When comparing GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 1070 Windforce OC vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Founders Edition, the Slant community recommends GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 1070 Windforce OC for most people. In the question“What are the best GTX 1070 cards?” GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 1070 Windforce OC is ranked 8th while NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Founders Edition is ranked 9th. The most important reason people chose GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 1070 Windforce OC is:
The Windforce OC version of the GTX 1070 is fairly inexpensive at the available price of $379.99, especially compared to the reference Founders Edition which retails at $450.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Inexpensive
The Windforce OC version of the GTX 1070 is fairly inexpensive at the available price of $379.99, especially compared to the reference Founders Edition which retails at $450.
Pro Quiet operation with no coil whine
While there isn't any easily accessible data to back it up, many users have been reporting that there is no annoying coil whine, and that the card stays very quiet even when under a full load.
Pro 3 year warranty
Gigabyte offers a 3 year warranty, which means buyers can rest easy if this GTX 1070 ever malfunctions.
Pro RGB lighting allows custom looks for your graphics card
There are RGB lights on this GTX 1070, which helps it look premium and really helps complete your computer build (at least if you have a window on the side of your rig). There are 2 of these LEDs which provide decent accent lighting without being too distracting.
Pro Backplate adds extra
While backplates can trap more heat, they offer a few benefits. They make the card look more complete - like it's actually worth $450. It also helps protect the internal components, and helps keep the graphics card sturdy.
Pro Quiet operation
Measured 75 cm away from a PC, the GTX 1070 has an idle sound production of 34 dBA and 40 dBA under stress. In a silent room, the sound production of the card is definitely audible - but isn't experienced as annoying. As a comparison, 40 dBA is roughly equivalent to the noise a refrigerator produces.
Cons
Con Plastic covering feels cheap
The GTX 1070 Windforce OC has some metal components in it, but the casing is plastic which makes it feel fairly cheap.
Con Factory overclock isn't noticeable in practice
Although GIGABYTE has increased the base clock speed of the GPU by 3% from 1506 to 1556 MHz and a boost clock from 1683 to 1746 MHz (+ 4%), these higher clock speeds only result in a negligible performance increases in gaming situations. Compared to the Founders edition, the GTX 1070 Windforce OC doesn't offer much extra in terms of performance.
Con Slightly worse performance than other GTX 1070 cards
The Founders Edition is the reference design of the GTX 1070, and as such it is a more 'basic' model for lack of a better word. Other options have better cooling systems which allow for overclocking, which in turn means better performance than what the GTX 1070 Founders Edition can provide.
Con Founders Edition is more expensive
The Founders Edition of the GTX 1070 - which is NVIDIA's reference card and is priced at $450, which is a noticeable difference compared to the $380 of other GTX 1070 graphics cards. The Founders Edition versions have a metal backplate and blower fans for improved cooling in smaller cases, but don't have any performance advantages.