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NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090GPU

GPUGraphics Cards·NVIDIA

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090

4.8
Shed ScoreEditorial rating out of 5, based on specs, build quality and value in its class.
  • Unmatched 4K performance
  • 24GB VRAM
  • DLSS 3 ready

The RTX 4090 is the undisputed flagship for gamers and creators who demand the absolute best performance available.

  • CUDA Cores16384
  • Memory24GB GDDR6X
  • Boost Clock2.52 GHz
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// Datasheet

Technical specifications

GEFORCE-RTX-40905 fields
CUDA Cores16384
Memory24GB GDDR6X
Boost Clock2.52 GHz
Power Draw450W TDP
Memory Interface384-bit

// Verdict

Our take

4.8

The RTX 4090 is the undisputed flagship for gamers and creators who demand the absolute best performance available. Its massive VRAM, cutting-edge architecture, and DLSS 3 support make it future-proof for years, though its price and power requirements mean it's best suited for enthusiasts building no-compromise systems.

// Trade-offs

Pros and cons

+What we like

  • Exceptional 4K and ray tracing performance
  • Massive 24GB VRAM for heavy workloads
  • DLSS 3 boosts frame rates significantly
  • Strong performance for AI and content creation tasks
  • Future-proof for upcoming demanding titles

−Watch out for

  • Very high price point
  • Large physical size may not fit all cases
  • High power draw requires robust PSU
  • Can run hot under sustained load
  • Overkill for 1080p gaming

// Feature set

Key features

  • 01AD102 Ada Lovelace GPU architecture
  • 0224GB GDDR6X memory
  • 03DLSS 3 with Frame Generation
  • 043rd-gen RT cores for ray tracing
  • 054th-gen Tensor cores for AI workloads
  • 06AV1 hardware encoding

// Long read

Full review

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 sits at the top of the current GeForce lineup, built for enthusiasts who want the fastest consumer GPU available for gaming, content creation, and heavy compute workloads. Powered by the Ada Lovelace architecture, it packs 16,384 CUDA cores, third-generation RT cores, and fourth-generation Tensor cores, delivering a massive leap in both raw rasterization performance and ray-traced fidelity compared to the previous Ampere generation. Paired with 24GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, the card handles 4K and even 8K gaming with headroom to spare, while also excelling at demanding creative tasks like video editing, 3D rendering, and AI-assisted workflows that benefit from large VRAM pools and dedicated tensor throughput.

For PC builders, the RTX 4090 is as much a statement piece as it is a performance leader. Most board partner models feature triple-fan, triple-slot coolers with substantial heatsinks to manage the card's higher power draw, which typically sits around 450W under load. This means a build around the 4090 demands careful planning: a robust ATX or larger case with strong airflow, a high-wattage PSU (850W or more is generally recommended), and attention to the new 12VHPWR power connector to ensure safe, reliable operation. Despite its size and power requirements, the card remains surprisingly efficient per frame thanks to the 4nm process node, giving builders strong performance-per-watt numbers relative to its predecessors.

On the feature side, the RTX 4090 brings full support for DLSS 3 with frame generation, enabling dramatically higher frame rates in supported titles without a proportional hit to image quality. It also supports real-time ray tracing with far less performance penalty than earlier cards, making path-traced lighting in games like Cyberpunk 2077 genuinely playable at high resolutions. Display outputs include DisplayPort 1.4a and HDMI 2.1, supporting high refresh rate 4K and 8K monitors alike. For anyone assembling a no-compromise custom build focused on maximum GPU performance, the RTX 4090 remains the benchmark card that every other high-end GPU is measured against.

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