The first RTX-4070s with slower GDDR6 RAM are now available for purchase but there's no reason to buy them at the moment.

If you want to upgrade to a RTX 4070, avoid Asus's new model with GDDR6VRAM. At least not at the current price.

Tom's Hardware has pointed out that the Asus Dual RTX 4070 GDDR6 is available at Newegg for only $570. It has 12 GB of GDDR6 memory and a core clock of 2,520 MHz. This can be increased to 2,555 MHz. It's less powerful than the GDDR6X version, but it is more energy-efficient and has been put into production to ease supply problems.

It's worth noting, however, that the GDDR6X version of this card is exactly the same price at Newegg. The full price is $570. The former isn't in stock and the latter is, so I don't think there's any reason to choose the slightly lower-graded card.

Even if you have to wait for the GDDR6X version, it is worth the wait, especially if you pay the same price. The slightly better card comes with a digital version of Star Wars Outlaws which is perfect to test the upgrade.

In practice, 12 GB GDDR6X RAM is capable of a memory bandwidth of 21 Gbps. The GDDR6 version, on the other hand, has a speed of memory of 20 Gbps. This is such a slight downgrade that the memory bandwidth should only be affected by a small amount. It is so small that it would be worth getting the new card if there was a slight discount. The current pricing is at best confusing.

The value proposition of modern graphics cards is difficult to understand. Nvidia's RTX Super card, which is one of the most powerful graphics cards available, retails at the exact same price as the 4070. The only reason to choose the weaker graphics card would be if it was cheaper.

As stock begins to disappear, the GDDR6X could start selling for a little more. This isn't a first time that a newer card is vastly outclassed its older counterpart. In 2021, a RTX 2060 with 12GB was spotted during a graphics card shortage, which was significantly higher than expected. This made more sense when cryptocurrency miners reached their peak of popularity.

The 4070 is not only a very capable card, but it's also the one that makes the most sense at the right time and the right price. There's probably better options out there.