The RTX 3070 is a powerful graphics card that offers exceptional performance for gaming and other demanding applications.
Whether you already own a 3070 or you are still in the market for one. This graphics card is great for both performance and power consumption.
This article will provide an overview of the RTX 3070’s power consumption, including its TGP and power supply requirements, as well as real-world power consumption testing results. Additionally, we will examine the impact of power consumption on performance and provide recommendations for users looking to purchase the RTX 3070.
So, without further ado let’s get right into it.
How Many Watts Does an RTX 3070 Use?
The RTX 3070 has a TGP or Total Graphics Power of 220 Watts, which is the typical wattage it produces. When gaming you should also hit around 220 Watts. However, when idle the GPU should only produce around 9 Watts of power.
The wattage that this card uses can change depending on how powerful your gaming setup is, as well as the types of games and tasks you are doing.
For example, if you use more than one monitor expect your graphics card to have a higher idle power consumption.
Typically, with an extra monitor the idle power consumption will be just under double what you would see with just one monitor.
In this instance, the Geforce RTX 3070 graphics card will produce around 18 Watts of power when idle in a dual monitor setup.
When looking at the power consumption of a GPU you want to look at the TGP (Total Graphics Power) because this shows the maximum power draw you will usually get when using your GPU for intensive tasks such as gaming.
However, it is not actually the true maximum of the graphics card. The true maximum of the RTX 3070 is around 230-245 Watts, but this only happens, when you see a spike in your performance and it is there as a safety mechanism, so that card doesn’t get damaged.
RTX 3070 Power Consumption Compared to Other GPUs
The GPUs power consumption is compared using TGP. It is very important to know and compare your graphics cards to other similar models because it will help you get a grasp on the amount of power your system is going to use.
Here is a comparison of a few graphics cards that are around the performance range of the RTX 3070.
| GPU | TGP |
| RTX 3060 Ti | 200 Watts |
| RTX 3070 | 220 Watts |
| RTX 3070 Ti | 290 Watts |
As you can see from this table the RTX 3070 is a pretty power-efficient card.
If you want to compare more graphics cards on their power consumption and TGP I have provided a database where you can look at dozens of different GPUs and their power consumption, that way you don’t have to do the research yourself.
Check out the Database.
I have also provided the average power consumption when gaming, as well as the average power consumption when idle, that way you can get a better understanding.
What Power Supply Do I Need to Use For an RTX 3070?
Having a good power supply is essential when building a PC. When purchasing a power supply; the quality of the power supply isn’t the only thing that matters, but also how much wattage it has as well.
If you have a really high-quality power supply, that doesn’t produce enough power for your system, you could run into some problems.
First, either your power supply or another component in your computer could break and become damaged, or you will experience frequent shut-offs, and stuttering when playing games and running tasks.
When looking for a power supply you want to aim for around 20% extra wattage that way you have some wiggling room when your system’s power spikes while you are doing intensive tasks.
If your PC uses an RTX 3070 with a TGP of 220, you also need to remember the other hardware in your computer will consume a lot of power as well.
Your motherboard will consume around 80 Watts of power, the CPU can consume anywhere from 120-200 watts of power, plus any additional hardware you are using in the rig. All these things add up so it’s good to go a little above what you think is required.
I would recommend getting a power supply that supports around 700 Watts, that way you won’t risk damaging your system even at max power.
It would help if you also considered the grade rating of your power supply.
You want to find something that is at least 80 Plus Bronze certified.
You should read: “How Do Power Supply Ratings Work?”
RTX 3070 FAQ
What is The TGP of The RTX 3070?
The TGP of the RTX 3070 is 220 watts.
How Does The TGP of The RTX 3070 Compare to Other GPUs?
The TGP of the RTX 3070 graphics card is a lot higher than its predecessor like the RTX 2070 that has a TGP of 175 watts.
However, when comparing it to the same generation of GPUs it is in the middle of the pack.
What is The Difference Between the RTX 3070 power consumption and the RTX 2070?
The RTX 3070 has a lot more power consumption than the 2070, but that’s because the 3070 is the next generation of GPU, which is a lot more powerful with a few more features.
Does Power Consumption Affect Performance?
Yes, power consumption does affect performance. The higher the power consumption of the GPU usually indicates that it is a more powerful one because the more power it takes, the higher performance it can accomplish. However, the more power it uses the. ore heat it produces as well.
Is a 750 Watts Power Supply Enough For The RTX 3070?
Yes, a 750-watt power supply is more than enough for an RTX 3070 graphics card. This graphics card only has a TGP of 220 watts, and if you pair it up with other high-power consumption components such as a high-end CPU, and motherboard, your computer will draw between 550-650 watts of power.
