Every couple of years, Nvidia unveils a powerhouse graphics card, pushing PC gaming into a new era. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 is that card, but its next-gen performance is delivered unconventionally. In many games, the performance boost over the RTX 4090 isn't as dramatic as expected—at least without DLSS Frame Generation. However, the next generation of Nvidia's DLSS, for both upscaling and frame generation, delivers incredible leaps in image quality and performance, surpassing typical generational improvements.
The RTX 5090's upgrade value depends on your games, resolution, and acceptance of AI-generated frames. For those with monitors below 4K and 240Hz, this upgrade is unnecessary. But for high-end display owners, the AI-generated frames offer a glimpse into the future of gaming.
Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 – Photos
RTX 5090 – Specs and Features
The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 uses Blackwell, Nvidia's high-end architecture powering data centers and supercomputers behind popular AI models. This architecture highlights the RTX 5090's AI prowess, but Nvidia hasn't neglected non-AI aspects.
The 5090 packs more Streaming Multiprocessors (SMs) into the same GPCs (Graphics Processing Clusters), resulting in 21,760 CUDA cores (up from 16,384 in the RTX 4090). This 32% increase in shader cores significantly boosts raw gaming performance.
Each SM retains four Tensor Cores and one RT Core, totaling 680 Tensor Cores and 170 RT cores (compared to 512 and 128 in the RTX 4090). 5th-generation Tensor Cores enhance AI performance, adding FP4 operations to reduce VRAM dependency.
This silicon is paired with 32GB of GDDR7 VRAM, a generational leap from the RTX 4090's GDDR6X. While faster and more power-efficient, the 575W power requirement (a significant increase over the 4090) prioritizes performance over efficiency.
The improved Tensor Cores allow Nvidia to shift the DLSS algorithm to a Transformer Neural Network (TNN) instead of a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). This doesn't necessarily boost framerate but improves image quality and reduces artifacts.
Beyond the internal DLSS changes, Nvidia introduces Multi-Frame Generation. This enhanced Frame Gen technology is more efficient and generates multiple frames from each rendered image, drastically increasing frame rates. Similar to its predecessor, it should only be enabled with a decent base frame rate.
Purchasing Guide
The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 launched January 30th, starting at $1,999 (Founders Edition). Third-party cards will likely be more expensive.
The Founders Edition
The 575W power requirement generates significant heat. Despite this, Nvidia created a smaller, dual-slot card with dual fans. During testing (including DLSS 4 and multi-frame generation), temperatures peaked around 86°C at 578W—high, but not throttling.
Nvidia achieved this by centrally placing a compact PCB and utilizing a heatsink spanning the card's width, with fans drawing air from below and exhausting it through the top. There are no rear exhaust vents.
The design maintains a similar aesthetic to previous generations, featuring a silver 'X' design and a 'GeForce RTX' logo with white LEDs.
The power connector is a new angled 12V-2x6 connector (more efficient than the last generation), with an included adapter using four 8-pin PCIe connectors. This design allows compatibility with smaller PC cases, although third-party cards will likely be larger.
DLSS 4: Fake Frames?
Nvidia claimed up to 8x performance boosts. While not that high, the RTX 5090 achieves extremely high frame rates, primarily through frame generation. While raw rasterization performance improves, the real benefit lies in generating extra frames.
DLSS 4's Multi-Frame Generation builds upon DLSS 3 Frame Generation, but is significantly faster and more memory-efficient. A new AI Management Processor (AMP) core efficiently assigns tasks across the GPU, reducing latency.
The AMP and 5th-generation Tensor Cores enable a new model generating three AI frames per rendered frame, with a Flip Metering algorithm minimizing input lag. This is why it's incompatible with RTX 4000 cards, which rely on the CPU for frame pacing.
Multi-Frame Generation is effective only with a good base frame rate (around 60fps without Frame Gen). It pairs best with DLSS upscaling. At launch, DLSS 4 supported a wide range of games, but testing was limited to beta builds of Cyberpunk 2077 and Star Wars Outlaws.
In Cyberpunk 2077 at 4K with Ray Tracing Overdrive and DLSS Performance, the RTX 5090 achieved 94fps (162fps with 2x frame gen, and 286fps with 4x frame gen). Star Wars Outlaws reached around 300fps with DLSS 4 enabled. While "fake frames," the technology works well with high-refresh, high-resolution displays. Further testing across more games is needed.
RTX 5090 – Performance
The RTX 5090 is incredibly powerful, but testing revealed CPU bottlenecks in many games, even at 4K with a Ryzen 7 9800X3D. For many with high-end cards, the upgrade isn't transformative. It's a future-proofing investment. DLSS 4 was disabled for comparative benchmarks.
In 3DMark, the RTX 5090 is up to 42% faster than the RTX 4090. However, in games, the gains are often much smaller. Call of Duty Black Ops 6 showed a mere 10% improvement at 4K. Cyberpunk 2077 showed similar results. Metro Exodus: Enhanced Edition (without upscaling) showed a 25% improvement. Red Dead Redemption 2 showed a 6% improvement. Total War: Warhammer 3 showed a 35% improvement. Assassin's Creed Mirage showed unexpectedly poor performance, likely a driver issue.
Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 – Benchmarks
Black Myth: Wukong showed a 20% improvement. Forza Horizon 5 showed negligible differences.
The RTX 5090 is the fastest consumer graphics card, but many games don't fully utilize its power. This will change, but for RTX 4090 owners, upgrading isn't essential.
The RTX 5090's future is tied to AI-powered gaming. DLSS 4 significantly boosts frame rates, making it ideal for cutting-edge gamers willing to invest. For others, the RTX 4090 remains sufficient.
