The release of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is just around the corner and not only players but also graphics card manufacturers are preparing for it. The unique MSI RTX 4070 Ti SUPER 16G GAMING SLIM STALKER 2 EDITION is interesting not only for its technical features but also for its thematic design, which will definitely appeal to fans of the virtual «Chernobyl» world. We tested the new product in stress tests, video games in Ultra HD, evaluated the appearance and more.
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| Technical characteristics | |
| Interface | PCI-E 4.0 x16 |
| Technical process | 5 nm |
| VRAM frequency | 21000 MHz |
| GPU frequency | 2685 MHz |
| VRAM capacity | 16 GB GDDR6X |
| Memory bus | 256-bit |
| Streaming processors | 8448 |
| Exits | 3 x DisplayPort v1.4a |
| 1 x HDMI v2.1a | |
| Power connector | 16 Pin |
| Energy consumption | 285 W |
| Recommended power supply | 650 W |
| Additionally | MSI Mystic Light backlight |
| Dimensions | 307x125x51 mm |
| Takes up space | 2.5 slots |
We tested a motherboard with the following set of components:
The box is made in a thematic style, and the inscription that the game is already included in the kit is also striking. This is worth considering because the game is not cheap and affects the final cost of the product.
In addition to the character with the gas mask, the box has various inscriptions praising the technical characteristics and useful QR codes. Inside is the video card itself in an antistatic package, a 2×8 pin power adapter, and a video card support bar.
Since the MSI MPG 100S case has a built-in support bar, we’ve never used the bundled ones from MSI, but this is the case when it’s worth putting this particular bar with the Stalker inscription for the sake of aesthetics. I also didn’t need an adapter because the power supply has a native 16 pin cable, which means it supports the PCI-E 5.0 ATX 3.0 standard.
The hero of the review is a regular version of MSI RTX 4070 Ti SUPER 16G GAMING SLIM with a special design, so there is nothing special about it in terms of engineering. The model has a relatively slim design, a long radiator, a small board half the length of the entire card, RGB backlighting, and three fans. The dimensions are only slightly larger than the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX in the reference design.
The performance of MSI RTX 4070 Ti SUPER 16G GAMING SLIM is close to the older RTX 4080 models, and in many tests it is better than the flagship AMD Radeon.
According to the Geekbench Vulkan/Open CL results, you can draw a certain correlation between gaming performance without DLSS/RT, but in Blender, Cinebench 2024, and similar programs, the difference is not in AMD’s favor.
There will be no problems with neural networks either — there is a lot of software optimized for Nvidia, so we can easily deploy any local neurons for image generation, their upscaling, or chat rooms uncensored. They are not afraid to offend sensitive democrats.
Video games were tested in Quad HD and Ultra HD resolution on a luxurious 27-inch 4K Mini-LED monitor Acer Nitro XV275KP3, which will be reviewed soon on the website.
Conventional notation:
Alan Wake 2 supports full-fledged Path Tracing, which means high requirements for the video card. You will be able to play in 4K, but always with DLSS. On a 27-inch 4K monitor, you can even set DLSS Performance — the picture looks clear and beautiful. The frame generator will also work, but it is recommended to have 70-90 FPS in the end for sensitive control without «jelly».
Battlefield 2042 with eSports graphics settings still loads the video card to the fullest. With Quad HD resolution, we get about 220 FPS, with DLSS Quality about 250-280 FPS. In 4K with DLSS, the frame rate drops to 150-160 FPS, which is still very smooth.
Benchmark Black Myth Wukong ray tracing is not easy. To cross the 60+ FPS mark, you have to use frame generation, and in 4K, DLSS Quality. After all, this is one of the most demanding video games of our time.
Cyberpunk 2077 works in 4K without any problems when DLSS is enabled. It is also interesting that with DLSS Quality at 2160p resolution we get a higher FPS and a better picture compared to 2K without an upscale. The performance of the video card is enough for both Ray Tracing and Path Tracing, and with the frame generator we get 100-120 FPS 4K.
У Forza Horizon 5 the frame generator is mediocre, so you can ignore it altogether. With the maximum graphics settings, we still get more than 100-120 FPS in 4K.
The adventures of a red-haired donut called Horizon Forbidden West you can play at high frame rates. The gameplay is smooth, and the clarity is high, even with DLSS Performance. However, for owners of 4K TVs 50-70 inches, the effect of DLSS Performance will be noticeable, unlike a 27-inch 4K monitor.
MFS 2020 wants the fastest possible processor cores, so we’re going with the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X in Quad HD resolution. Using frame generation is highly recommended in this simulator because not only does it double the FPS, but the video sequence becomes perfectly smooth without jerking. In 4K, we have an average of 100 FPS with DLSS Quality.
Starfield doesn’t like NVIDIA graphics cards too much, although it still managed to get 90+ FPS in the toughest locations with an Ultra HD resolution of 3840×2160p. The direct competitor AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX performs better in this game.
All ADA generation graphics cards are energy efficient, so it is not surprising to see 280-285W consumption in MSI RTX 4070 Ti SUPER 16G GAMING SLIM STALKER 2 EDITION. In games, this figure may be lower, for example, 200, 230, 250 or 270 watts, depending on the game itself.
Under maximum load, we managed to record only 76 °C Hot Spot and 65 °C on the chip itself. The memory heats up to 62-63 °C. At the same time, the fans operate at only 40-50% of capacity, i.e. at a frequency of 1500 rpm.
This translates into quiet operation of the entire computer. In the very «epicenter of hell» a centimeter from the video card, the sound level meter shows 48-52 dB. It is enough to close the computer lid and stand 50 centimeters away as the indicator drops to 34 dB.
The pyrometer shows 48-55 °C on the heatsink in most places, but the back of the chip heats up to 65-70 °C. This is a pretty good result for a high-end video card. After the RX 7900 XTX, the hero of the review is much cooler and quieter.
As the owner of an AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX, I’ll make a quick comparison of the cards after a week of use. First of all, the MSI RTX 4070 Ti SUPER 16G GAMING SLIM STALKER 2 EDITION stands out with lower power consumption, resulting in lower temperatures, and most importantly, the hero of the review is much quieter.
It was the least noisy component in the test system. Of course, the liquid cooling system was running AMD Ryzen 9 9950X 230W, an insanely productive and hot processor, so it made more noise than usual. But 35 dB at half a meter from the system unit in stress tests is really not much, especially after the hot AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX flagship.
Another advantage is the significantly higher performance in graphics rendering. The 4070 Ti Super puts my graphics card in the driver’s seat, leaving it no chance. The situation is identical in games that use Path Tracing or Ray Tracing. The DLSS upscale is, of course, much better than FSR, which was also immediately noticeable.
That is, technically, AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX loses to NVIDIA RTX 4070 Ti Super in everything except the amount of video memory (8 GB more) and «net» gaming performance without any technology, although literally no one plays like that now.
Pros MSI RTX 4070 Ti SUPER 16G GAMING SLIM STALKER 2 EDITION you will have to pay 46000 UAH. A regular MSI RTX 4070 Ti SUPER 16G GAMING SLIM without the bundled game and unique design costs 43,000 UAH. The game will cost 1400 UAH separately, so you’ll have to pay 1600 UAH for the proprietary coloring and support bar.
In this price range, the main competitor from the opposite camp is Sapphire Radeon RX 7900 XTX PULSE with 24 GB of VRAM for UAH 47,000.
A compromise solution in the form of Gigabyte Radeon RX 7900 XT GAMING OC also has a right to live thanks to its reasonable price. This model costs only 36,000 hryvnias.
For fans of industrial design, it is suitable for MSI GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER 16G EXPERT. The official price is 42,000 hryvnias, and illegally imported copies are even cheaper. This model comes with video game keys as a gift.
INNO3D GeForce RTX 4080 16GB X3 will cost 51,000 UAH, and the newer version in the Palit GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER GamingPro is sold for UAH 48,000, which is only UAH 2,000 more than the hero of the review.
The classic Gigabyte GeForce RTX 4070 Ti WINDFORCE OC (without the SUPER prefix) can be purchased for 39,000 UAH. The compromise is 4 GB less video memory.
