Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 Founders Edition: In-Depth Review

Every couple of years, Nvidia introduces a flagship graphics card that pushes PC gaming into a new era. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 is precisely that, yet its approach to delivering next-generation performance is unconventional. While the performance improvement over the RTX 4090 may not be as substantial as expected in many games without considering DLSS Frame Generation, the next iteration of Nvidia's DLSS technology offers significant leaps in both image quality and performance, surpassing traditional graphics upgrades.

The extent to which the RTX 5090 will enhance your gaming experience depends on the games you play, your preferred resolution, and your comfort with AI-generated frames. For most gamers using displays below 4K with a 240Hz refresh rate, the upgrade might not be justified. However, for those with high-end displays, 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 leverages Nvidia's high-end Blackwell architecture, which powers advanced AI models in data centers and supercomputers. This gives a hint of the RTX 5090's prowess in AI, though it also excels in traditional graphics tasks. The card boasts more Streaming Multiprocessors (SMs) within the same Graphics Processing Clusters (GPCs), resulting in a 32% increase in CUDA cores, from 16,384 in the RTX 4090 to 21,760. This upgrade significantly boosts 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 operation support, reducing VRAM dependency. Coupled with 32GB of GDDR7 VRAM, a shift from the RTX 4090's GDDR6X, the RTX 5090 offers faster and more power-efficient memory, despite its high power draw of 575W.

Nvidia has optimized the DLSS algorithm to run on a Transformer Neural Network (TNN), promising improved image quality and reduced artifacts. Additionally, the introduction of Multi-Frame Generation enhances frame rates by generating multiple frames from each rendered image, ideal for users with decent baseline performance.

Purchasing Guide

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 will be available starting January 30, with a starting price of $1,999 for the Founders Edition. Third-party cards may be priced higher.

The Founders Edition

Despite requiring 575W of power, the RTX 5090 Founders Edition surprisingly fits into a dual-slot chassis with a dual-fan configuration. This design efficiently manages heat, reaching a maximum temperature of 86°C during testing, higher than the RTX 4090's 80°C but not enough to cause throttling. The compact PCB and innovative airflow design make it suitable for smaller PC builds, unlike its bulkier predecessors.

The RTX 5090 retains the familiar design aesthetics of recent generations, featuring a silver 'X' design and gunmetal-gray chassis. It includes a new 12V-2x6 power connector, angled for easier installation, and comes with an adapter that uses four 8-pin PCIe power connectors to meet its power needs.

DLSS 4: Fake Frames?

Nvidia claims the RTX 5090 can boost performance by up to 8x, primarily through its advanced frame generation capabilities. DLSS 4 introduces Multi-Frame Generation, utilizing an AI Management Processor (AMP) core to efficiently assign workloads across the GPU. This results in a new frame generation model that's 40% faster and requires 30% less memory than its predecessor, capable of creating three AI frames per rendered frame.

The AMP core's Flip Metering algorithm minimizes input lag, making Multi-Frame Generation viable only for those with high baseline frame rates. DLSS 4 will be available in numerous games supporting DLSS 3 Frame Generation upon the RTX 5090's release, with initial testing in beta versions of Cyberpunk 2077 and Star Wars Outlaws showing impressive results.

In Cyberpunk 2077 at 4K with the Ray Tracing Overdrive Preset, the RTX 5090 achieved 94 fps, which doubled to 162 fps with DLSS 2x frame generation and soared to 286 fps with 4x frame generation. Similarly, Star Wars Outlaws at 4K reached around 300 fps with DLSS 4 enabled, up from 120 fps without frame generation. These results indicate that Multi-Frame Generation works effectively, albeit best suited for high-end 4K displays.

RTX 5090 – Performance

The RTX 5090 demonstrates a generational leap in raw performance, particularly in 3DMark benchmarks, where it outperforms the RTX 4090 by up to 42%. However, real-world gaming performance often faces CPU bottlenecks, even with the fastest gaming processors like the Ryzen 7 9800X3D.

In Call of Duty Black Ops 6 at 4K, the RTX 5090 only achieves a 10% performance increase over the RTX 4090, while Cyberpunk 2077 at the same resolution shows a similar 10% uplift. Metro Exodus: Enhanced Edition, tested without DLSS, shows a 25% improvement over the RTX 4090, while Red Dead Redemption 2 at 4K yields a modest 6% uplift.

Total War: Warhammer 3, without ray tracing or upscaling, demonstrates a 35% performance increase, aligning closer to the potential shown in synthetic benchmarks. However, Assassin's Creed Mirage encountered performance issues, likely due to a driver bug, resulting in lower and unstable frame rates.

In demanding games like Black Myth: Wukong and Forza Horizon 5, the RTX 5090 shows a 20% and negligible performance uplift over the RTX 4090, respectively. These results indicate that the RTX 5090's full potential may not be realized in current games, positioning it as a forward-looking investment for future titles.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 – Benchmarks

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While the RTX 5090 is the fastest consumer graphics card available, its significant power and cost may not justify an immediate upgrade for RTX 4090 owners. Instead, it's a bet on the future of AI-powered gaming, best suited for enthusiasts eager to stay at the forefront of technology.