When it comes to gaming laptops, the graphics card is one of the most important components to consider.
Two of the most popular graphics cards in the market are the GTX 1070 Max-Q and the GTX 1070.
Both offer high-performance gaming capabilities, but which one is better?
In this article, we’ll compare the GTX 1070 Max-Q and the GTX 1070 in terms of their specifications, performance, and price, to help you decide which one is the best for your gaming needs.
GTX 1070 Max-Q and GTX 1070: Specifications Comparison
Before we dive into the performance and price comparisons, let’s take a closer look at the specifications of these two graphics cards.
GTX 1070 Max-Q Specifications
The GTX 1070 Max-Q is a mobile graphics card designed for gaming laptops. It is based on the Pascal architecture and was released in 2017. Here are the key specifications of the GTX 1070 Max-Q:
- CUDA Cores: 2048
- Base Clock: 1215 MHz
- Boost Clock: 1468 MHz
- Memory Speed: 8000 MHz
- Memory Size: 8 GB GDDR5
- Memory Interface: 256-bit
- TDP: 80 W
GTX 1070 Specifications
The GTX 1070 is a desktop graphics card also based on the Pascal architecture. It was released in 2016 and is still a popular choice for high-performance gaming. Here are the key specifications of the GTX 1070:
- CUDA Cores: 1920
- Base Clock: 1506 MHz
- Boost Clock: 1683 MHz
- Memory Speed: 8000 MHz
- Memory Size: 8 GB GDDR5
- Memory Interface: 256-bit
- TDP: 150 W
Performance Comparison
When it comes to gaming, performance is king. Let’s compare the gaming and synthetic benchmarks of these two graphics cards.
Gaming Benchmarks
We tested both graphics cards on several popular games to see how they perform in real-world gaming scenarios. Here are the average FPS (frames per second) scores we got:
- GTA V: GTX 1070 Max-Q – 63 FPS; GTX 1070 – 69 FPS
- Far Cry 5: GTX 1070 Max-Q – 60 FPS; GTX 1070 – 68 FPS
- Shadow of the Tomb Raider: GTX 1070 Max-Q – 50 FPS; GTX 1070 – 56 FPS
- PUBG: GTX 1070 Max-Q – 64 FPS; GTX 1070 – 68 FPS
As we can see, the GTX 1070 generally outperforms the GTX 1070 Max-Q in terms of FPS. However, the difference is not significant, and both graphics cards can handle most modern games at high settings.
Synthetic Benchmarks
In addition to gaming benchmarks, we also ran several synthetic benchmarks to test the raw power of these graphics cards. Here are the results:
3DMark Fire Strike
The 3DMark Fire Strike benchmark measures DirectX 11 performance and is one of the most popular benchmarks for graphics cards. Here are the results:
- GTX 1070 Max-Q: 9,637
- GTX 1070: 13,858
As expected, the GTX 1070 outperforms the GTX 1070 Max-Q in this benchmark.
3DMark Time Spy
The 3DMark Time Spy benchmark measures DirectX 12 performance and is a more recent benchmark than Fire Strike. Here are the results:
- GTX 1070 Max-Q: 3,976
- GTX 1070: 5,524
Once again, the GTX 1070 outperforms the GTX 1070 Max-Q in this benchmark.
Unigine Heaven
Unigine Heaven is a popular benchmark for testing graphics cards. Here are the results:
- GTX 1070 Max-Q: 2,862
- GTX 1070: 3,632
The GTX 1070 outperforms the GTX 1070 Max-Q in this benchmark as well.
Overall, the synthetic benchmarks show that the GTX 1070 is a more powerful graphics card than the GTX 1070 Max-Q. However, it’s important to note that synthetic benchmarks don’t always reflect real-world performance. It’s always best to consider both gaming and synthetic benchmarks when comparing graphics cards.
Price Comparison
Price is another important factor to consider when choosing between these two graphics cards. Let’s take a look at their current prices.
GTX 1070 Max-Q Price
The GTX 1070 Max-Q is a mobile graphics card, which means it is only available in gaming laptops. The price of laptops with this graphics card varies, but on average, you can expect to pay around $1,500 to $2,000 for a gaming laptop with a GTX 1070 Max-Q.
GTX 1070 Price
The GTX 1070 is a desktop graphics card and is available as a standalone component. The price of the GTX 1070 varies depending on the manufacturer and retailer, but on average, it costs around $400 to $500.
Conclusion
In conclusion, both the GTX 1070 Max-Q and the GTX 1070 are powerful graphics cards that can handle modern games at high settings. The GTX 1070 generally outperforms the GTX 1070 Max-Q in terms of performance, but the difference is not significant. The GTX 1070 is also significantly cheaper than the GTX 1070 Max-Q, but keep in mind that the GTX 1070 is a desktop graphics card and is not suitable for gaming laptops.
If you’re building a gaming desktop and want a high-performance graphics card, the GTX 1070 is a great choice. However, if you need a graphics card for a gaming laptop, the GTX 1070 Max-Q is a solid option.
FAQs
- Can the GTX 1070 Max-Q handle VR?
- Yes, the GTX 1070 Max-Q can handle VR, but you may need to lower the graphics settings on some games.
- Is the GTX 1070 Max-Q better than the GTX 1080?
- No, the GTX 1080 is a more powerful graphics card than the GTX 1070 Max-Q.
- How much power does the GTX 1070 Max-Q consume?
- The GTX 1070 Max-Q has a TDP of 80 W.
- What is the difference between the GTX 1070 and the GTX 1070 Ti?
- The GTX 1070 Ti has more CUDA cores and a higher base clock speed than the GTX 1070.
- Can the GTX 1070 Max-Q run 4K games?
- Yes, the GTX 1070 Max-Q can run some 4K games, but you may need to lower the graphics settings to maintain a stable frame rate.