The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090: A Leap Forward, But For Whom?

Nvidia's latest flagship, the RTX 5090, promises a generational leap in PC gaming performance. However, the reality is more nuanced. While raw power is significantly boosted, the performance gains over the RTX 4090 aren't as dramatic in many games, especially without DLSS Frame Generation. The true revolution lies in the advancements of DLSS 4.

The upgrade's value hinges on your gaming setup and tolerance for AI-generated frames. For those with sub-4K, sub-240Hz displays, the upgrade is likely unnecessary. However, high-end display owners will experience a significant performance boost thanks to DLSS 4's Multi-Frame Generation.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 – Images

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RTX 5090 – Specifications and Features

Built on Blackwell architecture, already powering leading AI models, the RTX 5090 excels in AI-related tasks. However, Nvidia hasn't neglected traditional gaming performance. The card boasts 21,760 CUDA cores (a 32% increase over the RTX 4090), significantly enhancing shader performance. Each SM includes four Tensor Cores and one RT Core, leading to a substantial increase in Tensor and RT core counts compared to its predecessor. The 5th-generation Tensor Cores support FP4 operations, reducing VRAM dependency for AI workloads.

The card features 32GB of GDDR7 VRAM, offering faster speeds and improved power efficiency compared to GDDR6X. Despite this, the RTX 5090 consumes a substantial 575W, a significant jump from the RTX 4090's power draw.

DLSS 4 leverages a Transformer Neural Network (TNN), replacing the Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) used in previous iterations. While frame rates aren't necessarily improved, Nvidia claims enhanced image quality and reduced artifacts. Multi-Frame Generation, an evolution of DLSS 3's Frame Generation, generates multiple frames from a single rendered image, drastically boosting frame rates but requiring a solid base frame rate for optimal performance.

Purchasing Guide

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 launched January 30th, with a starting price of $1,999 for the Founders Edition. Third-party cards may command significantly higher prices.

The Founders Edition

Despite its 575W power consumption, the RTX 5090 Founders Edition surprisingly features a smaller, dual-slot design. Nvidia achieved this through a redesigned PCB layout and cooling solution, which effectively manages heat, reaching a maximum temperature of around 86°C under load. The card's design incorporates a dual-fan configuration drawing air from the bottom and expelling it through the top, eliminating rear exhaust vents.

The design aesthetics are similar to previous generations, featuring a silver ‘X’ design and a white LED-lit ‘GeForce RTX’ logo. A new, angled 12V-2x6 power connector, claimed to be more efficient than its predecessor, is included, along with an adapter for four 8-pin PCIe power connectors.

This compact design makes it suitable for smaller PC builds, unlike previous generations. However, third-party versions are likely to be larger.

DLSS 4: Is it "Fake Frames"?

Nvidia claims DLSS 4 can boost performance up to 8x. While not reaching that extreme, the RTX 5090 achieves incredibly high frame rates, primarily through AI-generated frames. The new AI Management Processor (AMP) core efficiently manages workload distribution across the GPU, improving Multi-Frame Generation's speed and memory efficiency compared to DLSS 3. The AMP's Flip Metering algorithm minimizes input lag.

Multi-Frame Generation works best with a strong base frame rate (around 60fps or higher). Lower frame rates can introduce significant latency. Optimal performance requires enabling both Frame Generation and DLSS upscaling. At launch, DLSS 4 supported a wide range of games previously compatible with DLSS 3 Frame Generation. Testing revealed impressive results in Cyberpunk 2077 and Star Wars Outlaws, with substantial frame rate increases and minimal artifacts.

RTX 5090 – Performance Benchmarks

Testing revealed a generational leap in raw performance in 3DMark, significantly outperforming the RTX 4090. However, real-world gaming performance showed a more limited advantage, often bottlenecked by the CPU even at 4K resolution, even when paired with a high-end Ryzen 7 9800X3D processor. For many users with high-end graphics cards, the upgrade may not justify the cost.

Benchmarks across various games (Call of Duty Black Ops 6, Cyberpunk 2077, Metro Exodus: Enhanced Edition, Red Dead Redemption 2, Total War: Warhammer 3, Assassin's Creed Mirage, Black Myth: Wukong, and Forza Horizon 5) demonstrated varying levels of performance improvement over the RTX 4090, ranging from minimal gains to more substantial increases depending on the game's reliance on CPU resources and the use of ray tracing or upscaling technologies. An outlier was Assassin's Creed Mirage, which exhibited unusual performance issues potentially attributable to driver bugs.

Conclusion

The RTX 5090 is undeniably the fastest consumer graphics card available, but its performance gains over the RTX 4090 are often less dramatic than expected in current games due to CPU bottlenecks. Its true potential lies in DLSS 4's ability to significantly boost frame rates, particularly for high-refresh-rate, high-resolution displays. The card is a worthwhile investment for those seeking cutting-edge technology and willing to embrace AI-powered gaming, but for most others, the RTX 4090 remains a powerful and cost-effective option.

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