NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 4090 vs NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 5090
Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 4090 | NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 5090 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 450 W | 575 W |
| VRAM | 24 GB | 32 GB |
| Memory bus | 384 bit | 512 bit |
| CUDA / Stream cores | 16384 | 21760 |
| Ray tracing cores | 128 | 170 |
| 3DMark Time Spy | 28000 | 32500 |
Between the GeForce RTX 4090 and GeForce RTX 5090, the GeForce RTX 4090 comes out ahead in tdp / boost clock, while the GeForce RTX 5090 wins on vram / memory bus. Overall, the GeForce RTX 4090 scores 78 and the GeForce RTX 5090 scores 84.2 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The GeForce RTX 5090 edges ahead on the Mars Score (78 vs 84.2), but the 6.2-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the GeForce RTX 4090 if you care most about tdp / boost clock. The biggest gaps in its favor are tdp, boost clock. The single most decisive one: TDP — 125.00 W less. 450 vs 575.
Pick the GeForce RTX 5090 if you push the hardware — gaming, on-device AI, heavy multitasking — and the extra compute headroom is worth the trade-offs. Its strongest claims are vram, memory bus, cuda / stream cores, among others. The single most decisive one: VRAM — 33.33% more. 32 GB vs 24 GB.
Both ship with comparable dlss, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the GeForce RTX 5090 is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Which should you buy: NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 4090 or NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 5090?
NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 5090 leads the current Mars Score by 6.2 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare vram, cuda / stream cores, boost clock, tdp against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 4090 if…
NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 4090 has the measurable edge on tdp w, boost clock mhz.
Choose NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 5090 if…
NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 5090 has the measurable edge on vram gb, memory bus bit, cuda cores.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 4090 wins
- ▲TDP — 125.00 W less. 450 vs 575.
- ▲Boost clock — 4.69% more. 2520 MHz vs 2407 MHz.
Why NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 5090 wins
- ▲VRAM — 33.33% more. 32 GB vs 24 GB.
- ▲Memory bus — 33.33% more. 512 bit vs 384 bit.
- ▲CUDA / Stream cores — 32.81% more. 21760 vs 16384.
- ▲Ray tracing cores — 32.81% more. 170 vs 128.
- ▲3DMark Time Spy — 16.07% more. 32500 vs 28000.
Spec comparison
Core
| Spec | NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 4090 | NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 5090 |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | AD102 | GB202 |
| Base clockⓘ | 2235 MHzlead | 2017 MHz |
| Boost clockⓘ | 2520 MHzlead | 2407 MHz |
| CUDA / Stream coresⓘ | 16384 | 21760lead |
| Ray tracing coresⓘ | 128 | 170lead |
Memory
| Spec | NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 4090 | NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 5090 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAMⓘ | 24 GB | 32 GBlead |
| VRAM typeⓘ | GDDR6X | GDDR7lead |
| Memory busⓘ | 384 bit | 512 bitlead |
Power & Form
| Spec | NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 4090 | NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 5090 |
|---|---|---|
| TDPⓘ | 450 Wlead | 575 W |
| Recommended PSUⓘ | 850 Wlead | 1000 W |
| Length | 304 mm | 304 mm |
| Slot size | 3-slot | 2-slot |
Benchmarks
| Spec | NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 4090 | NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 5090 |
|---|---|---|
| 3DMark Time Spyⓘ | 28000 | 32500lead |
| DLSSⓘ | true | true |
| FSRⓘ | false | false |
Frequently asked
Which has more VRAM, GeForce RTX 4090 or GeForce RTX 5090?+
GeForce RTX 5090 ships with 32GB GDDR7 vs 24GB.
Which scores higher in 3DMark Time Spy, GeForce RTX 4090 or GeForce RTX 5090?+
GeForce RTX 5090 scores 32500 vs 28000.
Which draws less power, GeForce RTX 4090 or GeForce RTX 5090?+
GeForce RTX 4090 draws 450W TDP vs 575W.