NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Review | 118 Data compared

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  • Avg. price in UK: ~£2,030
  • Avg. price in US: ~$1,600
  • VRAM: 24 GB
  • Memory bus width: 384 bit
  • Thermal Design Power (TDP): 450 W

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 review. Compare 118 technical specifications and user reviews to see how it ranks among graphics cards and if it is worth buying.

8.7

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%

8.7

Technical Score

10.0%

9.0

User score

Excellent
8.7

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%

9.6

Performance

24.0%

8.5

Memory

12.0%

5.7

Power & Cooling

11.0%

9.6

Platform & Features

5.0%

6.2

Design

4.0%

9.4

Connectivity & Media

Excellent
9.0

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%

9.2

User reviews

30.0%

8.6

Popularity

User score:
United Kingdom
amazon
4.6
(193)
United States
Amazon_logo.png
4.6
(209)

(Reviews last updated: June 2026)

Exceptional
  • 9.3
    Gaming

    Score components:

    45.0%

    10

    Floating-point performance

    25.0%

    7.6

    VRAM

    20.0%

    10

    Ray tracing cores / units

    10.0%

    8.8

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 9.1
    Video editing

    Score components:

    35.0%

    10

    AV1 encode

    30.0%

    7.6

    VRAM

    20.0%

    10

    Floating-point performance

    15.0%

    8.8

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 9.3
    1080p

    Score components:

    55.0%

    10

    Floating-point performance

    25.0%

    7.6

    VRAM

    10.0%

    10

    Ray tracing cores / units

    10.0%

    8.8

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 9.2
    1440p

    Score components:

    50.0%

    10

    Floating-point performance

    30.0%

    7.6

    VRAM

    15.0%

    10

    Ray tracing cores / units

    5.0%

    8.8

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 9.1
    4K

    Score components:

    40.0%

    10

    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 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 Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 is a flagship enthusiast-grade graphics card built on the Ada Lovelace architecture and TSMC’s 4N process, featuring 16,384 CUDA cores, 128 third-generation RT cores, and 512 fourth-generation Tensor cores. It is equipped with 24GB of high-speed GDDR6X VRAM on a 384-bit bus, delivering approximately 1 TB/s of bandwidth and a boost clock speed of up to 2.52 GHz. Its primary pros include unmatched performance in 4K/8K gaming and creative workflows, support for DLSS 3 frame generation, and significant efficiency gains over the previous generation. However, main cons include a very high $1,599 MSRP, a massive physical footprint requiring 3 to 4 expansion slots, a high 450W power draw (TDP) that necessitates an 850W+ power supply, and the lack of NVLink support for multi-GPU scaling.

Technical Specifications of NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090

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%

9.6

Performance

24.0%

8.5

Memory

12.0%

5.7

Power & Cooling

11.0%

9.6

Platform & Features

5.0%

6.2

Design

4.0%

9.4

Connectivity & Media

8.7
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has a technical score of 8.66 points, which is higher than that of 94.2% 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%

9.2

User reviews

30.0%

8.6

Popularity

User score:
United Kingdom
amazon
4.6
(193)
United States
Amazon_logo.png
4.6
(209)

(Reviews last updated: June 2026)

9.0
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has a user score of 9.01 points, which is higher than that of 77.9% 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.
8.6
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has a popularity of 8.6 points, which is higher than 74.3% 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%

8.7

Overall score

40.0%

1.0

Price

6.4
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has a quality-to-price ratio of 6.4 points, which is lower than 67% 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

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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

82.58 TFLOPS
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 delivers 82.58 TFLOPS floating-point performance, which is higher than that of 93.9% of graphics cards and equal to that of 1% 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
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 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
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 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
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 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
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 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
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 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
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 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

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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

1.4
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 supports Vulkan 1.4, which is more advanced than on 26.6% of graphics cards and equal to 73.4% 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
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 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
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 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
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 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
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 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
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 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

32.4 Gbps
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 supports DisplayPort link rates up to 32.4 Gbps, which is faster than on 58.3% of graphics cards and equal to 24% of graphics cards.
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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
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 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

450 W
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 draws 450 W under peak load, which is higher than 93.5% of graphics cards and equal to 2.7% 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
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 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

600 W
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has a board power limit of 600 W, which is higher than that of 97.2% of graphics cards and equal to that of 2.6% 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

450 W
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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

304 mm
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is 304 mm long, which is longer than 62.5% of graphics cards and equal in length to 2.3% 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

137 mm
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is 137 mm tall, which is taller than 71.3% of graphics cards and equal in height to 1.4% 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

3 slot/s
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 occupies 3 slot/s, which is wider than 69.8% of graphics cards and equal in width to 16.6% 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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NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 vs the average graphics card

  • 88 more compute units
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has more compute units than the average graphics card (128 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

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has more compute units than the average graphics card (128 vs 40). The average graphics card has 40 compute units.128 vs 40
  • 80 more ray tracing cores
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has more ray tracing cores than the average graphics card (128 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

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has more ray tracing cores than the average graphics card (128 vs 48). The average graphics card has 48 ray tracing cores.128 vs 48
  • 2.25x higher memory bandwidth
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 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

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 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
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 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

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 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
  • 112 more ROPs
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has more ROPs than the average graphics card (176 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

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has more ROPs than the average graphics card (176 vs 64). The average graphics card has 64 ROPs.176 vs 64
  • 3.42x higher texture rate
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has a higher texture rate than the average graphics card (1,290 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

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has a higher texture rate than the average graphics card (1,290 GTexel/s vs 376.8 GTexel/s). The average graphics card has a texture rate of 376.8 GTexel/s.1290 GTexel/s vs 376.8 GTexel/s
  • 328 more TMUs
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has more TMUs than the average graphics card (512 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

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has more TMUs than the average graphics card (512 vs 184). The average graphics card has 184 TMUs.512 vs 184
  • 2.68x higher pixel rate
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has a higher pixel rate than the average graphics card (443.5 GPixel/s vs 165.2 GPixel/s). The average graphics card has a pixel rate of 165.2 GPixel/s.
    What it is: Number of pixels the GPU can render per second
    When it matters: When you play at high resolutions or care about older raster-heavy games.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has a higher pixel rate than the average graphics card (443.5 GPixel/s vs 165.2 GPixel/s). The average graphics card has a pixel rate of 165.2 GPixel/s.443.5 GPixel/s vs 165.2 GPixel/s
  • 88 more compute units
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has more compute units than the average graphics card (128 vs 40). The average graphics card has 40 compute units.
  • 80 more ray tracing cores
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has more ray tracing cores than the average graphics card (128 vs 48). The average graphics card has 48 ray tracing cores.
  • 112 more ROPs
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has more ROPs than the average graphics card (176 vs 64). The average graphics card has 64 ROPs.
  • 3.42x higher texture rate
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has a higher texture rate than the average graphics card (1,290 GTexel/s vs 376.8 GTexel/s). The average graphics card has a texture rate of 376.8 GTexel/s.
  • 328 more TMUs
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has more TMUs than the average graphics card (512 vs 184). The average graphics card has 184 TMUs.
  • 2.68x higher pixel rate
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has a higher pixel rate than the average graphics card (443.5 GPixel/s vs 165.2 GPixel/s). The average graphics card has a pixel rate of 165.2 GPixel/s.
  • 320 more AI cores
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has more AI cores than the average graphics card (512 vs 192). The average graphics card has 192 AI cores.
  • 3.61x higher FP32 performance
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has a higher FP32 performance than the average graphics card (82.6 TFLOPS vs 22.86 TFLOPS). The average graphics card has FP32 performance of 22.86 TFLOPS.
  • 16.4% higher base clock speed
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has a higher base GPU clock than the average graphics card (2,235 MHz vs 1,920 MHz). The average graphics card has a base GPU clock of 1,920 MHz.
  • 12,032 more FP32 units
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has more FP32 units than the average graphics card (16,384 vs 4,352). The average graphics card has 4,352 FP32 units.
  • 3.57x higher compute throughput
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has a higher compute throughput than the average graphics card (82.6 TFLOPS vs 23.105 TFLOPS). The average graphics card has compute throughput of 23.105 TFLOPS.
  • 0.8% higher boost clock speed
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has a higher boost GPU clock than the average graphics card (2,520 MHz vs 2,500 MHz). The average graphics card has a boost GPU clock of 2,500 MHz.
  • 2.77x higher FP64 performance
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has a higher FP64 performance than the average graphics card (1.3 TFLOPS vs 0.4651 TFLOPS). The average graphics card has FP64 performance of 0.4651 TFLOPS.
  • 2.25x higher memory bandwidth
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 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
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 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
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 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
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 supports ECC memory, the average graphics card does not.
  • 2.25x larger L2 cache
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has more L2 cache than the average graphics card (72 MB vs 32 MB). The average graphics card has 32 MB L2 cache.
  • 11.6% faster memory speed
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has a higher effective memory speed than the average graphics card (21,200 MHz vs 19,000 MHz). The average graphics card reaches an effective memory speed of 19,000 MHz.
  • 3.48x more transistors
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has more transistors than the average graphics card (76,300 million vs 21,900 million). The average graphics card has 21,900 million transistors.
  • Newer HDMI version
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 supports a newer HDMI version than the average graphics card (2.1a vs 2.1).
  • 98.8% slower VRAM clock
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has a lower VRAM clock than the average graphics card (21 MHz vs 1,750 MHz). The average graphics card runs its VRAM at 1,750 MHz.
  • 1 older
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 was released earlier than the average graphics card (2,022 vs 2,023).
  • 75% lower HDMI bandwidth
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has a lower HDMI bandwidth than the average graphics card (12 Gbps vs 48 Gbps). The average graphics card has HDMI bandwidth of 48 Gbps.
  • 1 fewer fans
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has fewer fans than the average graphics card (2 vs 3).
  • 2.09x higher TDP
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 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
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 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.
  • 2.73x higher board power limit
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has a higher board power limit than the average graphics card (600 W vs 220 W). The average graphics card has a board power limit of 220 W.
  • 2.05x higher peak power draw
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has a higher peak power draw than the average graphics card (450 W vs 220 W). The average graphics card has a peak power draw of 220 W.
  • 1 slot/s wider design
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 occupies more slots than the average graphics card (3 slot/s vs 2 slot/s). The average graphics card occupies 2 slot/s.
  • 10 mm higher card profile
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is taller than the average graphics card (137 mm vs 127 mm). The average graphics card has a height of 127 mm.
  • 18.63 mm longer card length
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is longer than the average graphics card (304 mm vs 285.37 mm). The average graphics card has a length of 285.37 mm.
  • 1 fewer fans
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has fewer fans than the average graphics card (2 vs 3).
    What it is: Total number of cooling fans
    When it matters: When you compare cooler designs and want one more clue about thermal potential.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has fewer fans than the average graphics card (2 vs 3).2 vs 3
  • 2.09x higher TDP
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 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

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 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
  • 1 slot/s wider design
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 occupies more slots than the average graphics card (3 slot/s vs 2 slot/s). The average graphics card occupies 2 slot/s.
    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

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 occupies more slots than the average graphics card (3 slot/s vs 2 slot/s). The average graphics card occupies 2 slot/s.3 slot/s vs 2 slot/s
  • 30.8% higher PSU requirement
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 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

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 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
  • 98.8% slower VRAM clock
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has a lower VRAM clock than the average graphics card (21 MHz vs 1,750 MHz). The average graphics card runs its VRAM at 1,750 MHz.
    What it is: Speed at which the GPU memory operates
    When it matters: When you want more context on how quickly the card's VRAM can move data.

    Importance: LOW

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has a lower VRAM clock than the average graphics card (21 MHz vs 1,750 MHz). The average graphics card runs its VRAM at 1,750 MHz.21 MHz vs 1750 MHz
  • 2.73x higher board power limit
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has a higher board power limit than the average graphics card (600 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

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 has a higher board power limit than the average graphics card (600 W vs 220 W). The average graphics card has a board power limit of 220 W.600 W vs 220 W
  • 3.83x more expensive
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is more expensive than the average graphics card (£2,030 vs £530).
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is more expensive than the average graphics card (£2,030 vs £530).£2,030 vs £530
  • 10 mm higher card profile
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is taller than the average graphics card (137 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

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is taller than the average graphics card (137 mm vs 127 mm). The average graphics card has a height of 127 mm.137 mm vs 127 mm

Graphic comparison of NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 and

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Third-party reviews

United Kingdom
United States

(Reviews last updated: June 2026)

What customers like about NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090?

  • Unmatched performance in 4K gaming and heavy-duty content creation tasks.
  • Significant generational leap with up to 2x performance increase over the RTX 3090.
  • DLSS 3 and Frame Generation provide substantial framerate boosts in supported games.
  • Large 24GB VRAM buffer is ideal for complex 3D rendering, video editing, and AI workloads.
  • Impressive thermal management, often staying cool and quiet even under heavy load.
  • AV1 encoding support offers improved efficiency for streamers and video editors.

What customers dislike about NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090?

  • High retail price makes it a 'halo' product inaccessible to most mainstream users.
  • Enormous physical dimensions often require large PC cases and can limit airflow.
  • Extremely high power consumption (450W TDP) typically demands a PSU upgrade.
  • Overkill for anyone gaming at 1080p or 1440p resolutions.
  • Concerns regarding the 16-pin power connector and cable management in smaller builds.
  • Lack of DisplayPort 2.0 support is seen as a missed opportunity for a flagship card.

Expert reviews

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rockpapershotgun.com
12/10/2022

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 stands out as a powerful flagship graphics card that delivers a massive generational performance leap, specifically excelling at 4K resolution where it routinely surpasses 100fps in standard games and maintains over 60fps with intensive ray tracing enabled. A major highlight of the GPU is its support for DLSS 3, which utilizes AI frame generation to...Read more

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kitguru.net
11/10/2022

The Nvidia RTX 4090 Founders Edition delivers a massive generational leap in performance, outperforming the RTX 3090 Ti by an average of 60% and the vanilla RTX 3090 by 80% at 4K resolution. Built on the Ada Lovelace architecture using a TSMC 4N process node, it packs 16,384 CUDA cores and averages an operating clock speed of 2683MHz, allowing it to easily crush demanding games like...Read more

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trustedreviews.com
11/10/2022

The Trusted Reviews evaluation of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 identifies the card as an unrivaled, high-performance option for 4K ray-traced gaming and intensive content creation. Powered by the Ada Lovelace architecture, its primary advantages include 24GB of GDDR6X memory and DLSS 3 frame generation, which significantly boosts performance in demanding titles. Conversely, the...Read more

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forbes.com
11/10/2022

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090, as reviewed on Forbes, establishes itself as a dominant 4K gaming powerhouse with performance that frequently doubles previous-generation cards like the RX 6950 XT and outperforms the RTX 3090, especially with DLSS enabled in titles like Metro Exodus Enhanced Edition. This Ada Lovelace architecture card delivers massive generational leaps in speed,...Read more

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techspot.com
11/10/2022

The TechSpot review of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 highlights a massive performance leap utilizing the Ada Lovelace architecture to deliver over 70% more frames than the RTX 3090 Ti at 4K resolution, setting a new standard for high-refresh-rate gaming. Key advantages include DLSS 3 Frame Generation for significantly boosted frame rates and exceptional raw power that makes 4K...Read more

I
ign.com
11/10/2022

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 Founders Edition establishes itself as a massive, high-performance powerhouse designed to dominate 4K gaming and high-end 3D creation. Boasting an impressive 16,384 CUDA cores and 24GB of GDDR6X VRAM, the graphics card delivers a massive generational leap forward, outperforming the previous flagship RTX 3090 Ti by margins ranging from 14% to 90% in 4K...Read more

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theverge.com
11/10/2022

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090, reviewed by The Verge, is described as a "4K beast" delivering massive generation-on-generation performance leaps, frequently pushing modern, maxed-out titles over 100fps at native 4K. The card excels in heavy ray-tracing scenarios and redefines high-end gaming, making high-refresh-rate 4K a reality. However, this performance comes with significant...Read more

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ign.com
24/10/2022

The Gigabyte GeForce RTX 4090 Gaming OC 24G is a highly capable third-party graphics card built on Nvidia’s Ada Lovelace architecture. Priced at $1,699 ($100 over the Founders Edition), it delivers top-tier 4K gaming performance, a 15 MHz factory overclock, and 24GB of ultra-fast GDDR6X memory. In real-world benchmarks, the card operates marginally faster than the Founders Edition...Read more

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tomshardware.com
15/10/2022

The review of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 highlights it as a powerhouse GPU that dramatically advances generational ray tracing and performance upscaling through the introduction of DLSS 3 and its signature Frame Generation technology. A key benefit is its exceptional raw computing power; at native 4K resolution with ultra ray tracing settings in Cyberpunk 2077, it achieves an...Read more

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digitalfoundry.net
12/10/2022

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 delivers a massive generational leap in graphics power, easily blitzing modern games and offering phenomenal performance in heavy ray-tracing workloads. Built on the AD102 processor with 16,384 CUDA cores and 24GB of VRAM, the flagship GPU is uniquely designed for future engines like Unreal Engine 5. Pros include its top-tier efficiency—where it runs up...Read more

S
sea.ign.com
11/10/2022

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 Founders Edition establishes itself as the new king of consumer graphics cards, delivering a massive generational leap forward in performance that dominates 4K gaming and professional 3D rendering. Built with 16,384 CUDA cores and 24GB of GDDR6X VRAM, the card shines in creative applications like Blender and DaVinci Resolve, thanks to a 50% cut in video...Read more

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techgage.com
11/10/2022

The Techgage review crowns the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 as the premier rendering champion, highlighting its massive performance leap over the 3090, which effectively halves rendering times in workloads like Blender and Octane, powered by 24GB of GDDR6X VRAM. The card offers unmatched, brute-force speed for creators but demands a high MSRP of $1,599. YouTube · Cons identified include...Read more

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techpowerup.com
11/10/2022

The TechPowerUp NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Founders Edition review highlights a massive generational leap, offering up to 45% higher rasterization performance over the 3090 Ti via the 5 nm "Ada Lovelace" architecture. Key pros include revolutionary DLSS 3 frame generation, exceptional ray tracing, superior build quality, and a highly effective, quiet cooler. Conversely, the card is...Read more

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tomshardware.com
14/10/2022

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 delivers a massive generational leap in raw performance, cementing itself as the "Queen of the Castle" for ultra-high-end gaming. When tested at 4K resolution with maxed-out settings, the Ada Lovelace-based GPU achieves a 55% performance improvement over the previous flagship RTX 3090 Ti and a 71% uplift over the standard RTX 3090 Founders Edition. This...Read more

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tweaktown.com
11/10/2022

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Founders Edition is a monstrously powerful graphics card designed for ultra-enthusiast gamers seeking peak 4K and 8K performance. Built on the Ada Lovelace GPU architecture using TSMC's custom 4N process node, it packs an incredible 16,384 CUDA cores, 24GB of GDDR6X memory, and achieves unprecedented GPU clock speeds exceeding 3.0GHz. Reviewer Anthony...Read more

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postperspective.com
12/10/2022

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Founders Edition marks a massive leap in performance by utilizing the 4nm Ada Lovelace architecture, delivering up to twice the speed of its predecessor, the 3090. Boasting 16,384 CUDA cores, 72MB of L2 cache, and 24GB of lower-power VRAM, the card targets gamers, 3D animators, and video editors alike. Its core strengths (Pros) lie in its unmatched...Read more

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techpowerup.com
12/10/2022

The Zotac GeForce RTX 4090 AMP Extreme Airo is a high-performance 4K gaming card featuring a significant factory overclock to 2.58 GHz, a quiet IceStorm 3.0 cooler with vapor chamber, and distinct RGB styling. While it offers excellent efficiency and 24 GB GDDR6X, it is exceptionally large at 36 cm and 4-slots, and features a plastic shroud. A key criticism involves the vapor...Read more

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techpowerup.com
12/10/2022

The TechPowerUp review of the Colorful GeForce RTX 4090 Vulcan OC-V highlights a premium, highly engineered flagship with a 2.62 GHz factory overclock and robust 24 phase VRM. Key advantages include excellent thermal performance, low memory temperatures, a dual-BIOS switch, and a magnetic, detachable color LCD screen for real-time monitoring. Conversely, the card is exceptionally...Read more

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techpowerup.com
19/09/2023

The TechPowerUp review identifies the ASUS ROG Matrix Platinum RTX 4090 as a pinnacle of performance, featuring highly binned silicon, a 360 mm AIO cooler, liquid metal, and a 600W power limit that enables exceptional, top-tier 4K gaming performance. Pros include record-setting performance, low temperatures, quiet acoustics, and premium aesthetics, though it requires significant,...Read more

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tomshardware.com
09/11/2022

The Gigabyte RTX 4090 Gaming OC is a high-performance graphics card designed around a massive cooler that aggressively targets lower operating temperatures, though it comes with minor trade-offs in noise and stock power tuning. In real-world benchmarks, the card runs slightly slower than Nvidia's Founders Edition at stock settings, matching a 3W to 17W lower power draw across tests...Read more

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techpowerup.com
10/02/2023

The MSI GeForce RTX 4090 Gaming X Trio is a highly capable custom card based on the Ada Lovelace architecture, offering a 75 MHz factory overclock, an 18 phase VRM, and a remarkably quiet, effective triple-slot cooling system. Key pros include a dual-BIOS for flexibility and the ability to run on three 8-pin cables instead of four, ensuring high-tier performance for users with...Read more

D
digitalfoundry.net
11/10/2022

Digital Foundry hails the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 as the new "GPU king," offering a monumental performance leap with 74% to 86% gains over the 3090 Ti in heavy ray-tracing scenarios. Key advantages include the transformative DLSS 3 Frame Generation technology and surprising energy efficiency despite its high 450W power rating. YouTube · However, the card’s massive size and high...Read more

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gamestar.de
11/10/2022

According to GameStar, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 offers an unprecedented performance leap, delivering up to 79% higher frame rates in 4K over the RTX 3090, while showcasing superior energy efficiency. The card, boasting 24GB VRAM and high clock speeds, excels in ray tracing and demanding gaming scenarios, making it a premiere choice for high-refresh-rate 4K display users....Read more

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powerlab.fr
06/04/2023

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 stands out as a high-end graphics card designed for hardcore gamers and creative professionals, built on the 4nm Ada Lovelace architecture with 16,384 CUDA cores and 24GB of GDDR6X VRAM. It delivers exceptional performance upgrades over previous generations, showcasing a massive 800 MHz jump in boost frequency up to 2520 MHz. In real-world performance, it...Read more

H
hardwarecooking.fr
11/10/2022

The NVIDIA RTX 4090 Founders Edition is an absolute powerhouse engineered on the Ada Lovelace architecture, featuring a massive 16,384 CUDA cores, 24GB of GDDR6X memory, and next-generation RT and Tensor cores. It introduces highly efficient DLSS 3 frame generation and dual 8th-generation NVENC encoders supporting 40% more efficient AV1 encoding, which drastically elevates video...Read more

H
hardwarecooking.fr
08/12/2022

The Gigabyte RTX 4090 Gaming OC 24G delivers impressive thermal efficiency and massive generational performance gains, defying initial expectations of overheating. During rigorous 45-minute OCCT 3D stress testing in a 21°C ambient room, the graphics card maintained a remarkably cool GPU temperature of 64.1°C and a hot spot of 77.1°C. Thermal imaging of the backplate peaked at just...Read more

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geektopia.es
18/10/2022

The PNY GeForce RTX 4090 XLR8 Gaming Verto Epic-X RGB is a highly capable custom graphics card that closely matches Nvidia’s reference specifications, featuring a minor factory overclock boost frequency of 2565 MHz (compared to 2520 MHz) and an MSRP of $1,629 USD (€1,959 in Spain). Built on TSMC's 4N process with the Ada Lovelace architecture, it delivers exceptional performance...Read more

C
corriere.it
17/10/2022

The Corriere della Sera review highlights the Nvidia RTX 4090 as a high-performance, Ada Lovelace-based graphics card offering unprecedented raw power and DLSS 3.0 technology for extreme, high-resolution gaming and professional 3D rendering. Its primary pros include unmatched ray tracing performance and efficiency, making it a premier, albeit expensive, choice for enthusiasts....Read more

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rooieduvel.nl
27/07/2023

The Rooieduvel review praises the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 Founders Edition as an absolute powerhouse that completely dominates synthetic and 4K gaming benchmarks, rendering massive generational leaps over previous cards like the RTX 3080. Built on the 5nm Ada Lovelace architecture, the card introduces game-changing technologies like Frame Generation through DLSS3 and Shader...Read more

Video reviews

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