Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 Founders Edition: In-Depth Review

Every few years, Nvidia releases a groundbreaking graphics card that ushers PC gaming into a new era. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 is such a card, but its approach to delivering next-generation performance is unconventional. While the performance increase over the RTX 4090 may not be as dramatic as expected in many games without considering DLSS Frame Generation, the next iteration of Nvidia's DLSS technology for both upscaling and frame generation offers significant leaps in image quality and performance. This advancement feels even more substantial than typical generational upgrades.

The extent to which the Nvidia RTX 5090 represents an upgrade for you depends on the games you play, the resolution at which you play them, and your comfort with AI-generated frames. For those not using a 4K monitor with a 240Hz refresh rate, the upgrade might not be justified. However, if you own a high-end display, the AI-generated frames can provide a glimpse into the future of gaming.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 – Photos

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RTX 5090 – Specs and Features

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 is built on the Blackwell architecture, which powers high-end data centers and supercomputers, particularly those used for AI models. This gives a hint of the RTX 5090's strengths, but Nvidia has also enhanced the non-AI aspects of the card.

With the RTX 5090, Nvidia has increased the number of Streaming Multiprocessors (SMs) within the same Graphics Processing Clusters (GPCs), resulting in 21,760 CUDA cores, a 32% increase from the RTX 4090's 16,384. This boost significantly enhances raw gaming performance.

Each SM includes four Tensor Cores and one RT Core, similar to the previous model, totaling 680 Tensor Cores and 170 RT Cores, up from 512 and 128 in the RTX 4090. The 5th-generation Tensor Cores are optimized for AI performance, now supporting FP4 operations to reduce VRAM dependency.

The card is equipped with 32GB of GDDR7 VRAM, a step up from the RTX 4090's GDDR6X, promising faster and more power-efficient memory. However, the RTX 5090's power consumption is a hefty 575W, a significant jump from the RTX 4090, indicating that power efficiency was not the primary focus.

The new Tensor Cores enable Nvidia to shift the DLSS algorithm to a Transformer Neural Network (TNN), improving image quality and reducing artifacts like ghosting. Additionally, Nvidia introduces Multi-Frame Generation, an enhanced version of the Frame Gen technology from the RTX 4090, which can generate multiple frames from each rendered image, significantly boosting frame rates when enabled under suitable conditions.

Purchasing Guide

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 will be available starting January 30, with the Founders Edition priced at $1,999. Be aware that third-party versions may be considerably more expensive.

The Founders Edition

Despite requiring 575W of power, the RTX 5090 Founders Edition is surprisingly compact, fitting into a dual-slot chassis with a dual-fan configuration. This design allows it to maintain temperatures up to 86°C without throttling, even at peak power consumption.

The card's design includes a smaller PCB placed centrally, with fans on either side and a heatsink running the card's width. The RTX 5090 follows the aesthetic of recent generations, featuring a silver 'X' design and a gunmetal-gray chassis with black heatsinks. The 'GeForce RTX' logo on the edge lights up with white LEDs.

The power connector is a new 12V-2x6 type, slightly more efficient than the previous 12VHPWR. Nvidia includes an adapter that uses four 8-pin PCIe connectors to meet the power demand. The angled connector on the card itself enhances ease of installation and security.

This design allows the RTX 5090 to fit into smaller PC builds, unlike its predecessors, though third-party models may be larger.

DLSS 4: Fake Frames?

Nvidia claims the RTX 5090 can boost performance by up to 8x, primarily through its ability to generate extra frames. DLSS 4 introduces Multi-Frame Generation, utilizing a new AI Management Processor (AMP) core to efficiently manage GPU tasks, traditionally handled by the CPU.

The AMP and 5th-generation Tensor Cores enable a new frame generation model that's 40% faster and requires 30% less memory than its predecessor. This model can create three AI frames per rendered frame, with a Flip Metering algorithm to minimize input lag.

However, this technology is most beneficial when you're already achieving a decent frame rate. It's recommended to use it in conjunction with DLSS upscaling for optimal performance.

Upon its release on January 30, DLSS 4 will be supported in numerous PC games that already support DLSS 3 Frame Generation. During testing, Cyberpunk 2077 and Star Wars Outlaws demonstrated impressive results, with significant frame rate improvements at 4K resolution.

In Cyberpunk 2077, the RTX 5090 achieved 94 fps at 4K with the Ray Tracing Overdrive Preset and DLSS on Performance mode. With DLSS 2x frame gen, the frame rate increased to 162 fps, and with 4x frame generation, it reached 286 fps. Similarly, Star Wars Outlaws saw frame rates increase from 120 fps to around 300 fps with DLSS 4 enabled.

While some might dismiss these as 'Fake Frames,' they offer tangible benefits for users with high-refresh, high-resolution displays. Nvidia claims 75 games will support DLSS 4 at launch, though performance may vary across titles.

RTX 5090 – Performance

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 is a powerhouse, but its real-world performance varies. In 3DMark, it showed a 42% improvement over the RTX 4090, but in actual games, CPU bottlenecks often limit its potential, even at 4K with a top-tier CPU like the Ryzen 7 9800X3D.

Test System CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D Motherboard: Asus ROG Crosshair X870E Hero RAM: 32GB G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo @ 6,000MHz SSD: 4TB Samsung 990 Pro CPU Cooler: Asus ROG Ryujin III 360

In 3DMark, the RTX 5090 scored 14,399 points in Speed Way and 36,946 in Port Royal, compared to the RTX 4090's 10,130 and 25,997, respectively. This represents a 42% performance increase, and a significant leap from the RTX 3090.

However, in games like Call of Duty Black Ops 6, the RTX 5090 only achieved a 10% performance increase over the RTX 4090 at 4K, indicating a CPU bottleneck. Similar results were seen in Cyberpunk 2077, with a 10% increase at 4K.

In Metro Exodus: Enhanced Edition, the RTX 5090 showed a 25% improvement over the RTX 4090 at 4K without DLSS, and a significant jump from the RTX 3090. In Red Dead Redemption 2, the performance uplift was only 6% over the RTX 4090.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 – Benchmarks

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Total War: Warhammer 3, which lacks ray tracing and upscaling, showed a 35% performance increase over the RTX 4090. In contrast, Assassin's Creed Mirage experienced performance issues, likely due to a driver bug.

Black Myth: Wukong and Forza Horizon 5 showed performance uplifts of 20% and negligible differences, respectively, highlighting the impact of CPU bottlenecks.

The RTX 5090 is the fastest consumer graphics card available, but many current games can't fully utilize its capabilities. Its true potential lies in future AI-powered gaming, making it an investment in the future for those willing to spend $1,999 or more. For most users, the RTX 4090 remains a powerful option for the next few years.