- Review -
ASUS GeForce RTX 3070 Noctua Edition graphics card
Most premium graphics cards tend to be variations on a well-trodden theme. Performance is largely similar due to scaling limitations from the GPU and memory, so the choice of vendor is predicated on aesthetics, cooling performance, and in 2021, availability.
Asus takes a different path with the RTX 3070 Noctua Edition. Rather than offer more glitz via RGB or an extra 20MHz frequency which makes literally no difference to framerates, the decision to adopt over-the-top cooling is pivotal in reducing noise and creating great PR buzz.
A 4.3-slot form factor, monster housing, and an oversized heatsink featuring dual high-quality fans are instrumental in making this RTX 3070 the quietest high-end card we've ever tested. So much so, in fact, that our test PC, cooled by a custom-curve AIO, is practically silent at idle whilst producing the most inoffensive hum at full gaming load.
It's true to say that most rival cards can also be made vastly quieter by spending a bit of time fine-tuning the fan curve, but this Asus/Noctua creation does it right off the bat. Some will baulk at the colour scheme, some will be left agog by its sheer size, and others may wish to see the same treatment on the true upper echelons of GeForce RTX and Radeon RX hardware. All valid points.
What's uncontestable, however, is this card's ability to churn out healthy framerates with the least amount of aural fuss. Recommended to quiet-computing aficionados.
"... the quietest high-end card we've ever tested." (Tarinder Sandhu, HEXUS.net)
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