PNY GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8GB XLR8 Gaming Overclocked Edition

The RTX 2070 Super series of GeForce graphics cards is where the smart money is for 1080p and QHD gaming right now. These cards offer better value than the RTX 2080 by being substantially cheaper while almost matching the performance. The PNY GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8GB XLR8 Gaming Overclocked Edition is one of the more recent 2070 Super cards to enter the Australian market. How does it stack up?

Disclosure: PNY sent Blog of Dad the GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8GB XLR8 Gaming Overclocked Edition for review and ongoing use. The thoughts expressed in this review are my own, based on my experiences with the product. Visit my Disclosure Statement for more information. 

Who is PNY?

PNY might not be a brand that Australian gamers are overly familiar with. They have recently greatly expanded their presence in Australia, primarily by bringing system memory, solid state drives, SD cards and graphics cards to the market.

PNY offer two main lines of products – the standard consumer-grade range and the gamer-focussed XLR8 series. The PNY XLR8 products are easy to identify by the matching red and black colour scheme, which looks great in show builds.

Despite being relatively new on our shores, those looking to jump on PNY’s attractively-priced offerings can rest easy knowing that PNY is a brand with over 30 years of experience in the technology field. As a partner with such big names as HP and NVIDIA, this American brand already has a strong reputation in over 50 countries.

All of this is great news for Australian gamers, as greater competition creates better pricing and more choice. Paired with a rising Aussie dollar and the fact that home-based entertainment is everything in this crazy year, now is looking like a great time for some serious upgrades!

PNY GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8GB XLR8 Gaming Overclocked Edition

As I mentioned earlier, the RTX 2070 Super line of graphics cards is where the best value seems to be in gaming right now. They offer brilliant graphics performance that should amaze all but the fussiest gamers (with serious monitor power), and also offer an introduction into the world of ray tracing. This technology is still very much in its infancy, but with it being a big selling point on next-gen consoles due out at the end of this year, you can bet it will move forward in leaps and bounds over the coming months.

The PNY GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8GB XLR8 Gaming Overclocked Edition is a stunning-looking graphics card. It’s aggressive lines remind me of a supercar, which I guess is appropriate. The card is long at 314mm (12.36″) – it certainly casts a shadow over my previous gaming budget hero – the GTX 1060.

While there is no look at me RGB to draw attention to the PNY RTX 2070 Super XLR8 card, it’s mere presence, complete with “GEFORCE RTX” in large white letters, will let anyone peering through the tempered glass panel of your pride-and-joy know that this card means business.

Naturally, a card of this size is dual-width. It requires a capable power supply of 650 W or greater, with one 6-pin and one 8-pin connection. The outputs are three DisplayPort 1.4 and one HDMI 2.0b. The 2070 Super supports a multi-screen setup and its maximum resolution is stated as a whopping 7680 x 4320 @ 60Hz! I don’t think I’ll be hitting that anytime soon.

The performance of the RTX 2070 Super format is well documented, with some tests showing performance comparable to that of the RTX2080. The PNY XLR8 Overclocked version of this card takes things to the next level. PNY state that it delivers up to 25% faster performance than the original RTX 20 Series and 6X the performance of previous-generation 10 Series GPUs. If you are like me and upgrading from a mid-range 10-Series card… Strap yourself in, you might not know what’s about to hit you!

As the name suggests, PNY have overclocked the GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8GB XLR8 in the factory to squeeze even more performance out of an already impressive graphics card. Boost speeds on the PNY XLR8 GPU reach 1815 MHz, which is great for those of us who like fast, reliable performance out of the box. A casual search  of the internet reveals that these cards can be pushed a bit further, but that of course comes with the usual tribulations of DIY overclocking. With specifications this good, most users will have little reason to try and squeeze any extra out of the card.

Even after a long session of high-intensity gaming, the GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8GB XLR8 runs quietly.

Installation

Installing the PNY GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8GB XLR8 Gaming Overclocked Edition is a relatively simple task. The main issues you may face include an inadequate power supply and/or a lack of space. Check to see if you have a power supply with a minimum 650 W and the necessary one 6-pin and one 8-pin connections.

If you already have a dedicated graphics card, you will have to remove it from the PCI-e slot and insert the PNY GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER. Similar to RAM, there is a little thumb-press latch that you will need to press. These can be a bit fiddly, so be patient. Often you need to pull up on the card while pressing down on the latch to release the old GPU. Also, make sure you have first unscrewed the old GPU from the slot in the back of the case!

The PNY GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8GB XLR8 Gaming Overclocked Edition is a dual slot graphics card, which means it will use two of the expansion slots on your case. You may have to remove a second cover from the rear of your case.

My PNY GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER installed easily. Naturally, it slotted perfectly into the PCI-e slot. The only slightly difficult bit was wrangling the screws in place at the rear of the case. The impressive size and weight of this card meant it wanted to pull away slightly from the case support, plus the case’s screw position was already a little difficult to work with. A little patience goes a long way here, and soon enough I was sitting back and appreciating the majesty of the PNY GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8GB XLR8 Gaming Overclocked Edition in its new home. On my Mini ITX board, the 2070 certainly does have a commanding presence.

Once installed, head over to the NVIDIA website and update the drivers. Then you are ready to go!

What is Ray Tracing?

Ray tracing is one of the most significant improvements to graphics processing in recent years. It brings us one step closer to real-world experiences by rendering light and shadows in a lifelike manner. The ability to trace the path of every day of light generated by a light source is a big ask from a graphics card, which is why a powerful beast like the RTX 2070 Super is required.

It must be noted that this technology is still in its infancy. The catalogue of games that support some kind of implementation of ray tracing is reasonably limited. However, with next-gen consoles around the corner and the 30-series of RTX cards coming soon, we can expect creators to increasingly implement this amazing technology. This means that PNY GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8GB XLR8 Gaming Overclocked Edition owners can expect their gaming experience to get better and better as ray tracing becomes commonplace.

Gaming Performance – PNY GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8GB XLR8 Gaming Overclocked Edition

I’m using a 27″ Acer 144Hz IPS monitor in my setup. As stated earlier, the PNY GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8GB XLR8 Gaming Overclocked Edition replaces my previous budget-friendly favourite, the GTX 1060.

The GTX 1060 was a capable enough card and it has served me well for casual gaming over the last couple of years while parenting took priority over gaming. However, the PNY GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER offers a substantial increase in gaming performance and satisfaction – definitely a worthwhile upgrade!

The first game that I tried was Forza 6 Apex. This might seem like an odd choice, given it is an older game without cutting-edge graphics features such as ray tracing. It is, however, a game I know well and one I come back to semi regularly. Forza 6 Apex always looked good on my GTX 1060, but the RTX 2070 SUPER allowed me to crank every setting to maximum while still pumping out exceptional frame rates – consistently over 100fps. These improvements gave the game a new lease on life, with the visual and performance bump providing the smoothest and most enjoyable experience yet. If you have a large catalogue of older games that you still love, the PNY GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8GB XLR8 Gaming Overclocked Edition may well enable you to experience them like you never have before. Crank everything to ultra and bask in the glory!

I had a similar experience with GTA V. This was a game that I played extensively on the Xbox 360 (pre kids), so it’s fair to describe it as “long in the tooth”. I recently picked it up free from Epic Games.

Playing GTA V on the PNY GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER perfectly demonstrates one of the big advantages of PC gaming – the graphics can improve greatly over time. Want an extreme example of this? Check out the ancient Quake II with the addition of ray tracing.

Enjoying the old catalogue with ultra graphics settings is one thing, but the most exciting thing about the PNY GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8GB XLR8 Gaming Overclocked Edition is unlocking the best visual experiences on offer in new releases. While all the hype at the moment is around next-gen consoles, PC gamers get to experience superior graphics right now.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider is one game that takes advantage of all the power the PNY GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8GB XLR8 Gaming Overclocked Edition has to offer. While also available on PS4 and Xbox One, the addition of ray tracing takes the visual experience from impressive to incredible! I had come across a lot of skepticism about the value of ray tracing, but after seeing it in action in Tomb Raider I’m definitely a convert. Realistic lighting and shadow is a huge leap in realism and player immersion. Remember to that this is new technology – developers are just beginning to scratch the surface.

While playing Shadow of the Tomb Raider, there were several times that I had to stop and appreciate the visual feast. While Tomb Raider’s ray tracing effects are limited to shadows, the subtle effect makes a noticeable difference to the realism of the environment. Beyond ray tracing, Tomb Raider benefits from the 2070 SUPER’s impressive power. 1080p gaming with the graphics settings cranked is a most enjoyable experience.

Other Applications – PNY GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8GB XLR8 Gaming Overclocked Edition

The main reason for purchasing a GPU like the PNY GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8GB XLR8 Gaming Overclocked Edition is obviously gaming. But, quality GPUs increasingly offer certain benefits to other applications. For those of us who use the PC as an all-rounder for work and play, the PNY XLR8 2070 SUPER has additional benefits. Depending on your line of work, a portion of it may even be tax deductible (for specific advice regarding this, please consult a taxation specialist or the ATO to discuss your circumstances prior to any purchase or claim).

The most well-known application to take advantage of the power of this GPU is the Adobe Creative Suite/Cloud. Users of programs like Photoshop and Premiere Pro can take advantage of the power on offer with the 2070 SUPER. Rendering times can be greatly decreased by offloading the complex mathematics to the powerful GPU.

Another, more controversial task that can be performed by the GPU is crypto-currency mining. This is not a path I have ever travelled down, nor is it one I recommend. However, it is worth noting because crypto mining seems to ebb and flow in popularity. The immense power of the GPU is required for successful mining, so wannabe miners snap up graphics cards when there is a frenzy of mining activity. While it is very difficult to predict what will happen in the world of crypto currency, there are murmurs around right now about a possible resurgence in mining activity. If that happens, it may well have an impact on the availability of powerful graphics cards as people rush to the virtual Goldfields to try their luck.

Final Thoughts – PNY GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8GB XLR8 Gaming Overclocked Edition

Ray tracing is headline act of the PNY GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8GB XLR8 Gaming Overclocked Edition and it is certainly impressive when implemented well. In my observations, the 2070 SUPER was up to the task of delivering a thoroughly enjoyable ray tracing experience at 1080p.

Beyond ray tracing, the PNY GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8GB XLR8 Gaming Overclocked Edition is a thoroughly excellent graphics card for experiencing games in all their glory at 1080p and high frame rates. I have never felt like I wished I had a little extra on tap in any of my testing. From a dollars spent/performance gained perspective, the PNY GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8GB XLR8 Gaming Overclocked Edition represents excellent value.

Given my experiences, I’d imagine the PNY GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8GB XLR8 Gaming Overclocked Edition would be a great, budget-friendly option for those seeking an enjoyable QHD experience (with perhaps a compromise or two in the settings). Serious 4K gamers will probably look to spend the extra money and opt for a 2080 Ti card.