Nvidia RTX 5090 Founders Edition: In-Depth Review

Every few years, Nvidia introduces a groundbreaking graphics card that ushers in a new era of PC gaming. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 is one such marvel, yet its approach to delivering next-generation performance is unconventional. While it doesn't significantly outpace its predecessor, the RTX 4090, in many games without considering DLSS Frame Generation, the real magic unfolds with the advanced capabilities of Nvidia's next-generation DLSS. This technology offers leaps in both image quality and performance that surpass what you'd typically expect from a new graphics generation.

The upgrade potential of the RTX 5090 largely depends on your gaming habits, the resolution you play at, and your willingness to embrace AI-generated frames. For gamers not using a 4K monitor with a 240Hz refresh rate, the upgrade might not be worth it. However, if you have a high-end display, the AI-generated frames can transform your gaming experience, giving you 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 powered by the Blackwell architecture, which also drives high-end data centers and supercomputers. This suggests the RTX 5090 excels in AI tasks, but Nvidia hasn't overlooked traditional gaming performance.

The RTX 5090 packs more Streaming Multiprocessors (SMs) into its Graphics Processing Clusters (GPCs), resulting in 21,760 CUDA cores—a 32% increase from the RTX 4090's 16,384 cores. This boost significantly enhances raw gaming performance. Each SM includes four Tensor Cores and one RT Core, totaling 680 Tensor Cores and 170 RT cores, up from 512 and 128 in the RTX 4090. The 5th-generation Tensor Cores enhance AI performance with new FP4 operations, reducing VRAM dependency.

The RTX 5090 comes with 32GB of GDDR7 VRAM, a step up from the GDDR6X in the RTX 4090, offering better speed and efficiency. Despite its high power consumption of 575W, the RTX 5090's efficiency gains in the Tensor Cores allow DLSS to run on a Transformer Neural Network (TNN), improving image quality and reducing artifacts like ghosting.

Nvidia's Multi-Frame Generation in DLSS 4 further refines the Frame Generation technology from the RTX 4090. This feature generates multiple frames from each rendered image, drastically improving frame rates, but it's best used when you're already achieving a decent frame rate.

Purchasing Guide

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 launches on January 30, with the Founders Edition starting at $1,999. Be prepared for potentially higher prices from third-party manufacturers.

The Founders Edition

Despite requiring 575W of power, the RTX 5090's Founders Edition is surprisingly compact, fitting into a dual-slot chassis with a dual-fan cooling system. During testing, temperatures reached 86°C, higher than the RTX 4090's 80°C but not enough to cause throttling.

The RTX 5090's design includes a smaller PCB centered on the card, with fans positioned to pull air in from the bottom and expel it through the top, enhancing cooling efficiency. The card's aesthetic follows Nvidia's recent design language, featuring a silver 'X' design and a gunmetal-gray chassis with black heatsinks, accented by a white LED 'GeForce RTX' logo.

The RTX 5090 uses a new 12V-2x6 power connector, slightly more efficient than the previous generation's 12VHPWR connector. Nvidia includes an adapter that converts four 8-pin PCIe power connectors to meet the card's power needs, with an angled design for easier installation.

DLSS 4: Fake Frames?

Nvidia claims the RTX 5090 can boost performance up to 8x, primarily through its ability to generate extra frames. DLSS 4's Multi-Frame Generation, powered by a new AI Management Processor (AMP) core, efficiently assigns workload to different parts of the GPU, reducing latency and improving performance.

This technology requires a solid baseline frame rate to be effective. In games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Star Wars Outlaws, the RTX 5090 demonstrated significant frame rate improvements with DLSS 4 enabled. While some might dismiss these as 'Fake Frames,' they offer a tangible benefit for gamers with high-refresh, high-resolution displays.

RTX 5090 – Performance

Testing the RTX 5090 revealed its raw power, with a 42% performance increase over the RTX 4090 in 3DMark benchmarks. However, real-world gaming performance is often limited by CPU bottlenecks, even with a top-tier processor like the Ryzen 7 9800X3D.

In games like Call of Duty Black Ops 6 and Cyberpunk 2077, the RTX 5090 showed only a 10% improvement over the RTX 4090 at 4K, suggesting that current games aren't fully leveraging the new GPU's capabilities. However, games like Metro Exodus: Enhanced Edition and Total War: Warhammer 3 demonstrated more significant performance gains.

The RTX 5090 is undoubtedly the fastest consumer graphics card available, but its full potential might not be realized in current games. It's an investment in the future of AI-powered gaming, appealing to those willing to spend $1,999 or more for cutting-edge technology. For most gamers, the RTX 4090 remains a powerful and sufficient option for the foreseeable future.