How the GeForce RTX 3070 performs at 1080p, 1440p and 4K
At 1080p the GeForce RTX 3070 averages about 110 fps on High across the 14 games people check most. Most games hold 60 fps with room to spare.
At 1440p the typical result drops to 79 fps. 1440p on High holds 60 fps in most games. At 4K it is about 48 fps. 4K is possible in lighter games, but use upscaling in anything demanding.
The heaviest game we checked is ELDEN RING, at 60 fps on High at 1080p. The lightest is Fortnite, which the card handles at 300+ fps. If your own games are somewhere in between, the table above shows where.
Memory and power
Eight gigabytes covers 1080p and most 1440p play. A few recent games at Ultra textures want more, and that is the first thing that will date this card.
The GeForce RTX 3070 is rated at 220 W. With a mid-range processor, plan on a 650 W power supply (550 W is the minimum). That is a moderate load. Any case with a front intake fan will keep it cool.
Where it sits
Released in 2020, the GeForce RTX 3070 is 6 years old, and the newest games already treat it as an entry level card. The next card up in our list is the GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8GB, about 11% faster (launch price $379). The next card down is the GeForce RTX 5060, about 3% slower.
It launched at $499, which works out to 7.4 points of performance per $100. Prices on the used and discount market are different, so treat this as a way to compare cards, not as today's price.
Which processor to pair it with, and who it suits
To keep a processor from holding it back at 1080p, you want something like a Core i5-11400H, and at 1440p a Core i5-10300H or similar. Slower processors will still work, but you give up some of the card's speed. The best CPU list for this card shows the options for all three resolutions.
The GeForce RTX 3070 is a good fit for 1440p at High and for 1080p at Ultra on a fast monitor. It is the tier most people should look at first.