gistfile1.txt

Short answer
• Raw speed and memory capacity: GeForce RTX 5090
• Power draw, price and overall “bang-for-buck”: GeForce RTX 4090

Details

1. Architecture & launch date
• RTX 4090 – “Ada Lovelace”, on shelves October 2022.
• RTX 5090 – new “Blackwell” flagship, released 30 January 2025. ([nvidia.com](https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/news/rtx-50-series-graphics-cards-gpu-laptop-announcements/?utm_source=chatgpt.com), [pcgamesn.com](https://www.pcgamesn.com/nvidia/geforce-rtx-5090-release-date-price-specs-benchmarks?utm_source=chatgpt.com))

2. Key specifications (Founders Edition)
• CUDA cores – 21 760 (5090) vs 16 384 (4090)
• VRAM – 32 GB 28 Gbps GDDR7 vs 24 GB 21 Gbps GDDR6X
• Memory bandwidth – 1 792 GB/s vs 1 008 GB/s
• Total board power – 575 W vs 450 W
• MSRP – $1 999 vs $1 599 (street prices for both are higher). ([pcgamesn.com](https://www.pcgamesn.com/nvidia/geforce-rtx-5090-release-date-price-specs-benchmarks?utm_source=chatgpt.com), [nvidia.com](https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/graphics-cards/40-series/rtx-4090/))

3. Gaming performance
• Native rendering: independent reviews show the 5090 averages 18-26 % faster at 1440p and 4K, and 25-35 % faster with heavy ray-tracing. ([techradar.com](https://www.techradar.com/computing/gpu/nvidia-geforce-rtx-5090?utm_source=chatgpt.com), [techradar.com](https://www.techradar.com/computing/gpu/nvidia-rtx-5090-vs-rtx-4090?utm_source=chatgpt.com))
• Upscaled/frame-generated titles: with DLSS 4 Multi-Frame Generation (exclusive to the 50-series) some showcase games run roughly 2× faster than on a 4090. ([nvidia.com](https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/news/rtx-50-series-graphics-cards-gpu-laptop-announcements/?utm_source=chatgpt.com), [theverge.com](https://www.theverge.com/2025/1/23/24349619/nvidia-rtx-5090-review-test-benchmark?utm_source=chatgpt.com))

4. AI / compute workloads
5th-generation Tensor cores and FP4 support give the 5090 roughly 2-2.5× the AI throughput of the 4090 (up to 3 352 vs 1 321 AI TOPS). ([beebom.com](https://beebom.com/nvidia-rtx-5090-vs-rtx-4090-comparison/?utm_source=chatgpt.com))

5. Power, size & platform
• 5090 draws ~575 W and Nvidia recommends a 1 000 W PSU; the 4090 is rated at 450 W with an 850 W recommendation. ([hostbor.com](https://hostbor.com/rtx-5090-review/?utm_source=chatgpt.com), [nvidia.com](https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/graphics-cards/40-series/rtx-4090/))
• Despite the higher wattage, the 5090 Founders Edition is now a 2-slot card, whereas the 4090 FE is a bulky 3-slot design. ([hostbor.com](https://hostbor.com/rtx-5090-review/?utm_source=chatgpt.com))
• 5090 adds PCIe 5.0, DisplayPort 2.1 and DLSS 4; the 4090 tops out at PCIe 4.0, DP 1.4 and DLSS 3.5. ([nvidia.com](https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/graphics-cards/40-series/rtx-4090/), [nvidia.com](https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/news/rtx-50-series-graphics-cards-gpu-laptop-announcements/?utm_source=chatgpt.com))

Which should you buy?

Choose the RTX 5090 if:
• Money and power consumption are secondary and you want the absolute fastest 4K/8K gaming card, the new DLSS 4 frame-generation features, or the extra 8 GB of VRAM for large generative-AI models or 3-D/film work.

Choose the RTX 4090 if:
• You want near-flagship performance for $400 less at MSRP (often more than $400 less on the second-hand market).
• Your system’s PSU/case can’t comfortably handle 575 W.
• Your main workloads don’t yet benefit from DLSS 4 or Blackwell-specific AI features.

Bottom line
The RTX 5090 is unambiguously “better” in raw capability, but the RTX 4090 remains a smarter buy for many enthusiasts because it delivers ~80 % of the performance for noticeably less money, power and heat.