In September, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang took the stage as soon as once more to showcase the reveal of the corporate’s subsequent era of client GPUs. The promise behind the Nvidia RTX 40 Sequence is a large efficiency uplift over the already highly effective RTX 30 Sequence, with the RTX 4090 being the newest final graphics card obtainable. This evaluation of the RTX 4090 Founders Version assesses Nvidia’s claims and lays out every little thing you should know.
The RTX 3090 and RTX 3070 are nonetheless wonderful graphics playing cards for gaming, however Nvidia’s new RTX 4090 does sufficient to place these playing cards within the rearview mirror. At a beginning worth of $1,599 USD, nevertheless, it’s a main ask for even probably the most devoted PC fanatic. If you’re a type of who’re significantly all in favour of buying one of many latest GPUs, you’ll definitely wish to know what you’re getting. Is the 4K efficiency price it? What about DLSS 3, which is unique to the RTX 40 Sequence?
Like all evaluations at PC Invasion, this goes in depth from a extra common-use standpoint to see simply the way it performs from a gaming perspective. For a productiveness evaluation, keep tuned for a future article centered solely on what Nvidia has on provide for many who wish to create content material and extra other than simply gaming.
Nvidia RTX 4090 Founders Version design, construct, and specs
Very like the RTX 3090 earlier than it, the RTX 4090 Founders Version is a monster of a graphics card. Once I say it may be a weapon, I imply it. The cardboard is that enormous and that heavy. In comparison with the RTX 3090, it’s a thicker design when it comes to top, and it’s a bit heavier. Nevertheless, the RTX 3090 design is longer and wider. Regardless of the RTX 4090 being listed as a 3-slot GPU, the RTX 4090 Founders Version is far nearer to a 3.5 slot. Having loads of area in your case is certainly a should for this card.
So far as weight is worried, the RTX 4090 Founders Version is sort of an identical to the earlier era, coming in at 2,186 grams. For reference, the RTX 3090 Founders Version weighs 2,189 grams, so the RTX 4090 truly misplaced somewhat weight.
(Picture credit score: PC Invasion).
The fan design has additionally been up to date for this newest era. Followers on the RTX 4090 Founders Version are bigger with simply seven blades on every fan, versus 9 on the RTX 3090. The fan sizes basically are 115mm on each the entrance and rear. Based on Nvidia, the change in fan dimension improves airflow by 20%. As you’ll discover out later on this evaluation in additional element, the RTX 4090 positively appears to dwell as much as that declare.
Relating to ports, it comes with three DisplayPort 1.4a outputs and a single HDMI 2.1 output. Even supposing DisplayPort 2.0 displays nonetheless aren’t available for the general public simply but, it’s nonetheless shocking that Nvidia determined to not embody DisplayPort 2.0 outputs on the cardboard. It comes throughout as narrow-minded when desirous about the costumer, as many will seemingly be holding on to this card for years after buy.
Inside the card, the RTX 4090 comes with 16,384 CUDA Cores, 512 4th-generation Tensor Cores, and 128 Third-generation RT Cores. In comparison with the RTX 3090 Ti, that’s a soar of 41.5% between playing cards. Different spec enhancements embody 4 further graphics processing clusters, 22 extra texture processing clusters, and 44 extra streaming multiprocessors.
The place the 2 playing cards stay related is in relation to reminiscence. Each function 24GB of GDDR6X video reminiscence (VRAM), a 384-bit reminiscence interface, 1,008 GB/s reminiscence bandwidth, and a base whole graphics energy (TGP) of 450 watts. Nevertheless, the RTX 4090 reminiscence runs at 21Gbps in comparison with the 19.5Gbps of its predecessor.
| Function | Description | ||
| Structure | Ada Lovelace | ||
| Course of node | 5nm TSMC | ||
| CUDA Cores | 16,384 | ||
| RT Cores | 128 | ||
| Tensor Cores | 512 | ||
| Base clock velocity | 2,235 MHz | ||
| Increase clock velocity | 2,520 MHz | ||
| Complete video reminiscence | 24 GB GDDR6X | ||
| Reminiscence clock | 10,501 MHz | ||
| Reminiscence knowledge price | 21Gbps | ||
| L2 cache dimension | 73.73 MB | ||
| Reminiscence interface | 384-bit | ||
| Reminiscence bandwidth | 1,008 GB/s | ||
| Texture price (bilinear) | 1290.2 GigaTexels/second | ||
| Transistor depend | 76.3 billion | ||
| Video connections | 3x DisplayPort 1.4a, 1x HDMI 2.1 | ||
| Max variety of shows | 4 | ||
| Max decision | 7680×4320 | ||
| Energy connection | 1×16-pin (Adapterto 4x 8-Pins) |
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| TGP | 450W | ||
| PCI Categorical interface | Gen 4 x16 | ||
| Dimensions | 304mm (L) x 137mm (W) x 53mm (H) | ||
| Weight | 2,186g | ||
| MSRP | $1,599 USD | ||
The check setup
In relation to reviewing one thing like the newest graphics playing cards, it helps to have a well-performing PC to verify the numbers are correct. It additionally helps to maintain issues life like for these studying this evaluation and utilizing it to assist make the proper selections. That’s why transparency is essential so you recognize precisely what you’re getting must you determine to drop the cash on this card to your construct.
For this evaluation, we’re utilizing the next construct:
- AMD Ryzen 9 5900X CPU
- Customized Corsair CPU cooling loop that includes an XC7 CPU block with a 360mm radiator and XD3 reservoir/pump mixture
- Asus X570 motherboard
- 32GB of Kingston Fury Beast DDR4-3600 DRAM
- Corsair RM1000X PSU
- Corsair 5000T RGB Case
- Home windows 10 OS
There will probably be a time sooner or later once we check the RTX 4090 on the newer AMD or Intel processors with DDR5 reminiscence, however DDR5 continues to be not well worth the worth for the comparatively small efficiency uplift. Thus, it makes extra sense to evaluation the RTX 4090 Founders Version on a construct with extra generally used {hardware} which continues to be thought-about a high-end machine.
So far as the outcomes you’ll see, this evaluation focuses on 4K and 1440p efficiency for probably the most half. The reasoning for that is out of practicality. Let’s be actual, when you’re desirous about buying an RTX 4090 graphics card, 1080p gaming isn’t what you’re all in favour of and even aiming for.
We examined eight video games. Some checks had been with DLSS 3 enabled due to early builds made obtainable to us, whereas different benchmarks are with out DLSS altogether. The objective is to offer you a transparent image of what to anticipate performance-wise, regardless of the sport and graphics options obtainable. To seize the knowledge you’ll see, Nvidia’s FrameView app was used to seize framerates alongside GPU temperatures and voltage in each recreation.
Connections and energy consumption
Within the field, the Nvidia RTX 4090 Founders Version comes with the cardboard itself, a small instruction handbook, and a x4 break up PCIe 8-pin to single 12VHPWR 16-pin adapter. To put in the cardboard itself, you solely want to make use of three of the 4 included 8-pin plugs on the adapter.
In case you don’t wish to use the included adapter in favor of a cleaner cable run, some energy provide suppliers have new cables obtainable for current PSUs. Corsair offered one to us for the aim of this evaluation, which is rated as much as 600W. These cables present sufficient energy to the GPU for normal and overclocking use and cut back the quantity of cable muddle basically. That is positively one thing you’ll wish to contemplate, as a result of an adapter will make the within of your case seem like a cluttered mess.
The most important energy consumption when gaming got here from enjoying A Plague Story: Requiem.
In fact, one of many greatest considerations for a lot of with the Nvidia RTX 4090 is energy consumption. Nvidia itself recommends an 850W PSU for the Founders Version as a result of 450W spec of the cardboard. As beforehand talked about, we used a 1,000W PSU and located no points when operating video games on most settings for testing. Primarily based on our benchmarking, the max energy utilized by the cardboard itself was 410W when in A Plague Story: Requiem. General, the numbers had been fairly respectable with a median wattage of 282.5W.
In case you determine you wish to overclock this card, then energy consumption could turn into a difficulty. Not solely will it’s a must to use the fourth 8-pin connection on the included adapter, however you’ll additionally want one thing bigger than a 1,000W PSU to take care of transient energy spikes exceeding 450W. If I had been to make a suggestion, those that wish to overclock should not have any lower than a 1,200W PSU to make sure system stability from an influence supply standpoint. For non-overclocking customers, I’d say a 1,000W PSU is the most secure possibility to achieve the efficiency you’d count on. We’ve some PSU suggestions right here when you plan to improve your energy supply to assist this graphics card.
One other concern for a lot of was the temperature this GPU would run at. After hours of use, let’s put that to relaxation. Supplied you will have correct cooling and aren’t making an attempt to cram an RTX 4090 right into a case it actually shouldn’t be in, there will probably be no points. The common temperature of the cardboard throughout testing was 62.3° C. The affordable temperatures additionally stored the cardboard followers from spinning too excessive, thus protecting the general quantity down as effectively.
A have a look at Microsoft Flight Simulator with RTX Off (Left) and RTX On (Proper). Click on to enlarge.
