NVIDIA’s RTX 3070, is hailed as a card with one of the best price-to-performance offerings on the market.
| Editonomy’s Review: RTX 3070 proves itself as a powerful video editing companion but it’s specifically for those who are serious editors but don’t have a budget for the latest flagship Nvidia offering and looking for a better budget alternative. You should Buy this if: ~Semi-professional video editor working on a range of projects, from 1080p to 4K. ~Content creators who are going to mostly edit for social media ~Beginners who are serious about editing and want to buy a card that has a good life span. You should Not Buy this if: ~If you already have a previous-gen flagship like RTX 2080TI ~If you can spend a bit more, then go for a better card i.e. mentioned here ~If you are going to use Blender and will do heavy 3D rendering |
It is often mentioned as one of the most compelling options for video editing, thanks to its potent hardware and features but does it live up to its hype?
RTX 3070 is where things start to get serious in terms of performance as well as price and if you’re considering RTX 3070 to be your next partner in the editing journey.
Then let’s take a look at whether the RTX 3070 is good for video editing and whether you come among its target audience that can benefit most from this graphics card.
What The RTX 3070 Has To Offer:
1. Impressive CUDA Cores:
The RTX 3070 boasts 5888 CUDA cores, which are parallel processing units crucial for video editing tasks. To put things in perspective the RTX 3050 has 2560 CUDA cores which are less than half of what the RTX 3070 offers.
So it has excellent processing power, which is double that of RTX 3050, and has 1000 more Cuda-Cores when compared to RTX 3060Ti
2. Ray Tracing and Tensor Cores:
While primarily designed for gaming, the RTX series GPUs, including the RTX 3070, feature ray tracing and tensor cores. These technologies can accelerate certain video editing tasks, like color correction and image upscaling, making the editing process smoother, lag-free, and more responsive.
3. Hardware Acceleration:
Many popular video editing software, such as Adobe Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve, have started to leverage GPU acceleration.
The RTX 3070 offers hardware acceleration features that make it fully compatible with these software packages, ensuring a significant boost in performance for tasks like real-time playback, rendering, multi-layer editing, and video encoding.
4. 8GB GDDR6 VRAM:
With 8GB of high-speed GDDR6 VRAM, the RTX 3070 can efficiently handle high-resolution video projects, preventing bottlenecks when working with 4K or even 8K content in some cases.
This VRAM capacity ensures that you can smoothly edit and preview your videos without lag or stutter.
What People Are Saying
It’s Hard To Argue That The Rtx 3070 Is Anything Other Than A Great Value ~ IGN
A Hot Rod Gpu ~ Engadget
The Nvidia Geforce Rtx 3070 Is One Of The Best Graphics Cards Of All Time~ TechRadar
Gaming Prowess
When it comes to gaming, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 is a powerhouse that stands out as the ultimate graphics card for most folks.
Imagine getting performance comparable to the mighty RTX 2080 Ti but at a price tag that’s less than half. This little beast is a superhero for mid-budget builds, making 4K gaming a reality for the everyday gamer.
Its performance truly shines in the world of 1440p gaming, but it doesn’t stop there. The RTX 3070 will perform in the 4K realm, showing off its versatility and making high-resolution gaming an achievable dream for many. The ray tracing performance of RTX 3070 is nothing short of exceptional, giving you a glimpse of what this cutting-edge technology is truly capable of.
In a nutshell, the RTX 3070 is the golden ticket for 99% of gamers out there. Whether you’re building a midrange gaming rig or upgrading your setup, this card plays well with others.
Temperature & Fan Noise
While the card demonstrates commendable performance and maintains acceptable temperatures, a notable aspect deserving of attention is the fan control mechanism.
The fans remain stationary until the card surpasses the temperature threshold of 60-65°C, at this point, they abruptly escalate to full speed. This operational pattern, occurring approximately every 90-180 seconds, results in an audibly conspicuous and, at times, disruptive noise level.
Addressing this fan control issue could significantly enhance the overall user experience with the card.
But What About Video Editing?
The RTX 3070 is a potent card for video editing, with solid specs, and features like hardware acceleration ensure a great performance in Adobe Premiere Pro, After Effects, and Davinci Resolve.
Whether you’re working with a multi-layer project or working with 4k footage even with 6k, the RTX 3070 can work with ease. While editing in 4k you will not experience any lag. And if you pair it with top CPUs, say the latest i7, Ryzen 7, or above then you’ll get a better experience.
Now, let’s look at benchmarks and see for ourselves on well it performs in the real world.
Premier Pro
The Rtx 3070 has an impressive score of 101.3 and scored 6 points higher than its closest Nvidia competitors RTX 3060Ti
Benchmark scores prove that it’s a capable card, which will be a good choice while editing in Premier Pro, it has enough performance for most users out there.
After Effects
While we don’t have benchmark scores for RTX 3070, we have its competitor’s scores. Let’s take a look at how their scores can help us evaluate RTX 3070 performance.
Here we can see that RTX 2080Ti and 6900XT scores 96.3 & 94.1 respectively. With this, we can assume that RTX 3070 scores will fall somewhere near these two only.
Davinci Resolve
In DaVinci Resolve the RTX 3070 has a good score of 106. It’s not the best out there but we have to consider what we are getting at the price we are paying. Considering the price and also overall RTX 3070 performs well in the benchmarks scores
If you’re buying this card to aid in your Davinci Resolve workflow then you should look into the 4070Ti, which will prove a better choice for Davinci Resolve as the best “Mid-Range” card in this benchmark comparisons
Pros of the RTX 3070 for Video Editing
Now, let’s delve into the specific pros of using the RTX 3070 for video editing:
Great Performance: The RTX 3070 offers excellent performance, making it suitable for most video editing tasks. It can handle various video effects, transitions, and rendering processes without breaking a sweat.
Compatibility with Video Editing Software: This GPU is compatible with popular video editing software, which allows for hardware acceleration and better real-time performance, especially when working on complex projects.
Affordable Option: Compared to higher-end GPUs like the RTX 3080 or RTX 3090, the RTX 3070 offers a good balance between price and performance, making it a more budget-friendly option for many video editors.
Ray Tracing and Tensor Cores: While not the primary focus for video editing, these cores can provide a noticeable improvement in some editing tasks, such as image upscaling and advanced color correction.
Cons of the RTX 3070 for Video Editing
Despite its many advantages, the RTX 3070 does have some limitations:
VRAM Limitation: While the 8GB of VRAM is generally sufficient for most video editing tasks, those working on extremely high-resolution projects or 3D rendering might find it limiting compared to GPUs with higher VRAM capacities.
Fan Noise: Some users have reported the fan noise is on the higher side when the card temperature goes up. Though it won’t be a problem to most it can be bothering for a small segment of people. If you can look past this then it’s nothing to be bothered about.
Not The Mid Range King Anymore: The 3070 is now a generation old, if we look at the benchmarks newer cards perform better. The 3070 offers a very good performance for its price but keeping aside pricing, the RTX 4070 Ti is now the Mid Range King.
For Whom Is the RTX 3070 Suited?
Enthusiasts and Semi-Professionals: If you’re a hobbyist or semi-professional video editor working on a range of projects, from 1080p to 4K, the RTX 3070 offers a good balance of performance and affordability.
Content Creators: YouTubers, vloggers, and social media influencers can benefit from the RTX 3070’s ability to accelerate rendering and real-time playback, making video creation and editing more efficient.
Students and Beginners: Aspiring video editors and students can choose the RTX 3070 as it provides a robust editing experience without breaking the bank.
RTX 3070 Is Not For You if:
If you are a professional and already using a top card from previous generations, such as 2080Ti in this case you’ve to look for a better and higher-end card from the latest offerings.
If you can spend a bit more, then you can for the latest offering from Nvidia which is RTX 4070 Ti!
If you are going to use Blender and will do heavy 3D rendering, in this scenario you should only opt for a higher-end card for example RTX4080 or RTX4090
What About Its Competition?
The performance of graphics cards can vary based on several factors, including architecture, core count, clock speeds, and memory configurations. Let’s compare the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 to the RTX 3060 Ti, RTX 2080 Ti, and AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT, highlighting key differences and advantages
RTX 3070 vs. RTX 3060 Ti:
CUDA Cores: The RTX 3070 has more CUDA cores than the RTX 3060 Ti, resulting in higher parallel processing power. This is beneficial for tasks such as video editing, rendering, and gaming.
Performance: The RTX 3070 generally offers better overall performance in comparison to the RTX 3060 Ti, making it a more powerful GPU for demanding applications and high-resolution gaming.
VRAM: While both cards have 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM, the RTX 3070’s additional CUDA cores contribute to better memory bandwidth, potentially improving performance in memory-intensive tasks.
RTX 3070 vs. RTX 2080 Ti:
Architecture: The RTX 3070 is based on the newer Ampere architecture, while the RTX 2080 Ti belongs to the previous Turing architecture. Ampere brings improvements in performance and efficiency.
Performance per Dollar: The RTX 3070 often provides better performance per dollar when compared to the more expensive RTX 2080 Ti, making it a more cost-effective choice for many users.
RTX 3070 vs. RX 6900 XT
Price: The RTX 3070 is generally more budget-friendly than the RX 6900 XT. If cost is a significant consideration, the RTX 3070 provides excellent performance for its price.
Ray Tracing Performance: NVIDIA’s RTX cards, including the RTX 3070, are known for their dedicated ray-tracing cores. While the RX 6900 XT is a powerful card, the RTX 3070 may have an edge in ray tracing performance.
DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling): NVIDIA’s DLSS technology, which leverages AI to upscale images, is exclusive to RTX cards. This can provide a performance boost in supported games, giving the RTX 3070 an advantage in certain scenarios.
It’s important to note that the best choice depends on your specific needs, budget, and the availability of the GPUs.
The RTX 3070 is generally considered an excellent option for users looking for a high-performance GPU without entering the enthusiast or professional price range.
RTX 3070’s Limitations..?
While the RTX 3070 is generally well-suited for video editing, the specific performance impact will depend on factors such as the complexity of your projects, the software you use, and other components in your system.
For extremely demanding tasks, such as heavy 3D rendering or working with massive video files, higher-tier GPUs with more VRAM may be worth considering.
However, for the majority of video editing needs, the RTX 3070 offers a commendable solution.
Does it have future-proofing capabilities?
Future-proofing refers to the ability of a device to remain relevant and perform well over an extended period as technology evolves. RTX 3070 offers excellent performance and is well-equipped to handle contemporary gaming, content creation, and productivity tasks.
The RTX 3070 supports key technologies like ray tracing, which is becoming more prevalent in gaming and content creation. Its hardware features, like the tensor cores, make it capable of leveraging advanced technologies present in current software i.e. future-proofing depends on the compatibility with upcoming software and technologies.
However, the rate of technological advancement is rapid, and new features may emerge that future GPUs could better support.
The RTX 3070 comes with 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM, which is generally sufficient for current gaming and content creation needs but this is the only thing that bugs me out as it going to be less and less common as software and game requirements evolve, particularly with more demanding textures and higher resolutions, GPUs with larger VRAM capacities may become increasingly beneficial.
Depending on future developments, the 8GB VRAM of the RTX 3070 may become a limitation for some tasks.
It’s advisable to consider your specific needs, intended usage, and willingness to upgrade periodically when evaluating the future-proofing capabilities of any GPU. All in all the RTX 3070 will be sufficient for at least for more than a couple of years to come.
Final Verdict
In conclusion, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 emerges as a commendable and versatile graphics card for video editing enthusiasts across various skill levels. Its robust hardware, featuring impressive CUDA cores, ray tracing, and tensor cores, empowers users to tackle a spectrum of editing tasks with efficiency.
The compatibility with popular video editing software, coupled with the affordability compared to higher-tier GPUs, positions the RTX 3070 as a practical choice for a broad audience. The GPU’s ability to handle high-resolution projects, its support for hardware acceleration, and the advantages of ray tracing and tensor cores contribute to a compelling package for video editors.
However, it’s crucial to acknowledge the 8GB VRAM limitation, which may pose challenges for those engaged in extremely high-resolution or 3D rendering work.
Whether you’re an enthusiast, a content creator, or a student venturing into the realm of video editing, the RTX 3070 offers a balanced blend of performance and affordability. While its availability and pricing may present challenges due to ever-evolving market dynamics, the advantages it brings to the editing table make it a worthwhile consideration.
For video editing, the RTX 3070 proves itself, as a reliable option, unlocking the potential for smoother, more efficient, and enjoyable editing journeys for a diverse community of creative minds. Even if technology continues to evolve, the RTX 3070 will become a solid investment, providing a satisfying intersection of capability and value for video editing endeavors.