Palit GameRock Premium GTX 1070 Graphics Card Review

Introduction NVIDIA's latest flagship, the GTX 1080 is capable of astounding performance but the current asking price is well beyond what most enthusiasts are prepared to pay. This is particularly the case in the UK as custom models can easily exceed £620 and I've noticed major price rises during the past few weeks. Arguably, the extremely high pricing is due to a number of factors including low supply, Sterling devaluation as retailers usually buy stock in USD and manufacturers realising they can charge more than the Founders Edition. It's evidently clear. that the GTX 1080 represents poor value at the moment and consumers are re-considering the lower-tier Pascal option, the GTX 1070. Even though the GTX 1080 is an incredible feat of engineering and able to cope pretty well with 4K gaming demands, the GTX 1070 provides a better price to performance ratio and has enough horsepower to defeat the Titan X. Some might claim that it's still overpriced, but in my view, it's the better option compared to the GTX 1080. Today, we're taking a look at an aftermarket GTX 1070 from Palit which sports a really stylish white and blue colour scheme. Not only that, the graphics card utilises an extraordinary cooling solution which contributes to its mammoth size. The Palit GameRock Premium GTX 1070 features a 1670MHz core clock, 1873MHz boost and GDDR5 memory running at an effective speed of 8500MHz. This compares favourably against the Founders Edition specification. Unfortunately, I haven't received a Founders Edition sample to offer a direct comparison but the performance numbers should give us an indication of the user-experience at a number of resolutions. Specifications Packing and Accessories Palit has clearly been inspired by the iconic Guitar Hero series and their GameRock branding isn't very subtle. Saying that, I really like the bold, instantly recognisable design and the text is reminiscent of one of the best music franchises ever created. On another note, the box's unusual pattern looks fantastic and this works alongside the logo in a seamless way. In contrast to this, the rear section is relatively bland and outlines the GTX 10 series' key features including VR Ready certification and information about the 16nm FinFET manufacturing process to improve performance per watt. The packaging is absolutely huge and contains a flap which unveils a snapshot of the graphics card and loads of information about its cooling solution, components, RGB functionality and much more. This is probably the highest-quality box I've seen on a graphics product for some time and the presentation is splendid. In terms of accessories, the graphics card comes with a driver and utilities disk, installation guide and PCI-E adapter. A Closer Look Unlike the majority of graphics cards on the market which employ a fairly safe colour scheme to maximise the target audience, Palit have thrown the rulebook away and deployed a truly unique blue and white combination. While this makes it unsuitable for some builds, it's refreshing to see something original which divides opinion. Personally, I believe it's better to cause heated discussion among hardware enthusiasts instead of producing a mundane product which fails to stand out from the crowd. The graphics card's striking blue cover contrasts with the white hue rather well and even the GameRock logo has been positioned in a suitable area. This results in a streamlined finish and every aspect has been carefully considered when forging this stunning aesthetic. On a more technical note, the Palit GameRock Premium GTX 1070 revolves around an 8-phase PWM to deliver reliable power even when a hefty manual overclock has been applied. This is assisted by the DrMOS circuit design commonly seen on high-end server processors to reduce heat. Also, the graphics card has a dual BIOS which automatically activates a protection mechanism when one of the BIOS chips develops a fault. The graphics card's substantial weight and 2.5 slot design require a strong backplate to reduce unwanted droop. Thankfully, Palit has included a very sturdy backplate which looks amazing and ensures the graphics card doesn't veer to one side in an unattractive manner. Palit's cooling solution is based around five copper heat-pipes and a massive aluminium heatsink. The heatsink's unbelievable size and dense fin array result in cooler temperatures at lower RPM values. Additionally, the large copper base makes direct contact with the GPU core and performs 22% better than Palit's previous cooler. The dual 10cm TurboFans offer superb airflow and employ alternating blade rotations to optimise cooling performance. This means the adjacent fan rotates in an opposite direction to reduce turbulence and maximise the noise to cooling ratio. From an overhead perspective, we can see the gorgeous Palit branding, unbelievably large heatsink and thick backplate. Even this image struggles to convey how massive the GPU is. As expected, the Palit GameRock Premium GTX 1070 utilises a single 8-pin connector and doesn't deviate from the default power configuration. Even on the GTX 1080, I haven't seen a major benefit from adding another 6-pin connector. The graphics card incorporates solder unlock points for professional overclocking and has GPU, VRAM and PLL read-outs. Connectivity-wise, the product houses a dual-link DVI-D connector, three Displayport 1.4 and a single HDMI 2.0b. On another note, the honeycomb bracket increases airflow by up to 15% and exhausts heat through the honeycomb bracket. The Palit GameRock Premium GTX 1070 contains customizable RGB illumination although the software is very basic and pales in comparison to the competition. Thankfully, it's still possible to choose from various still colours, adjust the lighting based on thermal loads and enjoy a stunning rainbow effect. Up close, we can see the gorgeous illuminated section which proudly displays the Palit logo and interesting decals. The brightness uniformity is excellent and adds a spectacular touch to any custom build. Testing & Methodology Here is the test system we used for all graphics card reviews and game performance analysis: Hardware Motherboard - Gigabyte X99-Gaming G1 WiFi LGA 2011-3 Motherboard Processor - Intel Core i7 5820K at Stock 3.3GHz RAM - 16GB (4 X 4GB) Crucial Ballistix Sport DDR4 2400MHz CPU Cooler - Thermaltake Water 3.0 with Gelid GC-Extreme Power Supply - BeQuiet Dark Power Pro 11 1200W Main Storage Drive - Crucial M550 512GB Chassis - Lian Li T80 Test Bench Displays - AOC U2868PQU 4K Operating System - Windows 10 Pro 64-Bit Additional Hardware "Killawatt” style electricity usage meter wall plug Precision Gold N05CC Decibel meter Drivers The latest drivers are always used at the time of testing, but please note reviews undergo a scheduling process. This means a new driver could be released on the day of publication. However, this is unavoidable and disclosing the driver versions used is the most transparent way of informing the reader about current performance levels. Games Throughout the testing procedure, we always use demanding presets to stress graphics cards to their absolute limits. However, in the interest of fairness, any technology which favours either AMD or NVIDIA is disabled. More specifically, this refers to PhysX, Hairworks and more. Additionally, we also disable all forms of AA to gauge performance levels which aren't impacted by complex AA. Theoretically, we could have employed FXAA because it only has a minor impact on the frame-rate, but many users strongly dislike the hazy image this causes. Apart from the details mentioned above, all settings remain at the maximum values. On another note, we previously used Grand Theft Auto V in the testing process and it's a popular title. However, there's been some strange anomalies in the minimum frame-rate which mean I'm not confident in the benchmark's accuracy. Since I've taken the helm as graphics card reviewer, I wanted to put fairness at the heart of each article and ensure there's a good balance between DirectX 11 and DirectX 12 games. This allows us to properly analyse each graphics card as focussing on sponsored titles from a particular vendor will always result in an inaccurate picture. Unfortunately, popular monitoring software like FRAPS cannot display the frame-rate in real time and poses a problem when observing performance numbers. Thankfully, it's still possible to use FRAPS's Min/Avg/Max function which we've found offers the most reliable monitoring compared to other methods. If you have any suggestions to aid the benchmarking process, please let us know so we can constantly improve the procedure. Selecting strenuous presets especially at higher resolutions can cause hitching and other performance problems on graphics cards with lower amounts of video memory. For example, Rise of the Tomb Raider's Very High textures really requires 6GB of RAM to maintain a smooth frame-rate. In theory, we could run the benchmarks at the High setting but this defeats the purpose of high-end graphics cards which are designed to cope with the absolute best graphics on the market. Furthermore, the notion of enthusiast cards sporting less than 6GB memory will become less of an issue in the future. Of course, whenever we're tackling more affordable GPUs, the settings will be altered accordingly. To reiterate, all settings are set to their maximum values apart from AA and vendor exclusive technologies. Sometimes, selecting the maximum preset doesn't combine all the best settings, so we double check these and manually confirm the highest graphical preset has been enabled. The only one important aspect to mention revolves around Exclusive FullScreen in Rise of the Tomb Raider. Judging by the thorough testing, the frame-rate is much better when using this particular mode. Software Ashes of the Singularity (DirectX 12) Doom Far Cry Primal Hitman (DirectX 12) Rise of the Tomb Raider 3DMark Unigine Valley Unigine Heaven CPU-ID HWMonitor TechPowerUp GPU-Z Luxmark Synthetic Benchmarks During our testing, we use a range of readily available synthetic benchmarking tools which are free to download from the respective websites. We do this so the readers can download and compared to our results. Download links are contained within the "Software" subheading. Noise Everyone has their own reasonable noise level when it comes to comes to components in a computer. Some can handle all fans at 100% load to keep temperatures down, some want a completely silent computer. To properly gauge the noise output of a graphics card, we position a Precision Gold N05CC Decibel meter from two metres away and take an average reading. Power Consumption With electricity becoming increasingly expensive across most parts of the world the need for computer components to become power efficient has never been more relevant. Graphics cards are often the most power-hungry components of a desktop system so having an efficient graphics card is very important to keeping power bills under control. Power is often correlated to heat and so lower power consumption means a graphics card is likely to run slightly cooler and put out less heat into your system meaning your other components will run cooler with improved longevity. AMD and NVIDIA have both made power consumption an integral part of the way graphics cards dynamically overclock so the need for graphics card vendors to use efficient VRM and PCB designs is becoming important to maximise performance. We take power readings after 5 minutes of two different load scenarios: desktop idle and Unigine Heaven load. Temperatures The cooling solution which graphics card vendors choose to implement is one of the main differences that consumers have to contend with when choosing a graphics cards. Apart from their acoustic properties, the thermal properties of graphics card coolers are extremely important. Lower temperatures are always better and with AMD and NVIDIA opting to use dynamic overclocking algorithms that take temperature into account it is important that graphics card vendors use high-performance cooling solutions in order to maximise performance. The era of graphics cards reaching dangerous temperatures are now in the past but the importance of lower temperatures still remains. Lower temperatures mean better stability, longer component longevity and lower fan speeds .We take temperature readings after 5 minutes of two different load scenarios: desktop idle and Unigine Heaven load. We always record actual temperatures and make any adjustments for changes in the thermal testing environment. 3D Mark In 3DMark Fire Strike, the graphics card manages to surpass a highly-rated aftermarket GTX 980Ti and outputs excellent scores. During 1440p testing, the GPU retains its mid-table position and stays above an overclocked GTX 980Ti by a decent margin. On another note, it's miles ahead of the GTX Titan X. When running the 4K benchmark, the Palit GameRock Premium GTX 1080 performed admirably and offers a huge boost compared to the Titan X and AMD's flagship graphics solution. Unigine Valley Here we can see a similar pattern throughout the Unigine Valley benchmark as the GPU continues to defeat the GTX 980Ti and Titan X. Once the resolution is increased to 2560x1440, the graphics card maintains a good average frame-rate of 60.1 and outperforms its closest rivals. The 4K results make for interesting reading because the graphics card just edges the Gigabyte G1 Gaming GTX 980Ti's average frame-rate although the minimum reading isn't as high. Saying that, the difference is minor and falls within a margin of error. Compute Performance Rather surprisingly, the graphics card attained a better compute score than a highly-acclaimed GTX 1080. It's important to note, the differences between the GTX 1080 and GTX 1070 when it comes to OpenCL numbers remains minimal. Ashes of the Singularity The Palit GameRock Premium GTX 1070 provides a smooth gaming experience when tackling Ashes of the Singularity on the Extreme preset. Clearly, it's some way off the GTX 1080, but the frame-rate is significantly better than the GTX Titan X. Increasing the resolution to 1440p doesn't impact on the graphics card's position and it's still able to maintain a solid frame-rate just under 60. The graphics card doesn't falter even when a 4K monitor is used and manages to extend its lead over a factory overclocked GTX 980Ti. Doom In contrast to previous results, the graphics card falls behind the GTX 980Ti for the first time but it's not a huge issue considering the extremely high frame-rate. This means you're unlikely to notice the difference outside of monitoring software. Once the resolution is set to 1440p, the graphics card is tantalising close to defeating the GTX 980Ti and posts a much better minimum frame-rate. During 4K testing, the roles are reversed and the GTX 980Ti's minimum frame-rate is slightly higher. When compared to various GTX 1080 models, the GTX 1070 does fairly well and showcases its value proposition. Far Cry Primal On a more positive note, the Palit GameRock Premium GTX 1070 remains relatively close to the GTX 1080 and regains its dominance over the GTX 980Ti. Throughout 1440p testing, the graphics card maintains its advantage although the deficit to the GTX 980Ti is reduced. There's hardly anything to choose between the GTX 1080 and a factory overclocked GTX 980Ti when running the game on a 4K render. Hitman Despite Hitman's superb visual fidelity and the huge number of NPCs, the graphics card never dropped below 60 frames-per-second and provides a different level of performance than the GTX Titan X. Here we can see the Palit GameRock Premium GTX 1070 fares superbly throughout 1440p benchmarking and maintains a very solid lead over Maxwell offerings. When a 4K monitor is deployed, the GPU is able to uphold a good frame-rate and just edges the GTX 980Ti. Rise of the Tomb Raider In Rise of the Tomb Raider, the Palit GameRock Premium GTX 1070 attains an average frame-rate which is perfectly suited towards those who use a high refresh 1080p display. As you can see, there's very little to choose between the GTX 1070 and GTX 980Ti and both cards perform brilliantly across various resolutions. Even when a 4K monitor is used, the frame-rate is fairly stable and you should be able to reach 60 with some adjustments in the options menu. Overclocking and Overclocked Performance Since the graphics card already sports a pretty impressive factory overclock, it's difficult to push performance levels further even when applying more voltage. Before we get into the overclocking, here is the maximum boost clock and other vital statistics when the GPU is running at its stock configuration: Unfortunately, I could only increase the core clock by a paltry 13MHz using a power limit % of 114. Not only that, the memory was improved by 467MHz which is certainly a better result. Throughout the testing, I tried reducing the memory just to enhance the core clock, upping the voltage to really high amounts and analysing background applications. Sadly, none of these worked despite putting in hours of time and effort. This is one of the most frustrating experiences I've had overclocking graphics cards and it's clear that the factory overclock is operating at the absolute limit. The GPU-Z screenshot displays the improvements I attained from manual overclocking: 3DMark Even though the Palit GameRock Premium GTX 1080 doesn't overclock very well, it's enough to experience a noticeable performance gain. As you can see, the graphics card once overclocked almost reaches a score of 16,000. During the 1440p benchmark, the graphics card exhibits a good boost in performance after being overclocked. On a similar note, the GPU fares better when overclocked and achieves scores beyond the 4700 mark. Noise, Power Consumption and Temperatures Noise The Palit GameRock Premium GTX 1070's exceptional cooling solution employs a 0dB mode during low utilisation and allows for a silent PC experience providing your other components don't emit much noise. Even more astounding, the fan speeds hardly increase under load and the noise output is the quietest I've seen from any graphics card. This is a huge feat and Palit should be proud of creating a product which remains unbelievably quiet Power Consumption The GTX 1070 is incredibly efficient and the Palit version only consumes a mere 254.1 watts under load when paired with a high-end X99 test bench. Temperatures The graphics card expertly balances thermal loads with operating noise and reached a maximum value of 71C. The average figure of 68C is extremely low and exemplifies how capable the cooling hardware can be under extreme stress. Final Thoughts Price Currently, the Palit GameRock Premium GTX 1070 is available from Overclockers UK for £419.99 including free shipping. This is a very competitive price and slightly cheaper than the Gigabyte G1 Gaming GTX 1070 which costs £429.95. When you consider the mammoth cooling solution, this is one of the best value GTX 1070s on the market and it's much cheaper than higher end models like the ASUS STRIX GAMING GTX 1070 OC which retails for £499.99. Overview While certain individuals might criticise the Palit GameRock Premium GTX 1070's polarising colour scheme, you have to admire the company's bravery for trying to introduce an exciting, innovative finish which evokes a strong reaction. Far too often AIB partners take the easy route and unleash bland colour schemes which struggle to distinguish the product from previous offerings. Don't get me wrong, I'm quite partial to a balanced red and black graphics card, but it's important to acknowledge that some enthusiasts prefer to craft a custom-PC with a different combination of colours. The graphics card's white and blue finish is a sensible choice and contrasts really well. Not only that, the GameRock branding is implemented in a stylish yet subtle manner and enhances the GPU's aesthetic appeal. It's a little strange to see the Guitar Hero font used on a piece of hardware since you're so accustomed to it being part of the iconic music series. Nevertheless, it's an interesting addition and acts as a talking point especially since it's boldly positioned on the sturdy black backplate. Palit has embedded RGB illumination which looks fantastic and each colour really has a gorgeous hue. Saying that, the lacklustre software and limited transitional effects could be improved. The Palit GameRock Premium GTX 1070 utilises an 8-phase power delivery and DrMOS circuit design which provides exceptional reliability and lower thermal strain on the MOSFETs. Additionally, the dual-BIOS feature is a superb failsafe and ensures the product is running perfectly even when one of the BIOS chips develops a fault. To be perfectly clear, both BIOS chips have the same revision. When it comes to cooling, the Palit GameRock Premium GTX 1070 sports a humongous heatsink which works alongside 5 copper heat-pipes. This results in a hefty profile which spans 2.5 PCI-E slots. While the large cooling solution could cause issues in builds without much space, the build quality is remarkably high and makes the end-user feel like their initial investment was worthwhile. On another note, the updated cooling system is unbelievably quiet and revolves around two fans running at low RPM values. Honestly, this is the quietest graphics card I've encountered under load and the noise output only increases by a tiny amount once stressed. Unfortunately, the overclocking process was frustrating and I could only achieve a tiny 13MHz increase on the core with an 114% power limit. Thankfully, the memory boosted much higher by 467MHz without any issues. When running various stress tests, the maximum boost clock went from 2025MHz to 2062.5MHz. Despite only having a tiny amount of overclocking headroom on the core, it's possible to achieve a relatively good maximum boost. The Palit GameRock Premium GTX 1070 already ships with a hefty overclock compared to the Founders Editions so this isn't a major surprise. Saying that, I would have liked to get closer to 2100MHz and expected more given the cooling hardware. In terms of performance, the Palit GameRock Premium GTX 1070 consistently outclasses the GTX Titan X while being around £400 cheaper. Not only that, it's able to output better frame-rates than one of the best GTX 980Ti aftermarket cards in most scenarios. Of course, it lingers behind the GTX 1080 but the deficit is smaller than you might expect given the huge price difference. In the coming months, I expect driver enhancements to extend the GTX 1070's lead over Maxwell products which makes it a pretty solid choice. Granted, the GTX 980Ti's cost is dropping at a rapid pace, but it's evidently clear that the GTX 1070 will be the better option. Factory overclocked models like the Palit GameRock Premium GTX 1070 allow for very fluid frame-rates when using a high refresh 1920x1080 or 2560x1440 monitor. In theory, the graphics card can cope with 4K gaming at reduced settings although this current niche is better served with the GTX 1080. Overall, the performance is superb and it seems the GTX 1070 pulls away from the GTX 980Ti more when tackling DirectX 12 titles. Pros Daring colour scheme Decent value for hardware enthusiasts Gorgeous RGB colours Exceptionally quiet Premium cooling solution Robust construction Superb packaging Cons Limited core overclocking Neutral 2.5 slot design may be problematic in some builds "The Palit GameRock Premium GTX 1070 utilises an incredible cooling solution which relies on two hefty heatsinks and a gentle RPM fan curve. This provides a quiet gaming experience which doesn't sacrifice on temperatures or performance." Palit GameRock Premium GTX 1070 Graphics Card Review Thank you Palit for providing us with this review sample.