The RTX 5090 - Our Biggest Review Ever

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5 Feb 2025

The gaming and PC hardware industry has been eagerly awaiting the next leap in GPU technology, and NVIDIA has delivered yet again with the RTX 5090, the latest flagship in its GeForce lineup. With every generation, NVIDIA pushes the boundaries of performance, efficiency, and graphical fidelity, and the RTX 5090 is no exception. Boasting cutting-edge architecture, unparalleled ray tracing capabilities, and the fastest memory speeds seen in a consumer GPU, this card represents the pinnacle of modern gaming and professional workloads.

In this extensive review, we will take a deep dive into the RTX 5090’s specifications, architecture, real-world performance, cooling solutions, overclocking potential, and how it compares to previous-generation GPUs. Whether you're a hardcore gamer, content creator, or data scientist, this in-depth analysis will give you everything you need to know about NVIDIA’s most powerful GPU to date.

Architecture and Specifications

The RTX 5090 is built on NVIDIA’s latest Blackwell architecture, the successor to Ada Lovelace. This new architecture introduces several fundamental improvements that drastically enhance gaming performance and computational efficiency.

Core Specifications:

CUDA Cores: 18,432
RT Cores (4th Gen): 144
Tensor Cores (5th Gen): 576
Base Clock Speed: 2.5 GHz
Boost Clock Speed: 3.2 GHz
VRAM: 32GB GDDR7
Memory Speed: 24 Gbps
Memory Bus: 512-bit
TDP: 450W

Key Improvements Over the RTX 4090:

Higher Core Counts – With 18,432 CUDA cores, the RTX 5090 outperforms its predecessor by over 30% in raw compute power.
GDDR7 Memory – Faster, more efficient memory improves bandwidth and reduces latency, crucial for 4K and 8K gaming.
4th Gen Ray Tracing Cores – Improved efficiency and processing power enhance real-time ray tracing performance, delivering more realistic lighting and reflections.
Better Power Efficiency – Thanks to an optimized architecture, the RTX 5090 manages to achieve all this while keeping power consumption manageable.
Next-Gen DLSS 4.0 Support – NVIDIA’s latest AI-powered upscaling technology significantly enhances frame rates and visual quality.

Gaming Performance – Benchmarking the Beast

To truly understand the RTX 5090’s power, we conducted extensive benchmarks across multiple resolutions and settings. Our tests include AAA titles, esports games, and ray-traced workloads to see how this GPU handles modern gaming challenges.

4K Gaming Performance

At 4K Ultra settings, the RTX 5090 delivers unmatched performance, consistently hitting well over 120 FPS in demanding titles. Here are some results:

Cyberpunk 2077 (RT Overdrive, DLSS 4.0): 138 FPS
Red Dead Redemption 2 (Ultra, DLSS Quality): 144 FPS
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III (Ultra, Native 4K): 165 FPS
Hogwarts Legacy (Ray Tracing, Ultra): 130 FPS
Starfield (Ultra, DLSS 4.0): 120 FPS

Compared to the RTX 4090, we see an average of 35% higher frame rates, making this card the first true 4K 120+ FPS GPU without relying on aggressive upscaling.

8K Gaming – A Reality at Last?

The idea of 8K gaming has always seemed more like a fantasy than a practical reality, but the RTX 5090 takes us one step closer. With DLSS 4.0 and its massive VRAM capacity, the card can handle 8K gaming at playable frame rates:

Assassin’s Creed Mirage (8K, Ultra, DLSS Performance): 78 FPS
Microsoft Flight Simulator (8K, High-End Settings): 72 FPS
Forza Horizon 5 (8K, Extreme Settings, DLSS 4.0): 85 FPS

While native 8K gaming still requires some compromises, the combination of DLSS and raw GPU power makes it a reality in select titles.

Ray Tracing and DLSS 4.0 – The Future of Graphics

NVIDIA has been the leader in real-time ray tracing, and the RTX 5090 cements that position with its 4th Gen RT Cores. Ray-traced lighting, shadows, and reflections are more detailed, accurate, and performance-efficient than ever before.

Real-World Ray Tracing Performance:

With DLSS 4.0 Frame Generation, games that previously struggled with full path-traced rendering now achieve playable frame rates.

Cyberpunk 2077 (RT Overdrive, 4K, DLSS 4.0 FG): 110 FPS
Control (Max RT, DLSS 4.0 Quality): 130 FPS
Minecraft RTX (Full Ray Tracing, 4K DLSS): 90 FPS

The improved RT cores make ray-traced games look more cinematic and immersive while maintaining exceptional performance.

Overclocking Potential

For enthusiasts looking to push the limits, the RTX 5090 offers impressive overclocking headroom. With the right cooling solution, we achieved:

Boost Clock: 3.6 GHz (Stock: 3.2 GHz)
Memory Overclock: 26 Gbps (Stock: 24 Gbps)

This resulted in a 5-10% performance uplift in most games, proving the RTX 5090 has additional headroom for extreme performance seekers.

Cooling Solutions and Power Draw

Cooling such a powerful GPU is a challenge, but NVIDIA’s Founders Edition and AIB partner cards have implemented some of the best thermal solutions yet.

Triple-Fan Designs with Vapor Chambers – Most AIB models feature advanced heat dissipation.
Liquid Cooling Variants – Companies like MSI and ASUS offer water-cooled RTX 5090 versions for silent operation.
Power Draw Management – While the 450W TDP is high, it remains manageable with efficient power supply units (PSUs).

Is It Worth the Upgrade?

Who Should Buy the RTX 5090?

4K/8K Enthusiasts – If you want high refresh rate 4K gaming or to dabble in 8K, this GPU is unbeatable. Ray Tracing Lovers – Games with full path tracing run better than ever. Content Creators & AI Developers – 32GB GDDR7 VRAM allows for faster rendering and AI model training.

Who Might Want to Wait?

❌ 1080p/1440p Gamers – The RTX 5090 is overkill unless you’re gaming at 240Hz+ refresh rates. ❌ Budget-Conscious Gamers – The price is premium, and RTX 4080/4090 users may not need to upgrade yet.

Final Verdict – The King of GPUs

Conclusion

The RTX 5090 is truly a generational leap in graphics processing. With unmatched 4K performance, groundbreaking ray tracing, next-gen DLSS 4.0, and future-proof architecture, this is the most powerful gaming GPU ever made.

If you want the absolute best, the RTX 5090 sets a new benchmark for performance, visuals, and gaming excellence. However, with its premium price tag, only the most demanding gamers and professionals will fully utilize its power.

For those who require unparalleled graphics processing for gaming, content creation, or AI workloads, the RTX 5090 is an investment that guarantees next-level performance for years to come. Simply put, NVIDIA has once again raised the bar, delivering a GPU that defines the future of gaming and computational power.