NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 4090 vs NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 5060
Between the GeForce RTX 4090 and GeForce RTX 5060, the GeForce RTX 4090 comes out ahead in cuda / stream cores and ray tracing cores, while the GeForce RTX 5060 wins on tdp. Overall, the GeForce RTX 4090 scores 80.3 and the GeForce RTX 5060 scores 54.9 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The GeForce RTX 4090 is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 25.4 points on the Mars Score. The margin is wide enough that the underdog only makes sense if its individual strengths line up with what you specifically need.
Pick the GeForce RTX 4090 if you push the hardware — gaming, on-device AI, heavy multitasking — and the extra compute headroom is worth the trade-offs. The biggest gaps in its favor are cuda / stream cores, ray tracing cores, vram, among others.
Pick the GeForce RTX 5060 if you care most about tdp. Its strongest claims are tdp.
Both ship with comparable dlss, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the GeForce RTX 4090 is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Why NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 4090 wins
- ▲CUDA / Stream cores — 326.67% more. 16384 vs 3840.
- ▲Ray tracing cores — 326.67% more. 128 vs 30.
- ▲VRAM — 200.00% more. 24 GB vs 8 GB.
- ▲Memory bus — 200.00% more. 384 bit vs 128 bit.
- ▲3DMark Time Spy — 143.48% more. 28000 vs 11500.
- ▲Boost clock — 0.92% more. 2520 MHz vs 2497 MHz.
Why NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 5060 wins
- ▲TDP — 305.00 W less. 145 vs 450.
Spec comparison
Core
| Spec | NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 4090 | NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 5060 |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | AD102 | GB206 |
| Base clockⓘ | 2235 MHz | 2280 MHzlead |
| Boost clockⓘ | 2520 MHzlead | 2497 MHz |
| CUDA / Stream coresⓘ | 16384lead | 3840 |
| Ray tracing coresⓘ | 128lead | 30 |
Memory
| Spec | NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 4090 | NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 5060 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAMⓘ | 24 GBlead | 8 GB |
| VRAM typeⓘ | GDDR6X | GDDR7lead |
| Memory busⓘ | 384 bitlead | 128 bit |
Power & Form
| Spec | NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 4090 | NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 5060 |
|---|---|---|
| TDPⓘ | 450 W | 145 Wlead |
| Recommended PSUⓘ | 850 W | 550 Wlead |
| Length | 304 mm | 242 mmlead |
| Slot size | 3-slot | 2-slot |
Benchmarks
| Spec | NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 4090 | NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 5060 |
|---|---|---|
| 3DMark Time Spyⓘ | 28000lead | 11500 |
| DLSSⓘ | true | true |
| FSRⓘ | false | false |
Frequently asked
Which has more VRAM, GeForce RTX 4090 or GeForce RTX 5060?+
GeForce RTX 4090 ships with 24GB GDDR6X vs 8GB.
Which scores higher in 3DMark Time Spy, GeForce RTX 4090 or GeForce RTX 5060?+
GeForce RTX 4090 scores 28000 vs 11500.
Which draws less power, GeForce RTX 4090 or GeForce RTX 5060?+
GeForce RTX 5060 draws 145W TDP vs 450W.
Spec-level deep dives
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