If you’re scratching your head on how to build a PC from scratch, or at least what parts you should pick, the GPU tends to be the hardest to decide on because there are so many options across Nvidia and AMD. Luckily, there are some standout cards, and if you’re looking to build a mid-range gaming PC, the RTX 3070 is a great Nvidia GPU to pick, especially given this deal from Walmart that brings it down to $500 from its regular $700 price.
Why you should buy the PNY RTX 3070
The RTX 3070 has quite a bit in common with the RTX 3070 Ti and is probably the better purchase if you want to save yourself a bit of cash. For example, they both have 8GBs of VRAM, which is pretty good if you’re wondering how much GPU memory you need for your gaming PC build. So while 8GB isn’t the largest you can find, especially with certain versions of lower-specced cards like the RTX 3060, it’s still more than enough for most modern gaming, especially if you aren’t playing on a 4k resolution, where assets like to eat a big chunk of memory.
Besides that, the RTX 3070 has a significantly lower power requirement than the RTX 3070 Ti while having roughly 10-15% less performance, which isn’t too bad for the difference in cost. Not to mention that even with the comparatively lower performance, you’ll still be able to handle 2K at 144Hz from one of the gaming monitor deals. That said, it might struggle at that resolution for the latest AAA games like Cyberpunk 2077, so you might have to compromise here and there to hit that refresh rate. Also, this iteration of the RTX 3070 by PNY sports a triple-fan design which helps a lot with dissipating heat and avoiding thermal throttling, which is important when trying to push the most performance out of your GPU.
Overall, the PNY RTX 3070 is an excellent iteration of the card and great to pick up as a mid-range gaming GPU, especially with Walmart’s deal bringing it down to $500. While you’re at it, check out our comparison between the RTX 3070 and the RTX 2080 Ti to see which one works better for you, and if you want to avoid building a PC altogether, there are some great gaming PC deals for you to check out.