Zephyr Shares Development Update on Sakura Snow X GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER Mini-ITX Graphics Card
Zephyr, a prominent Chinese manufacturer specializing in custom NVIDIA and AMD graphics cards, has provided new details on the development of its upcoming "Sakura Snow X" GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER 16 GB model. The company recently published a progress report on its official Bilibili blog, offering a glimpse into the engineering process behind this compact, small form factor (SFF) gaming GPU.
The latest image of the Sakura Snow X RTX 4070 Ti SUPER reveals a shroud design consistent with Zephyr’s previous releases, such as last year’s Sakura Snow X GeForce RTX 4070 12 GB. Zephyr reports that the new Mini-ITX graphics card is nearing completion, having successfully passed the company’s rigorous 35℃ constant temperature chamber test. This milestone indicates that the card is almost ready for production.
Performance and Cooling Design
The Sakura Snow X GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER prototype operates at NVIDIA’s reference power limit of 285 W, delivering performance on par with standard board designs. Zephyr’s engineering team has focused on optimizing the card’s compact cooling solution, which features a single fan paired with a tightly integrated heatsink module. To determine the best configuration, engineers tested two fan speeds—3000 RPM and 3800 RPM—alongside three different finstack materials.
Testing revealed that a pure copper heatsink provided the best thermal performance under open conditions, though it also increased manufacturing costs. The graphene-coated aluminum module performed similarly to a bare aluminum version, but the black finish of the graphene variant gave the card a more premium appearance.
As anticipated, the 3800 RPM fan speed improved airflow and reduced temperatures, but it also resulted in significantly higher noise levels compared to the quieter 3000 RPM setting. Zephyr noted that the 3000 RPM fan produced a sound profile similar to that of the standard Sakura Snow X model, making it a more balanced choice for users prioritizing low noise.
Community Feedback and Testing Methodology
Zephyr’s testing approach has attracted attention from the tech community. Uniko’s Hardware, an independent publication, raised concerns about the use of different FurMark 2 versions and inconsistent stress test durations during Zephyr’s evaluations. These factors, they argue, may have affected the accuracy of the performance comparisons.
To engage its audience, Zephyr included a poll in its Bilibili blog post, inviting readers to vote for their preferred fan speed—either 3800 RPM for maximum cooling or 3000 RPM for quieter operation. The discussion also touched on future product releases, with one commenter inquiring about the potential launch of a GeForce RTX 5070 Ti 16 GB successor. However, such a highly customized model is expected to be some time away from release.
Zephyr’s ongoing transparency and attention to detail in the development of the Sakura Snow X GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER highlight the company’s commitment to delivering high-performance, small form factor graphics cards tailored to the needs of PC gaming enthusiasts.
