Biostar GeForce RTX 3070 graphics card 8 GB GDDR6, 3 × DP, HDMI 2.1 (VN3716RM82)

The card is built around the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 with 5888 CUDA cores. It runs at a 1500 MHz base clock and boosts up to 1725 MHz. The RTX name means hardware ray tracing support, which lets games render light, shadows and reflections more realistically. The higher core count gives headroom for raised graphics settings and higher resolutions, and it also speeds up video and 3D applications that use CUDA.

Video memory is 8 GB of GDDR6 running at 14 Gbps over a 256-bit bus. The wide bus delivers high bandwidth, so textures and frame buffers move quickly between the GPU and its memory. 8 GB is enough for Full HD and 1440p gaming; with the heaviest texture packs at 4K the memory can fill up, and lowering texture quality a notch solves that.

The card has one HDMI 2.1 port and three DisplayPort 1.4a outputs, with a maximum supported resolution of 7680 × 4320. HDMI 2.1 is a high-bandwidth standard that lets you connect a modern TV or monitor at high resolution and refresh rate. DisplayPort 1.4a is found on most gaming monitors. There is no DVI output, so an older monitor needs an adapter.

Supplementary power comes through two 8-pin PCIe connectors, and the manufacturer recommends a power supply of at least 650 W for the system. Before installing, make sure your power supply has two separate PCIe cables or one cable with two connectors. A power supply with some headroom keeps the system stable when the processor and graphics card are both under full load.

The card measures 242 × 130 × 43 mm and installs in a PCI Express 4.0 x16 slot on the motherboard. A length of 242 mm suits many mid-size cases, but it is worth checking the exact graphics card clearance in your case specifications. At 43 mm thick it leaves less room next to the following expansion card, so keep the area in front of the fans clear for airflow.

The manufacturer lists Windows 10 x64 and Linux as supported systems. The card supports DirectX 12, OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan, so it serves games as well as 3D applications. NVIDIA Ansel lets you take high-resolution, freely framed screenshots in supported games, and CUDA accelerates video processing and rendering.

Gamers who want to play at 1440p with higher settings and connect an HDMI 2.1 TV or a fast gaming monitor; PC builders whose power supply has two 8-pin PCIe connectors and whose case has room for a 242 mm card; and Linux users or content creators who need a graphics card with CUDA and OpenGL support.