Zotac RTX 2070 SUPER AMP Extreme Review

It's been one heck of a month for graphics card launches. First AMD with their 5700 series, then Nvidia beefing up their range with the SUPER cards. Of course, it's SUPER that we're interested in today. We have the latest ZOTAC RTX 2070 SUPER, which features bigger performance to meet the ever-growing demands of enthusiast games. As an RTX 2070, it's pretty damn powerful, but as a SUPER we're expecting so much more. Zotac RTX 2070 SUPER AMP Extreme Zotac has a strong history of creating powerful gaming graphics cards. Their new Zotac RTX 2070 Super AMP Extreme is no exception and features plenty of premium features to boot. There's a "strongest factory OC" for even better performance right out of the box. Plus, you get active fan control, a metal wraparound backplate, and much more. With all that in mind, I wouldn't be surprised if this is easily one of the fastest cards we've tested in a while. Features GDDR6 memoryStrongest Factory OCIceStorm 2.0 CoolingMetal Wraparound BackplateActive Fan ControlSPECTRA Lighting SystemOC ScannerFireStorm Utility (Download HERE) What Zotac Had to Say "Everything is super with the all-new ZOTAC GAMING GeForce RTX 20 Series SUPER graphics cards. Based on the NVIDIA Turing architecture, it’s packed with more cores and ultra-fast GDDR6 memory. Integrated with more smart and optimized technologies, get ready to GET FAST and GAME STRONG." - Zotac Specifications For in-depth specifications, please visit the official Zotac RTX 2070 SUPER AMP Extreme product page here. A Closer Look How We Test We continue to update our testing methods around once per year. As such, we re-test older hardware to reflect changes over time. These can be driver updates, Windows updates, game patches, and more; all of which have an impact on performance figures. Furthermore, we update our test bench to newer and more relevant hardware. This means that our new reviews aren’t always comparable to those of older reviews, so please compare the testing methodology on older reviews should you be trying to compare them with newer ones. Replicate Our Results When it comes to our benchmarks in our reviews, the benchmarks are pretty self-explanatory and kept as simple as possible, although there are a few exceptions. Remember that your choice of a graphics card, CPU, the silicon lottery, and other factors can yield different numbers, and there’s always a margin for error when using any software. Links are provided below, as well as the settings we use. We encourage you to not just look at how one product compares to any other, but how it compares to your own. If you’re looking to build a new system, you should benchmark your current PC using the benchmarks available to you. You should then look at the percentage improvement from your current hardware to the hardware tested here to give you a ballpark figure of how much of an upgrade this will provide you with. Graphics Card Test System Motherboard – Aorus Z390 Gaming MasterProcessor – Intel Core i9-9900K (Stock)RAM – Crucial Ballistix Gaming 32GB (4 x 8GB) 3000 MHzCPU Cooler – Noctua NH-D15SPower Supply – Be Quiet Power Zone 1000WMain Storage Drive – Toshiba OCZ VX500 500GBChassis – Thermaltake Core P5 TGOperating System – Windows 10 64-bitMonitor – AOC 28-Inch 4K Gaming Monitor Additional Hardware Killawatt style electricity usage meter wall plugPrecision Gold N05CC Decibel meter Gaming To gauge performance levels which are easily reproduced time after time, by both ourselves and our readers, we now stick strictly to games default profiles. We now use the “High” profiles for all games or their respective equivalent at all resolutions. V-Sync is always disabled in our testing, as are FreeSync and G-Sync technologies or similar. Graphics card power usage is set to optimised or balance, and the system power mode set to High Performance within Windows and the available GPU driver software. Identical settings are used for all resolutions unless otherwise stated. Games and Settings Used Shadow of the Tomb Raider DX12 High Preset1080p1440p2160pDeus Ex: Mankind Divided DX12 High Preset1080p1440p2160pGhost Recon: Wildlands High Preset1080p1440p2160pBattlefield V DX12 High Preset1080p1440p2160pBattlefield V DX12 High Preset (DXR Enabled) NVIDIA RTX Cards ONLY1080p1440p2160pMetro Exodus DX12 High Preset1080p1440p2160pMetro Exodus DX12 High Preset (RT, then RT and DLSS Enabled) NVIDIA RTX Cards ONLY1080p1440p2160pFar Cry New Dawn High Preset1080p1440p2160p The Division 2 High Preset1080p1440p2160p Software Used 3DMark Fire Strike (download)FireStrike Ultra BenchmarkUnigine Superposition (download)4K Optimised BenchmarkHWMonitor (download)GPU-Z (download)MSI Afterburner (download) Noise Everyone has a reasonable noise level preference when it comes to components on a computer. Some can handle all fans at 100% load to keep temperatures down; some want an entirely silent computer. To accurately gauge the noise output of a graphics card, we position a Precision Gold N05CC one meter above our open-air test bench and take an average reading at idle and load. Power Consumption We take power readings during the idle state with no background applications running. Then again at 50% completion of the Unigine Superposition benchmark, using the average as the final published result. Temperatures We take temperature readings after 10 minutes of desktop idle with no background programs running, then take the recorded maximum delivered from Unigine Superposition after a 4K optimised run, confirming the numbers are accurate with HWMonitor. Furthermore, the ambient temperature is always kept +/- 1c from 21c. Synthetic Benchmarks 3DMark FireStrike Ultra - 64113DMark TimeSpy - 10462Unigine Superposition 4K Optimised - 8546 3DMark FireStrike Ultra 3DMark TimeSpy Unigine Superposition Experience Lara Croft’s defining moment as she becomes the Tomb Raider. In Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Lara must master a deadly jungle, overcome terrifying tombs, and persevere through her darkest hour. As she races to save the world from a Maya apocalypse, Lara will ultimately be forged into the Tomb Raider she is destined to be. Available now on Steam. 1080p Shadow of the Tomb Raider - 1371440p Shadow of the Tomb Raider - 982160p Shadow of the Tomb Raider - 55 Shadow of the Tomb Raider Performance Now an experienced covert operative, Adam Jensen is forced to operate in a world that has grown to despise his kind. Armed with a new arsenal of state-of-the-art weapons and augmentations, he must choose the right approach, along with who to trust, in order to unravel a vast worldwide conspiracy. Available now on Steam. 1080p Deus Ex Mankind Divided - 125.21440p Deus Ex Mankind Divided - 88.52160p Deus Ex Mankind Divided - 47 Deus Ex: Mankind Divided Performance The Ghosts, an elite US Special Forces team, are sent behind enemy lines to wreak havoc, destabilize, and eventually break the alliance between the cartel and the corrupted government. Facing an almighty enemy in a massive and hostile environment, the Ghosts will need to make critical moral choices and engage in tough battles to complete their mission – their grittiest and most dangerous operation to date. Available now on UPlay. 1080p Ghost Recon Wildlands - 131.331440p Ghost Recon Wildlands - 101.622160p Ghost Recon Wildlands - 59.33 Ghost Recon: Wildlands Performance Enter mankind’s greatest conflict with Battlefield™ V in the most intense, immersive, and innovative Battlefield yet. Lead your squad to victory in all-new multiplayer experiences like the multi-map Grand Operations. Fight for survival in Firestorm – battle royale, reimagined for Battlefield. Witness a never-before-seen portrayal of WW2 in the single-player War Stories campaign. Assemble your Company of customized soldiers, weapons, and vehicles – then take them on an expanding journey where every chapter brings a new battlefield. You will never be the same. Available now on Origin. 1080p Battlefield V - 1341440p Battlefield V - 1042160p Battlefield V - 58 Battlefield V Performance Metro Exodus is an epic, story-driven first-person shooter from 4A Games that blends deadly combat and stealth with exploration and survival horror in one of the most immersive game worlds ever created. Flee the shattered ruins of dead Moscow and embark on an epic, continent-spanning journey across post-apocalyptic Russia in the greatest Metro adventure yet. Explore the Russian wilderness in vast, non-linear levels and follow a thrilling story-line inspired by the novels of Dmitry Glukhovsky that spans an entire year through spring, summer and autumn to the depths of nuclear winter. Available now on Epic Game Store. 1080p Metro Exodus - 90.011440p Metro Exodus - 68.432160p Metro Exodus - 41.88 Metro Exodus Performance Seventeen years after a global nuclear catastrophe, civilization re-emerges from the chaos to find a world dramatically changed. In Hope County, Montana, the remaining populace has gathered into different groups, each with their own rules for survival. In this new world order, the vicious Highwaymen, led by twin sisters Mickey and Lou, travel from place to place bleeding people dry of all available resources. As the Survivors try to defend their lands against the Highwaymen's relentless onslaught, it's up to you to come to their aid and lead the fight. In the latest instalment of the award-winning Far Cry franchise, you are the last line of defence in a transformed, post-apocalyptic Hope County. Help the community of Survivors grow stronger, craft a makeshift arsenal through Turf Wars and cross-country Expeditions, and form unexpected alliances to fight for survival in a dangerous new frontier. Available now on UPlay. 1080p Far Cry New Dawn - 1291440p Far Cry New Dawn - 1082160p Far Cry New Dawn - 60 Far Cry New Dawn Performance Seven months have passed since a deadly virus hit New York City and the rest of the world, crippling the population. When the virus hit, The Division, a unit of civilian sleeper agents, was activated as the last line of defence. Since then, Division agents have been fighting relentlessly to save what remains. For The Division, the stakes are higher than ever. Washington, D.C. – the most heavily protected city on earth – is at risk, leaving the entire nation on the brink of collapse. If Washington, D.C., is lost, then the nation falls. As a Division agent who has been in the field for seven months, you and your team are the last hope to stop the fall of society after the pandemic collapse. Available now on UPlay. 1080p The Division 2 - 1651440p The Division 2 - 1142160p The Division 2 - 60 The Division 2 Performance Power Consumption Temperatures Acoustics Overclocking Performance The card is pretty highly strung right out of the box. That's why it was giving the RTX 2080 series cards something to worry about. Yet, our modest overclock did push a few more FPS out of it. However, at the cost of acoustics, it's not really for me. If you want something YOU can OC, this isn't it. However, Zotac has done the hard work for you, so personally, I think I'll leave it at stock. How Much Does It Cost? Frustratingly, we couldn't find much stock of the Zotac RTX 2070 SUPER Maybe it's sold out, we do know there's a little shortage on right now. However, the one price I did find was in the UK and was £529.98. I think that is a bit "boosted" if I'm honest, as you can get an RTX 2080 for £520, and a good one at that. This card needs to be coming in at no more than £510, and I suspect it'll be less than that once stock lands in the right places; keep your eyes peeled! Overview The Zotac RTX 2070 SUPER is a bit of a monster, and more than worthy of being excited about. It's clear that SUPER is here to replace the stock RTX range. Of course, with performance that's chewing at the ankles of the RTX 2080, you'll not be left feeling short of FPS from the AMP Extreme. At least until they release the RTX 2080 SUPER perhaps. Either way, this is RTX 2080 performance for RTX 2080 money right now, but when prices settle, the Zotac RTX 2070 SUPER is going to fly off the shelves. Gaming This card is walking away with a handful of medals today. It was pretty much in the top five results for every benchmark. In some it scored first place, even beating out the RTX 2080 Ti. However, for the bulk, it was on par with the RTX 2080 cards, and that's pretty damn fast. For high frame rate gaming, even at 1440p, it'll tear through any game today. Then again, for 4K gamers, figures are pretty strong too. Albeit, for 4K60, if you want 4K60-100 for flagship G-Sync monitors, the 2080 Ti is still king of the camp. Added Value This card is a little bland I think. However, that's fine with me in so many ways. I don't want to pay for a boat-load of RGB tech and a crazy shroud. I want a chipset that's been whipped into shape and working hard to get the best out of my games. Zotac has gone for less "show" and all of the "go" here. Sure, there's an RGB badge on the side, but otherwise, it's just a competent design aimed at cooling and reliability. Throw on the backplate, a good software suite for managing the card, and you're good to go. Should I Buy One? If you can find stock, and even more so find a price on the right side of £500, I wouldn't even hesitate. It's a damn fast card right out of the box. Sure, some of you like to OC your own hardware. However, if you don't mind paying a small premium, you can get this factory overclocked model that's already tuned to deliver its maximum performance.