boost clock speed of 1815MHz.

Above is the front and back view of the graphics card. This one measures 286.5mm in length, 114.5mm in width and is about 50.2mm thick. It’s a dual slot graphics card and occupies 2 PCI slots, but extends just a little bit. This graphics card has a neutral color scheme, with its all-black design and grey highlights. The only RGB lighting is on the “Gigabyte” logo located on the front side of the graphics card.

Personally, I find the design of this graphics card to be good; not too boring or obnoxious, but it doesn’t standout or scream when installed on the gaming PC as well. If you are looking for an RTX 2070 Super that stands out, then Gigabyte has the Aorus version. That one has more RGB lighting, and the graphics card itself is larger or bulkier compared to this one. The Aorus graphics card is a premium version of this one and expect it to be more expensive as well.

On the output ports, you get three DisplayPorts, one HDMI port and the USB Type-C connector. The Gigabyte RTX 2070 Super Gaming OC requires an 8-pin + 6-pin PCIE power connector and you need at least a 650W power supply. If you don’t have a good PSU yet, we recommend that you get an 80 Plus certified power supply. Don’t buy cheap and unreliable power supply as it could damage the components of your system. The RTX 2070 Super supports SLI and you can see it has the new NVLink connector as well.

Here’s a side by side comparison of the Gigabyte RTX 2070 Super and the RTX 2080 Super Founders Edition. I know, it’s not an RTX 2070 Super FE, but the RTX 2070 Super FE and RTX 2080 Super FE has the size and dimension. As you can see, the Gigabyte RTX 2070 Super Gaming OC is just a little bit longer and a tad thicker than the Founders Edition.

Which graphics card do you think looks better, Gigabyte’s Gaming OC or NVIDIA’s Founders Edition? I think Gigabyte is more gamer-looking, but the Founders Edition feels much more premium with its all-metal build.

The Gigabyte RTX 2070 Super Gaming OC features the company’s WindForce 3X cooling system. You can see above the different layers of this graphics card. You have the cooler shroud with three 82mm fans; a huge aluminum heat sink that is made up of three section; a metal plate for the VRAM and MOSFETs, the PCB itself with Gigabyte’s ultra-durable components; and finally, a metal back plate.

Another unique feature of Gigabyte’s WindForce 3X cooling system is that the middle fan spins on the opposite direction. If I am not mistaken, you can only find this feature on Gigabyte’s graphics cards.

According to Gigabyte:

The GIGABYTE “Alternate Spinning” is the only solution that can solve the turbulent airflow of three fans. The biggest problem with the three fans is turbulence. Since the fans rotate in the same direction, the airflow direction is opposite between the fans, which will cause turbulent airflow and reduce heat dissipation efficiency. GIGABYTE turns the middle fan in the opposite direction, so that the airflow direction between the two fans is the same, reducing the turbulence and enhancing the airflow pressure.

I’m no engineer or a fan expert, but this unique setup seems to work. The graphics card is very silent, inaudible and runs very cool as well. More on its cooling performance on the next page.

Let’s proceed to the next page for the test setup, and for the noise and temperature of the Gigabyte RTX 2070 Super Gaming OC.
Gigabyte RTX 2070 Super Gaming OC 8G latest pricing and availability:
For US: available on Amazon.com here or Newegg.com here
For UK: available on Amazon UK here