RTX 5090 vs RTX 4090 — Benchmark Comparison and Upgrade Guide
RTX 5090 vs RTX 4090 benchmark comparison. Detailed performance analysis in gaming, AI, and content creation. Is the upgrade worth it? Full specs and real-world tests.
Introduction
NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 5090 represents the Blackwell generation's flagship consumer GPU, succeeding the RTX 4090 that dominated the high-end GPU market for over two years. With a new architecture, more CUDA cores, and improved AI capabilities, the RTX 5090 promises a significant leap in performance.
But at $1,999 MSRP (vs. the 4090's $1,599 launch price), is the upgrade worth it? This comprehensive benchmark comparison breaks down the real-world performance differences.
Specifications Comparison
| Specification | RTX 5090 | RTX 4090 |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Blackwell (GB202) | Ada Lovelace (AD102) |
| CUDA Cores | 21,760 | 16,384 |
| Boost Clock | 2.41 GHz | 2.52 GHz |
| Memory | 32GB GDDR7 | 24GB GDDR6X |
| Memory Bus | 512-bit | 384-bit |
| Memory Bandwidth | 1,792 GB/s | 1,008 GB/s |
| TDP | 575W | 450W |
| DLSS Version | DLSS 4 (Multi Frame Gen) | DLSS 3 (Frame Generation) |
| RT Cores | 5th Gen | 3rd Gen |
| Tensor Cores | 5th Gen | 4th Gen |
| PCIe | 5.0 x16 | 4.0 x16 |
| MSRP | $1,999 | $1,599 |
Gaming Benchmarks
4K Native (No DLSS)
| Game | RTX 5090 (FPS) | RTX 4090 (FPS) | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cyberpunk 2077 (RT Overdrive) | 78 | 52 | +50% |
| Alan Wake 2 (RT High) | 85 | 58 | +47% |
| Black Myth: Wukong (Max) | 95 | 68 | +40% |
| Starfield (Ultra) | 110 | 82 | +34% |
| Hogwarts Legacy (Ultra RT) | 105 | 78 | +35% |
| Spider-Man 2 (Ultra) | 120 | 90 | +33% |
| Call of Duty: MW4 (Max) | 145 | 110 | +32% |
| Forza Motorsport (Extreme) | 130 | 95 | +37% |
Average improvement at 4K native: ~38%
4K with DLSS (Quality Mode)
| Game | RTX 5090 DLSS 4 | RTX 4090 DLSS 3 | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cyberpunk 2077 (RT Overdrive) | 165 | 95 | +74% |
| Alan Wake 2 (RT High) | 155 | 90 | +72% |
| Black Myth: Wukong | 170 | 110 | +55% |
| Starfield | 180 | 130 | +38% |
With DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation, the 5090 generates multiple frames per rendered frame (up to 3x), dramatically boosting frame rates. However, this adds latency — partially mitigated by NVIDIA Reflex.
1440p Gaming
At 1440p, both GPUs are often CPU-limited rather than GPU-limited:
- Differences narrow to 20-30% in most titles
- Both deliver 144+ FPS in virtually all games
- The 5090's advantage is less compelling here
- For 1440p gaming, the 4090 remains excellent
8K Gaming
At 8K resolution, the 5090's extra VRAM (32GB vs 24GB) and bandwidth make a real difference:
- Some games exceed 24GB VRAM at 8K with max textures
- 5090 delivers playable frame rates (40-60 FPS) in many titles at 8K
- 4090 struggles with VRAM limitations at 8K
Ray Tracing Performance
The 5090's 5th-gen RT cores provide significant improvements:
| Test | RTX 5090 | RTX 4090 | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3DMark Port Royal | 28,500 | 19,800 | +44% |
| 3DMark Speed Way | 12,500 | 8,200 | +52% |
| Cyberpunk RT Overdrive (4K) | 78 FPS | 52 FPS | +50% |
Ray tracing sees some of the largest generational improvements, with 44-52% gains across benchmarks.
AI and Machine Learning
Local LLM Inference
The 5090's 32GB GDDR7 is a game-changer for running local AI models:
| Model | RTX 5090 (tokens/s) | RTX 4090 (tokens/s) | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Llama 3 8B (Q4) | 145 | 95 | +53% |
| Llama 3 70B (Q4) | 28 | Can't fit* | N/A |
| Mistral 7B | 160 | 110 | +45% |
| Stable Diffusion XL | 6.2 img/s | 3.8 img/s | +63% |
| Flux.1 (img gen) | 4.5 img/s | 2.8 img/s | +61% |
*70B parameter models don't fit in 24GB VRAM; 32GB enables running them locally.
Key advantage: The jump from 24GB to 32GB VRAM opens up larger AI models that simply couldn't run on the 4090.
AI Training
| Benchmark | RTX 5090 | RTX 4090 | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| MLPerf ResNet-50 | +55% | Baseline | 55% faster |
| PyTorch BERT fine-tuning | +48% | Baseline | 48% faster |
| Stable Diffusion training | +60% | Baseline | 60% faster |
The 5090 supports FP4 precision (in addition to FP8, FP16, FP32), enabling even faster AI training and inference for compatible workloads.
Content Creation
Video Editing and Encoding
| Task | RTX 5090 | RTX 4090 | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| DaVinci Resolve (4K export) | 42% faster | Baseline | Significant |
| Premiere Pro (NVENC export) | 35% faster | Baseline | Good |
| Blender (OptiX) | 50% faster | Baseline | Excellent |
| HandBrake (NVENC AV1) | 40% faster | Baseline | Good |
The 9th-gen NVENC encoder on the 5090 supports AV1 encoding at higher quality and speed than the 4090's 8th-gen encoder.
3D Rendering
| Benchmark | RTX 5090 | RTX 4090 | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blender BMW (OptiX) | 18 sec | 28 sec | +56% |
| V-Ray GPU | +48% | Baseline | Substantial |
| OctaneBench | +52% | Baseline | Substantial |
Power Consumption and Efficiency
| Metric | RTX 5090 | RTX 4090 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 575W | 450W |
| Gaming power | 480-550W | 350-420W |
| Idle power | 15-20W | 12-15W |
| Recommended PSU | 1000W+ | 850W+ |
| Performance/Watt | ~25% better | Baseline |
The 5090 is more power-hungry in absolute terms but delivers more performance per watt. You'll likely need a PSU upgrade and good case airflow.
Cooling Requirements
- 5090 Founders Edition: 3-slot cooler, excellent thermal management
- Most AIB cards: 3-3.5 slot designs
- Case compatibility: Verify your case fits 350mm+ GPUs
- Thermal throttling: Rare with proper airflow but monitor temps
Should You Upgrade?
Upgrade from RTX 4090 → RTX 5090?
Yes, if:
- You run local AI models and need >24GB VRAM
- You game at 4K with ray tracing and want DLSS 4
- You do professional 3D rendering or video production
- You want 8K gaming capability
- Budget is not a primary concern
No, if:
- You primarily game at 1440p (4090 is still overkill)
- You don't use AI workloads requiring >24GB VRAM
- The $1,999 price is a stretch
- Your PSU is under 850W (additional upgrade cost)
- You're satisfied with current 4090 performance (it's still amazing)
Upgrade from RTX 3090 / 3080 → RTX 5090?
Strong yes. The generational leap is enormous:
- 2-3x gaming performance vs. RTX 3090
- Massively improved ray tracing (4-5x in some cases)
- DLSS 4 is transformative
- VRAM: 32GB GDDR7 vs. 24GB GDDR6X (3090) or 10-12GB (3080)
- Modern features: AV1 encode/decode, better display outputs
What About the RTX 5080?
If the 5090 is too expensive, the RTX 5080 ($999) offers:
- 16GB GDDR7, 256-bit bus
- ~75-80% of 5090 performance in gaming
- Significantly better value per dollar
- 300W TDP (much more reasonable)
- For most gamers, the 5080 is the smarter buy
Conclusion
The RTX 5090 is a beast — delivering 35-55% improvements over the already-dominant RTX 4090 across gaming, AI, and content creation workloads. The jump to 32GB GDDR7 makes it the first consumer GPU truly capable of running large AI models locally.
However, the $1,999 price, 575W power consumption, and marginal benefit at 1440p make it a luxury upgrade for 4090 owners. For RTX 3000 series users or those building new high-end systems, it's an incredible GPU.
For most gamers, the RTX 5080 at half the price delivers most of the experience. But if you want the absolute best — and can afford it — the RTX 5090 is the undisputed king.