Gainward or Zotac for an upgrade?

[jamieboo]

Hello folks

Thinking of finally retiring my lovely old MSI 1080ti.
I'm looking at the 4070 ti Super. Regarding brands, I know the advice for this sort of thing is often 'go for the cheapest'. But there's still choices to be made.
I'm considering the Zotac Trinity or the Gainward Panther as they are at the cheaper end.

Any opinions on these two cards?

Thanks

 

[Gray2233]

Zotac offers a 5 year UK based warranty, although you need to register the card within 30 days or you only get 3. That's where my money would be personally.

 

[jamieboo]

Zotac offers a 5 year UK based warranty, although you need to register the card within 30 days or you only get 3. That's where my money would be personally.

Thanks Gray2233

Yeah, that's a good point, and certainly a consideration, but I must say some recent threads on this forum have lead me to slightly doubt the value of GPU warranties.
I'll definitely bear it in mind but, warranties aside, are there any other factors that would make someone choose one of these cards over the other?
Apart from obviously wanting it to be generally decent, quietness is an important factor. I'm not bothered about RGB bling.
Let me know what you all think.

Thanks

 

[Neil79]

ZOTAC!! Avoid the Gainward... UK RMA/5 year Warranty when registered via the Zotac Website. Great coolers etc

 

[jamieboo]

ZOTAC!! Avoid the Gainward... UK RMA/5 year Warranty when registered via the Zotac Website. Great coolers etc

Thanks Neil79!
Just curious, why would you avoid Gainward? They're a reasonably reputable GPU company aren't they?

 

[Aretak]

TPU reviewed the Zotac and it's a perfectly cromulent card. Quiet out of the box and acceptable temperatures.
https://www.techpowerup.com/review/zotac-geforce-rtx-4070-ti-super-trinity/39.html
I'm sure the Gainward is just fine too, but I can't see a compelling reason to go for it. Whatever a graphics card warranty is worth, five years still beats three years.

Thanks Neil79!
Just curious, why would you avoid Gainward? They're a reasonably reputable GPU company aren't they?

Gainward is Palit, so yes, perfectly reputable.

 

[Neil79]

Thanks Neil79!
Just curious, why would you avoid Gainward? They're a reasonably reputable GPU company aren't they?

Just bad experience with a company that uses cheap budget GPU fans, bit like Gigabyte!
Although I've not used them, they have less than positive reviews on their RMA service

 

[jamieboo]

Thanks folks!
Another related option...
What about the Gainward 4070 Ti Super Phoenix?
I know it's still Gainward so consensus might not change. Right now it is exactly the same price as the Zotac Trinity.
Warranty period aside, what would you say was the best card out of these two?

Thanks

 

[Neil79]

Ummm didn't we just say go for the Zotac?

 

[Dreadi]

Pretty much what everyone else has said, zotac for the longer warranty...

 

[Tetras]

Warranty period aside, what would you say was the best card out of these two?

TPU reviewed the 4070 Ti Super "Phoenix GS" and Zotac Trinity and this was their conclusion:

Gainward's RTX 4070 Ti Super Phoenix GS comes with an excellent cooling solution that is better than all other cards that we've tested, except for the more expensive ASUS Strix. This is a great achievement by Gainward—congratulations! What's even more important than a powerful cooler is that it is paired with the right fan settings. Gainward did an excellent job here, too. The noise levels are extremely quiet with 28.6 dBA and temperatures are still fantastic with 63 °C. Personally I would have leaned slightly more towards even lower noise, but I understand that low temperatures are also important for many gamers. With these noise levels the card is quieter than most cards tested this week, which makes it highly desirable for low-noise gamers, and Gainward can achieve that even without a dual BIOS, which requires manual action to get the best fan noise (on ASUS). As expected for a modern graphics card in 2024, the fans will stop spinning when not gaming, for the perfect noise-free experience.

Numbers:

Gainward GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super Phoenix GS Review

The Gainward GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super features an impressive triple-slot, triple-fan cooling solution with well-tuned fan settings, providing a balanced experience with low noise levels and temperatures. Additionally, it comes equipped with a factory overclock, boosting the rated speed to 2670 MHz.

www.techpowerup.com

 

[jamieboo]

Ummm didn't we just say go for the Zotac?

Hi
Sorry, I wasn't clear. Before, the Gainward option I was considering was the Panther, I've now ruled that out based on the good advice here.
But now i was wondering about the Gainward Phoenix - still comparing it to the Zotac.
But maybe you meant that the Zotac would be the best choice over any Gainward card.
I don't know, it just seems the Phoenix has been pretty well reviewed, as Tetras mentions above.
Hmm.

 

[Dreadi]

I think the general idea behind the zotac recommendation is that it has the longest warranty so should anything go wrong, you've got longer to claim on warranty for it and not really considering a performance point of view..

Although I will say, my zotac 4080 overclocks quite highly and never hits 70c when benching

 

[Gray2233]

I have a Zotac 4070 and it has been a fantastic bit of kit, they're my go to when buying a Nvidia product now that EvGA are no longer in the game.

 

[muzzydark]

Zotac Trinity > Gainward Phoneix (vrm and power limit), Phanter even lower on VRM and power limit. Only option would be Phantom however it would go head to head with Zotac Trinity.
On that price range ASUS TUF may be considered as well as it has slightly better VRM, power limit. Cooling seems pretty similar between all. I would pick Zotac as other mentioned for direct UK RMA service.

 

[tommybhoy]

But maybe you meant that the Zotac would be the best choice over any Gainward card.

As not all retailers will deal with a warranty claim after 12 months, in the event of failure after 12 months, would you rather return ship the card for repair within the Uk(Zotac) or fill out customs forms for Asia(Gainward) with a considerably longer turnaround?

 

[jamieboo]

Thanks everyone! Mind made up.
I honestly got the whole warranty thing! I guess I was just wondering - apart from warranty - if there were any actual qualitative differences between the cards themselves.
But I think I can safely infer that the Zotac is a better card (and with the extra piece of mind of a 5 year warranty).
Thanks folks!