NVIDIA RTX 4090 vs. RTX 5090: How They Stack Up

For both technology enthusiasts and industry professionals, keeping a close eye on the latest GPU advancements isn't just a hobby – it's crucial for staying competitive and maximizing performance and compute power. Here at Vast.ai, we're just as excited to track the biggest leaps forward in graphics technology.

Today, we're looking at two GPUs in particular: the NVIDIA RTX 4090 and its formidable successor, the RTX 5090. The RTX 4090 has already earned its reputation for performance, while the RTX 5090 has recently made its debut and is setting new standards in the industry.

Let's explore how the two compare with each other!

Spotlight on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090

The RTX 4090 made waves as the top-tier consumer-grade GPU of its generation. Built on the AD102 chip and Ada Lovelace architecture, it quickly became the go-to choice for high-end gaming and demanding professional workloads.

With a triple-slot design, the RTX 4090 boasts 128 third-gen RT cores and 512 fourth-gen Tensor cores, elevating ray-tracing performance and speeding up AI-driven tasks like DLSS 3 in games.

Plus, it's packed with 16,384 CUDA cores and has 24GB of GDDR6X memory with a maximum bandwidth of 1,008 GB/s and a 384-bit memory bus interface. Error-correcting code (ECC) can be enabled, but this reduces performance while making no difference in GPU rendering – so keeping it turned off is appropriate for most uses when you're prioritizing speed.

Due to its high processing capabilities, the RTX 4090 draws plenty of power: 450 watts. It requires an 850-watt power supply and robust cooling solutions, making it one of the more demanding GPUs to run, to this day.

When it launched in October 2022, the RTX 4090 raised the bar for consumer GPUs. It may no longer sit at the top, but its capabilities continue to make it a powerhouse for serious workloads and high-end gaming.

The New NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090

The RTX 5090, released earlier this year, is a game-changer, redefining high-end performance in the consumer space with its groundbreaking features and next-gen architecture. With the RTX 50 series, we've now moved beyond NVIDIA's Ada Lovelace and into the era of the Blackwell architecture.

Joining the new Blackwell GPU lineup, the flagship GeForce RTX 5090 utilizes the "physically monolithic" GB202 die. Among its highlights are a 512-bit memory bus and 32GB of next-gen GDDR7 memory (the successor to the GDDR6/X memory used by the RTX 40-series GPUs). The RTX 5090 also boasts memory bandwidth of 1,792 GB/s, a substantial jump from the RTX 4090's 1,008 GB/s​.

Here's a quick side-by-side comparison of the RTX 5090 and RTX 4090's specs:

Additionally, the RTX 5090 comes equipped with 170 streaming multiprocessors (SMs) and 21,760 CUDA cores, as well as 170 fourth-gen RT cores and 680 fifth-gen Tensor cores – up from 128 and 512 respectively in the RTX 4090.

In terms of power consumption, the RTX 5090 has a total graphics power (TGP) of 575 watts, considerably higher than the RTX 4090's 450 watts.

When it comes to demanding AI and video workloads, the RTX 5090 shows clear gains over its predecessor. In Procyon's AI XL (FP16) benchmark, it outperformed the RTX 4090 by 40%, and in PugetBench's DaVinci Resolve test, it delivered a 12% performance boost.

Next-generation gaming features are a major draw for the RTX 5090. One of the most significant leaps forward comes from DLSS 4, NVIDIA's AI-powered upscaling technology that further enhances performance and image quality. With advancements like Multi Frame Generation, Neural Rendering, and Mega Geometry – and with 4K 240FPS gaming becoming more attainable – the RTX 5090 is perfectly positioned to tackle the most demanding gaming scenarios and deliver the best possible gameplay experience.

(For a detailed examination of the RTX 5090, delving into its gaming features, real-world performance, and more, see our in-depth post here.)

Concluding Thoughts

Even after the release of the RTX 5090, it's important to recognize that the RTX 4090 still delivers exceptional performance, handling everything available at 4K with ease. The RTX 5090, while impressive, may be considered more of a luxury upgrade than a necessity for gamers and professionals who can (or already do) benefit from the power of the RTX 4090. It really depends on whether the extra power will make enough of a difference for your needs.

Cost is another critical factor. The RTX 5090 is a top-of-the-line machine with a matching price tag. And the RTX 4090 is no slouch, either, still commanding a steep price to this day, over two years after its release.

Here at Vast.ai, we take pride in providing access to powerful machines for rent on the cloud at unbeatable prices. Vast offers unmatched flexibility, enabling you to utilize state-of-the-art technology without the expense and upkeep of purchasing your own hardware.

Whether you're looking to explore the capabilities of high-end consumer GPUs like the RTX 4090 or 5090, or check out any other machine on Vast, we'd be happy to help you discover the possibilities!