Many are excited about building or upgrading a PC based on the RTX 3000s series GPUs from Nvidia and the Zen 3 processors from AMD. More specifically, the RTX 3070. However, when looking to build a PC with the RTX 3070, it’s important to identify the amount of power required for that build. This is because the PSU is one of the most critical components that powers everything else and protects the computer from electrical surges, fluctuations, and other hazards. As a result, we have reviewed the best PSUs for Nvidia RTX 3070 graphics cards to optimally power your setup.
The RTX 3070 is considered a midrange graphics card when comparing it to the other two cards, the RTX 3080 and 3090. But that doesn’t mean it’s not power-hungry. The RTX 3070 competes with Nvidia’s RTX 2080 TI, the old flagship. And it does so at less than half the price. To take advantage of that kind of power and demanding features like Ray Tracing, we need a solid PSU.
According to Nvidia, the recommended power supply requirement for an RTX 3070 system is 650W. The graphics card alone demands 220W, or even more than that when overclocked. However, this requirement also depends on the CPU and whether it’s being overclocked, and the quality of the power supply will also play a role. Just because the label says it’s a 650W PSU doesn’t mean your computer gets all of that 650W. So let’s take a look at the best PSUs that will support the RTX 3070 and the rest of the system.
Best RTX 3070 PSUs
1. EVGA SuperNOVA 650 P2
Specifications
Form factor: ATX | Capacity: 650W | Efficiency rating: 80 Plus Platinum | Modularity: Full | Warranty: 10 yearsKey Features
- Up to 94% efficiency
- 140mm Double Ball Bearing cooling fan
- Fully modular
- SLI and Crossfire ready
- High-quality Japanese capacitors
This is one of the best 650W PSUs on the market and it shows when looking at the price tag. With Platinum-rated efficiency and a silent fan system, it’s difficult to complain about its quality and performance. It’s also easy to fit into most computer cases because it’s entirely modular so we won’t have to deal with any hanging cables.
In addition, the power supply is backed by a 10-year warranty, so we won’t have to worry any time soon after making the purchase. Chances are we’re going to upgrade the system by the time the warranty expires.
In essence, this P2 power supply from EVGA is probably the best in the 650W category and it will guarantee your system gets enough power.
2. Thermaltake Toughpower GF1 650W
Specifications
Form factor: ATX | Capacity: 650W | Efficiency rating: 80 Plus Gold | Modularity: Full | Warranty: 10 yearsKey Features
- Up to 90% efficiency
- 140mm Double Ball Bearing cooling fan
- Automatically controlled Smart Zero Fan
- Zero cable platform
- Low ripple noise
Thermaltake’s GF1 PSU is one of the best choices for those who want features without having to break the bank. This power supply is fully modular, thus saving us the headache caused by cable management. It also comes with a Smart Zero Fan system that turns on the fan only when the PSU reaches 30% workload. This allows for ultra-silent operation, especially when not playing any games or performing demanding tasks.
Back by a 10-year warranty, this gold-rated PSU is in a sweet spot when it comes to the performance/value ratio. It’s highly efficient, comes with premium features, and it’s enough to power a system built around the RTX 3070.
3. Corsair CV650
Specifications
Form factor: ATX | Capacity: 650W | Efficiency rating: 80 Plus Bronze | Modularity: None | Warranty: 3 yearsKey Features
- Up to 88% efficiency
- 120mm low-noise cooling fan
- Stable and reliable output
- Compact design with 125mm-long casing
- Black sleeved cables
Corsair has a solid reputation in the PSU market and the CV650 is a great entry-level choice. For value seekers, this power supply is enough to comfortably power a system built around the RTX 3070. It’s cheap, stable, and efficient, and small enough to fit into most cases.
On the downside, the CV650 isn’t modular, so we won’t be able to remove the cables that we don’t need. But that’s understandable given the price. Furthermore, Corsair vouches for this PSU with a 3-year warranty, which is low when compared to other models. But again, given the price, it’s hard to complain. All in all the CV650 will be enough to power most RTX 3070 PC builds.
4. Thermaltake Smart 700W
Specifications
Form factor: ATX | Capacity: 700W | Efficiency rating: 80 Plus White | Modularity: None | Warranty: 5 yearsKey Features
- Up to 86% efficiency
- 120mm silent cooling fan
- Haswell Ready
- Powerful +12V rail
This 700W power supply from Thermaltake is another great option for those who are very conscious about their budget. However, due to its low price, we can’t expect to get premium features.
The Smart 700W provides enough power for an RTX 3070 build and it runs silently. That’s pretty much all there is to it. The downside is that it has the lowest efficiency rating, so the electrical bill might be a little higher as a result, but it still provides plenty of power. Low ratings don’t automatically translate to bad quality. Furthermore, it’s not modular, so make sure to account for the space taken up by the unused cables when purchasing a case.
The Smart 700W is a simple PSU that gets the job done. It offers a reliable flow power and it’s quiet. For most systems, this is all we truly need.
5. Gigabyte GP-650B
Specifications
Form factor: ATX | Capacity: 650W | Efficiency rating: 80 Plus Bronze | Modularity: None | Warranty: 3 yearsKey Features
- Up to 89% efficiency
- 120mm Hydraulic Ball Bearing cooling fan
- Japanese capacitors
- Compact design
When building a system from scratch by investing in an RTX 3070 as well as a powerful CPU we are often reaching the limit of our budget. Fortunately, decent budget-friendly PSUs still exist, and the GP-650B is one of them.
Even though it’s only bronze-rated, this 650W power supply is highly efficient and offers enough reliable power for an RTX 3070 system. So there’s no need to worry about lacking power. However, we’ll have to be ready to deal with a large number of cables that we won’t need. The 650B isn’t modular, so we’ll have to practice our cable management techniques. Furthermore, the warranty is on the short side with Gigabyte backing their product for only 3 years.
In essence, the GP-650B will do its job, despite not being the prettiest and most feature-rich PSU on the shelf.
6. Corsair RM 750x
Specifications
Form factor: ATX | Capacity: 750W | Efficiency rating: 80 Plus Gold | Modularity: Full | Warranty: 10 yearsKey Features
- Low-noise cooling fan
- Fully modular system
- Japanese capacitors
- Compact design with 160mm casing
The RM750x is a 750W power supply that will suit any RTX 3070 system and give you plenty of room for overclocking as well. It sits in the most comfortable category because it offers a lot of power and gold-rated efficiency while being sold at an affordable price. Also, the RMx is fully modular and it comes with plenty of connectors to satisfy most enthusiasts. Avoiding cable clutter inside the case is important for cooling, especially when running an overclocked GPU.
It’s also worth noting that the RM750x is very quiet, despite being a 750W power supply. It’s LAMBDA-A+ certified, which means that it produces only 15dB of noise. The 135mm fan certainly contributes to that.
Overall, this PSU will operate smoothly under any circumstance and if it doesn’t, Corsair offers a 10-year warranty.
7. NZXT C650
Specifications
Form factor: ATX | Capacity: 650W | Efficiency rating: 80 Plus Gold | Modularity: Full | Warranty: 10 yearsKey Features
- Optional Zero RPM fan mode for silent operation
- Fully modular system
- 120mm fluid bearing fan
- Sleeved cables
The NZXT C-lineup is known for providing reliable power without much noise. The C650 also comes with a Zero RPM switch to make the PSU completely noiseless when it’s not pushed too hard. But what’s most important is that this power supply is efficient enough to operate for extended periods under heavy stress. Whether we’re gaming or rendering, the C650 will be up to the task.
As for the cabling, it’s fully modular and comes with everything we need for the most modern components that go into a high-end gaming setup. The only minor annoyance is that the distance between the peripheral connectors, such as the SATA ones, is small, so things can get tight inside the case.
All in all, the C650 remains a solid choice, offering all the premium features we need at a fairly low price.
8. EVGA SuperNOVA 750 GA
Specifications
Form factor: ATX | Capacity: 750W | Efficiency rating: 80 Plus Gold | Modularity: Full | Warranty: 10 yearsKey Features
- LLC resonant circuit layout for improved efficiency
- Double Ball Bearing fan
- Eco-mode cooling switch
- Compact design
- Fully modular
The SuperNova 750 GA is the ideal choice if you don’t want to stress about the RTX 3070’s power requirements, especially if you’re into CPU and GPU overclocking. With that in mind, this PSU is compact, modular, and rated with 90% efficiency. These aspects alone are convincing enough for the average PC builder. After all, all we need is a powerful power supply that comes with modern features.
The 750 GA also has an optional switch that will enable the fan only when the PSU reaches 40% workload. Until then, we get to enjoy silent operation and save some power. Also, we get a large number of connectors in the box, such as 6 SATA connectors, 4 Molex connectors, and the usual PCIe and EPS connectors. In fact, the 750 GA is SLI/Crossfire ready, but taking advantage of that feature is not recommended with the RTX 3070.
9. Cooler Master MasterWatt 650W
Specifications
Form factor: ATX | Capacity: 650W | Efficiency rating: 80 Plus Bronze | Modularity: Semi | Warranty: 5 yearsKey Features
- Semi-fanless up to 15% workload
- Dual Forward and DC-to-DC circuit design of increased stability
- Thicker PCIe cables for higher conductivity
- Dustproof and silent LDB bearing fan
The MasterWatt is a Bronze-rated PSU aimed towards the budget-conscious audience. While most manufacturers these days opt for Gold-rated PSUs, the average consumer isn’t always looking for peak efficiency, so the MasterWatt still has a solid niche to fill.
The MasterWatt 650 comes with a few features we don’t normally see in this price range. It is semi-modular, which means that the cables that are needed by every single system are hardwired, but the peripheral cables are modular. This level of modularity gives us nearly the same freedom as a fully modular PSU, but at a lower cost. Furthermore, Cooler Master equipped this line of PSUs with thicker PCIe cables, which is always a good thing when it comes to conductivity and efficiency. And although this is a budget power supply, we also get semi-fanless operation, but it’s not that important in the real world because it’s only used when under 15% loads.
With that being said, the MasterWatt beats many competitors in this niche by offering better features at lower prices.
10. SilverStone Technology SX650-G
Specifications
Form factor: SFX | Capacity: 650W | Efficiency rating: 80 Plus Gold | Modularity: Full | Warranty: 3 yearsKey Features
- Silent 92mm fan
- Japanese capacitors
- Powerful +12V rail
- 100% modular with flat cable design
The SFX market has certainly grown in the last few years. Not so long ago, we were limited to 400W PSUs, but nowadays, we have PSUs like the SX650-G. So if you need an SFX power supply that can handle the RTX 3070, this is it.
The SX650-G is efficient and quiet when under a moderate workload. It’s also entirely modular and it comes with 4 PCIe connectors. SilverStone seems to be catering to the enthusiast niche with this model. There’s a lot of power crammed into the tiny box but it wouldn’t be fair to compare it directly with ATX-based PSUs.
When it comes to cooling, the 92mm LDB fan keeps the power supply as quiet as possible, but when reaching heavy loads it can get pretty loud. Some have even complained about a coil-whine under certain circumstances.
All in all, this is a solid SFX power supply, but it may be slightly lacking when compared to some competitors like Corsair, especially in this price range.
Final Thoughts
According to Nvidia we should be using at least a 650W PSU with their RTX 3070, but this highly depends on the configuration and whether we’re overclocking the CPU and GPU. All of the PSUs on this list are good enough to power an RTX 3070 system. However, it’s up to you to determine your computer’s needs. After all, an overclocked Threadripper isn’t equal to a mainstream 3600X. So, analyze your options, think of your budget, and choose the most optimal PSU for your RTX 3070.
