NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090: A New GPU That’s Fast but Expensive
NVIDIA’s latest flagship, the GeForce RTX 5090, is here, priced at $2,000. With improved GPU cores, more VRAM, and enhanced AI and ray tracing performance, it promises to outshine its competitors. But is it worth the steep cost?
Performance at 1440p and 4K
At 1440p, the RTX 5090 delivers solid performance, but doesn’t break records—showing only a modest improvement over the 4090 in games like Red Dead Redemption 2 and F1 24. However, in more graphically demanding titles like Alan Wake 2 and Cyberpunk, it takes a noticeable lead.
At 4K, the 5090 shines with higher FPS, notably in Cyberpunk and Alan Wake 2, although it still struggles in Black Myth Wukong. The performance uplift, though impressive, doesn’t justify its hefty price tag when compared to the 4090.
Ray Tracing and DLSS 4
The RTX 5090 excels in ray tracing at both 1440p and 4K. Titles like Alan Wake 2 show significant improvements in playability with the 5090, while Cyberpunk sees a more modest 20% lead over the 4090. The new DLSS 4 technology boosts frame rates, though visual artifacts remain in certain games.
Multi-frame generation (MFG) enhances frame rates significantly, but at the cost of some visual oddities. It’s a feature that looks great on paper but requires more refinement to be truly game-changing.
AI and Productivity Boost
With 32GB of GDDR7 VRAM, the RTX 5090 is a powerful tool for AI tasks, video editing, and rendering. The new hardware-accelerated encoders are a boon for professionals working with high-quality video, offering faster performance in applications like DaVinci Resolve and Blender. In AI benchmarks, the 5090 is a leader but doesn’t deliver as massive a performance boost as expected.
Power Consumption and Cooling
The RTX 5090 draws a hefty 575 watts of power, and the cooling design is unique. It features a double flow-through system, but users may experience slightly higher CPU temperatures in some builds.
Verdict
For professionals who can take full advantage of its power, the RTX 5090 is an easy choice. Gamers, however, might find it less appealing due to its steep price and marginal performance improvements over the 4090. It’s an upgrade for those already in the high-end tier but may not be worth it for most.