Knowledgeable’s Ranking
Execs
- By far the quickest gaming efficiency ever, even ray traced
- DLSS 4 Multi Body Era makes video games so snappy and easy, they really feel like new — it’s really game-changing
- Large 32GB of GDDR7 with tons of bandwidth
- Tightly engineered Founders Version mannequin by some means squeezes into a reasonably quiet two-slot design
Cons
- Bro, it’s $2,000
- $400 premium over 4090
- Important energy enhance requires 1,000W energy provide
- GPU temp hits 84 levels Celsius underneath load
Our Verdict
Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 5090 is probably the most brutally quick graphics card ever launched, augmented by new DLSS 4 expertise that looks like magic. However you pay dearly for it, and it looks like this GPU was designed extra for AI researchers than PC players.
Worth When Reviewed
This worth will present the geolocated pricing textual content for product undefined
Finest Pricing Immediately
The wait is lastly over. The long-awaited GeForce RTX 5090 lands on retailer cabinets in January — and buddies, the flagship graphics card for Nvidia’s new “Blackwell” structure is an absolute monster.
It ought to be for $2,000, after all. Whereas the RTX 5090’s leap in uncooked gaming efficiency isn’t anyplace as large because the 4090’s was over its predecessor, it blows the pants off any GPU we’ve ever seen earlier than, with no notable flaws in its technical configuration.
However whereas uncooked gaming efficiency is welcome, I think that the GeForce RTX 50-series will reside or die on the again of DLSS 4, a brand new era of Nvidia’s vaunted AI-powered performance-boosting applied sciences. A variety of Blackwell’s enhancements have been targeted on Nvidia’s AI tensor cores, and Blackwell was designed hand-in-hand to optimize DLSS 4. And sizzling rattling, buddies. Primarily based on our early playtime, DLSS 4’s new Multi Body Era AI expertise can really feel like black magic, totally altering the best way video games really feel to play. It’s wonderful, full cease.
Try our embedded video assessment beneath for an in-depth evaluation of each benchmark we ran and loads of extra experiential info. This written assessment will deal with key issues would-be RTX 5090 patrons have to know earlier than slapping down $2,000 for probably the most badass graphics card ever constructed.
The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 is badass at every part
Once we coated (after which analyzed!) the specs for Nvidia’s preliminary GeForce RTX 50-series lineup, one factor jumped out: The GeForce RTX 5090 was the clear crown jewel, designed with nearly no technical flaws. That bears out in our testing.
With 33 % extra CUDA cores than the RTX 4090, new RT and tensor AI cores, and extra uncooked energy being pumped by way of its digital veins, there was by no means any doubt the 5090 would whup on its predecessor in gaming. (Far more on that within the subsequent part.) Its ginormous 32GB of bleeding-edge GDDR7 reminiscence, constructed with a large 512-bit bus, will be capable to deal with any gaming process you throw at it, no matter decision.
However the RTX 5090 is greater than only a gaming behemoth.
Adam Patrick Murray / Foundry
We reside in an period the place GPUs do critical work on AI duties now, not simply gaming. Nvidia optimized its Blackwell structure to excel at AI workloads, whereas the RTX 5090’s unequalled reminiscence configuration can maintain a lot bigger AI fashions than any prior GPU. The leads to Procyon’s AI Textual content Era benchmark are nothing wanting glowing.
Within the “worst case” state of affairs, with the Phi 3.5 giant language mannequin, the RTX 5090 is about 19 % quicker than the 4090; in the most effective case state of affairs, Meta’s Llama 3.1, efficiency jumped 32 %. AI researchers and engineers shall be scrambling to select this up.
The GeForce RTX 5090 can be a content material creation powerhouse. It homes an extra media encoding engine, bringing its whole as much as three, whereas the large reminiscence pool helps with the creation and enhancing of advanced tasks.
We have been solely capable of run a few Adobe benchmarks from Puget Techniques’ wonderful PugetBench for this preliminary assessment. All fashionable high-end GPUs supply roughly the identical efficiency in Photoshop (no shock there), however the RTX 5090 is 8 % quicker than the 4090 in Premiere Professional. Anticipate that margin to leap with extra GPU-centric creation software program, like DaVinci Resolve, or in case your workloads make the most of ray tracing or can faucet into Nvidia’s wonderful DLSS applied sciences.
There’s a purpose we’re speaking about this primary: The GeForce RTX 5090 is way more than only a gaming card, like a extra amplified model of the 4090 earlier than it. Individuals who use their PCs for actual work shall be clamoring for this monster GeForce GPU to make actual cash utilizing it. The RTX 4090 has offered for nearer to $2,500 than its $1,600 advised value for years now, and I anticipate the demand shall be even stronger for the titanic 5090 with its quick, large reminiscence pool and AI optimizations. This may promote lot hotcakes — sure, even at $1,999, which I think will seem like an absolute steal just a few months from now.
However in the event you are capable of snag one, you’ll have your fingers on by far the quickest gaming GPU of all time. Onto the enjoyable stuff.
Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 gaming benchmarks: Brutally quick
The GeForce RTX 4090 stood unopposed as the final word gaming GPU because the second it launched. Not. The brand new Blackwell era makes use of the identical underlying TSMC 4N course of expertise because the RTX 40-series, so Nvidia couldn’t squeeze simple enhancements there. As a substitute, the corporate overhauled the RTX 5090’s instruction pipeline, endowed it with 33 % extra CUDA cores, and pushed it to a staggering 575W TGP, up from the 4090’s 450W. Blackwell additionally launched a brand new era of RT and AI cores.
Add all of it up and the RTX 5090 is an unparalleled gaming beast — although the results hit totally different relying on whether or not or not you’re utilizing RTX options like ray tracing and DLSS.
Our gaming benchmark suite exams titles using a wide range of totally different recreation engines, to attempt to get a well-rounded view of efficiency. We’ve determined to deal with 4K gaming efficiency given this $2,000 graphics card’s may.
In video games that don’t use ray tracing or DLSS, merely brute pressure graphics rendering, the RTX 5090 isn’t way more than a light generational efficiency improve. It runs a median of 27 % quicker in these video games — however the splits swing wildly relying on the sport: Cyberpunk 2077 is 50 % quicker, Shadow of the Tomb Raider is 32 % quicker, and Rainbox Six Siege is 28 % quicker, however Murderer’s Creed Valhalla and Name of Responsibility: Black Ops 6 solely decide up 15 and 12 % extra efficiency, respectively.
Efficiency outcomes are much less of a yo-yo when you flip on ray tracing, DLSS upscaling (not Body Era), or some mixture of the 2. Black Fable Wukong, Cyberpunk 2077, and Returnal all run ~30 % quicker on the RTX 5090 versus the 4090, whereas F1 24 leapt up 40 %.
Nvidia invested closely engineering work into its ray tracing and tensor cores this era, and it reveals. You need to not decide up the RTX 5090 in the event you plan on ignoring ray tracing and DLSS in video games (until you propose on utilizing it for work, after all).
However candy holy moly, you shouldn’t ignore DLSS 4 anyway.
DLSS 4 is a literal game-changer
Very like DLSS, DLSS 2, and DLSS 3 earlier than it, the new DLSS 4 era is an absolute game-changer. Nvidia’s boundary-pushing AI tech continues to look higher, run quicker, and now really feel smoother. It’s insane.
Nvidia made two monumental adjustments to DLSS to coincide with the RTX 50-series launch. First, all DLSS video games shall be switching to a brand new “Transformer” mannequin from the older “Convolutional Neural Network” behind the scenes, on all RTX GPUs going again to the 20-series.
With over 75 video games and apps scheduled to help DLSS 4 on the day of the RTX 5090’s launch, you’ll have loads of alternatives to place your fancy new {hardware} to work.
Extra crucially for the RTX 5090 (and future 50-series choices), DLSS 4 provides a brand new Multi Body Era expertise, constructing upon the success of DLSS 3 Body Gen. Whereas DLSS 3 makes use of tensor cores to insert a single AI-generated body between GPU-rendered frames, supercharging efficiency, MFG inserts three AI frames between every GPU-rendered body (which itself could solely be rendering a picture at quarter decision, then utilizing DLSS Tremendous Decision to upscale that to suit your display screen).
It’s AI all the best way down, identical to we predicted. As somebody who’s delicate to latency, I used to be skeptical moving into. However buddies, DLSS 4’s Multi Body Era feels unbelievable in our restricted playtesting in a handful of video games.
Adam Patrick Murray / Foundry
We solely pulled benchmark numbers for Cyberpunk 2077 utilizing the RT Overdrive preset and 1.7x DLSS scaling. Flipping on MFG will increase the body price over the 5090 with DLSS 3 by a whopping 91 %, hitting a blistering 249 frames per second. With none type of Body Era on, the sport runs at 71fps; enabling DLSS 4 MFG lets it run a completely staggering 251 % quicker.
Madness. And it feels easy as silk with Nvidia Reflex turned on.
On-line boards have been broiled in debate since DLSS 4’s announcement: Do the AI frames actually rely as a body price enhance, because you’re solely affecting the enter on 1/4 of frames rendered by the GPU, or is it extra like a sophisticated motion-smoothing expertise? I lean in direction of the latter, however both approach: DLSS 4 MFG makes video games appear and feel so significantly better, and that’s the necessary half.
PCWorld video guru Adam Patrick Murray, who ran our benchmarks, usually sits on a sofa throughout gaming classes, utilizing a small form-factor PC linked to a tv. He by no means bothered turning on DLSS 3 Body Gen; he felt the occasional visible glitches damage greater than the additional efficiency helped in that state of affairs. However he’s a giant DLSS 4 MFG believer. “You can absolutely feel the difference now,” he informed me, and he turned it on wherever potential throughout playtesting.
PCWorld contributor Will Smith, who’s engaged on a deeper dive into DLSS 4, delivers even stronger reward: He stories that turning on DLSS 4 makes Star Wars Outlaws, a enjoyable recreation liable to efficiency issues, really feel simply nearly as good because the legendary Doom 2016, which many players contemplate the paragon of fast-action shooters. “It’s like a whole new game,” he stated. Cyberpunk 2077 additionally appeared and felt smoother than ever, although to be honest, that recreation already dealt with rather well.
No matter whether or not you contemplate AI frames to spice up body charges or easy out movement, the tip result’s a masterpiece in motion. Odd visible glitches appear to occur a lot much less typically now — although pumping out ray-traced Cyberpunk scenes at 249 frames per second provides your eyes a lot much less time to attempt to discover them, as properly.
I used to be involved about added latency however Will and Adam report that every part feels snappy and even higher than traditional, although they counsel that you just’ll need native in-game body charges to hit near 50- to 60fps earlier than turning on MFG, or the latency can begin to really feel slightly bizarre. That shouldn’t be an issue with the RTX 5090.
And that’s with utilizing the usual model of Nvidia’s latency-reducing Reflex expertise, which is required to counter the latency launched by including AI frames that don’t reply to consumer enter. The newer, extra advanced and performant Reflex 2 isn’t required for DLSS 4, simply the unique model.
That allow Nvidia roll out a really killer functionality for DLSS 4: The power to pressure DLSS 3 video games to run DLSS 4 MFG as a substitute utilizing an override within the Nvidia app, moderately than requiring builders to return and replace older titles. Due to this, you’ll be capable to use 75 video games and apps with DLSS 4 the day your new RTX 5090 reveals up. That’s a big enchancment over the same old lengthy, multi-month (or multi-year) rollout for brand spanking new AI rendering applied sciences.
Backside line: DLSS 4 is a shocking improve you should mess around with to totally admire its advantages. It’s actually a game-changer, as soon as once more — although we’ll should see if it feels this chic on lower-end Nvidia playing cards just like the extra reasonably priced RTX 5070, and if all DLSS 4 video games behave in addition to the handful we’ve performed.
We’re gonna want an even bigger energy provide
Okay, so that you’re offered on the RTX 5090! Not so quick. You might want to regulate the remainder of your PC construct to accommodate it.
Thankfully, the meticulously designed Nvidia RTX 5090 Founders Version has been engineered all the way down to a slim, svelte two-slot resolution that may simply slip into any PC (together with Adam’s SFF rig). However including all the additional {hardware} after which cranking up the juice means it’s possible you’ll want a brand new energy provide.
The GeForce RTX 5090 pushes the facility provide requirement goalposts to 1,000W, up from the 4090’s 850W mandate. In case you don’t need to use the included 12VHPWR adapter cables, contemplate selecting up a PSU that ships with these included — although Nvidia has listened to previous suggestions and overhauled its fugly adapter to incorporate a woven-braided design with longer cords. Hallelujah.
Regardless of its small stature, the RTX 5090 Founders Version ran quietly sufficient in our testing, and didn’t warmth up our rooms almost as a lot as feared. Nvidia nailed the design on this one. The GPU hit 84 levels Celsius in our worst-case testing crammed right into a small type issue case, which is a bit on the nice and cozy facet, however properly inside spec tolerances. Larger 3- and 4-slot customized 5090s will little doubt tame temperatures in change for his or her bigger measurement and better sticker costs.
…and an even bigger funds
If the RTX 4090 was over your funds, this shall be too. The GeForce RTX 5090 Founders Version begins at $1,999, however I anticipate it and the MSRP-priced customized playing cards we see at launch to vanish rapidly, driving costs up. Go stand in line at midnight at Finest Purchase or put together to battle lots of scalpers and AI researchers on-line in order for you the 5090 day one.
Once more, the 4090 continues to be going for $2,800 to $3,200 on-line proper now, at this time due to its immense use to AI researchers and builders — and the RTX 5090 obliterates it in that discipline.
Backside line: Bleeding-edge efficiency at a bleeding-edge value
It is a bizarre assessment to should wrap right into a neat conclusion.
Adam Patrick Murray / Foundry
In a vacuum, the RTX 5090 delivers round a 30 % common enhance in gaming efficiency over the RTX 4090. That’s a strong generational enchancment, however one we’ve seen all through historical past delivered on the identical value level because the older, slower outgoing {hardware}. Nvidia asking for an additional $500 on high appears garish and overblown from that perspective.
However the RTX 5090 isn’t like previous generations. We’re within the AI period now, and AI professionals will little doubt promote their firstborn to get ahold of the awesomely highly effective GPU, large reminiscence pool, and ferociously quick reminiscence bandwidth — three essential {hardware} issues for the sector. On condition that, I think costs for this monstrous graphics card to rise as quickly as Godzilla does from Japan’s seas.
In case you demand the perfect of bleeding-edge gaming {hardware}, value be damned, you’ll drool over the GeForce RTX 5090. It’s constructed to deal with something and every part with aplomb, churning out ray-traced frames at a frenetic tempo after which cranking smoothness approach previous 11 with DLSS 4’s magic. With over 75 video games and apps scheduled to help DLSS 4 on the day of the RTX 5090’s launch, you’ll have loads of alternatives to place your fancy new {hardware} to work.
Adam Patrick Murray / Foundry
Whereas I wouldn’t suggest upgrading to this over the RTX 4090 for gaming (until you’re giddy to strive DLSS 4), it’s a particular improve possibility for the RTX 3090 and something older. The 4090 was 55 to 83 % quicker than the 3090 in video games, and the 5090 is about 30 % quicker than that, with gobs extra reminiscence.
On the finish of the day, no one wants a $2,000 graphics card to play video games. However in the event you need one and don’t thoughts the sticker value, that is simply probably the most highly effective, succesful graphics card ever launched. The GeForce RTX 5090 is a efficiency monster supercharged by DLSS 4’s see-it-to-believe it magic.
