GeForce RTX 3070
Maxwell GPU Surface Book
GeForce RTX 3070 vs Maxwell GPU Surface Book Performance Spectrum
About G3D Mark
G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.
GeForce RTX 3070 vs Maxwell GPU Surface Book FPS Benchmarks
Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.
Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.
Path of Exile 2
Counter-Strike 2
League of Legends
GeForce RTX 3070 vs Maxwell GPU Surface Book: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict
See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.
GeForce RTX 3070
2020Why buy it
- ✅+569.6% higher PassMark G3D performance.
- ✅Delivers 101.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.4 vs 22.1 G3D/$ ($499 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
- ✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
- ✅300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 2 GB).
- ✅Better long-term bet: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
Trade-offs
- ❌633.3% higher power demand at 220W vs 30W.
Maxwell GPU Surface Book
2015Why buy it
- ✅Costs $349 less on MSRP ($150 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
- ✅Draws 30W instead of 220W, a 190W reduction.
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (3,311 vs 22,172).
- ❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
- ❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
- ❌2015 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
- ❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 22.1 vs 44.4 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
Quick Answers
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Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce RTX 3070 vs Maxwell GPU Surface Book Technical Specifications
Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.
GeForce RTX 3070
The GeForce RTX 3070 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 1 2020. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1500 MHz to 1725 MHz. It has 5888 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 220W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 46 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 22,172 points. Launch price was $499.
Maxwell GPU Surface Book
The Maxwell GPU Surface Book is manufactured by an unknown manufacturer. It was released in October 1 2015. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 954 MHz to 993 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 30W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,311 points.
Graphics Performance
In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3070 scores 22,172 versus the Maxwell GPU Surface Book's 3,311 — the GeForce RTX 3070 leads by 569.6%. The GeForce RTX 3070 is built on Ampere while the Maxwell GPU Surface Book uses Maxwell, both on 8 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 5,888 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 384 (Maxwell GPU Surface Book). Boost clocks: 1725 MHz vs 993 MHz.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3070 | Maxwell GPU Surface Book |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 22,172+570% | 3,311 |
| Architecture | Ampere | Maxwell |
| Process Node | 8 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 5888+1433% | 384 |
| Boost Clock | 1725 MHz+74% | 993 MHz |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
The GeForce RTX 3070 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Maxwell GPU Surface Book leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3070 | Maxwell GPU Surface Book |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | DLSS 2 Super Resolution | Upscaling support |
| Frame Generation | Not Supported | Not Supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | NVIDIA Reflex | Standard |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The GeForce RTX 3070 has 8 GB of VRAM, while the Maxwell GPU Surface Book carries 2 GB. GeForce RTX 3070 gives you 300% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 256-bit on the GeForce RTX 3070 and 128-bit on the Maxwell GPU Surface Book.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3070 | Maxwell GPU Surface Book |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 8 GB+300% | 2 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 448 GB/s | Unknown |
| Bus Width | 256-bit+100% | 128-bit |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 12 (11_0) (Maxwell GPU Surface Book). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.1. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 3.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3070 | Maxwell GPU Surface Book |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 Ultimate | 12 (11_0) |
| Vulkan | 1.4+27% | 1.1 |
| OpenGL | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| Max Displays | 4+33% | 3 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th gen (GeForce RTX 3070) vs None (Maxwell GPU Surface Book). Decoder: NVDEC 5th gen vs PureVideo VP6. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (Maxwell GPU Surface Book).
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3070 | Maxwell GPU Surface Book |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | NVENC 7th gen | None |
| Decoder | NVDEC 5th gen | PureVideo VP6 |
| Codecs | H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1,VP9 | H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce RTX 3070 draws 220W versus the Maxwell GPU Surface Book's 30W — a 152% difference. The Maxwell GPU Surface Book is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 350W (Maxwell GPU Surface Book). Power connectors: 8-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 242mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 85.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3070 | Maxwell GPU Surface Book |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 220W | 30W-86% |
| Recommended PSU | 650W | 350W-46% |
| Power Connector | 8-pin | PCIe-powered |
| Length | 242mm | 0mm |
| Height | 112mm | 0mm |
| Slots | 2 | 0-100% |
| Temp (Load) | 75°C-12% | 85 |
| Perf/Watt | 100.8 | 110.4+10% |
Value Analysis
At launch, the GeForce RTX 3070 came in at $499, while the Maxwell GPU Surface Book launched at $150. On MSRP, Maxwell GPU Surface Book was 69.9% cheaper ($349 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 44.4 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 22.1 (Maxwell GPU Surface Book) — the GeForce RTX 3070 offers 100.9% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3070 (2020 vs 2015).
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3070 | Maxwell GPU Surface Book |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $499 | $150-70% |
| Performance per Dollar | 44.4+101% | 22.1 |
| Codename | GA104 | Surface Book |
| Release | September 1 2020 | October 1 2015 |
| Ranking | #63 | #779 |
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