NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 4090 vs AMD - Radeon RX 7900 XTX
Between the GeForce RTX 4090 and Radeon RX 7900 XTX, the GeForce RTX 4090 comes out ahead in cuda / stream cores and 3dmark time spy, while the Radeon RX 7900 XTX wins on tdp. Overall, the GeForce RTX 4090 scores 80.3 and the Radeon RX 7900 XTX scores 71 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The GeForce RTX 4090 is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 9.3 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, 3dmark time spy, ray tracing cores, among others.
Pick the Radeon RX 7900 XTX if you care most about tdp. Its strongest claims are tdp.
Both ship with comparable vram, memory bus, 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 — 166.67% more. 16384 vs 6144.
- ▲3DMark Time Spy — 33.33% more. 28000 vs 21000.
- ▲Ray tracing cores — 33.33% more. 128 vs 96.
- ▲Has DLSS.
- ▲Boost clock — 0.80% more. 2520 MHz vs 2500 MHz.
Why AMD - Radeon RX 7900 XTX wins
- ▲TDP — 95.00 W less. 355 vs 450.
Spec comparison
Core
| Spec | NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 4090 | AMD - Radeon RX 7900 XTX |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | AD102 | Navi 31 |
| Base clockⓘ | 2235 MHzlead | 1900 MHz |
| Boost clockⓘ | 2520 MHzlead | 2500 MHz |
| CUDA / Stream coresⓘ | 16384lead | 6144 |
| Ray tracing coresⓘ | 128lead | 96 |
Memory
| Spec | NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 4090 | AMD - Radeon RX 7900 XTX |
|---|---|---|
| VRAMⓘ | 24 GB | 24 GB |
| VRAM typeⓘ | GDDR6Xlead | GDDR6 |
| Memory busⓘ | 384 bit | 384 bit |
Power & Form
| Spec | NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 4090 | AMD - Radeon RX 7900 XTX |
|---|---|---|
| TDPⓘ | 450 W | 355 Wlead |
| Recommended PSUⓘ | 850 W | 800 Wlead |
| Length | 304 mm | 287 mmlead |
| Slot size | 3-slot | 2.5-slot |
Benchmarks
| Spec | NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 4090 | AMD - Radeon RX 7900 XTX |
|---|---|---|
| 3DMark Time Spyⓘ | 28000lead | 21000 |
| DLSSⓘ | truelead | false |
| FSRⓘ | false | truelead |
Frequently asked
Which has more VRAM, GeForce RTX 4090 or Radeon RX 7900 XTX?+
Radeon RX 7900 XTX ships with 24GB GDDR6 vs 24GB.
Which scores higher in 3DMark Time Spy, GeForce RTX 4090 or Radeon RX 7900 XTX?+
GeForce RTX 4090 scores 28000 vs 21000.
Which draws less power, GeForce RTX 4090 or Radeon RX 7900 XTX?+
Radeon RX 7900 XTX draws 355W TDP vs 450W.
Spec-level deep dives
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