The NVIDIA RTX 2070 Super has served gamers well since its launch in 2019. However, in 2023, it‘s beginning to show its age on modern titles. With GPU prices falling, now is an excellent time to consider upgrading if you want to play the latest games with maxed settings.
In this guide, we‘ll take an in-depth look at 6 compelling upgrade options to move beyond the venerable RTX 2070 Super.
NVIDIA RTX 2070 Super: Quick Recap
First, let‘s do a quick refresher on the RTX 2070 Super‘s capabilities:
- Released mid-2019 under NVIDIA‘s Turing architecture
- RRP $499 at launch
- Features 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM
- 2560 CUDA cores
- 1605Mhz boost clock speed
- 256-bit memory bus width
The 2070 Super targets 1440p gaming with max settings enabled. In 2023, it still delivers excellent 1080p performance in modern titles. However, for 1440p or 4K gaming, some quality reduction is necessary in demanding games.
The 8GB framebuffer is also a limiting factor for future-proofing and longevity. So if you crave max details in new releases at higher resolutions, upgrading makes sense.
6 Best Upgrades from the RTX 2070 Super
Here are 6 compelling graphics cards to consider upgrading to in 2023:
1. NVIDIA RTX 4070 Ti – Best Overall Upgrade
The newly released RTX 4070 Ti represents a generational leap ahead of the 2070 Super in every metric:
- $799 MSRP – Excellent value
- 7680 CUDA cores – 3X more than 2070 Super
- 12GB GDDR6X VRAM
- 2520Mhz boost clock
- 192-bit bus width
Benchmarks demonstrate the 4070 Ti delivers up to 2X the performance of the 2070 Super at 1440p. It breezes through modern games with max settings.
The 4070 Ti also introduces next-gen features absent on Turing cards:
- DLSS 3 frame generation
- AV1 encode/decode
- DisplayPort 2.1
For a mix of longevity, performance and excellent pricing, the RTX 4070 Ti is our top recommendation as an upgrade from the venerable 2070 Super.
Pro tip: The 4070 Ti reuses the RTX 4080‘s full AD104 GPU. You get identical gaming performance in a more affordable package.
2. NVIDIA RTX 4080 – Best Future-Proof Upgrade
If money is no object and you demand uncompromising performance, the flagship RTX 4080 packs bleeding-edge technology:
- $1,199 MSRP – Steep but justifiable
- 9728 CUDA cores
- 16GB GDDR6X VRAM
- Up to 2.51Ghz boost clock
- 256-bit bus width
The 4080 trounces the 2070 Super by 2-3X across 1080p, 1440p and 4K resolutions. It‘s complete overkill for today‘s games but will smash anything for years to come.
NVIDIA‘s reviews show the 4080 running recent titles at 4K 120FPS+ with max settings. This card sets you up nicely for high-refresh-rate ultra HD gaming.
If you want a no-compromises powerhouse GPU with longevity at its core, the 4080 leads the pack as the 2070 Super‘s successor.
3. NVIDIA RTX 4060 Ti – Affordable 1080p/1440p Upgrade
At the other end of the spectrum, NVIDIA‘s new RTX 4060 Ti brings modernized performance at an affordable $399 price point:
- Matches 2070 Super cost – Entry-level Lovelace
- 4352 CUDA cores
- 8GB GDDR6 VRAM
- Up to 2610Mhz boost
- 128-bit bus width
The 4060 Ti outguns the 2070 Super by 15-25% depending on the game and resolution. It‘s no powerhouse but plays AAA titles smoothly at 1080p or 1440p with some compromises.
If you‘re on a budget but want upgraded visuals, ray tracing and DLSS 3, the 4060 Ti hits the sweet spot. It‘s a modest but meaningful jump over the aging 2070 Super architecture.
Good to know: Early 4060 Ti stocks are limited – it may pay to wait a month or two for supply to catch up with demand.
4. AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX – High-Value 4K Beast
Switching to team red, the eagerly awaited RX 7900 XTX brings a new "RDNA 3" architecture rivalling NVIDIA‘s finest:
- $899 MSRP – Aggressively priced
- 5376 stream processors
- 24GB GDDR6 memory
- Up to 2.5Ghz clock speeds
- 384-bit bus width
AMD positions the 7900 XTX as a direct RTX 4090 competitor. It demonstrates parity or better performance in many titles for $1000+ less!
Reviews reveal RDNA 3 closing the ray tracing gap to NVIDIA while setting new standards for 4K gaming:
- Trades blows with the RTX 4090 flagship
- 75%+ faster than 2070 Super at 4K resolutions
- Easily powers the latest games at max settings
If you want superb visuals at an incredible price, the 7900 XTX succeeds the 2070 Super in all areas while keeping your bank balance happy!
5. AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT – High-End Alternative
The RX 6950 XT represents AMD‘s last-gen flagship. It still outmuscles most rivals delivering mighty 4K gaming performance:
- $899 MSRP – High-end pricing
- 5120 stream processors
- 16GB GDDR6 VRAM
- Up to 2340Mhz clock speed
- 256-bit bus width
While the new 7900 XTX steals the limelight, the 6950 XT remains an exceptional offering:
- Over 60% faster than 2070 Super at 4K
- Capably drives 4K 120FPS gaming
- Greater memory capacity aids future-proofing
If you want familiar RDNA 2 technology with beastly performance gains, the 6950 XT checks every box. It leaves the 2070 Super far behind while looking gorgeous inside any gaming rig!
6. NVIDIA RTX 3050 – Budget Ray Tracing
Finally, NVIDIA‘s RTX 3050 brings up the rear with tempting value:
- $249 MSRP – Entry-level Ampere
- 2560 CUDA cores
- 8GB GDDR6 RAM
- Up to 1792.5Mhz boost clock
- 128-bit bus width
The 3050 is no fire-breathing monster but packs decent 1080p capabilities into a tiny sub-$300 footprint.
It‘s 15-20% quicker than the 2070 Super depending on your title and resolution of choice. However, the small 8GB framebuffer could hamper future-proofing.
If you‘re on an extreme budget, the 3050 enables ray tracing and DLSS at reasonable framerates. It‘s no mind-blowing upgrade over Turing but brings modernized Ampere features absent on older cards.
To Rebuild or Upgrade – That is the Question!
When eyeing a new GPU upgrade, remember your system‘s other components matter too. A graphics card alone guarantees nothing!
At minimum, ensure your power supply has sufficient headroom and PCIe connectors to support high-end modern cards.
However, upgrading your GPU often has a cascading effect on the rest of your system:
- CPU bottlenecks may arise
- RAM capacity might lag behind
- Storage speeds could slow you down
Take stock of your entire setup. Balance component capabilities keeping the GPU upgrade as your centerpiece.
With new architectures like DDR5 memory and PCIe 5.0 taking hold, a full system rebuild on a modern platform often makes sense when upgrading your GPU.
Tosummarize
Upgrading from the reliable RTX 2070 Super makes sense in 2023. Enjoy reinvigorated performance, fresh features and higher gaming resolutions.
Cards like the RTX 4070 Ti and RX 7900 XTX represent particularly compelling successors. Weigh up your budget, performance and feature needs carefully!
Hopefully the options above give a balanced overview of the 2070 Super‘s best upgrade paths – mix and match to suit your own priorities!
