[Updated — October 9 at 4:15 PM ET]: – Der8auer has confirmed that the MSRP pricing for the OC version of the ASUS Noctua 3070 graphics card is $830 USD. Der8auer’s hands-on video also confirms that the card runs very quiet.
Hot on the heels of last week’s slip, ASUS and Noctua have formally revealed the rumored RTX 3070 special edition graphics cards. Only two models have been announced. Each is based on the RTX 3070, with one being an OC variant. As these were created in conjunction with a manufacturer reputed for its high performance and quiet cooling designs, those interested can expect the very same from this card. Pricing and availability have yet to be confirmed, but these models will launch in mid-October.
We’re really excited to see that these hooters are now official, as Noctua graphics cards have long been dreamed about by performance enthusiasts. Just as you’d expect, the designs feature the iconic brown hue of Noctua’s branding. There’s even a slight owl look to the design if you’re imagination is able to substitute the fans as large owl eyes with a small beak and brow etched in between.
And these aren’t small owls either. Both of these graphics cards feature chunky coolers that amount to 4.3-slot designs to maximize the potential for lower fan speeds and even passive cooling in some light gaming applications. Noctua and ASUS claim these special edition RTX 3070 graphics cards offer a “significant boost in performance-to-noise efficiency.” This was achieved by pairing NF-A12x25 Noctua fans with a tailored heatsink and custom fan speeds. ASUS also provided some performance charts in case you’d like to know how much quieter the Noctua RTX 3070 runs compared to a standard model.
Now that’s quiet something
While we don’t know the exact parameters and comparison model used for this testing, these are still some impressive sounding numbers. Noctua notes a 15dB reduction at medium fan speeds and 9dB at maximum fan speeds. The company was also quick to point out that a high-airflow PC case will keep things even cooler, and subsequently, quieter. We’ve seen some pretty quiet RTX 30 Series graphics cards already like the MSI Gaming X Trio, so we’re keen to see what some of the best in the cooling biz have come up with.
Additionally, these graphics cards will feature two HDMI 2.1 and three DisplayPort 1.4a outputs. Power must be supplied by two 8-pin connectors and ASUS recommends a 750W PSU. You can find more information about these models over on ASUS’ website.
While only RTX 3070 models have been announced, we’ll keep our eyes peeled for any hoots, I mean tweets, about additional models. However, judging by the latest Steam Hardware Survey, it’s no wonder that the RTX 3070 was selected.
