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GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce Review | 118 Data compared

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  • Avg. price in UK: ~£1,900
  • Avg. price in US: ~$1,500
  • VRAM: 24 GB
  • Memory bus width: 384 bit
  • Thermal Design Power (TDP): 450 W

GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce review. Compare 118 technical specifications and user reviews to see how it ranks among graphics cards and if it is worth buying.

7.8

Overall score

What it is: An overall evaluation of the graphics card's quality, based on technical analyses and user reviews.

When it matters: When you need a quick reference to identify the best graphics cards on the market.

Score components:

90.0%

8.0

Technical Score

10.0%

6.6

User score

Very good
8.0

Technical Score

What it is: An assessment of the graphics card's technical performance, covering key areas such as gaming and rendering performance, ray tracing, memory configuration, power efficiency, cooling, connectivity, features, and build quality.

When it matters: When you want to compare graphics cards based on technical performance and available features.

Score components:

44.0%

8.3

Performance

24.0%

8.1

Memory

12.0%

5.2

Power & Cooling

11.0%

9.4

Platform & Features

5.0%

7.7

Design

4.0%

8.5

Connectivity & Media

Excellent
6.6

User score

What it is: A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the graphics card.

When it matters: When you want to understand how a graphics card performs in real use and how reliable it is in terms of performance, temperatures, noise, stability, and long-term ownership.

Score components:

70.0%

8.4

User reviews

30.0%

2.3

Popularity

User score:
United Kingdom
amazon
4.3
(10)
United States
Amazon_logo.png
4.2
(11)

(Reviews last updated: June 2026)

Good
  • 8.4
    Gaming

    Score components:

    45.0%

    8.1

    Floating-point performance

    25.0%

    7.6

    VRAM

    20.0%

    10

    Ray tracing cores / units

    10.0%

    8.8

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 7.7
    Video editing

    Score components:

    35.0%

    7.0

    AV1 encode

    30.0%

    7.6

    VRAM

    20.0%

    8.1

    Floating-point performance

    15.0%

    8.8

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 8.2
    1080p

    Score components:

    55.0%

    8.1

    Floating-point performance

    25.0%

    7.6

    VRAM

    10.0%

    10

    Ray tracing cores / units

    10.0%

    8.8

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 8.3
    1440p

    Score components:

    50.0%

    8.1

    Floating-point performance

    30.0%

    7.6

    VRAM

    15.0%

    10

    Ray tracing cores / units

    5.0%

    8.8

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 8.3
    4K

    Score components:

    40.0%

    8.1

    Floating-point performance

    35.0%

    7.6

    VRAM

    20.0%

    10

    Ray tracing cores / units

    5.0%

    8.8

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

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Best prices in UK

Best rankings

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Available: ranking among products currently available (including other versions of this product).
All: ranking among all products in the database.

Verdict

The Gigabyte Aorus GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce is a powerhouse graphics card built on NVIDIA's Ampere architecture, featuring 10,752 CUDA cores and 24GB of high-speed GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit interface with a 1TB/s bandwidth. This card is distinguished by its factory overclocked boost clock of 1935 MHz and an advanced AIO cooling solution that utilizes a 360mm radiator paired with three 120mm double ball bearing fans to maintain thermal stability. Main pros include its exceptional 4K and VR performance, quiet operation under heavy loads, and a relatively compact dual-slot design for the card itself. However, notable cons include its extreme power consumption requiring a 16-pin PCIe Gen 5 connector, a lack of dual BIOS and RGB lighting on the card itself, and reported higher-than-average memory temperatures despite the liquid cooling setup.

Technical Specifications of GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce

Technical Score

What it is: An assessment of the graphics card's technical performance, covering key areas such as gaming and rendering performance, ray tracing, memory configuration, power efficiency, cooling, connectivity, features, and build quality.

When it matters: When you want to compare graphics cards based on technical performance and available features.

Score components:

44.0%

8.3

Performance

24.0%

8.1

Memory

12.0%

5.2

Power & Cooling

11.0%

9.4

Platform & Features

5.0%

7.7

Design

4.0%

8.5

Connectivity & Media

8.0
GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has a technical score of 7.97 points, which is higher than that of 78.3% of products in this category.
User score

What it is: A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the graphics card.

When it matters: When you want to understand how a graphics card performs in real use and how reliable it is in terms of performance, temperatures, noise, stability, and long-term ownership.

Score components:

70.0%

8.4

User reviews

30.0%

2.3

Popularity

User score:
United Kingdom
amazon
4.3
(10)
United States
Amazon_logo.png
4.2
(11)

(Reviews last updated: June 2026)

6.6
GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has a user score of 6.57 points, which is lower than that of 95.8% of products in this category.
Popularity
What it is: An indicator based on the number of reviews received by the graphics card.
When it matters: When you prefer a graphics card that has already been chosen and reviewed by many other users.
2.3
GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has a popularity of 2.3 points, which is higher than 49.7% of products in this category.
Ratio quality/price

What it is: An indicator that combines the graphics card's overall rating with its cost.

When it matters: When you are looking for a graphics card that offers a strong balance of performance, features, and price.

Score components:

60.0%

7.8

Overall score

40.0%

1.0

Price

5.8
GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has a quality-to-price ratio of 5.8 points, which is lower than 86.1% of products in this category.
3DMark Time Spy benchmark score
What it is: Benchmark result from 3DMark Time Spy, a synthetic DirectX 12 test often used as a quick gaming-performance reference.
When it matters: When you need a fast rough performance sort before digging into game-specific reviews and frame-rate data.

Importance: LOW

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3DMark Port Royal score
What it is: Benchmark result from 3DMark Port Royal, a synthetic test focused on ray tracing performance.
When it matters: When ray tracing matters in the games you actually play and you want one quick way to separate stronger and weaker RT cards.

Importance: LOW

14,523 points
GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce scores 14523 points in 3DMark Port Royal, which is higher than 69.3% of graphics cards and equal to 0.4% of graphics cards.
PassMark (G3D) result
What it is: Overall GPU performance score in PassMark G3D benchmark
When it matters: When you need one broad score to sort cards into rough performance tiers.

Importance: LOW

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PassMark (DirectCompute) result
What it is: PassMark score for DirectCompute performance tests
When it matters: When compute workloads matter alongside gaming performance.

Importance: LOW

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Floating-point performance
What it is: Theoretical floating-point compute performance of the GPU.
When it matters: When rendering, AI, or heavy compute work needs strong single-precision throughput.

Importance: LOW

41.61 TFLOPS
GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce delivers 41.61 TFLOPS floating-point performance, which is higher than that of 71.5% of graphics cards.
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VRAM
What it is: Total video memory available on the graphics card
When it matters: When you play at high settings, use texture mods, or work with large creative projects.

Importance: HIGH

24 GB
GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has 24 GB of VRAM, which is more than 91.1% of graphics cards and equal to 5.6% of graphics cards.
Memory type
What it is: Type of graphics memory used (GDDR6, HBM2e, etc.)
When it matters: When memory technology is part of the buying decision because it affects bandwidth class, power use, and product positioning.

Importance: LOW

GDDR6X
GDDR version
What it is: Generation of GDDR memory used by the graphics card.
When it matters: When you want to separate older memory generations from newer ones before comparing bandwidth, power behavior, and market tier.

Importance: LOW

GDDR6X
GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce uses GDDR6X memory, which is newer than on 55.8% of graphics cards and equal to 22.6% of graphics cards.
Memory bus width
What it is: Width of the memory interface bus in bits
When it matters: When you care about steadier performance at higher resolutions, heavier texture settings, or ray-traced workloads that stress memory traffic.

Importance: HIGH

384 bit
GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce uses a 384 bit memory bus, which is wider than that of 89.3% of graphics cards and equal to that of 7.3% of graphics cards.
Maximum memory bandwidth
What it is: Maximum data transfer rate between GPU and its memory
When it matters: When 4K gaming, ray tracing, or creator work can choke a slower memory subsystem.

Importance: HIGH

1,008 GB/s
GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce reaches 1008 GB/s memory bandwidth, which is higher than that of 93.7% of graphics cards and equal to that of 2.8% of graphics cards.
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PCI Express (PCIe) version
What it is: Version of PCI Express interface supported
When it matters: When you are pairing the card with an older motherboard and want to avoid leaving bandwidth or future compatibility on the table.

Importance: LOW

4.0
GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce supports PCIe 4.0, which is newer than on 22.5% of graphics cards and equal to 52% of graphics cards.
PCIe lanes
What it is: Number of PCI Express lanes used for communication
When it matters: When limited lane width could bottleneck the card in some systems.

Importance: LOW

x16
GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce uses x16 PCIe lanes, which is more than 31.5% of graphics cards and equal to 68.6% of graphics cards.
DirectX version
What it is: Highest supported DirectX API version
When it matters: When you play newer Windows games that depend on the latest graphics features.

Importance: LOW

12 Ultimate
GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, which is more advanced than on 12.5% of graphics cards and equal to 87.5% of graphics cards.
Vulkan version
What it is: Highest supported Vulkan API version
When it matters: When modern games, emulators, or creative apps lean on Vulkan support.

Importance: LOW

1.3
GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce supports Vulkan 1.3, which is older than on 73.5% of graphics cards and equal to 22.5% of graphics cards.
OpenGL version
What it is: Highest supported OpenGL API version
When it matters: When older games or pro apps still depend on OpenGL compatibility.

Importance: LOW

4.6
GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce supports OpenGL 4.6, which is more advanced than on 4.8% of graphics cards and equal to 95.2% of graphics cards.
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Max displays supported
What it is: Total number of external displays supported simultaneously
When it matters: When you run a multi-monitor desk for sim racing, trading, or editing.

Importance: LOW

4
GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce supports up to 4 displays, which is more than 7.8% of graphics cards and equal to 89.2% of graphics cards.
Max digital resolution
What it is: Maximum supported digital display resolution
When it matters: When you plan to drive 4K or 8K panels at their native resolution.

Importance: LOW

7680x4320
GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce supports a maximum digital resolution of 7680x4320, which is higher than that of 44.4% of graphics cards and equal to that of 55.6% of graphics cards.
DisplayPort outputs
What it is: Number of DisplayPort video outputs
When it matters: When your setup needs several high-refresh monitors without adapters.

Importance: LOW

3
GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce offers 3 DisplayPort outputs, which is more than 20.9% of graphics cards and equal to 77.3% of graphics cards.
DisplayPort version
What it is: Version of DisplayPort standard supported
When it matters: When your monitor setup depends on newer DisplayPort features for higher refresh rates, higher resolution, or better cable flexibility.

Importance: LOW

1.4a
GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce supports DisplayPort 1.4a, which is more advanced than on 22.7% of graphics cards and equal to 44.2% of graphics cards.
DisplayPort link rates
What it is: Supported data link rates for DisplayPort connections
When it matters: When you are pushing high resolution and refresh rate over DisplayPort.

Importance: LOW

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Thermal Design Power (TDP)
What it is: Typical power consumption under full load (TDP)
When it matters: When you need a realistic idea of power draw before choosing a PSU or case.

Importance: MEDIUM

450 W
GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has a TDP of 450 W, which is higher than that of 94% of graphics cards and equal to that of 3% of graphics cards.
Power consumption while under peak load
What it is: Peak power draw of the graphics card under maximum load.
When it matters: When transient-heavy gaming loads could stress your power supply.

Importance: LOW

480 W
GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce draws 480 W under peak load, which is higher than 96.5% of graphics cards and equal to 0.2% of graphics cards.
Recommended PSU wattage
What it is: Recommended wattage of the system power supply
When it matters: When you are checking whether your current power supply is enough.

Importance: LOW

850 W
GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce recommends a 850 W PSU, which is higher than that of 81.6% of graphics cards and equal to that of 13.4% of graphics cards.
Board power limit
What it is: Maximum configurable power limit for the GPU board
When it matters: When you care about how far the card can be pushed through tuning or factory power settings.

Importance: LOW

480 W
GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has a board power limit of 480 W, which is higher than that of 94.9% of graphics cards and equal to that of 0.3% of graphics cards.
PCIe power spec
What it is: PCIe power delivery specification followed
When it matters: When you are checking whether the slot and external cables match the card's intended power-delivery standard.

Importance: LOW

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Size
What it is: Physical size of the GPU card
When it matters: When you need the card to fit a compact case without blocking nearby hardware.

Importance: LOW

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Length
What it is: Physical length of the GPU card
When it matters: When front radiators or drive cages leave only limited GPU clearance.

Importance: LOW

238 mm
GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce is 238 mm long, which is shorter than 78.3% of graphics cards and equal in length to 0.2% of graphics cards.
Height
What it is: Physical height of the GPU card
When it matters: When side panels, brackets, or tight case layouts reduce vertical clearance.

Importance: LOW

141 mm
GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce is 141 mm tall, which is taller than 83.1% of graphics cards and equal in height to 1% of graphics cards.
Slot width
What it is: Number of PCIe slots occupied by the card
When it matters: When you need room for another PCIe card or better airflow under the GPU.

Importance: LOW

2 slot/s
GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce occupies 2 slot/s, which is slimmer than 49.2% of graphics cards and equal in width to 47.3% of graphics cards.
Weight
What it is: Total weight of the graphics card
When it matters: When sag, bracket support, or shipping stress matters in your build.

Importance: LOW

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GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce vs the average graphics card

  • 44 more compute units
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has more compute units than the average graphics card (84 vs 40). The average graphics card has 40 compute units.
    What it is: Total number of shader multiprocessors or compute units
    When it matters: When you want a better sense of the GPU's overall parallel hardware resources before relying on game benchmarks alone.

    Importance: HIGH

    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has more compute units than the average graphics card (84 vs 40). The average graphics card has 40 compute units.84 vs 40
  • 36 more ray tracing cores
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has more ray tracing cores than the average graphics card (84 vs 48). The average graphics card has 48 ray tracing cores.
    What it is: Number of dedicated ray tracing processing cores or units
    When it matters: When you care about ray-traced lighting, reflections, and shadows in newer games.

    Importance: HIGH

    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has more ray tracing cores than the average graphics card (84 vs 48). The average graphics card has 48 ray tracing cores.84 vs 48
  • 2.25x higher memory bandwidth
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has a higher memory bandwidth than the average graphics card (1,008 GB/s vs 448 GB/s). The average graphics card has a memory bandwidth of 448 GB/s.
    What it is: Maximum data transfer rate between GPU and its memory
    When it matters: When 4K gaming, ray tracing, or creator work can choke a slower memory subsystem.

    Importance: HIGH

    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has a higher memory bandwidth than the average graphics card (1,008 GB/s vs 448 GB/s). The average graphics card has a memory bandwidth of 448 GB/s.1008 GB/s vs 448 GB/s
  • 12 GB more VRAM
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has more VRAM than the average graphics card (24 GB vs 12 GB). The average graphics card has 12 GB VRAM.
    What it is: Total video memory available on the graphics card
    When it matters: When you play at high settings, use texture mods, or work with large creative projects.

    Importance: HIGH

    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has more VRAM than the average graphics card (24 GB vs 12 GB). The average graphics card has 12 GB VRAM.24 GB vs 12 GB
  • 152 more TMUs
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has more TMUs than the average graphics card (336 vs 184). The average graphics card has 184 TMUs.
    What it is: Total count of texture mapping units on the GPU
    When it matters: When texture-heavy gaming performance matters and you want extra hardware context behind texture-rate claims.

    Importance: HIGH

    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has more TMUs than the average graphics card (336 vs 184). The average graphics card has 184 TMUs.336 vs 184
  • 48 more ROPs
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has more ROPs than the average graphics card (112 vs 64). The average graphics card has 64 ROPs.
    What it is: Total number of render output units on the GPU
    When it matters: When you want more context on pixel output capacity, especially for high-resolution play and older raster-heavy engines.

    Importance: HIGH

    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has more ROPs than the average graphics card (112 vs 64). The average graphics card has 64 ROPs.112 vs 64
  • 144 more AI cores
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has more AI cores than the average graphics card (336 vs 192). The average graphics card has 192 AI cores.
    What it is: Number of tensor or AI processing cores
    When it matters: When AI features, frame generation, or creator tools use dedicated matrix hardware.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has more AI cores than the average graphics card (336 vs 192). The average graphics card has 192 AI cores.336 vs 192
  • 72.6% higher texture rate
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has a higher texture rate than the average graphics card (650.2 GTexel/s vs 376.8 GTexel/s). The average graphics card has a texture rate of 376.8 GTexel/s.
    What it is: Number of textured pixels the GPU can process per second
    When it matters: When fast texture handling matters in high-refresh gaming workloads.

    Importance: HIGH

    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has a higher texture rate than the average graphics card (650.2 GTexel/s vs 376.8 GTexel/s). The average graphics card has a texture rate of 376.8 GTexel/s.650.2 GTexel/s vs 376.8 GTexel/s
  • 44 more compute units
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has more compute units than the average graphics card (84 vs 40). The average graphics card has 40 compute units.
  • 36 more ray tracing cores
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has more ray tracing cores than the average graphics card (84 vs 48). The average graphics card has 48 ray tracing cores.
  • 152 more TMUs
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has more TMUs than the average graphics card (336 vs 184). The average graphics card has 184 TMUs.
  • 48 more ROPs
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has more ROPs than the average graphics card (112 vs 64). The average graphics card has 64 ROPs.
  • 144 more AI cores
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has more AI cores than the average graphics card (336 vs 192). The average graphics card has 192 AI cores.
  • 72.6% higher texture rate
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has a higher texture rate than the average graphics card (650.2 GTexel/s vs 376.8 GTexel/s). The average graphics card has a texture rate of 376.8 GTexel/s.
  • 82% higher FP32 performance
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has a higher FP32 performance than the average graphics card (41.6 TFLOPS vs 22.86 TFLOPS). The average graphics card has FP32 performance of 22.86 TFLOPS.
  • 31.2% higher pixel rate
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has a higher pixel rate than the average graphics card (216.7 GPixel/s vs 165.2 GPixel/s). The average graphics card has a pixel rate of 165.2 GPixel/s.
  • 46.1% higher ray tracing score
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has a higher ray tracing score than the average graphics card (14,523 points vs 9,938.5 points). The average graphics card has a ray tracing score of 9,938.5 points.
  • 6,400 more FP32 units
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has more FP32 units than the average graphics card (10,752 vs 4,352). The average graphics card has 4,352 FP32 units.
  • 2.25x higher memory bandwidth
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has a higher memory bandwidth than the average graphics card (1,008 GB/s vs 448 GB/s). The average graphics card has a memory bandwidth of 448 GB/s.
  • 12 GB more VRAM
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has more VRAM than the average graphics card (24 GB vs 12 GB). The average graphics card has 12 GB VRAM.
  • 128 bit wider memory bus
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has a wider memory bus than the average graphics card (384 bit vs 256 bit). The average graphics card has a memory bus width of 256 bit.
  • Supports ECC memory
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce supports ECC memory, the average graphics card does not.
  • 10.5% faster memory speed
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has a higher effective memory speed than the average graphics card (21,000 MHz vs 19,000 MHz). The average graphics card reaches an effective memory speed of 19,000 MHz.
  • Supports multi-GPU linking
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce supports multi-GPU linking, the average graphics card does not.
  • Supports NVLink
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce supports NVLink, the average graphics card does not.
  • 10 °C lower idle temperature
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has a lower idle temperature than the average graphics card (28 °C vs 38 °C). The average graphics card has an idle temperature of 38 °C.
  • 47.37 mm shorter card length
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce is shorter than the average graphics card (238 mm vs 285.37 mm). The average graphics card has a length of 285.37 mm.

Total
Performance
Memory
Platform & Features
Power & Cooling
Design
  • 22.6% lower boost clock speed
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has a lower boost GPU clock than the average graphics card (1,935 MHz vs 2,500 MHz). The average graphics card has a boost GPU clock of 2,500 MHz.
  • 18.8% lower base clock speed
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has a lower base GPU clock than the average graphics card (1,560 MHz vs 1,920 MHz). The average graphics card has a base GPU clock of 1,920 MHz.
  • 81.3% smaller L2 cache
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has fewer L2 cache than the average graphics card (6 MB vs 32 MB). The average graphics card has 32 MB L2 cache.
  • 60% larger process node
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has a higher process node than the average graphics card (8 nm vs 5 nm). The average graphics card uses a process node of 5 nm.
  • Older Vulkan version
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce supports an older Vulkan version than the average graphics card (1.3 vs 1.4).
  • 2.06x larger GPU die
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has a higher GPU die size than the average graphics card (628 mm² vs 304.25 mm²). The average graphics card has a GPU die size of 304.25 mm².
  • 1 older
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce was released earlier than the average graphics card (2,022 vs 2,023).
  • Older encoder generation
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce uses an older encoder generation than the average graphics card (7 vs 8). The average graphics card uses encoder generation 8.
  • No AV1 encoding
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce does not support AV1 encoding, the average graphics card does.
  • Narrower decode codec support
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce supports narrower hardware decode codec support than the average graphics card (H.264 vs H.264/H.265/AV1/VP9).
  • 16.7% lower HDMI bandwidth
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has a lower HDMI bandwidth than the average graphics card (40 Gbps vs 48 Gbps). The average graphics card has HDMI bandwidth of 48 Gbps.
  • 2.09x higher TDP
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has a higher TDP than the average graphics card (450 W vs 215 W). The average graphics card has a TDP of 215 W.
  • 30.8% higher PSU requirement
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has a higher PSU requirement than the average graphics card (850 W vs 650 W). The average graphics card has a PSU requirement of 650 W.
  • 2.18x higher board power limit
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has a higher board power limit than the average graphics card (480 W vs 220 W). The average graphics card has a board power limit of 220 W.
  • 2.18x higher peak power draw
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has a higher peak power draw than the average graphics card (480 W vs 220 W). The average graphics card has a peak power draw of 220 W.
  • 14 mm higher card profile
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce is taller than the average graphics card (141 mm vs 127 mm). The average graphics card has a height of 127 mm.
  • 22.6% lower boost clock speed
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has a lower boost GPU clock than the average graphics card (1,935 MHz vs 2,500 MHz). The average graphics card has a boost GPU clock of 2,500 MHz.
    What it is: Maximum boost frequency the GPU can reach under load
    When it matters: When you want a rough idea of peak advertised frequency, while knowing real sustained clocks still depend on cooling and power limits.

    Importance: HIGH

    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has a lower boost GPU clock than the average graphics card (1,935 MHz vs 2,500 MHz). The average graphics card has a boost GPU clock of 2,500 MHz.1935 MHz vs 2500 MHz
  • 2.09x higher TDP
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has a higher TDP than the average graphics card (450 W vs 215 W). The average graphics card has a TDP of 215 W.
    What it is: Typical power consumption under full load (TDP)
    When it matters: When you need a realistic idea of power draw before choosing a PSU or case.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has a higher TDP than the average graphics card (450 W vs 215 W). The average graphics card has a TDP of 215 W.450 W vs 215 W
  • 60% larger process node
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has a higher process node than the average graphics card (8 nm vs 5 nm). The average graphics card uses a process node of 5 nm.
    What it is: Size of the manufacturing process in nanometers
    When it matters: When process node differences may affect power, heat, and overall efficiency.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has a higher process node than the average graphics card (8 nm vs 5 nm). The average graphics card uses a process node of 5 nm.8 nm vs 5 nm
  • 18.8% lower base clock speed
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has a lower base GPU clock than the average graphics card (1,560 MHz vs 1,920 MHz). The average graphics card has a base GPU clock of 1,920 MHz.
    What it is: Base operating frequency of the GPU core under standard conditions
    When it matters: When you want to understand the card's guaranteed starting frequency instead of looking only at optimistic boost figures.

    Importance: HIGH

    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has a lower base GPU clock than the average graphics card (1,560 MHz vs 1,920 MHz). The average graphics card has a base GPU clock of 1,920 MHz.1560 MHz vs 1920 MHz
  • 30.8% higher PSU requirement
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has a higher PSU requirement than the average graphics card (850 W vs 650 W). The average graphics card has a PSU requirement of 650 W.
    What it is: Recommended wattage of the system power supply
    When it matters: When you are checking whether your current power supply is enough.

    Importance: LOW

    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has a higher PSU requirement than the average graphics card (850 W vs 650 W). The average graphics card has a PSU requirement of 650 W.850 W vs 650 W
  • No AV1 encoding
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce does not support AV1 encoding, the average graphics card does.
    What it is: Supports hardware encoding of AV1 video codec
    When it matters: When you stream or export video and want efficient AV1 encoding on the GPU.

    Importance: LOW

    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce does not support AV1 encoding, the average graphics card does.No vs yes
  • 2.18x higher board power limit
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has a higher board power limit than the average graphics card (480 W vs 220 W). The average graphics card has a board power limit of 220 W.
    What it is: Maximum configurable power limit for the GPU board
    When it matters: When you care about how far the card can be pushed through tuning or factory power settings.

    Importance: LOW

    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce has a higher board power limit than the average graphics card (480 W vs 220 W). The average graphics card has a board power limit of 220 W.480 W vs 220 W
  • 14 mm higher card profile
    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce is taller than the average graphics card (141 mm vs 127 mm). The average graphics card has a height of 127 mm.
    What it is: Physical height of the GPU card
    When it matters: When side panels, brackets, or tight case layouts reduce vertical clearance.

    Importance: LOW

    GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce is taller than the average graphics card (141 mm vs 127 mm). The average graphics card has a height of 127 mm.141 mm vs 127 mm
Total
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Platform & Features
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Power & Cooling
Design

Graphic comparison of GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce and

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Third-party reviews

United Kingdom
amazon
4.3
10 Reviews
United States
Amazon_logo.png
4.2
11 Reviews

(Reviews last updated: June 2026)

What customers like about GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce?

  • Excellent thermal performance with the 360mm AIO cooler, maintaining significantly lower GPU temperatures compared to air-cooled models.
  • Whisper-quiet operation even under heavy load, often staying around 37 decibels.
  • Industry-leading factory overclock with high stable boost frequencies (averaging 2115 MHz).
  • Effective 24GB VRAM cooling; 3090 Ti design improvements result in lower memory temperatures than the original 3090.
  • Professional, 'clean' aesthetic with gold accents and a full-length metal backplate that appeals to those avoiding heavy RGB.
  • Outstanding performance for high-end VR and 4K/8K gaming, significantly outperforming previous generation flagships.

What customers dislike about GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce?

  • Extreme price point with a low price-to-performance ratio compared to newer models like the RTX 4070 Ti or 4080.
  • Massive power draw (480W limit) requiring a robust power supply and causing high total system heat.
  • Lack of features typical for its 'Extreme' branding, such as a dual-BIOS switch or integrated RGB lighting on the radiator fans.
  • Challenging installation due to the 360mm radiator and long 460mm braided tubes which may not fit in many cases.
  • Build quality concerns regarding the 'plasticky' shroud and reports of GPU sag despite its liquid-cooled nature.
  • Mixed reputation for customer service and RMA processes from Gigabyte if hardware issues occur.

Expert reviews

K
kitguru.net
25/04/2022
Gigabyte Aorus RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce Review

The KitGuru review highlights the Gigabyte Aorus RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce as a flagship graphics card targeted strictly at enthusiast users seeking the ultimate gaming performance. Built on a fully populated GA102 die with 10,752 CUDA cores and 24GB of upgraded 21Gbps GDDR6X memory, it achieves bandwidth exceeding 1TB/s. Equipped with a massive 360mm all-in-one liquid cooler,...Read more

H
hardwarezone.com.sg
18/05/2022
Gigabyte Aorus GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce 24G review

The Gigabyte Aorus GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Xtreme Waterforce 24G delivers class-leading performance powered by 10,752 CUDA cores, a factory-overclocked boost clock of 1,935MHz, and 24GB of GDDR6X memory. In real-world benchmarks, it establishes itself as a 4K gaming powerhouse, running up to 14% faster than the RTX 3090 Founders Edition at 4K resolution and maintaining frames well above...Read more

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