In the ever - evolving world of PC gaming, the graphics card is the beating heart of your system. When it comes to the crème de la crème of GPUs, NVIDIA's RTX series has long reigned supreme. Now, with the release of the RTX 5090, gamers are faced with a tough decision: should they stick with the tried - and - true RTX 4090, or take the plunge and upgrade to the latest and greatest? In this comprehensive comparison, we'll delve into the key differences between these two powerhouses to help you determine which is the better fit for your gaming needs.
NVIDIA's journey into real - time ray tracing began with the launch of the RTX 20 series in 2018. This marked a significant leap forward, introducing dedicated hardware for ray tracing, a groundbreaking technique that simulates how light behaves in the real world, resulting in stunningly realistic lighting, reflections, and shadows. Subsequent generations, including the RTX 30 and 40 series, have consistently refined this technology, pushing the boundaries of visual fidelity and performance. The RTX 4090, powered by NVIDIA's Ada Lovelace architecture, further enhanced ray tracing capabilities with features like DLSS 3, which leverages AI to generate entirely new frames, significantly boosting performance without sacrificing visual quality. This card quickly became the gold standard for high - end gaming and creative workflows. However, NVIDIA's relentless pursuit of innovation has led to the arrival of the RTX 5090, built upon the Blackwell architecture. This new flagship promises a generational leap in performance, leveraging advancements in AI and graphics processing to deliver unprecedented levels of realism and responsiveness.
The RTX 5090 is built on NVIDIA's Blackwell architecture, while the RTX 4090 uses the Ada Lovelace architecture. The Blackwell architecture brings several key advancements, including 5th generation tensor cores for accelerated AI processing and 4th generation ray tracing cores for improved ray tracing performance. In terms of CUDA cores, the RTX 5090 boasts a staggering 21,760 cores, compared to the RTX 4090's 16,384 cores. This significant increase in core count gives the RTX 5090 a substantial advantage in parallel processing tasks, such as gaming and data - intensive applications like machine learning and video rendering.
Parameter | RTX 5090 | RTX 4090 |
Architecture | Blackwell | Ada Lovelace |
CUDA Cores | 21,760 | 16,384 |
Tensor Cores | 5th generation | 4th generation |
Ray Tracing Cores | 4th generation | 3rd generation |
Memory | 32GB GDDR7 | 24GB GDDR6X |
Memory Bus Width | 512 - bit | 384 - bit |
TDP | 575W | 450W |
DLSS Version | DLSS 4 | DLSS 3 |
Memory and bandwidth are crucial factors for graphics cards, especially when dealing with high - resolution gaming and large - scale 3D rendering. The RTX 5090 features 32GB of GDDR7 memory with a 512 - bit bus width, providing lightning - fast data transfer speeds. In contrast, the RTX 4090 has 24GB of GDDR6X memory and a 384 - bit bus width. The additional 8GB of memory and wider bus on the RTX 5090 allow for smoother performance in games with high - resolution textures and complex scenes, reducing the likelihood of texture pop - in and stuttering.
DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) is NVIDIA's proprietary AI rendering technology that uses deep learning and computer vision to upscale lower - resolution images to higher resolutions in real - time. The RTX 5090 introduces the next generation of DLSS, DLSS 4, with multi - frame generation. This feature not only upscales the image but also generates multiple intermediate frames between real ones, significantly increasing frame rates and picture smoothness. In games like "Cyberpunk 2077" and "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt" with ray tracing enabled, the RTX 5090 with DLSS 4 can achieve frame rates that are more than double those of the RTX 4090 with DLSS 3. The RTX 4090, while still impressive with DLSS 3's frame generation, cannot match the performance gains offered by DLSS 4 on the RTX 5090.
Ray tracing is a rendering technique that simulates how light behaves in a virtual environment, creating incredibly realistic lighting effects and reflections. The RTX 5090, with its 4th generation ray tracing cores, offers better performance and improved visuals compared to the RTX 4090's 3rd generation ray tracing cores. In games that fully utilize ray tracing, such as "Minecraft RTX" and "Control," the RTX 5090 can render complex scenes with even more stunning accuracy and detail, providing a more immersive gaming experience.
In real - world gaming benchmarks, the RTX 5090 has shown significant performance improvements over the RTX 4090. In a test of 17 popular 3A games at 4K resolution, the RTX 5090 outperformed the RTX 4090 by an average of 27%. Games like "Plague Tale: Requiem" saw a whopping 42% performance increase on the RTX 5090, while "Starfield" had a more modest 7% improvement. Even in games without ray tracing and DLSS enabled, the RTX 5090 typically offers a 15 - 35% performance boost, depending on the game, resolution, and graphics settings.
The RTX 5090 has a thermal design power (TDP) of 575W, which is higher than the RTX 4090's TDP of 450W. This means that the RTX 5090 requires a more powerful power supply and better cooling solutions. However, despite the higher TDP, the RTX 5090 is more energy - efficient overall due to its advanced architecture and technology. When paired with an appropriate power supply and cooling system, the RTX 5090 can deliver its high - performance capabilities without overheating or causing stability issues.
As of now, the RTX 5090 is significantly more expensive than the RTX 4090. The price difference reflects the new technology and performance improvements of the RTX 5090. However, the RTX 4090, being an older model, may offer better value for those on a budget who still want a high - performance GPU. If you're a gamer who is content with the performance of the RTX 4090 and don't need the absolute latest technology, the RTX 4090 can still provide an excellent gaming experience, especially as its price may drop further over time.
The RTX 5090 represents a significant leap forward in graphics card technology, offering unparalleled performance and cutting - edge features. Its superior core count, larger memory, more advanced DLSS technology, and better ray tracing capabilities make it the clear choice for gamers who demand the best in visual fidelity and frame rates, especially in 4K and 8K gaming. However, the RTX 4090 remains a powerful and capable card, especially considering potential price drops. It can still handle most modern games at high resolutions with ease and is a more cost - effective option for those who don't need the bleeding - edge performance of the RTX 5090. Ultimately, the best choice depends on your budget, performance expectations, and long - term goals. If you're willing to invest in the latest and greatest technology and want to future - proof your gaming setup for years to come, the RTX 5090 is the way to go. But if you're looking for a more balanced price - to - performance ratio, the RTX 4090 can still provide hours of immersive gaming enjoyment.
