Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 review – Lovelace GPU Leviathan

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 has officially arrived and it will take a long time to launch the colossal next-generation graphics card. Its impressive AI scaling capabilities and tricks are likely to change the gaming PC scene as we know it, but its high price, insatiable power demands, and unsightly form factor could hamper its popularity with casual gamers.

Priced at $1599/£1679, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 it’s definitely a high-end graphics card, and the word “excess” definitely comes to mind. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, especially for those who have an aversion to setup screens, sub-4K resolutions, and lower frame rates. Can’t figure out this short list of performance requirements? Well, Nvidia’s flagship Lovelace might not be for you, as the cheaper RTX 4080 will potentially offer better value for money.

If you’re looking for the best graphics card with genuine features, the RTX 4090 fits the bill. You’ll likely end up raising your performance expectations even higher, as tools like Nvidia DLSS 3.0 will help you boost frame rates to unprecedented levels without visual damage. That said, while the frame-generating capabilities of the RTX 4000 card are amazing, we have to wait a while for more games to adopt DLSS 3.0 and it will change the way we play games across the board.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 Specifications

Not all Nvidia RTX 4090 graphics cards are created equal, and the Asus TUF gaming GPU featured in this review features a higher clock speed. Reference models can go up to 2520 MHz, the clock speed of this particular game mode variant increases to 2565 MHz.

In addition to factory overclocking, the Asus RTX 4090 custom board’s AD102 GPU includes 16,384 CUDA cores, 128 ray tracing cores, and 512 tensor cores. In terms of memory, the flagship RTX 4000 has 24GB of GDDR6X VRAM, just like the GeForce RTX 3090.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 Design

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 is extremely unstable and Asus’s approach adds even more weight. Simply put, the TUF Gaming option is an aesthetic nightmare that will dominate the inside of your PC case. It’s safe to say that the MSI RTX 3090 Suprim X is no longer the biggest card I’ve ever used and it now looks relatively sleek.

Naturally, Asus’ thick case and cooling system serve a purpose. During testing, temperatures rarely exceeded 65 degrees Celsius, and I could barely hear the card’s triple fans spinning. I’m not saying that justifies it being nearly the same size as my son’s PlayStation 2, but at least there are practical benefits to custom setup.

Speaking of practicality, the RTX 4090 completely ditches that idea when it comes to the power connector. The socket is located near the center of the board, and trying to manage cables with the included adapter seems next to impossible.

Of course, if you choose one of the best PCIe 5.0-compliant power supply options, you won’t have to deal with an unsightly army of extra cables. However, paying for an expensive power supply doesn’t solve the RTX 4090’s poor connector placement, as it will still mess up your cabling plans.

The Asus TUF RTX 4090’s clunky form factor and grip placement comes with a hint of subtle RGB lighting, but it’s far from a light show. I’m not the biggest fan of overly bright LEDs, but I feel like a longer color bar would be a welcome distraction.

The card takes up almost a few inches of space in my Corsair iCUE 5000T case, effectively blocking out the natural light provided by the gaming RAM and cooling fans. Results? Well, looking through the glass side panel is now like looking into a mechanical abyss.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 Performance

The RTX 4090 breaks the performance ceiling of the current generation and soars through the roof. Needless to say, I expected Lovelace’s flagship product to be powerful, but in fact, I had to review all of my tests in disbelief. The GPU completely swallowed our usual sample of test games, and even ray tracing couldn’t drown out the Goliath card.

Before diving into the wonders of DLSS 3.0, it’s worth taking a look at the card’s capabilities. The RTX 4090 easily hits over 130fps in Hitman 3 and almost supports 4K 60fps with ray tracing enabled. Basically, you’ll be able to enjoy UHD visuals, ultra settings, and maintain perfectly repeatable frame rates without relying on an AI scaler, which I’d call an amazing feat.

Total War: Warhammer 3 is another demanding release that will generally make GPUs sweat, but the RTX 4090 handles a strategy game with ease. Lovelace Leviathan can handle intense battles and sustain over 100fps, which is impressive considering the RTX 3090 beats the 60fps average with the same settings enabled.

Cyberpunk 2077 Ultra’s presets are a challenge for even the most powerful GPUs, and the RTX 4090 is no exception. While a beginner must rely on DLSS to process ray tracing to achieve 4K at 60fps, it still produces more images than the current generation leaders. Somehow, the CP2077 cheats help demonstrate the benefits of Nvidia’s AI scaling, and the company’s new frame generation technology unmistakably messes with game performance.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 DLSS 3.0

If the RTX 4090 GPU is a metaphorical Godzilla, then DLSS 3.0 is the beast’s atomic heat beam. Enabling frame rendering in supported games provides performance gains that are unrelated to visual limitations, removing some of the biggest hiccups from the previous iteration.

Enabling DLSS 3.0 in Cyberpunk 2077 increases the 4K Ultra Ray Tracing frame rate to 140fps, which is 55% faster than DLSS 2.0. Additionally, we tested 3DMark’s new scaler test feature, which helps identify generational differences between the two versions.

F1 2022 also supports DLSS 3.0, but there seems to be a separate frame generation switch in the racing game’s settings page. Enabling it boosts frame rates from 99fps to 136fps with 4K ray tracing enabled, but enabling DLSS bumps performance up to a ridiculous 274fps.

I don’t know if frame rate will be toggled separately in each game, as it’s inextricably tied to DLSS in Cyberpunk 2077. However, the separate options can help gamers adjust, like you’re not using the best gaming monitor with a 260hz refresh rate, you can leave the “Super Resolution” options disabled.

We originally planned to add figures for A Plague Tale: Requiem in addition to those listed above, but were unable to release the Asobo Studio sequel. Okay, so I can’t determine if the error is related to my particular system, driver issues, or other weird gaming PC shenanigans, but we’ll try to test more supported games as time goes on.

Nvidia DLSS 3.0 will undoubtedly dominate the conversation around the RTX 4090’s performance, and the frame generation should help cement the card’s position at the top. However, this tool could also give PC builders a reason to wait for cards like the RTX 4080 and RTX 4070, as the technology is expected to boost the capabilities of the entire RTX 4000 lineup.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 Price

The premium price of the RTX 4090 GPU is a bit of a pain, costing $100 more than the RTX 3090 at launch. It might not sound very exciting, but if you haven’t invested in a card since the RTX 2080 Super launched, it’s a significant jump.

It’s worth noting that the Asus TUF RTX 4090 matches Nvidia’s MSRP of $1,599, so you won’t have to pay for an overclocked card. I’d say the cooling efficiency of the model’s Axial-tech configuration makes it a worthwhile option over the original reference design, but its extra slot contributes to the GPU’s unappealing shape.

For now, you can get the Zotac RTX 3090 Ti for under $1,000 – the older flagship graphics card still packs some serious 4K power. Of course, going for an older Ampere GPU means you’ll miss out on DLSS 3.0, and future budget options like the RTX 4060 will potentially offer a similar ray tracing experience.

Ultimately, the RTX 4090 is more than just a gaming GPU, targeting a very specific group of enthusiasts. In some ways, it’s more like an Nvidia Titan than a GeForce graphics card, as its native specs and capabilities will benefit video editors and content creators.

However, if you’re looking to build the best gaming PC and put absurd frame rates in your eyeballs, you probably already have a pre-order in your cart. Just keep in mind that even though the RTX 4090 is now the most powerful graphics card on the market, that doesn’t mean it’s the best GPU for you.