Temperatures
Testing notes & interpretation- GPU temperatures listed here are based on GPU-Z measurements of the on-chip temperature sensor.
- We report these GPU temperatures under a constant load for ease of comparison, as well as an idle state most end users will experience often. This combination helps dictate cooling needs and provides context for how well the thermal solution performs.
- Please note that GPU temperature is contingent on a variety of factors. Some, including clock speed, voltage settings, cooler design, and production variances, are beyond the control of the end user. Others, such as ambient temperature, case design, and airflow pathway affecting the GPU, can be mitigated to certain extents.
- The data in the table above shows results for similar cards, achieved in identical conditions during previous TechPowerUp reviews.
Fan Noise
Noise Testing Details
In past years, gamers would accept everything for a little bit more performance. Nowadays, users are more aware of their graphics card's fan noise and power consumption.
In order to properly test how much noise a card's fan emits, we use a Bruel & Kjaer 2236 sound-level meter (~$4,000). It has the measurement range and accuracy we are looking for.
The tested graphics card is installed in a system that does not emit any noise on its own, using a passive PSU, passive CPU cooler, passive cooling on the motherboard, and a solid state drive. Noise results of other cards on this page are measurements of the respective reference design.
This setup allows us to eliminate secondary noise sources and test only the video card. To be more compliant with standards like DIN 45635 (we are not claiming to be fully DIN 45635 certified), the measurement is conducted at a distance of 100 cm and 160 cm off the floor. Ambient background noise inside the room was well below 20 dBA for all measurements. Please note that the dBA scale is not linear but logarithmic. 40 dBA is not twice as loud as 20 dBA since a 6 dBA increase results in double the sound pressure. The human hearing perception is a bit different, and it is generally accepted that a 10 dBA increase doubles the perceived sound level. 3D load noise levels are tested with a stressful game, not with Furmark.
Just like the Founders Edition, the ASUS GeForce RTX 3070 TUF OC has fan stop, which is ideal for keeping system noise levels outside of gaming low, as they shut down completely.
Gaming noise levels are extremely quiet, almost inaudible, which is super impressive for this performance class. What's also important is that temperatures are very low—just 62°C. This is the best result of all the RTX 3070 cards we've tested today. The difference between both BIOSes is disappointing though, as there basically is no difference.